Categories > Cartoons > Danny Phantom > The Wielder
The Wielder
Chapter 4: Knowledge and Training
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Ghost Zone – The Far Frozen
After throwing on a new set of clothes, Sam met up with Danny and Tucker and they went to Danny’s house where they hopped in the Specter Speeder and drove off into the ghost zone. Their mission was to find Frostbite, who they hoped would know something about the Witchblade. He had already shown a keen knowledge in other ghostly artifacts like the Infimap, but that was unique to the ghost zone. Based on what that stranger in the trench coat told them this artifact wasn’t exactly ghostly in origin. But they needed answers and Sam was getting restless.
It took a while before she could look Danny in the eye again. After seeing her naked, it was noticeably awkward. She could tell that image was still in his mind because he blushed when he looked at her. Luckily, Tucker kept talking to help distract them. He sensed the tension as well and tried hard not to laugh the whole way. He would have plenty of time to call them out on it after they resolved this.
“I hope Frostbite can shed some light on this Witchblade thing because I’m not getting much from the web,” said Tucker, who was using his PDA with the Specter Speeder systems.
“Well whoever that guy was he seemed to know enough about it to think it was worth fighting for,” said Danny.
“Is that a good or bad thing?” asked Sam warily, her eyes drifting down towards the bracelet that concealed the Witchblade.
“I’m not sure, but hopefully we’ll find out soon.”
The Specter Speeder landed in the frozen tundra of Frostbite and his people. Their arrival was quickly noticed. One of Frostbite’s people ran to inform him and was there to greet them when they stepped out.
“Great One! This is an unexpected surprise,” said the ghost/snow creature, “What brings you to my humble domain?”
“I need your help, Frostbite,” said Danny urgently, “We’ve kinda come across something we don’t understand and I was hoping you could shed some light on it.”
“Of course! I’ll be more than happy to help. Is everything alright?”
“I’m fine. It’s my friend. Sam, why don’t show them?”
Sam groaned slightly as she approached the friendly snow creature. So far this thing had gotten her nothing but negative reactions. But for the sake of answers, she had to risk it.
“This thing better not tear my clothes again,” she muttered.
Concentrating, she summoned the Witchblade. Frostbite watched with intrigue as her bracelet shifted into the fully formed gauntlet, which she assumed was its original form. And once Frostbite laid eyes on it, his expression shifted.
“Oh my…is that what I think it is?”
“It is if you know what the Witchblade is,” said Sam, “Please tell me you know something about it. This thing has caused me nothing but trouble since I first saw it.”
Frostbite took a closer look, running his furry paw over the exotic artifact. He couldn’t believe it. It was the Witchblade. This great power was in his domain. He was both honored and anxious because some of the things he heard about this relic were not pleasant.
“Come…we must get to my lair! This is a most amazing find!”
“Hold up!” said Sam, calling the relic back, “When you say amazing do you mean the good kind or the bad kind? Because I’m not going anywhere until I know what this thing is and what its doing to me!”
“Calm down, young one,” said Frostbite, “I assure you, you’re in no danger at the moment. But what you have is a great and ancient power!”
“That much I’ve gathered,” said Sam, stopping to take a deep breath, “Should I worry?”
“Let’s find out, shall we? Follow me.”
Sam followed him, but she was still anxious. She noticed that when he said she wasn’t in any danger he only said she wasn’t in danger now. That didn’t mean she would be okay in the future. It definitely didn’t sit well. It was probably too much to ask to have Frostbite say it was just some pesky ghost relic that could easily be discarded. But she still wanted answers. She just wasn’t sure she would like them.
“Are you going to be okay, Sam?” said Danny with a worried look.
“I don’t know,” she said, hugging her shoulders, “Between the nightmare, the guy who attacked us, and whatever this Witchblade is I’m starting to worry. Am I stuck with this thing? Does it have some kind of curse or something that means it’s going to control me and hurt everybody I get close to?”
“Hey, take it easy, Sam,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, “Whatever this thing is we’ll help you deal with it. It’ll be okay. I promise.”
Sam smiled at his words. She knew Danny better than anybody. He never made a promise he couldn’t keep. It was part of the hero in him and it helped her and the rest of Amity Park for that matter sleep easier. It also made her blush again. Now definitely wasn’t the place or time to get caught up in that situation, but it helped comfort her during this difficult time.
Upon entering Frostbite’s lair, they watched anxiously as he brought up a digital archive on a computer console his people maintained. It was in the same area where they kept the Infimap, secure from prying eyes and protected from exploitation by other ghosts. So if there was any information on the Witchblade in the Ghost Zone, it would be here. But the expression on Frostbite’s face didn’t look too promising.
“Hmm…it appears our archives have little to say about the Witchblade,” reported Frostbite, “The only information we have says it is a powerful weapon of sorts.”
“Yeah, that much I’ve gathered,” said Sam, “Just what kind of weapon are we talking about?”
“A unique kind…one, that if I’m reading this correctly, is alive.”
“Alive?” said Tucker, “Okay, that’s pretty high up on the creepy factor. Does that mean it has a personality or something?”
“I’m not sure,” said Frostbite as he looked over more data, “But it does say that the Witchblade was forged by two powerful forces, the Darkness and the Angelus, and is meant to act as a balance between the opposing forces of good and evil. But only a select few can wield it. The gauntlet appears to choose who wields it. Because it is only in the hands of a wielder, which is always a woman, its full power unlocked.”
“While I’m all for feminism, why did it pick me?”
“That I don’t know. There’s no information on how the Witchblade goes about choosing a user, but for whatever reason the wielder becomes imbued with great power. The mysterious nature of the gauntlet allows it to form armor, weapons, and tools at the whim of the wielder. It also has great firepower not unlike ghost rays.”
“That would explain how you sent that trench coat guy flying,” said Danny, “So how does it work? Can Sam can control it?”
Frostbite looked over the remaining data on the Witchblade, but there wasn’t much. The great one and his friends clearly had many questions and rightfully so. This power was a mystery even to his people.
“My archives don’t say, but I suspect so,” he said, “If the Witchblade relies on the wielder it’s logical to assume that it would act in accordance to her whim.”
“That’s a relief…sort of,” said Sam, looking down at the bracelet, “So how do I work this thing? It didn’t exactly come with an instruction manual.”
“Like any other weapon, it requires training. And if you want I would be more than happy to teach you how to wield your new power.”
“I…I don’t know,” said Sam warily, “Maybe I should learn more about this thing before I begin using it.”
“Aw come on, Sam! How many people get the chance to train with an ancient weapon?” said Tucker in encouragement.
“Yeah, and wouldn’t it be better anyways if you knew how to use it in case another guy like Mr. Trench Coat came along?” added Danny.
“Well it would be nice to be able to use this thing without losing my clothes…” mused Sam.
She took another moment to think about it. Frostbite was pretty good at training. She remembered Danny telling her about the time he taught him to use his ice powers when they developed. Maybe he could help her do the same with the Witchblade. Something about this thing still didn’t sit well with her. That guy who attacked them seemed pretty adamant about taking it from her. She didn’t know enough to know if it was for a good reason or not, but in the meantime she might as well get used to this thing.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” she said strongly.
“Splendid! We’ll start right away,” said Frostbite, excited to see this great power in action.
“And we’ll help,” said Danny, changing into his phantom form, “I’ve gone through this sort of thing before anyways.”
“Guess that leaves me with video duty,” said Tucker as he took out more gear, “If we’re gonna learn about this thing we might as well get some real-time footage. Just…try to keep your clothes on this time.”
Sam shot Tucker a dirty look while Danny couldn’t stop from chuckling a bit. That was one thing she wanted to get down immediately. There was no telling how long she and the Witchblade would be stuck together so she might as well learn to use it. And given how often they had to fight ghosts the power in this ancient relic might come in handy one day.
Walker’s Prison
It was another day of breaking in new prisoners for Walker, the self-proclaimed warden of the Ghost Zone. His troops had just brought in a new inmate from a remote region of the zone who had been causing quite a stir lately. According to his file he was known as Prince Aragon. He used to rule an area he kept in a time warp so it never advanced beyond the Middle Ages. Then recently he was dethroned when he tried to get a queen from the real world and ended up luring Danny Phantom to his kingdom. Not surprisingly, he was deposed for going up against that punk. Soon afterwards he was exiled and started roaming the Ghost Zone in search of a new niche. Too bad he wasn’t smart enough to lay low because he caused quite a raucous whenever he lost his temper.
Now he was in secure custody, locked in one of Walker’s many interrogation rooms and bound by ecto-shackles and a neck restraint that acted as a restraining mechanism to keep him from assuming his dragon form.
“So Prince Aragon…or should I say, ex-prince?” taunted Walker.
“I prefer prince if you don’t mind,” said the disgruntled ghost.
“Right,” he said snidely, “Well your majesty you’ve been causing quite a stir. Property damage, fighting, enough charred landscape to warrant extensive jail time…guess losing your kingdom was pretty trough. But it’s no excuse to break the rules.”
“I am a prince you lousy excuse for a security guard! Your rules are a joke and I demand you release me from this pitiful playground you call a prison!”
“Just for that I’m gonna throw in some extra cleaning duty,” quipped Walker, “You may have been ruler of your kingdom, but here I’m the king. It’s my way…no way else.”
Prince Aragon muttered a curse under his breath. There was a time where ghosts who talked to him with such disrespect would be torn apart by their ectoplasm. But without his kingdom, his army, and his powers he was a mere shadow of his former glory. And it was all because of that Danny Phantom and that girl.
“Now then, let’s talk about your punishment,” said Walker, “With all the damage you’ve done you have a LOT to answer for. Let’s start with…”
Suddenly, the voice of one of his subordinates cut him off.
“Sir! You need to see this!”
“Can it wait? I’m in the middle of something,” said Walker, eyeing the prince.
“It’s important! It’s about the ghost boy.”
That definitely caught Walker’s attention. He hadn’t had a chance to go after Danny Phantom since Wulf broke free. He was still public enemy number one in the Ghost Zone as far as he was concerned. Any opportunity to put him behind bars was worth taking a chance on.
“Our scanners picked up something strange about an hour ago,” reported his officer, “Some strange new energy entered the ghost zone. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.”
“What’s this got to do with Danny Phantom?” asked Walker, grabbing the report and looking over it himself.
“One of our scouts spotted him in that speeder of theirs. Whatever the source of this energy is, he’s somehow connected to it.”
That was enough for Walker. As far as he was concerned, this was a clear case of transporting an illegal energy into the Ghost Zone. He looked over the report and even he was surprised at what the scanners picked up. Whatever this energy was, it wasn’t like anything he had ever seen before. It looked very powerful and may pose a danger to law biding ghosts everywhere. That left only one course of action.
“Kid just can’t follow the rules,” he sighed, “Looks like I’m gonna have to bring him in.”
“Should we assemble a unit?” asked the subordinate.
“Yes, but keep it on standby. I want to handle this personally.”
“But sir…”
“That’ll be all,” said Walker sternly.
His subordinate didn’t argue and floated away to carry out his duties. Walker then turned to the Prince, who looked just as intrigued by this as he was. According to his record, he had a history with Danny Phantom as well. Because of him he lost his kingdom, which would explain his bitterness. But his anger was his own opportunity.
“It’s your lucky day, your highness. You just got another shot at freedom.”
“While I loath that Danny Phantom, give me one good reason why I should help you,” scoffed the Aragon.
“Aside from this long list of violations, perhaps we can help each other in another way. I want Danny Phantom behind bars and you want your kingdom back. Now I’ve got plenty of hardware and grunts to go around, but they don’t come cheap. We understand one another?”
“An intriguing offer,” said the Prince, “But what assurance do I have that you’ll keep your end?”
“How’s this?”
Walker then tore up the file that listed the Princes many violations and clicked a button on his belt that released the ecto-shackles restraining him. The collar around his neck was still secure, but Walker’s generosity only went so far.
Prince Aragon was intrigued. While he didn’t like the idea of working with this thug, his hatred for Danny Phantom was much stronger. In addition, he might just get his kingdom back. That way he could reverse those disgusting reforms his sister put into place. He would be able to rule again and all he had to do was help bring in his most despised enemy.
“So…do we have a deal?” said Walker.
“Very well…deal,” said Aragon.
“Glad we understand each other,” grinned the ghost warden, “Follow me. We’re gonna put that dragon power of yours to good use.”
Frostbite’s Domain
For the next few hours Frostbite and his people helped Sam undergo a crash course in using the Witchblade. It was sure to be a challenge given they had never worked with a power such as this, but they owed it too the Great One to help his friend.
They started off simple by helping Sam get in touch with the power within. They taught her to focus not on the weapon itself, but the energy inside it. Through a few simple exercises she was better able to control the shape-shifting properties of the Witchblade. She started off slow by shifting it from a bracelet to its gauntlet form. Once she got that down she moved on to forming armor, this time being more careful so as not to rip her clothes. At first she did tear a few holes in her shirt and skirt, but with encouragement from Danny and Tucker she was able to form the full bodied armor that helped her fight off that stranger in the trench coat.
Once she got shifting into her armor form down, they practiced forming weapons. This also took a little trial and error. Danny and Frostbite tried to show her how to form shapes by using their ice powers as an example, but the Witchblade worked a little differently. She could barely form a shield at first, but with a little time she was able to refine her craft. Soon she was forming swords, staffs, shields, and even some claw-like extensions for her fingers that she could use to climb walls. This skill culminated when she gained a level of control that allowed her to form tentacle-like extensions that she could use as extra limbs to reach and grab something or even as a restraint, which Danny was nice enough to participate as a guinea pig for. Although he did tell her she had to work on her grip.
Next was target practice. Sam had already demonstrated earlier with that guy that she could project quite a bit of energy with her power. Now it was just a matter of harnessing it. Frostbite formed a columns of icicles to act as makeshift targets. Danny took over most of the teaching at this point, using his ghost ray as an example. Sam tried to follow, but her aim was a little off at first. She ended up hitting a cliff ledge that caused a mini-avalanche of snow that landed on some onlookers. Another blast ricocheted off a rock and nearly hit Tucker, which Sam had to repeatedly apologize for.
But despite these early struggles, her aim improved and soon she was hitting targets near the same rate as Danny. When she finally did it without any misfires, Danny gave her a high-five to celebrate. It seemed as though she was finally getting a handle of the Witchblade. In fact, a part of her was starting to like it. Something like this would definitely come in handy fighting ghosts. Maybe now she would be able to get in the action as well. It wasn’t like Danny couldn’t use the help.
And who knows? They just might make a good team together. The thought of her and Danny fighting alongside one another brought a smile to her face. They just had to work out who would be the side-kick.
“8 out of 10. Not bad, Sam,” said Tucker as he captured the last image on his PDA, “This will make a killer video for our archives.”
“At least I’m not destroying anything. Guess that means I’ve got a handle on this thing,” she said, looking down at the gauntlet.
“Not bad for one day of training,” said Danny with an approving grin.
“Indeed,” said Frostbite, “But I urge you to be vigilant, Sam. Our knowledge of the Witchblade is limited. There may be secrets we have yet to uncover.”
“Duly noted,” she said, “I’ll just have to be careful.”
“Yeah, how many times has one of us said that?” joked Tucker.
Sam’s expression shifted. He made a valid point. Being careful wasn’t one of their strong points. Time and again things changed to the point where being careful were no longer an option. At least Danny was there to help her. He made her a promise and she trusted he would keep it. A reassuring smile from him was all the comfort she needed.
“Just remember that this relic chose you, Sam,” said Frostbite, “Whatever power the Witchblade may hold, it is tied to you. You must wield it and not let it wield you.”
“Will do,” said Sam, “Thanks Frostbite.”
“Think nothing of it. Any friend of the Great One is a friend of mine. Do be careful out there. Great power has a way of attracting greater conflict.”
His words hung strong as Danny, Tucker, and Sam waved goodbye and boarded the Specter Speeder. She hadn’t even had the Witchblade a day and someone had already attacked her. At least now she was prepared to defend herself. But there were still some lingering questions. Frostbite was able to tell them a little about this ancient relic, but one issue still remained. Was this weapon harmful? Could Sam really control it? Or would it end up controlling her?
These were vital questions, but for now they would have to wait. In the meantime, they would just have to adjust to this new development. It was sure to make things interesting in their already insane lives.
“So Danny, I guess this means you’re not the only super-powered teen in Amity Park now,” said Tucker.
“Meh, I don’t mind,” he shrugged, “It’s kind of cool actually. Now I don’t have to be the only guy who can do weird things.”
“Glad you think so,” grinned Sam, “Just don’t get any bright ideas about calling me your sidekick or something. Just because I’m new to the whole having-superpowers thing doesn’t mean I’ll take it.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” laughed Danny, “Which reminds me, what should your superhero name be?”
“Hey that’s right! Every superpower needs a cool name,” said Tucker, “How about Goth Girl? The Goth Knight? Or…”
But Sam quickly cut him off. Tucker was great with technology, but not with names.
“Don’t push it, Tucker. I’m not big on names, but for now…I’ll just stick with Witchblade.”
Kenneth Irons Penthouse
The last of Vlad’s equipment arrived at the Amity Park Plaza Hotel late that afternoon. Ian Nottingham was present to help bring it in quietly and move it up to the top floor where Kenneth Irons was staying. He did so quietly with Vlad’s help, not wanting to draw any suspicion to their activities. Amity Park was already a hot bed for ghost activity and neither of them needed the extra attention during a time like this.
Once all the crates had been moved up to the pent house, Vlad did a quick check of his supplies. What Kenneth Irons was asking of him was a pretty tall order. Transferring supernatural energy from one body to another efficiently and safely was no easy task. It required cutting edge technology, creative tinkering, and serious capital. Thankfully, Kenneth was footing the bill for all his expenses. It was the least he could do after causing so much damage at City Hall.
“That’s the last of them,” said Ian as he set a large box down in the center of the suite.
“Excellent,” grinned Vlad, “That’s it for the heavy lifting. The rest of the parts will be flown in tomorrow.”
“And how long will it take you to assemble them?” asked Kenneth intently.
“Not long,” assured Vlad.
“How long is not long?”
“A couple of days at the best. A week at the most. But don’t rush me! This is a sensitive procedure. We don’t want a repeat of what happened last time.”
“Indeed,” said Irons, “Then we better get to work.”
“What about me, Master? How can I help?” asked Ian.
“Keep tabs on the Manson girl. But don’t engage her under any circumstances until you hear from me. Understood?”
“Understood,” said Ian bitterly, “But even if you do get these gizmos set up, how do you expect to lure her here?”
“You worry about following that girl. I’ll worry about getting her here,” said Kenneth, “Just watch her.”
Ian grunted in frustration, but conceded to his master’s wishes. As much as he wanted to make that girl pay for his humiliating defeat, he had to follow orders. He owed Kenneth that much. Hopefully he would get his chance at revenge later on. He didn’t care if this girl was just a kid. Nobody humiliates him like that.
As Ian slipped away, he cast Vlad a threatening look. It was his way of saying ‘don’t even try to cross us.’ Vlad got the message, but wasn’t intimidated. Dealing with Kenneth was hard enough, but there was something about that Nottingham guy that didn’t sit well with him.
“Charming company you keep, Kenneth,” commented Vlad sarcastically, “Where did you find that lug anyways?”
“I would respect Ian if I were you,” warned Kenneth, “He has somewhat of a short fuse.”
“Oh I’m so scared,” taunted Vlad.
“You should be. Ian is my bodyguard for a reason. When you deal with supernatural forces like the Witchblade, you need henchmen with a supernatural touch. There’s more to Ian than you think.”
“What did you do? Merge him with a demon?”
“Close,” grinned Kenneth, “I fused his DNA with an ancient strain I found in my travels. It’s what gives him his abilities and so long as I’m working with your kind, he’s my insurance policy. Consider that while your working on this machine, Masters.”
Vlad Masters never liked being threatened. Having ghost powers gave him little to fear throughout his life, but Kenneth Irons knew how to push his buttons. He never left anything to chance and went out of his way to show him that he didn’t fear his wrath. It annoyed him to no end. It was sure to be a long week working with this man, but the sooner they got this over with the sooner he could collect his reward.
“Now then…let’s get started, shall we?”
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Up next: Sam and the Witchblade face their first test against Walker while Kenneth Irons contemplates his next move.
Chapter 4: Knowledge and Training
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Ghost Zone – The Far Frozen
After throwing on a new set of clothes, Sam met up with Danny and Tucker and they went to Danny’s house where they hopped in the Specter Speeder and drove off into the ghost zone. Their mission was to find Frostbite, who they hoped would know something about the Witchblade. He had already shown a keen knowledge in other ghostly artifacts like the Infimap, but that was unique to the ghost zone. Based on what that stranger in the trench coat told them this artifact wasn’t exactly ghostly in origin. But they needed answers and Sam was getting restless.
It took a while before she could look Danny in the eye again. After seeing her naked, it was noticeably awkward. She could tell that image was still in his mind because he blushed when he looked at her. Luckily, Tucker kept talking to help distract them. He sensed the tension as well and tried hard not to laugh the whole way. He would have plenty of time to call them out on it after they resolved this.
“I hope Frostbite can shed some light on this Witchblade thing because I’m not getting much from the web,” said Tucker, who was using his PDA with the Specter Speeder systems.
“Well whoever that guy was he seemed to know enough about it to think it was worth fighting for,” said Danny.
“Is that a good or bad thing?” asked Sam warily, her eyes drifting down towards the bracelet that concealed the Witchblade.
“I’m not sure, but hopefully we’ll find out soon.”
The Specter Speeder landed in the frozen tundra of Frostbite and his people. Their arrival was quickly noticed. One of Frostbite’s people ran to inform him and was there to greet them when they stepped out.
“Great One! This is an unexpected surprise,” said the ghost/snow creature, “What brings you to my humble domain?”
“I need your help, Frostbite,” said Danny urgently, “We’ve kinda come across something we don’t understand and I was hoping you could shed some light on it.”
“Of course! I’ll be more than happy to help. Is everything alright?”
“I’m fine. It’s my friend. Sam, why don’t show them?”
Sam groaned slightly as she approached the friendly snow creature. So far this thing had gotten her nothing but negative reactions. But for the sake of answers, she had to risk it.
“This thing better not tear my clothes again,” she muttered.
Concentrating, she summoned the Witchblade. Frostbite watched with intrigue as her bracelet shifted into the fully formed gauntlet, which she assumed was its original form. And once Frostbite laid eyes on it, his expression shifted.
“Oh my…is that what I think it is?”
“It is if you know what the Witchblade is,” said Sam, “Please tell me you know something about it. This thing has caused me nothing but trouble since I first saw it.”
Frostbite took a closer look, running his furry paw over the exotic artifact. He couldn’t believe it. It was the Witchblade. This great power was in his domain. He was both honored and anxious because some of the things he heard about this relic were not pleasant.
“Come…we must get to my lair! This is a most amazing find!”
“Hold up!” said Sam, calling the relic back, “When you say amazing do you mean the good kind or the bad kind? Because I’m not going anywhere until I know what this thing is and what its doing to me!”
“Calm down, young one,” said Frostbite, “I assure you, you’re in no danger at the moment. But what you have is a great and ancient power!”
“That much I’ve gathered,” said Sam, stopping to take a deep breath, “Should I worry?”
“Let’s find out, shall we? Follow me.”
Sam followed him, but she was still anxious. She noticed that when he said she wasn’t in any danger he only said she wasn’t in danger now. That didn’t mean she would be okay in the future. It definitely didn’t sit well. It was probably too much to ask to have Frostbite say it was just some pesky ghost relic that could easily be discarded. But she still wanted answers. She just wasn’t sure she would like them.
“Are you going to be okay, Sam?” said Danny with a worried look.
“I don’t know,” she said, hugging her shoulders, “Between the nightmare, the guy who attacked us, and whatever this Witchblade is I’m starting to worry. Am I stuck with this thing? Does it have some kind of curse or something that means it’s going to control me and hurt everybody I get close to?”
“Hey, take it easy, Sam,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, “Whatever this thing is we’ll help you deal with it. It’ll be okay. I promise.”
Sam smiled at his words. She knew Danny better than anybody. He never made a promise he couldn’t keep. It was part of the hero in him and it helped her and the rest of Amity Park for that matter sleep easier. It also made her blush again. Now definitely wasn’t the place or time to get caught up in that situation, but it helped comfort her during this difficult time.
Upon entering Frostbite’s lair, they watched anxiously as he brought up a digital archive on a computer console his people maintained. It was in the same area where they kept the Infimap, secure from prying eyes and protected from exploitation by other ghosts. So if there was any information on the Witchblade in the Ghost Zone, it would be here. But the expression on Frostbite’s face didn’t look too promising.
“Hmm…it appears our archives have little to say about the Witchblade,” reported Frostbite, “The only information we have says it is a powerful weapon of sorts.”
“Yeah, that much I’ve gathered,” said Sam, “Just what kind of weapon are we talking about?”
“A unique kind…one, that if I’m reading this correctly, is alive.”
“Alive?” said Tucker, “Okay, that’s pretty high up on the creepy factor. Does that mean it has a personality or something?”
“I’m not sure,” said Frostbite as he looked over more data, “But it does say that the Witchblade was forged by two powerful forces, the Darkness and the Angelus, and is meant to act as a balance between the opposing forces of good and evil. But only a select few can wield it. The gauntlet appears to choose who wields it. Because it is only in the hands of a wielder, which is always a woman, its full power unlocked.”
“While I’m all for feminism, why did it pick me?”
“That I don’t know. There’s no information on how the Witchblade goes about choosing a user, but for whatever reason the wielder becomes imbued with great power. The mysterious nature of the gauntlet allows it to form armor, weapons, and tools at the whim of the wielder. It also has great firepower not unlike ghost rays.”
“That would explain how you sent that trench coat guy flying,” said Danny, “So how does it work? Can Sam can control it?”
Frostbite looked over the remaining data on the Witchblade, but there wasn’t much. The great one and his friends clearly had many questions and rightfully so. This power was a mystery even to his people.
“My archives don’t say, but I suspect so,” he said, “If the Witchblade relies on the wielder it’s logical to assume that it would act in accordance to her whim.”
“That’s a relief…sort of,” said Sam, looking down at the bracelet, “So how do I work this thing? It didn’t exactly come with an instruction manual.”
“Like any other weapon, it requires training. And if you want I would be more than happy to teach you how to wield your new power.”
“I…I don’t know,” said Sam warily, “Maybe I should learn more about this thing before I begin using it.”
“Aw come on, Sam! How many people get the chance to train with an ancient weapon?” said Tucker in encouragement.
“Yeah, and wouldn’t it be better anyways if you knew how to use it in case another guy like Mr. Trench Coat came along?” added Danny.
“Well it would be nice to be able to use this thing without losing my clothes…” mused Sam.
She took another moment to think about it. Frostbite was pretty good at training. She remembered Danny telling her about the time he taught him to use his ice powers when they developed. Maybe he could help her do the same with the Witchblade. Something about this thing still didn’t sit well with her. That guy who attacked them seemed pretty adamant about taking it from her. She didn’t know enough to know if it was for a good reason or not, but in the meantime she might as well get used to this thing.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” she said strongly.
“Splendid! We’ll start right away,” said Frostbite, excited to see this great power in action.
“And we’ll help,” said Danny, changing into his phantom form, “I’ve gone through this sort of thing before anyways.”
“Guess that leaves me with video duty,” said Tucker as he took out more gear, “If we’re gonna learn about this thing we might as well get some real-time footage. Just…try to keep your clothes on this time.”
Sam shot Tucker a dirty look while Danny couldn’t stop from chuckling a bit. That was one thing she wanted to get down immediately. There was no telling how long she and the Witchblade would be stuck together so she might as well learn to use it. And given how often they had to fight ghosts the power in this ancient relic might come in handy one day.
Walker’s Prison
It was another day of breaking in new prisoners for Walker, the self-proclaimed warden of the Ghost Zone. His troops had just brought in a new inmate from a remote region of the zone who had been causing quite a stir lately. According to his file he was known as Prince Aragon. He used to rule an area he kept in a time warp so it never advanced beyond the Middle Ages. Then recently he was dethroned when he tried to get a queen from the real world and ended up luring Danny Phantom to his kingdom. Not surprisingly, he was deposed for going up against that punk. Soon afterwards he was exiled and started roaming the Ghost Zone in search of a new niche. Too bad he wasn’t smart enough to lay low because he caused quite a raucous whenever he lost his temper.
Now he was in secure custody, locked in one of Walker’s many interrogation rooms and bound by ecto-shackles and a neck restraint that acted as a restraining mechanism to keep him from assuming his dragon form.
“So Prince Aragon…or should I say, ex-prince?” taunted Walker.
“I prefer prince if you don’t mind,” said the disgruntled ghost.
“Right,” he said snidely, “Well your majesty you’ve been causing quite a stir. Property damage, fighting, enough charred landscape to warrant extensive jail time…guess losing your kingdom was pretty trough. But it’s no excuse to break the rules.”
“I am a prince you lousy excuse for a security guard! Your rules are a joke and I demand you release me from this pitiful playground you call a prison!”
“Just for that I’m gonna throw in some extra cleaning duty,” quipped Walker, “You may have been ruler of your kingdom, but here I’m the king. It’s my way…no way else.”
Prince Aragon muttered a curse under his breath. There was a time where ghosts who talked to him with such disrespect would be torn apart by their ectoplasm. But without his kingdom, his army, and his powers he was a mere shadow of his former glory. And it was all because of that Danny Phantom and that girl.
“Now then, let’s talk about your punishment,” said Walker, “With all the damage you’ve done you have a LOT to answer for. Let’s start with…”
Suddenly, the voice of one of his subordinates cut him off.
“Sir! You need to see this!”
“Can it wait? I’m in the middle of something,” said Walker, eyeing the prince.
“It’s important! It’s about the ghost boy.”
That definitely caught Walker’s attention. He hadn’t had a chance to go after Danny Phantom since Wulf broke free. He was still public enemy number one in the Ghost Zone as far as he was concerned. Any opportunity to put him behind bars was worth taking a chance on.
“Our scanners picked up something strange about an hour ago,” reported his officer, “Some strange new energy entered the ghost zone. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.”
“What’s this got to do with Danny Phantom?” asked Walker, grabbing the report and looking over it himself.
“One of our scouts spotted him in that speeder of theirs. Whatever the source of this energy is, he’s somehow connected to it.”
That was enough for Walker. As far as he was concerned, this was a clear case of transporting an illegal energy into the Ghost Zone. He looked over the report and even he was surprised at what the scanners picked up. Whatever this energy was, it wasn’t like anything he had ever seen before. It looked very powerful and may pose a danger to law biding ghosts everywhere. That left only one course of action.
“Kid just can’t follow the rules,” he sighed, “Looks like I’m gonna have to bring him in.”
“Should we assemble a unit?” asked the subordinate.
“Yes, but keep it on standby. I want to handle this personally.”
“But sir…”
“That’ll be all,” said Walker sternly.
His subordinate didn’t argue and floated away to carry out his duties. Walker then turned to the Prince, who looked just as intrigued by this as he was. According to his record, he had a history with Danny Phantom as well. Because of him he lost his kingdom, which would explain his bitterness. But his anger was his own opportunity.
“It’s your lucky day, your highness. You just got another shot at freedom.”
“While I loath that Danny Phantom, give me one good reason why I should help you,” scoffed the Aragon.
“Aside from this long list of violations, perhaps we can help each other in another way. I want Danny Phantom behind bars and you want your kingdom back. Now I’ve got plenty of hardware and grunts to go around, but they don’t come cheap. We understand one another?”
“An intriguing offer,” said the Prince, “But what assurance do I have that you’ll keep your end?”
“How’s this?”
Walker then tore up the file that listed the Princes many violations and clicked a button on his belt that released the ecto-shackles restraining him. The collar around his neck was still secure, but Walker’s generosity only went so far.
Prince Aragon was intrigued. While he didn’t like the idea of working with this thug, his hatred for Danny Phantom was much stronger. In addition, he might just get his kingdom back. That way he could reverse those disgusting reforms his sister put into place. He would be able to rule again and all he had to do was help bring in his most despised enemy.
“So…do we have a deal?” said Walker.
“Very well…deal,” said Aragon.
“Glad we understand each other,” grinned the ghost warden, “Follow me. We’re gonna put that dragon power of yours to good use.”
Frostbite’s Domain
For the next few hours Frostbite and his people helped Sam undergo a crash course in using the Witchblade. It was sure to be a challenge given they had never worked with a power such as this, but they owed it too the Great One to help his friend.
They started off simple by helping Sam get in touch with the power within. They taught her to focus not on the weapon itself, but the energy inside it. Through a few simple exercises she was better able to control the shape-shifting properties of the Witchblade. She started off slow by shifting it from a bracelet to its gauntlet form. Once she got that down she moved on to forming armor, this time being more careful so as not to rip her clothes. At first she did tear a few holes in her shirt and skirt, but with encouragement from Danny and Tucker she was able to form the full bodied armor that helped her fight off that stranger in the trench coat.
Once she got shifting into her armor form down, they practiced forming weapons. This also took a little trial and error. Danny and Frostbite tried to show her how to form shapes by using their ice powers as an example, but the Witchblade worked a little differently. She could barely form a shield at first, but with a little time she was able to refine her craft. Soon she was forming swords, staffs, shields, and even some claw-like extensions for her fingers that she could use to climb walls. This skill culminated when she gained a level of control that allowed her to form tentacle-like extensions that she could use as extra limbs to reach and grab something or even as a restraint, which Danny was nice enough to participate as a guinea pig for. Although he did tell her she had to work on her grip.
Next was target practice. Sam had already demonstrated earlier with that guy that she could project quite a bit of energy with her power. Now it was just a matter of harnessing it. Frostbite formed a columns of icicles to act as makeshift targets. Danny took over most of the teaching at this point, using his ghost ray as an example. Sam tried to follow, but her aim was a little off at first. She ended up hitting a cliff ledge that caused a mini-avalanche of snow that landed on some onlookers. Another blast ricocheted off a rock and nearly hit Tucker, which Sam had to repeatedly apologize for.
But despite these early struggles, her aim improved and soon she was hitting targets near the same rate as Danny. When she finally did it without any misfires, Danny gave her a high-five to celebrate. It seemed as though she was finally getting a handle of the Witchblade. In fact, a part of her was starting to like it. Something like this would definitely come in handy fighting ghosts. Maybe now she would be able to get in the action as well. It wasn’t like Danny couldn’t use the help.
And who knows? They just might make a good team together. The thought of her and Danny fighting alongside one another brought a smile to her face. They just had to work out who would be the side-kick.
“8 out of 10. Not bad, Sam,” said Tucker as he captured the last image on his PDA, “This will make a killer video for our archives.”
“At least I’m not destroying anything. Guess that means I’ve got a handle on this thing,” she said, looking down at the gauntlet.
“Not bad for one day of training,” said Danny with an approving grin.
“Indeed,” said Frostbite, “But I urge you to be vigilant, Sam. Our knowledge of the Witchblade is limited. There may be secrets we have yet to uncover.”
“Duly noted,” she said, “I’ll just have to be careful.”
“Yeah, how many times has one of us said that?” joked Tucker.
Sam’s expression shifted. He made a valid point. Being careful wasn’t one of their strong points. Time and again things changed to the point where being careful were no longer an option. At least Danny was there to help her. He made her a promise and she trusted he would keep it. A reassuring smile from him was all the comfort she needed.
“Just remember that this relic chose you, Sam,” said Frostbite, “Whatever power the Witchblade may hold, it is tied to you. You must wield it and not let it wield you.”
“Will do,” said Sam, “Thanks Frostbite.”
“Think nothing of it. Any friend of the Great One is a friend of mine. Do be careful out there. Great power has a way of attracting greater conflict.”
His words hung strong as Danny, Tucker, and Sam waved goodbye and boarded the Specter Speeder. She hadn’t even had the Witchblade a day and someone had already attacked her. At least now she was prepared to defend herself. But there were still some lingering questions. Frostbite was able to tell them a little about this ancient relic, but one issue still remained. Was this weapon harmful? Could Sam really control it? Or would it end up controlling her?
These were vital questions, but for now they would have to wait. In the meantime, they would just have to adjust to this new development. It was sure to make things interesting in their already insane lives.
“So Danny, I guess this means you’re not the only super-powered teen in Amity Park now,” said Tucker.
“Meh, I don’t mind,” he shrugged, “It’s kind of cool actually. Now I don’t have to be the only guy who can do weird things.”
“Glad you think so,” grinned Sam, “Just don’t get any bright ideas about calling me your sidekick or something. Just because I’m new to the whole having-superpowers thing doesn’t mean I’ll take it.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” laughed Danny, “Which reminds me, what should your superhero name be?”
“Hey that’s right! Every superpower needs a cool name,” said Tucker, “How about Goth Girl? The Goth Knight? Or…”
But Sam quickly cut him off. Tucker was great with technology, but not with names.
“Don’t push it, Tucker. I’m not big on names, but for now…I’ll just stick with Witchblade.”
Kenneth Irons Penthouse
The last of Vlad’s equipment arrived at the Amity Park Plaza Hotel late that afternoon. Ian Nottingham was present to help bring it in quietly and move it up to the top floor where Kenneth Irons was staying. He did so quietly with Vlad’s help, not wanting to draw any suspicion to their activities. Amity Park was already a hot bed for ghost activity and neither of them needed the extra attention during a time like this.
Once all the crates had been moved up to the pent house, Vlad did a quick check of his supplies. What Kenneth Irons was asking of him was a pretty tall order. Transferring supernatural energy from one body to another efficiently and safely was no easy task. It required cutting edge technology, creative tinkering, and serious capital. Thankfully, Kenneth was footing the bill for all his expenses. It was the least he could do after causing so much damage at City Hall.
“That’s the last of them,” said Ian as he set a large box down in the center of the suite.
“Excellent,” grinned Vlad, “That’s it for the heavy lifting. The rest of the parts will be flown in tomorrow.”
“And how long will it take you to assemble them?” asked Kenneth intently.
“Not long,” assured Vlad.
“How long is not long?”
“A couple of days at the best. A week at the most. But don’t rush me! This is a sensitive procedure. We don’t want a repeat of what happened last time.”
“Indeed,” said Irons, “Then we better get to work.”
“What about me, Master? How can I help?” asked Ian.
“Keep tabs on the Manson girl. But don’t engage her under any circumstances until you hear from me. Understood?”
“Understood,” said Ian bitterly, “But even if you do get these gizmos set up, how do you expect to lure her here?”
“You worry about following that girl. I’ll worry about getting her here,” said Kenneth, “Just watch her.”
Ian grunted in frustration, but conceded to his master’s wishes. As much as he wanted to make that girl pay for his humiliating defeat, he had to follow orders. He owed Kenneth that much. Hopefully he would get his chance at revenge later on. He didn’t care if this girl was just a kid. Nobody humiliates him like that.
As Ian slipped away, he cast Vlad a threatening look. It was his way of saying ‘don’t even try to cross us.’ Vlad got the message, but wasn’t intimidated. Dealing with Kenneth was hard enough, but there was something about that Nottingham guy that didn’t sit well with him.
“Charming company you keep, Kenneth,” commented Vlad sarcastically, “Where did you find that lug anyways?”
“I would respect Ian if I were you,” warned Kenneth, “He has somewhat of a short fuse.”
“Oh I’m so scared,” taunted Vlad.
“You should be. Ian is my bodyguard for a reason. When you deal with supernatural forces like the Witchblade, you need henchmen with a supernatural touch. There’s more to Ian than you think.”
“What did you do? Merge him with a demon?”
“Close,” grinned Kenneth, “I fused his DNA with an ancient strain I found in my travels. It’s what gives him his abilities and so long as I’m working with your kind, he’s my insurance policy. Consider that while your working on this machine, Masters.”
Vlad Masters never liked being threatened. Having ghost powers gave him little to fear throughout his life, but Kenneth Irons knew how to push his buttons. He never left anything to chance and went out of his way to show him that he didn’t fear his wrath. It annoyed him to no end. It was sure to be a long week working with this man, but the sooner they got this over with the sooner he could collect his reward.
“Now then…let’s get started, shall we?”
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Up next: Sam and the Witchblade face their first test against Walker while Kenneth Irons contemplates his next move.
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