Categories > Cartoons > Danny Phantom > The Wielder
The Wielder
Chapter 8: The Truth Hurts
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Amity Park Plaza Hotel – Pent House
The machine was almost ready. Kenneth Irons was ready to separate the Witchblade from its wielder. All he needed was for Vlad’s equipment to work and if he knew what was good for him he had calibrated this perfectly. According to the readout everything was set. He double checked just in case Vlad tweaked something he shouldn’t have. Chances were he was still snooping around, keeping his distance so that he didn’t set off Danny’s ghost sense. He hoped he was watching because once he had the Witchblade, he would know real power.
“Are you ready, Miss Manson?” said Kenneth as he put on the gauntlet.
“As I’ll ever be,” she said anxiously.
She cast Danny one last look. He nodded, letting her know he was still there for her. He was still holding out for Jazz and Tucker, but it seemed too late now. If the Witchblade was dangerous, Sam wanted it off before it started doing damage. She couldn’t afford to wait. It could cost her everything.
“Relax, my dear,” he told her, “It’ll all be over soon.”
Irons pushed a button on the glove, causing it to light up as energy surged through the cables and into the complex circuitry. Sam and Danny could only speculate what was happening. They were forced to place all their trust in this stranger who seemed shady at best. But if it all worked out it wouldn’t matter. Only one thing could stop it now.
Suddenly, Danny’s phone started ringing, which quickly drew the attention of Kenneth and Ian.
“Uh…sorry,” he said with a sheepish grin, “Hold on, I should get this.”
“Turn it off,” said Kenneth sternly, “I don’t want any interruptions.”
“I’ll just take it outside,” he said, putting on a casual tone “I’ll be right back, Sam. I promise.”
Sam didn’t say anything. She couldn’t run the risk of making Kenneth more suspicious than he already was. But even that wasn’t enough for him to look at the boy oddly and turn to Ian.
“Ian, go with him…just in case,” ordered Irons.
He got the subtext of his tone and followed Danny out into the hall. Danny suppressed a groan as he looked at his phone, trying to hide it from the prying eyes of Ian Nottingham. As he hoped, it was from Tucker. His heart jumped. Maybe they found something. But even if they did, he couldn’t let Ian or Kenneth know. He had to be tactful about it.
Once out in the hallway, he turned towards Ian and flashed and innocent looking smile.
“Heh…it’s my mom. Go figure,” he said, trying to sound convincing.
Ian didn’t crack a smile. He just folded his arms and stared at the boy intently as he put the phone to his ear.
“Hello?”
Over the line, he heard a frantic tone.
“Danny! What took you, man? Is it too late?!”
“Uh…no, of course not. Why do you ask?” he said, sweat already dripping down the side of his head.
Tucker’s expression shifted. He wasn’t sure what was going on so he just came out with it.
“You were right, Danny! Ian was lying! The Witchblade doesn’t drive the wielder insane! The wielder controls the power! Irons said it himself in his own book! Jazz and I are already on our way, but whatever he’s doing don’t let him! You got that? Don’t let him!”
Danny swallowed the lump in his throat. He was tempted to just go ghost and run back inside and beat the crap out of Kenneth Irons for lying to them. But he couldn’t risk it with Ian standing right there. So he had to be put on an Oscar-worthy performance.
“Sure mom, I can pick some up on the way home. Love you too. Bye.”
Over the line, Tucker looked at his phone strangely. Danny must have been in a tight spot because there was no way he would say something that lame unless it was absolutely necessary.
“You better step on it, Jazz,” said Tucker, “I have a feeling Danny and Sam are in a heck of a bind!”
“On it!” said Jazz in a determined tone.
She kicked the Fenton Assault Vehicle into overdrive, weaving through traffic and driving at speeds that would make her father proud. The Amity Park Plaza Hotel was a ways away. Hopefully Danny could handle himself there and save Sam before she made a big mistake.
His biggest challenge, however, was blocking his path back inside. Upon closing his phone, Ian stared at the boy strangely. He could see the sweat rolling down his face. It was a clear sign, but what it could mean for a 14-year-old boy who had ghost powers was anybody’s guess.
“Are you okay, boy?” said Ian, holding back his bemusement.
“I’m fine…just thirsty,” he lied, “You mind if we make a trip to the vending machine? I could really go for a soda.”
Ian rolled his eyes and led him down the hall to where the machines were. His eyes never left him, something that was not lost on Danny. He got the feeling that this guy had more skills than he let on. His first fight with him was proof enough of that. He needed to find a way to get him to flinch. He only needed one second to make his move. He had to make it quick though. There was no telling how much longer Sam could stall.
‘Hang on, Sam.’
Back inside the pent house, the ecto-draining glove was all powered up and ready to go. Sam stood nervously before the older man, still holding out for word from Danny to not go through with this. The voice of the Witchblade was yelling at her not to go through with this, but her conscious was just as forceful in telling her not to risk it. The lives of her friends and family were at stake here.
“Hold out your hand,” said Kenneth.
Sam took a deep breath and formed the gauntlet over her hand. Taking one last look at the Witchblade, she swallowed her nervousness and held out her arm.
“Now try and relax, Miss Manson,” he told her, “This may be a bit uncomfortable, but rest assured it’ll all work out for the better.”
While Kenneth Irons was about to get what he spent a lifetime searching for, Danny was at the vending machine with Ian. He tried to keep his cool, making it look like nothing was amiss. He searched his pockets, pretending to look for change. He knew he was wasting precious time, but he couldn’t lead Ian on. So he would have to use the same tactic Irons used against them and put on a little deception.
“Oh darn,” said Danny, “I’m short on cash. You got any spare change or bills? I’m dying for a soda.”
Ian rolled his eyes again. Nothing would have made him happier than impaling this kid on his sword, but his master told him to keep up the charade until he was told otherwise. So like a good henchman, he reached into his pockets and pulled out his wallet. When he did this, Danny made his move and fired a concentrated ghost ray right into his chest.
“Augh!” he yelled as he rammed into another snack machine.
“On second thought, keep the change!” taunted Danny, “Going ghost!”
“You little…”
But Ian was too late. Danny went intangible and flew back into the pent house where he was just in time to see Kenneth Irons about to take the Witchblade from Sam. Time slowed down as the eccentric billionaire had his life’s work right in front of him. But Danny wouldn’t let him hurt his best friend just so he could steal this ancient power.
“Sam!” he exclaimed, “Don’t do it! It’s a trap! Irons is…”
But before he could finish, a pinkish ghost ray shot out from below and knocked Danny back. And from the floor, Vlad flew up in full Plasmius mode.
“Danny!” exclaimed Sam.
“Oh no you don’t!” said Irons.
Before she could get away, he grabbed her arm and the Witchblade with it. Immediately, the gauntlet reacted and the process began.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” cried Sam.
“YEEEEEESSSSSSSS! AT LAST!”
“NO!” exclaimed Danny.
Sparks flew as green and yellow burst of energy arced from the glove and into Sam. She fell to her knees, her every nerve burning as though the strength was being sucked right out of her. Even the Witchblade wailed as if it were in pain. It was coming to life as the ecto-energy surged through it, drawing its power from her and into Kenneth. The living weapon shifted, forming the full-bodied armor over Sam’s body as it was forced into activity. Only this time it didn’t stop once it covered her. It continued onto Kenneth, consuming his arm and spreading all over his body.
“Sam…” gasped Danny as he watched her pained expression.
“Oh don’t be so melodramatic,” said Vlad with a grin, “Everything has been taken care of.”
“Plasmius!” said Danny, seething with anger, “I should have known you’d team up with a slime-ball like Irons!”
“I assure you it’s not out of mutual admiration,” said Plasmius, “But I will not allow you to get in the way! I’ve come too far to have you ruin it!”
“Too bad,” quipped Danny, “Because when I’m through with you, you’ll wish you stayed a solo-act!”
Danny took to the air and flew towards Vlad at ramming speed. He countered with a ghost shield, holding his ground while Kenneth continued the draining process. The impact knocked Vlad back only a bit, but Danny kept at it with a relentless barrage of punches and kicks. Vlad tried to fire back, but he was able to dodge and counter with a round of ghost rays of his own. This knocked Vlad back even further, but he landed on his feet and kept himself between Danny and the machine. He just needed to buy time.
“Errrrrrr! Get out of my way!” he grunted as he hit Vlad with another ghost ray.
Vlad was actually struggling to hold him off. Danny really was determined to save that girl. That crush he had on her must have been stronger than he thought. Needing reinforcements, he duplicated his form three times and surrounded the young boy. He couldn’t allow him to get any closer or risk disrupting everything.
“Stop fighting, Daniel! You’ll only make things worse!” said Plasmius strongly.
“Yeah…for you!” he quipped.
Danny closed his eyes and concentrated his power. If Vlad was this determined to help Kenneth Irons he would go down with him. His eyes flashed blue and his hands started glowing. Then with a determined grunt, he fired four bursts of ice beams and froze Vlad and his clone forms. While they were frozen, Danny charged up a ghost ray and fired a blast that shattered every one of them except the true Vlad, who was sent flying back instead in a hail of broken ice.
“Augh!” he grunted.
Now that Vlad was down for the count, Danny turned his attention to Sam. But from the looks of it, he was too late. Witchblade-like armor had already coated his entire body. Only his face was uncovered now. And Sam was looking pretty weak. Her body was going limp and her energy was training fast.
“Yes! YES! I feel it! The power of the Witchblade is finally mine!” said Kenneth in triumph.
“You want power? Try this on for size!”
Danny charged up and fired a concentrated ghost ray, but Kenneth just formed a shield on his arm and swatted it right back at him. It caught Danny off guard and hit him point blank, knocking him back against the adjacent wall.
“You’re too late, ghost boy!” he taunted, “I’ve waited too long for this moment to let a couple of punk teenagers stop me now!”
“You…bastard!” grunted Sam as she was continually drained.
“No use fighting it now, girl! Let me have what is rightfully mine!”
Now Sam knew why the Witchblade kept yelling at her not to do this. Next time, she would surely listen. But at the rate they were going, there might not be a next time. Her energy was being drained fast. The world around her was spinning. Kenneth wasn’t just draining the Witchblade from her. He was draining the life out of her. Danny watched in horror as Sam looked weaker and weaker. She tried to resist, but it was no use. The armor of the Witchblade that was still on her body started to falter while the armor on Kenneth’s body looked stronger.
He was on the brink of attaining this ancient power. He was about half-way there, nearing the point of no return. Then suddenly, the ecto-gauntlet sparked and all the machines went dead. An error message then appeared on screen.
“Warning: low power. Shutdown imminent.”
“What?!” exclaimed Kenneth, “No! Not now! It’s only halfway done! Nooooo!”
The draining process abruptly ceased, causing Kenneth to drop Sam. He then keeled over as the sparks in the gauntlet began burning his arm with a pulse of shocks. He tried to grab Sam again, but the shocks were too painful and he was forced to remove the gauntlet.
He noticed Sam was still in full Witchblade mode. Only half the power had been drained. It left him feeling incomplete. The machine worked, but only to a point. That left only one culprit in his mind.
“Masters!” he bellowed, “What the hell did you do?!”
“Nothing you shouldn’t have expected from me, Kenneth,” said Vlad, groaning as he picked himself up, “I said the machine works. I never said I provided it enough power to complete the process.”
“You son-of-a…”
“Oh come now, Kenneth. Did you really think I was going to give you everything you wanted and expect all you promised in return? Honestly, how dumb do you think I am? And Daniel, don’t answer that question.”
Danny, who also struggled to pick himself up, noticed what was going on and was intrigued. Kenneth looked pissed, but his rage was now focused on Plasmius. He used this as his opportunity to fly over and get Sam.
“You’re making a big mistake, Plasmius!” said Kenneth menacingly, “Just because I have half the Witchblade doesn’t mean I’m not strong enough to make you suffer!”
“You’ll do no such thing!” said Vlad strongly, “I’m the only one with the technology you need to finish the process. And I’ll still hold up my end of the bargain…with a little incentive of course.”
Kenneth’s eyes burned with rage at Vlad. He dared to come between him and his ultimate dream when he was on the brink of success. He should have known better, but at this point he had no desire to make another deal.
Suddenly, the expression on his face shifted. His rage turned to a smug grin and Vlad was caught off guard.
“Forgetting something?” he said snidely.
Before Vlad could react, a concentrated yellow beam shot out from the other end of the room and hit him head on. It sent him flying back in a world of hurt, but before he could get up Ian Nottingham, now recovered from Danny’s earlier trickery, pounced on top of him and placed the glowing blade at his neck.
“This sword is specially crafted to affect your kind,” said Ian, “You’d best do as my master says or I’m going to carve you up like a steak!”
“Oh butternuts…” said Vlad weakly.
Irons had truly lost it now. He was willing to kill him if he didn’t do what he wanted and no reward was good to him if it left him dead. Now not only did Kenneth have the menacing power of the Witchblade, but Ian Nottingham had that sword of his. He was in quite a bind with only two ways out and one was in a body bag.
While Ian held Vlad at sword-point, Danny helped Sam up. She seemed to be getting her energy back. Even at half strength, the Witchblade protected her and she still felt the power within. But the weapon didn’t like being separated. It yearned to be whole again. It simply could not allow this madman to use it for his own selfish gains.
“We better get out of here, Sam,” urged Danny, “Let two evil ‘masterminds’ work this out.”
“No…I can’t,” she said strongly, “Not without the other half of the Witchblade!”
“Sam, let it go! We have to…”
“You don’t understand, Danny. I’m the true wielder. It’s not only my job to use the Witchblade…it’s my job to protect it! I can’t let him have it! Now are you going to help me get it back or am I going to have to do this myself?”
She looked serious. Even at half-strength, nothing was going to keep her from taking the fight to Irons. He tricked her and tried to use her. There was no way she was going to let it go unpunished. She owed the Witchblade that much. And since they were already outnumbered, she needed Danny and he wasn’t about to let her go it alone. He made her a promise after all.
“Are you sure you’re okay to fight?” he asked her.
Sam responded by forming a large broad-sword with the Witchblade.
“Half-strength is better than none,” she said.
“Good enough for me!”
Danny and Sam sprang into action. Sam took aim at Kenneth and Danny took aim at Ian. Sam knocked Irons off his feet by firing a concentrated blast through her sword. Danny followed with a powerful ghost ray that hit Ian in the shoulder, knocking him off Vlad and sending him tumbling.
“Hey, nobody beats up on Vlad but me!” he said.
“Augh! Little freak!” grunted Ian, “You’re mine!”
Ian shot up from the floor and lunged at Danny, his sword glowing with intent. He slashed relentlessly at the young teen who had been nothing but an annoyance since the beginning, but the nimble teen went invisible and dodged his blows with ease. This only made Ian more angry as he started relentlessly thrashing about, looking to connect with anything.
Over with Kenneth, he was seething with anger as he recovered from Sam’s blast. It still packed quite a punch, which wouldn’t have bothered him quite as much if it hadn’t come from some punk teenage girl. She dared to deny him the power he desired. She was going to learn that there was a price to be paid for going up against him.
“You’re out of your league, little girl!” said Irons angrily, “Do you really think you can take me?”
“You’re a deranged madman who thinks he can just up and take anything he wants and I’m the girl the Witchblade chose. So yeah! I can take you!”
“Fool…you still have no idea who you’re dealing with!”
“This coming from a guy who wants a weapon made specifically for women,” Sam taunted with a grin, “Honestly, don’t you find that a wee bit telling?”
“Errrrrrrrrr! Give me my Witchblade!” he bellowed.
Forming a sword of his own, Irons lunged at Sam in full force. Their blades clashed in a hail of sparks, the whim of the wielder and a madman hinging on the fate of an ancient relic. Kenneth may be bigger and stronger, but Sam was nimble and determined. Plus, the Witchblade was pushing her hard. It wanted her to overcome this madman, but it could only do so much. It was up to her to subdue this madman and get its other half back.
While this was going on, Vlad pulled himself up. He watched over the scene before him, sensing it was quickly getting out of hand. He looked over at his machines and then back at Irons. If that man had no intention of holding up his end of the bargain then there was no reason to help him. He briefly contemplated staying to help, but given the kind of powers at work here it just wasn’t worth the risk. Besides, this was more Danny’s thing anyways.
“Well this sure has been fun, old friend, but I must be going now,” said Vlad as he went intangible and flew out the window, “Have fun with your new friends! Oh and Daniel, tell Maddie I said hi.”
“Oh man, I so did not need to hear that,” groaned Danny, who was still struggling with Ian.
“Vlad you coward get back here!” yelled Kenneth, briefly turning away from Sam.
But that proved to be a mistake as Sam hit him with a solid uppercut coupled with a kick.
“Coward? Who do you think you’re talking to Mr. I-send-crazy-sword-wielding-psychos-to-do-my-dirty-work?” taunted Sam, “Face it, Irons. You’re every bit the fruit loop Vlad is!”
“Will you shut up already?!” scolded Kenneth as he countered with a sword slash of his own.
“What? And spoil the fun? I thought billionaires liked to have fun! How does it cost to stay in a pent house like this anyways? Half the average salary?”
Kenneth grunted as Sam repeatedly blocked his blows. She was feisty for a girl her age. The Witchblade must be aiding her. But that mouth of hers was becoming just as great a nuisance.
“You know I was just going to take the Witchblade and let you live, Miss Manson. But just for that, I’ll see to it that you and your little boyfriend are nothing more but stains on my carpet!”
Irons was through playing games. It was time to step it up and finish this. If Sam wouldn’t give the Witchblade to him willingly then she would carve it off her flesh. Using his size and strength to his advantage, Kenneth Irons charged Sam and forced her onto the defensive. Armor tendrils shot out from his back and upper body, forcing Sam to form a shield on her arm to block them along with his sword slashes. He didn’t let up, forcing her back until she was against a wall. And to keep her from escaping, he drove the tendrils into the wall around her to cut off her escape. He then thrust his sword towards her heart, forcing her to block it. Their weapons clashed, leaving them in a bitter stalemate.
“Face it, child…you’re too weak for the Witchblade!” said Kenneth, “Just look at past wielders. Do you really think you, a punk girl from Amity Park, can live up to their names and their place in history?”
“What do you know about history?” grunted Sam.
“I know that only the strong leave their mark. You think I’m mad. But I know the Witchblade! I understand it! I can use it to set history on the right course! It is my destiny! My father believed it and so do I!”
“You know what I believe?” said Sam, using all her strength to hold Irons back, “I believe you’re not just mad…you’re psychotic!”
Irons wouldn’t let up, his blade inching towards Sam’s neck. Danny, who was still dodging Ian’s slashes, saw this and tried rushing to his friend’s aid. But Ian wasn’t going to make it easy on him.
“Hang on, Sam!” urged Danny, “I’ll be right there! Just give me a minute to take care of Mr. Tall, Dark, and Crazy!”
“I’d worry more about your own well-being if I were you,” said Ian, gripping his sword in determination.
“Glad you’re not me!”
Danny ducked another slash and fired an ice beam at Ian’s legs, freezing his feet to the floor. He tried to break free, but Danny beat him to the punch and delivered a solid blow to the chest with a ghost ray. This freed him from the ice and also seemed to knock him out. Ian was a tough fighter, but he was only human. There was no way he was getting up from that for at least a half hour.
“Sleep tight, Nottingham. Now to help, Sam!”
Danny turned his attention over towards his friend. Sam was losing ground on Irons and in desperate need of help. He was on the verge of overpowering her. He was about to fly over to aid her. Then suddenly, he felt a stabbing pain in his torso.
“Augh!”
“Danny?” gasped Sam upon hearing his cries.
She turned towards him and to her horror she saw the glowing blade of Ian Nottingham sticking out through his body. Danny bore a look of shock and pain. His mind struggled to process what was going on. Then he looked down at the sword sticking out of him and realized what had happened.
“You fought valiantly, Ghost Boy,” said Ian, “But your time is up.”
“No…” he gasped.
Ian then twisted the blade, causing Danny’s face to contort in agony. He then pulled it out, causing a gush of greenish ectoplasm to cascade out. Danny tried to cover it with his hands, but it was too much. He keeled over, reverting back to his human form. There the wound turned from green to red, the ectoplasm replaced with blood. Fear quickly set in. Everything around him was spinning. He coughed up a round of blood, his pained expression gazing towards Sam in desperation.
“Sam…” he choked.
It was a grizzly sight. Sam’s eyes widened with horror as she watched her best friend fall to the floor in a bloody heap. Despite the blow he took, Ian shot up and was able to deliver the killing blow. Where Skulker, Vortex, and the Ghost King failed this man had succeeded. And there was not a hint of remorse. It stirred a fire within Samantha Manson like no other.
“Danny…nooooooooo!” she cried in anguish.
“Fear not,” said Ian, “You’ll be joining him soon.”
“LIKE HELL!”
Her eyes flashed bright yellow, the power of the Witchblade burning within. A new wave of strength consumed her and she shoved Kenneth off her. He was about to counter, but then he was hit by a powerful energy blast she conjured from her sword. And with her rage fueling her, it was much more powerful than he expected.
“Auuuuuuggghhh!” howled Irons.
His shield failed him and he was knocked against Vlad’s machines, shattering them in a hail of metal and glass. He slowly picked himself up only to see Sam’s glowing eyes as she gripped her sword in preparation for a final assault. But before she could attack, Ian Nottingham came to his master’s aid.
“I’m coming, master!” yelled Ian, his sword still dripping with Danny’s blood.
“Ian wait!” urged Kenneth.
But his words fell on deaf ears as Ian charged Sam, ignoring the rage in her eyes. She was so mad she didn’t even flinch. Looking into the eyes of the man who heartlessly stabbed Danny, she had only vengeance on her mind. And the Witchblade would help her. Before he even got in attack distance, six tendrils shot out from her back and enveloped the imposing man. They wrapped around his arms and legs and lifted him off the floor, causing him to drop his sword.
“Murderer!” she yelled, holding her sword up to his neck.
“What are you going to do, kill me?” scoffed Ian, “You’re just a child. You don’t have the guts to kill!”
Sam grit her teeth in anger. As much as she wanted to impale this bastard the way he impaled Danny, he was right. She wasn’t a killer. If she killed him she would be just like him. The Witchblade urged her to finish him off. It was so tempting with the image of Danny’s pained face now seared in her mind. But that wasn’t her.
“You’re right,” she said coldly, “I won’t kill you.”
Ian cast a snide grin. But she wasn’t done.
“The fall will do that for me!”
Then to his shock, Sam threw him with all her Witchblade strength across the room and out the window, sending him falling over 20 stories onto the hard pavement below. His frantic cries echoed from outside, but after what he did to Danny she could care less.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
The only sound that followed was a hard thud. Even Kenneth was surprised. He didn’t think she had it in her. But Ian killing Danny sent her over the edge. Now she set her sights on him. Even with only half the Witchblade, she was going to make him pay. But he remained undaunted.
“Now it’s your turn, Irons!” spat Sam, tears forming in her eyes, “Ian was your goon! You sent him after us! You’re just as much a killer as he is!”
“Cry me a river,” said an undaunted Kenneth, “Many have fallen at the hands of the Witchblade. Why weep over just another boy?”
“Danny Fenton was more than just a boy! He was my friend!”
Sam let out a war cry as she charged the eccentric billionaire and began a passionate assault. Kenneth formed another shield, but it was no match for her rage. The tendrils she used to toss Ian out the window were still drawn and her sword was charged with energy. He felt each strike, forcing him on the defensive. He tried to form tendrils as well to fight back, but they were quickly snapped or cut by Sam’s blows. Kenneth grunted in pain each time, but kept up his defenses. Soon, however, he began to weaken.
Sam kept crying out in anguish with each blow she delivered, her anger over what happened to Danny pushing her beyond all her limits. The living weapon reacted, forming bigger and stronger armor and amplifying each blow from her sword. Soon Kenneth was the one against the wall. He tried to push his way out, but Sam wouldn’t give him the chance this time. She delivered a solid kick to the gut followed by an energy blast that shattered his shield.
“Augh! You little…” he grunted.
“SHUT UP!” yelled Sam.
Forgoing her sword, Sam held him in place with her tendrils and began beating him relentlessly with her fists. She hit much harder than Kenneth expected, fueled by both the Witchblade and her rage. She punched and kicked him repeatedly, refusing to let up. Soon his face was a bloody mess and the Witchblade armor around him was weakening. When he started going limp, she grabbed him by the neck and kept punching. She didn’t care if he was defeated. She wasn’t going to stop. He had to pay for his crimes.
“You…killed…Danny! You…killed….my…best…friend!” yelled Sam in between punches, “He had a family! Friends! People who loved him! But that doesn’t mean anything to you, does it?! You’re just a cold-hearted man out for power! You don’t deserve the Witchblade! You don’t even deserve to live!”
“Ack!” he choked, “Go ahead…do it. It won’t bring him back.”
Sam’s grip on his neck tightened. She finally stopped her assault and took in the pathetic sight before her. Kenneth Irons was a mess. His face was bloodied, his Witchblade armor was weakened, and his body was limp. And yet he still bore no remorse for what he had done. It was evil worst than any ghost she had ever faced. Looking down at the Witchblade on her arm and the defeated Kenneth Irons, she briefly debated what to do. Part of her wanted to just kill him, but that wasn’t her. Something else had to be done.
Then she heard the voice of the Witchblade in her head. It was no longer telling her to just kill him. Instead, it gave her another option. But to do so would require her to accept what she had been struggling with since the beginning. She, Samantha Manson, was the wielder of the Witchblade. Controlling this power was her responsibility and her burden. Kenneth Irons thought she was unworthy. A part of her might have agreed with him before, but not anymore. It was time to set things right.
“You’re right…it won’t,” said Sam through her anguish, “But there’s more than one way to make you pay!”
The jewel atop the Witchblade on her arm started glowing bright red. She then grasped Kenneth by the arm and closed her eyes, concentrating on the power within just as Frostbite had trained her. The power flowed through her, reacting to the power that Kenneth had taken from her. And using her rightful role as a wielder, she began drawing it out of him.
“What are you doing?!” exclaimed Irons, “No! Stop it! Noooooooooooooooo!”
A red hue enveloped his body as ever limb went ridged and the power he worked so hard to obtain left him. Piece-by-piece, his armor was re-absorbed by Sam. With every inch reclaimed, it left a trail of badly scarred flesh. The pain was intense. Kenneth Irons, a man used to gaining power, was losing it fast and it hurt more than anything he had ever experienced. When the final piece of armor was gone, all that was left was the frail nude form of a defeated man.
But Sam didn’t stop with the armor. She continued draining, taking away the piece of energy that had been imparted on Kenneth all those years ago when he first tried to merge with the Witchblade. The marks of the runes on his arms flashed briefly, but were soon drained of their power as well. Now nothing was left but the flesh of a man who had defied the ages. And without the power he usurped all those years ago, the years finally caught up to him.
Sam let go of his hand and watched as his body collapsed. Before her eyes, he aged eighty years in the span of a few seconds. His skin wrinkled, his hair fell out, and his bones failed him. And with his last ounce of strength he reached up to her, the power he obsessed over still so close yet so far.
“Witchblade…” gasped Kenneth weakly.
“Will never be yours,” said Sam, finishing his final words for him.
The withered man let out a weak cough as his last breath escaped him. His pursuit of the Witchblade spanned over a lifetime, but it had finally come to a bitter end. The legacy of Kenneth Irons was officially over. The Witchblade had its wielder and the next step in its long, eventful life could begin.
The same, however, could not be said for Danny Phantom.
“Danny…” said Sam, turning away form Kenneth and towards her friend.
Still burning with anguish, she ran over to the motionless body of her friend. Along the way she recalled the Witchblade and reverted back to her normal clothes, which were tattered and torn from everything that had happened. Once at his side, she fell to her knees and took the lifeless body in her arms. The wound in his torso was even worse than she expected. The sword had gone right through him, leaving a gushing wound that left him in a pool of his own blood. She felt around for any signs of life, but there were none. Danny’s body had gone cold and stiff.
Every sign said he was dead. But he couldn’t be dead. He was just a kid. He had survived some of the worst ghost attacks in the world. He couldn’t die like this, stabbed in the back by some madman. He had so much to live for. He had a family who loved him and friends who cared about him. But what hurt most was that he died before she could tell him how she felt. Now he would never know. And all Sam could do now was hold him and cry.
“Danny…please…don’t leave me. I…I never got to tell you. I never got to let you know how…how I felt. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! Please…come back to me…come back.”
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Up next: Is this the end of Danny Phantom? Or is it already too late?
Chapter 8: The Truth Hurts
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Amity Park Plaza Hotel – Pent House
The machine was almost ready. Kenneth Irons was ready to separate the Witchblade from its wielder. All he needed was for Vlad’s equipment to work and if he knew what was good for him he had calibrated this perfectly. According to the readout everything was set. He double checked just in case Vlad tweaked something he shouldn’t have. Chances were he was still snooping around, keeping his distance so that he didn’t set off Danny’s ghost sense. He hoped he was watching because once he had the Witchblade, he would know real power.
“Are you ready, Miss Manson?” said Kenneth as he put on the gauntlet.
“As I’ll ever be,” she said anxiously.
She cast Danny one last look. He nodded, letting her know he was still there for her. He was still holding out for Jazz and Tucker, but it seemed too late now. If the Witchblade was dangerous, Sam wanted it off before it started doing damage. She couldn’t afford to wait. It could cost her everything.
“Relax, my dear,” he told her, “It’ll all be over soon.”
Irons pushed a button on the glove, causing it to light up as energy surged through the cables and into the complex circuitry. Sam and Danny could only speculate what was happening. They were forced to place all their trust in this stranger who seemed shady at best. But if it all worked out it wouldn’t matter. Only one thing could stop it now.
Suddenly, Danny’s phone started ringing, which quickly drew the attention of Kenneth and Ian.
“Uh…sorry,” he said with a sheepish grin, “Hold on, I should get this.”
“Turn it off,” said Kenneth sternly, “I don’t want any interruptions.”
“I’ll just take it outside,” he said, putting on a casual tone “I’ll be right back, Sam. I promise.”
Sam didn’t say anything. She couldn’t run the risk of making Kenneth more suspicious than he already was. But even that wasn’t enough for him to look at the boy oddly and turn to Ian.
“Ian, go with him…just in case,” ordered Irons.
He got the subtext of his tone and followed Danny out into the hall. Danny suppressed a groan as he looked at his phone, trying to hide it from the prying eyes of Ian Nottingham. As he hoped, it was from Tucker. His heart jumped. Maybe they found something. But even if they did, he couldn’t let Ian or Kenneth know. He had to be tactful about it.
Once out in the hallway, he turned towards Ian and flashed and innocent looking smile.
“Heh…it’s my mom. Go figure,” he said, trying to sound convincing.
Ian didn’t crack a smile. He just folded his arms and stared at the boy intently as he put the phone to his ear.
“Hello?”
Over the line, he heard a frantic tone.
“Danny! What took you, man? Is it too late?!”
“Uh…no, of course not. Why do you ask?” he said, sweat already dripping down the side of his head.
Tucker’s expression shifted. He wasn’t sure what was going on so he just came out with it.
“You were right, Danny! Ian was lying! The Witchblade doesn’t drive the wielder insane! The wielder controls the power! Irons said it himself in his own book! Jazz and I are already on our way, but whatever he’s doing don’t let him! You got that? Don’t let him!”
Danny swallowed the lump in his throat. He was tempted to just go ghost and run back inside and beat the crap out of Kenneth Irons for lying to them. But he couldn’t risk it with Ian standing right there. So he had to be put on an Oscar-worthy performance.
“Sure mom, I can pick some up on the way home. Love you too. Bye.”
Over the line, Tucker looked at his phone strangely. Danny must have been in a tight spot because there was no way he would say something that lame unless it was absolutely necessary.
“You better step on it, Jazz,” said Tucker, “I have a feeling Danny and Sam are in a heck of a bind!”
“On it!” said Jazz in a determined tone.
She kicked the Fenton Assault Vehicle into overdrive, weaving through traffic and driving at speeds that would make her father proud. The Amity Park Plaza Hotel was a ways away. Hopefully Danny could handle himself there and save Sam before she made a big mistake.
His biggest challenge, however, was blocking his path back inside. Upon closing his phone, Ian stared at the boy strangely. He could see the sweat rolling down his face. It was a clear sign, but what it could mean for a 14-year-old boy who had ghost powers was anybody’s guess.
“Are you okay, boy?” said Ian, holding back his bemusement.
“I’m fine…just thirsty,” he lied, “You mind if we make a trip to the vending machine? I could really go for a soda.”
Ian rolled his eyes and led him down the hall to where the machines were. His eyes never left him, something that was not lost on Danny. He got the feeling that this guy had more skills than he let on. His first fight with him was proof enough of that. He needed to find a way to get him to flinch. He only needed one second to make his move. He had to make it quick though. There was no telling how much longer Sam could stall.
‘Hang on, Sam.’
Back inside the pent house, the ecto-draining glove was all powered up and ready to go. Sam stood nervously before the older man, still holding out for word from Danny to not go through with this. The voice of the Witchblade was yelling at her not to go through with this, but her conscious was just as forceful in telling her not to risk it. The lives of her friends and family were at stake here.
“Hold out your hand,” said Kenneth.
Sam took a deep breath and formed the gauntlet over her hand. Taking one last look at the Witchblade, she swallowed her nervousness and held out her arm.
“Now try and relax, Miss Manson,” he told her, “This may be a bit uncomfortable, but rest assured it’ll all work out for the better.”
While Kenneth Irons was about to get what he spent a lifetime searching for, Danny was at the vending machine with Ian. He tried to keep his cool, making it look like nothing was amiss. He searched his pockets, pretending to look for change. He knew he was wasting precious time, but he couldn’t lead Ian on. So he would have to use the same tactic Irons used against them and put on a little deception.
“Oh darn,” said Danny, “I’m short on cash. You got any spare change or bills? I’m dying for a soda.”
Ian rolled his eyes again. Nothing would have made him happier than impaling this kid on his sword, but his master told him to keep up the charade until he was told otherwise. So like a good henchman, he reached into his pockets and pulled out his wallet. When he did this, Danny made his move and fired a concentrated ghost ray right into his chest.
“Augh!” he yelled as he rammed into another snack machine.
“On second thought, keep the change!” taunted Danny, “Going ghost!”
“You little…”
But Ian was too late. Danny went intangible and flew back into the pent house where he was just in time to see Kenneth Irons about to take the Witchblade from Sam. Time slowed down as the eccentric billionaire had his life’s work right in front of him. But Danny wouldn’t let him hurt his best friend just so he could steal this ancient power.
“Sam!” he exclaimed, “Don’t do it! It’s a trap! Irons is…”
But before he could finish, a pinkish ghost ray shot out from below and knocked Danny back. And from the floor, Vlad flew up in full Plasmius mode.
“Danny!” exclaimed Sam.
“Oh no you don’t!” said Irons.
Before she could get away, he grabbed her arm and the Witchblade with it. Immediately, the gauntlet reacted and the process began.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” cried Sam.
“YEEEEEESSSSSSSS! AT LAST!”
“NO!” exclaimed Danny.
Sparks flew as green and yellow burst of energy arced from the glove and into Sam. She fell to her knees, her every nerve burning as though the strength was being sucked right out of her. Even the Witchblade wailed as if it were in pain. It was coming to life as the ecto-energy surged through it, drawing its power from her and into Kenneth. The living weapon shifted, forming the full-bodied armor over Sam’s body as it was forced into activity. Only this time it didn’t stop once it covered her. It continued onto Kenneth, consuming his arm and spreading all over his body.
“Sam…” gasped Danny as he watched her pained expression.
“Oh don’t be so melodramatic,” said Vlad with a grin, “Everything has been taken care of.”
“Plasmius!” said Danny, seething with anger, “I should have known you’d team up with a slime-ball like Irons!”
“I assure you it’s not out of mutual admiration,” said Plasmius, “But I will not allow you to get in the way! I’ve come too far to have you ruin it!”
“Too bad,” quipped Danny, “Because when I’m through with you, you’ll wish you stayed a solo-act!”
Danny took to the air and flew towards Vlad at ramming speed. He countered with a ghost shield, holding his ground while Kenneth continued the draining process. The impact knocked Vlad back only a bit, but Danny kept at it with a relentless barrage of punches and kicks. Vlad tried to fire back, but he was able to dodge and counter with a round of ghost rays of his own. This knocked Vlad back even further, but he landed on his feet and kept himself between Danny and the machine. He just needed to buy time.
“Errrrrrr! Get out of my way!” he grunted as he hit Vlad with another ghost ray.
Vlad was actually struggling to hold him off. Danny really was determined to save that girl. That crush he had on her must have been stronger than he thought. Needing reinforcements, he duplicated his form three times and surrounded the young boy. He couldn’t allow him to get any closer or risk disrupting everything.
“Stop fighting, Daniel! You’ll only make things worse!” said Plasmius strongly.
“Yeah…for you!” he quipped.
Danny closed his eyes and concentrated his power. If Vlad was this determined to help Kenneth Irons he would go down with him. His eyes flashed blue and his hands started glowing. Then with a determined grunt, he fired four bursts of ice beams and froze Vlad and his clone forms. While they were frozen, Danny charged up a ghost ray and fired a blast that shattered every one of them except the true Vlad, who was sent flying back instead in a hail of broken ice.
“Augh!” he grunted.
Now that Vlad was down for the count, Danny turned his attention to Sam. But from the looks of it, he was too late. Witchblade-like armor had already coated his entire body. Only his face was uncovered now. And Sam was looking pretty weak. Her body was going limp and her energy was training fast.
“Yes! YES! I feel it! The power of the Witchblade is finally mine!” said Kenneth in triumph.
“You want power? Try this on for size!”
Danny charged up and fired a concentrated ghost ray, but Kenneth just formed a shield on his arm and swatted it right back at him. It caught Danny off guard and hit him point blank, knocking him back against the adjacent wall.
“You’re too late, ghost boy!” he taunted, “I’ve waited too long for this moment to let a couple of punk teenagers stop me now!”
“You…bastard!” grunted Sam as she was continually drained.
“No use fighting it now, girl! Let me have what is rightfully mine!”
Now Sam knew why the Witchblade kept yelling at her not to do this. Next time, she would surely listen. But at the rate they were going, there might not be a next time. Her energy was being drained fast. The world around her was spinning. Kenneth wasn’t just draining the Witchblade from her. He was draining the life out of her. Danny watched in horror as Sam looked weaker and weaker. She tried to resist, but it was no use. The armor of the Witchblade that was still on her body started to falter while the armor on Kenneth’s body looked stronger.
He was on the brink of attaining this ancient power. He was about half-way there, nearing the point of no return. Then suddenly, the ecto-gauntlet sparked and all the machines went dead. An error message then appeared on screen.
“Warning: low power. Shutdown imminent.”
“What?!” exclaimed Kenneth, “No! Not now! It’s only halfway done! Nooooo!”
The draining process abruptly ceased, causing Kenneth to drop Sam. He then keeled over as the sparks in the gauntlet began burning his arm with a pulse of shocks. He tried to grab Sam again, but the shocks were too painful and he was forced to remove the gauntlet.
He noticed Sam was still in full Witchblade mode. Only half the power had been drained. It left him feeling incomplete. The machine worked, but only to a point. That left only one culprit in his mind.
“Masters!” he bellowed, “What the hell did you do?!”
“Nothing you shouldn’t have expected from me, Kenneth,” said Vlad, groaning as he picked himself up, “I said the machine works. I never said I provided it enough power to complete the process.”
“You son-of-a…”
“Oh come now, Kenneth. Did you really think I was going to give you everything you wanted and expect all you promised in return? Honestly, how dumb do you think I am? And Daniel, don’t answer that question.”
Danny, who also struggled to pick himself up, noticed what was going on and was intrigued. Kenneth looked pissed, but his rage was now focused on Plasmius. He used this as his opportunity to fly over and get Sam.
“You’re making a big mistake, Plasmius!” said Kenneth menacingly, “Just because I have half the Witchblade doesn’t mean I’m not strong enough to make you suffer!”
“You’ll do no such thing!” said Vlad strongly, “I’m the only one with the technology you need to finish the process. And I’ll still hold up my end of the bargain…with a little incentive of course.”
Kenneth’s eyes burned with rage at Vlad. He dared to come between him and his ultimate dream when he was on the brink of success. He should have known better, but at this point he had no desire to make another deal.
Suddenly, the expression on his face shifted. His rage turned to a smug grin and Vlad was caught off guard.
“Forgetting something?” he said snidely.
Before Vlad could react, a concentrated yellow beam shot out from the other end of the room and hit him head on. It sent him flying back in a world of hurt, but before he could get up Ian Nottingham, now recovered from Danny’s earlier trickery, pounced on top of him and placed the glowing blade at his neck.
“This sword is specially crafted to affect your kind,” said Ian, “You’d best do as my master says or I’m going to carve you up like a steak!”
“Oh butternuts…” said Vlad weakly.
Irons had truly lost it now. He was willing to kill him if he didn’t do what he wanted and no reward was good to him if it left him dead. Now not only did Kenneth have the menacing power of the Witchblade, but Ian Nottingham had that sword of his. He was in quite a bind with only two ways out and one was in a body bag.
While Ian held Vlad at sword-point, Danny helped Sam up. She seemed to be getting her energy back. Even at half strength, the Witchblade protected her and she still felt the power within. But the weapon didn’t like being separated. It yearned to be whole again. It simply could not allow this madman to use it for his own selfish gains.
“We better get out of here, Sam,” urged Danny, “Let two evil ‘masterminds’ work this out.”
“No…I can’t,” she said strongly, “Not without the other half of the Witchblade!”
“Sam, let it go! We have to…”
“You don’t understand, Danny. I’m the true wielder. It’s not only my job to use the Witchblade…it’s my job to protect it! I can’t let him have it! Now are you going to help me get it back or am I going to have to do this myself?”
She looked serious. Even at half-strength, nothing was going to keep her from taking the fight to Irons. He tricked her and tried to use her. There was no way she was going to let it go unpunished. She owed the Witchblade that much. And since they were already outnumbered, she needed Danny and he wasn’t about to let her go it alone. He made her a promise after all.
“Are you sure you’re okay to fight?” he asked her.
Sam responded by forming a large broad-sword with the Witchblade.
“Half-strength is better than none,” she said.
“Good enough for me!”
Danny and Sam sprang into action. Sam took aim at Kenneth and Danny took aim at Ian. Sam knocked Irons off his feet by firing a concentrated blast through her sword. Danny followed with a powerful ghost ray that hit Ian in the shoulder, knocking him off Vlad and sending him tumbling.
“Hey, nobody beats up on Vlad but me!” he said.
“Augh! Little freak!” grunted Ian, “You’re mine!”
Ian shot up from the floor and lunged at Danny, his sword glowing with intent. He slashed relentlessly at the young teen who had been nothing but an annoyance since the beginning, but the nimble teen went invisible and dodged his blows with ease. This only made Ian more angry as he started relentlessly thrashing about, looking to connect with anything.
Over with Kenneth, he was seething with anger as he recovered from Sam’s blast. It still packed quite a punch, which wouldn’t have bothered him quite as much if it hadn’t come from some punk teenage girl. She dared to deny him the power he desired. She was going to learn that there was a price to be paid for going up against him.
“You’re out of your league, little girl!” said Irons angrily, “Do you really think you can take me?”
“You’re a deranged madman who thinks he can just up and take anything he wants and I’m the girl the Witchblade chose. So yeah! I can take you!”
“Fool…you still have no idea who you’re dealing with!”
“This coming from a guy who wants a weapon made specifically for women,” Sam taunted with a grin, “Honestly, don’t you find that a wee bit telling?”
“Errrrrrrrrr! Give me my Witchblade!” he bellowed.
Forming a sword of his own, Irons lunged at Sam in full force. Their blades clashed in a hail of sparks, the whim of the wielder and a madman hinging on the fate of an ancient relic. Kenneth may be bigger and stronger, but Sam was nimble and determined. Plus, the Witchblade was pushing her hard. It wanted her to overcome this madman, but it could only do so much. It was up to her to subdue this madman and get its other half back.
While this was going on, Vlad pulled himself up. He watched over the scene before him, sensing it was quickly getting out of hand. He looked over at his machines and then back at Irons. If that man had no intention of holding up his end of the bargain then there was no reason to help him. He briefly contemplated staying to help, but given the kind of powers at work here it just wasn’t worth the risk. Besides, this was more Danny’s thing anyways.
“Well this sure has been fun, old friend, but I must be going now,” said Vlad as he went intangible and flew out the window, “Have fun with your new friends! Oh and Daniel, tell Maddie I said hi.”
“Oh man, I so did not need to hear that,” groaned Danny, who was still struggling with Ian.
“Vlad you coward get back here!” yelled Kenneth, briefly turning away from Sam.
But that proved to be a mistake as Sam hit him with a solid uppercut coupled with a kick.
“Coward? Who do you think you’re talking to Mr. I-send-crazy-sword-wielding-psychos-to-do-my-dirty-work?” taunted Sam, “Face it, Irons. You’re every bit the fruit loop Vlad is!”
“Will you shut up already?!” scolded Kenneth as he countered with a sword slash of his own.
“What? And spoil the fun? I thought billionaires liked to have fun! How does it cost to stay in a pent house like this anyways? Half the average salary?”
Kenneth grunted as Sam repeatedly blocked his blows. She was feisty for a girl her age. The Witchblade must be aiding her. But that mouth of hers was becoming just as great a nuisance.
“You know I was just going to take the Witchblade and let you live, Miss Manson. But just for that, I’ll see to it that you and your little boyfriend are nothing more but stains on my carpet!”
Irons was through playing games. It was time to step it up and finish this. If Sam wouldn’t give the Witchblade to him willingly then she would carve it off her flesh. Using his size and strength to his advantage, Kenneth Irons charged Sam and forced her onto the defensive. Armor tendrils shot out from his back and upper body, forcing Sam to form a shield on her arm to block them along with his sword slashes. He didn’t let up, forcing her back until she was against a wall. And to keep her from escaping, he drove the tendrils into the wall around her to cut off her escape. He then thrust his sword towards her heart, forcing her to block it. Their weapons clashed, leaving them in a bitter stalemate.
“Face it, child…you’re too weak for the Witchblade!” said Kenneth, “Just look at past wielders. Do you really think you, a punk girl from Amity Park, can live up to their names and their place in history?”
“What do you know about history?” grunted Sam.
“I know that only the strong leave their mark. You think I’m mad. But I know the Witchblade! I understand it! I can use it to set history on the right course! It is my destiny! My father believed it and so do I!”
“You know what I believe?” said Sam, using all her strength to hold Irons back, “I believe you’re not just mad…you’re psychotic!”
Irons wouldn’t let up, his blade inching towards Sam’s neck. Danny, who was still dodging Ian’s slashes, saw this and tried rushing to his friend’s aid. But Ian wasn’t going to make it easy on him.
“Hang on, Sam!” urged Danny, “I’ll be right there! Just give me a minute to take care of Mr. Tall, Dark, and Crazy!”
“I’d worry more about your own well-being if I were you,” said Ian, gripping his sword in determination.
“Glad you’re not me!”
Danny ducked another slash and fired an ice beam at Ian’s legs, freezing his feet to the floor. He tried to break free, but Danny beat him to the punch and delivered a solid blow to the chest with a ghost ray. This freed him from the ice and also seemed to knock him out. Ian was a tough fighter, but he was only human. There was no way he was getting up from that for at least a half hour.
“Sleep tight, Nottingham. Now to help, Sam!”
Danny turned his attention over towards his friend. Sam was losing ground on Irons and in desperate need of help. He was on the verge of overpowering her. He was about to fly over to aid her. Then suddenly, he felt a stabbing pain in his torso.
“Augh!”
“Danny?” gasped Sam upon hearing his cries.
She turned towards him and to her horror she saw the glowing blade of Ian Nottingham sticking out through his body. Danny bore a look of shock and pain. His mind struggled to process what was going on. Then he looked down at the sword sticking out of him and realized what had happened.
“You fought valiantly, Ghost Boy,” said Ian, “But your time is up.”
“No…” he gasped.
Ian then twisted the blade, causing Danny’s face to contort in agony. He then pulled it out, causing a gush of greenish ectoplasm to cascade out. Danny tried to cover it with his hands, but it was too much. He keeled over, reverting back to his human form. There the wound turned from green to red, the ectoplasm replaced with blood. Fear quickly set in. Everything around him was spinning. He coughed up a round of blood, his pained expression gazing towards Sam in desperation.
“Sam…” he choked.
It was a grizzly sight. Sam’s eyes widened with horror as she watched her best friend fall to the floor in a bloody heap. Despite the blow he took, Ian shot up and was able to deliver the killing blow. Where Skulker, Vortex, and the Ghost King failed this man had succeeded. And there was not a hint of remorse. It stirred a fire within Samantha Manson like no other.
“Danny…nooooooooo!” she cried in anguish.
“Fear not,” said Ian, “You’ll be joining him soon.”
“LIKE HELL!”
Her eyes flashed bright yellow, the power of the Witchblade burning within. A new wave of strength consumed her and she shoved Kenneth off her. He was about to counter, but then he was hit by a powerful energy blast she conjured from her sword. And with her rage fueling her, it was much more powerful than he expected.
“Auuuuuuggghhh!” howled Irons.
His shield failed him and he was knocked against Vlad’s machines, shattering them in a hail of metal and glass. He slowly picked himself up only to see Sam’s glowing eyes as she gripped her sword in preparation for a final assault. But before she could attack, Ian Nottingham came to his master’s aid.
“I’m coming, master!” yelled Ian, his sword still dripping with Danny’s blood.
“Ian wait!” urged Kenneth.
But his words fell on deaf ears as Ian charged Sam, ignoring the rage in her eyes. She was so mad she didn’t even flinch. Looking into the eyes of the man who heartlessly stabbed Danny, she had only vengeance on her mind. And the Witchblade would help her. Before he even got in attack distance, six tendrils shot out from her back and enveloped the imposing man. They wrapped around his arms and legs and lifted him off the floor, causing him to drop his sword.
“Murderer!” she yelled, holding her sword up to his neck.
“What are you going to do, kill me?” scoffed Ian, “You’re just a child. You don’t have the guts to kill!”
Sam grit her teeth in anger. As much as she wanted to impale this bastard the way he impaled Danny, he was right. She wasn’t a killer. If she killed him she would be just like him. The Witchblade urged her to finish him off. It was so tempting with the image of Danny’s pained face now seared in her mind. But that wasn’t her.
“You’re right,” she said coldly, “I won’t kill you.”
Ian cast a snide grin. But she wasn’t done.
“The fall will do that for me!”
Then to his shock, Sam threw him with all her Witchblade strength across the room and out the window, sending him falling over 20 stories onto the hard pavement below. His frantic cries echoed from outside, but after what he did to Danny she could care less.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
The only sound that followed was a hard thud. Even Kenneth was surprised. He didn’t think she had it in her. But Ian killing Danny sent her over the edge. Now she set her sights on him. Even with only half the Witchblade, she was going to make him pay. But he remained undaunted.
“Now it’s your turn, Irons!” spat Sam, tears forming in her eyes, “Ian was your goon! You sent him after us! You’re just as much a killer as he is!”
“Cry me a river,” said an undaunted Kenneth, “Many have fallen at the hands of the Witchblade. Why weep over just another boy?”
“Danny Fenton was more than just a boy! He was my friend!”
Sam let out a war cry as she charged the eccentric billionaire and began a passionate assault. Kenneth formed another shield, but it was no match for her rage. The tendrils she used to toss Ian out the window were still drawn and her sword was charged with energy. He felt each strike, forcing him on the defensive. He tried to form tendrils as well to fight back, but they were quickly snapped or cut by Sam’s blows. Kenneth grunted in pain each time, but kept up his defenses. Soon, however, he began to weaken.
Sam kept crying out in anguish with each blow she delivered, her anger over what happened to Danny pushing her beyond all her limits. The living weapon reacted, forming bigger and stronger armor and amplifying each blow from her sword. Soon Kenneth was the one against the wall. He tried to push his way out, but Sam wouldn’t give him the chance this time. She delivered a solid kick to the gut followed by an energy blast that shattered his shield.
“Augh! You little…” he grunted.
“SHUT UP!” yelled Sam.
Forgoing her sword, Sam held him in place with her tendrils and began beating him relentlessly with her fists. She hit much harder than Kenneth expected, fueled by both the Witchblade and her rage. She punched and kicked him repeatedly, refusing to let up. Soon his face was a bloody mess and the Witchblade armor around him was weakening. When he started going limp, she grabbed him by the neck and kept punching. She didn’t care if he was defeated. She wasn’t going to stop. He had to pay for his crimes.
“You…killed…Danny! You…killed….my…best…friend!” yelled Sam in between punches, “He had a family! Friends! People who loved him! But that doesn’t mean anything to you, does it?! You’re just a cold-hearted man out for power! You don’t deserve the Witchblade! You don’t even deserve to live!”
“Ack!” he choked, “Go ahead…do it. It won’t bring him back.”
Sam’s grip on his neck tightened. She finally stopped her assault and took in the pathetic sight before her. Kenneth Irons was a mess. His face was bloodied, his Witchblade armor was weakened, and his body was limp. And yet he still bore no remorse for what he had done. It was evil worst than any ghost she had ever faced. Looking down at the Witchblade on her arm and the defeated Kenneth Irons, she briefly debated what to do. Part of her wanted to just kill him, but that wasn’t her. Something else had to be done.
Then she heard the voice of the Witchblade in her head. It was no longer telling her to just kill him. Instead, it gave her another option. But to do so would require her to accept what she had been struggling with since the beginning. She, Samantha Manson, was the wielder of the Witchblade. Controlling this power was her responsibility and her burden. Kenneth Irons thought she was unworthy. A part of her might have agreed with him before, but not anymore. It was time to set things right.
“You’re right…it won’t,” said Sam through her anguish, “But there’s more than one way to make you pay!”
The jewel atop the Witchblade on her arm started glowing bright red. She then grasped Kenneth by the arm and closed her eyes, concentrating on the power within just as Frostbite had trained her. The power flowed through her, reacting to the power that Kenneth had taken from her. And using her rightful role as a wielder, she began drawing it out of him.
“What are you doing?!” exclaimed Irons, “No! Stop it! Noooooooooooooooo!”
A red hue enveloped his body as ever limb went ridged and the power he worked so hard to obtain left him. Piece-by-piece, his armor was re-absorbed by Sam. With every inch reclaimed, it left a trail of badly scarred flesh. The pain was intense. Kenneth Irons, a man used to gaining power, was losing it fast and it hurt more than anything he had ever experienced. When the final piece of armor was gone, all that was left was the frail nude form of a defeated man.
But Sam didn’t stop with the armor. She continued draining, taking away the piece of energy that had been imparted on Kenneth all those years ago when he first tried to merge with the Witchblade. The marks of the runes on his arms flashed briefly, but were soon drained of their power as well. Now nothing was left but the flesh of a man who had defied the ages. And without the power he usurped all those years ago, the years finally caught up to him.
Sam let go of his hand and watched as his body collapsed. Before her eyes, he aged eighty years in the span of a few seconds. His skin wrinkled, his hair fell out, and his bones failed him. And with his last ounce of strength he reached up to her, the power he obsessed over still so close yet so far.
“Witchblade…” gasped Kenneth weakly.
“Will never be yours,” said Sam, finishing his final words for him.
The withered man let out a weak cough as his last breath escaped him. His pursuit of the Witchblade spanned over a lifetime, but it had finally come to a bitter end. The legacy of Kenneth Irons was officially over. The Witchblade had its wielder and the next step in its long, eventful life could begin.
The same, however, could not be said for Danny Phantom.
“Danny…” said Sam, turning away form Kenneth and towards her friend.
Still burning with anguish, she ran over to the motionless body of her friend. Along the way she recalled the Witchblade and reverted back to her normal clothes, which were tattered and torn from everything that had happened. Once at his side, she fell to her knees and took the lifeless body in her arms. The wound in his torso was even worse than she expected. The sword had gone right through him, leaving a gushing wound that left him in a pool of his own blood. She felt around for any signs of life, but there were none. Danny’s body had gone cold and stiff.
Every sign said he was dead. But he couldn’t be dead. He was just a kid. He had survived some of the worst ghost attacks in the world. He couldn’t die like this, stabbed in the back by some madman. He had so much to live for. He had a family who loved him and friends who cared about him. But what hurt most was that he died before she could tell him how she felt. Now he would never know. And all Sam could do now was hold him and cry.
“Danny…please…don’t leave me. I…I never got to tell you. I never got to let you know how…how I felt. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! Please…come back to me…come back.”
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Up next: Is this the end of Danny Phantom? Or is it already too late?
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