In the Enemy's Fortress

In the Enemy's Fortress

Wow... I took a summer off for this fic, lol. Didn't mean too.. Just never felt the juices flowing for it. Instead, I started a bunch of other non-fanfiction projects and fell in love with the Dark Knight. Apologies for not updating... However, I'm back in college now, so I should have a little more time to finish it.

Chapter Ten: The Thing Within

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The scene with Danny the day before had proved quite troubling for Vlad. He hadn't expected the boy to just roll over and give him what he wanted, no not Daniel, however, he didn't really want to fight him over it either.

He sighed and looked at the staff that lay across his desk. Perhaps if he introduced Daniel to the spirit within... Maybe if the spirit offered him something better, Danny would seize the opportunity. He was sure the spirit wouldn't like watching Vlad take the power while Danny was powerless, but that was a risk he was willing to take. He doubt many people before him had decided to try this.

Vlad seized the staff and decided to take the chance. He stood and began the familiar walk toward Danny's room. He had done too much for his to not to work now.

There was the option that Vlad could use someone else. With the correct persuasion, you could talk anyone into anything, however, it had to be Daniel.

The plan was now in fruition. Vlad had decided to use Danny as the sacrifice at the beginning. True, he didn't know that he did in fact need one, but having Daniel around had been a plus. The boy certainly did relieve some of the sexual frustration that the man had been feeling, but not only that, it would be the ultimate revenge on the Fentons.

Because even though Vlad would be the one to take over the world, it would be Daniel's fault for giving him the power. The thought made him smile. The whole world would be his thanks to that bratty child.

Vlad rapt sharply on the door before he grabbed the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.

Danny looked up from his place on the bed as Vlad entered. He saw the staff in his hand and felt himself become intrigued. Is this what he was to give his soul up to? To power up some kind of staff? The thought was depressing. He turned his head away and fixed his eyes on the pillow across from him.

"Daniel, I thought you could do with meeting the spirit within. Perhaps that will help you shape your choice," Vlad said softly as he laid the staff next to the boy.

The black-haired boy just stared at the staff. He made no effort to even touch it. The thing repulsed him. It would just eat his soul. That's all it wanted. To become more powerful. To make Vlad more powerful.. To make Vlad happy.

"Daniel, summon the spirit within," Vlad said calmly. He was quite aware of how Danny must've been feeling about the staff, but he didn't care. Vlad wanted what he wanted. And at the moment, he wanted Danny to summon the spirit. He was so close to getting what he wanted he could taste it. And it tasted good.

Danny kept his eyes glued to the pillow, not answering Vlad... Because... What if Vlad were right? What if he met with the spirit and it talked him into giving up his soul? Vlad would win, and he wouldn't be able to take that. He'd be lost to the ages as the ghost boy who went down in a blaze of glory.

And maybe that was the better way to be remembered. Yes, it was definitely better than coming back from the dead as a rape and abuse victim.

Vlad rolled his eyes and grabbed Danny's hand, forcing the staff into the boy's hand, "Call him, Daniel. I'm in no mood to play with you." Vlad was careful to not touch the staff, but keep it within reach in case the boy attempted to destroy what he had waited so long for.

Danny cried out as the man roughly grabbed him and forced the staff into his hands. He stared at it for a long moment. It was strange, he could definitely feel a presence within the staff, but it didn't seem malevolent. It felt ... kind and warm.

The feeling began to envelope him. He felt a warm, loving sensation begin to flood his body, something that hadn't happened in ages. The staff wasn't as bad as he had thought. The thing inside wasn't evil. No, it had always been used for evil and seen as evil because of it's requirements of usage. Inside the staff was a spirit that was just as lonely and scared as he was. Probably even more so.

"I don't want you to be lonely.." Danny felt the words escape his lips. He could feel tears beginning to brim his eyes as he saw a warm light flood from the top of the staff and surround him.

Vlad pulled away backed away when the light began to surround the boy. This had been easier than he thought. Almost too easy. However, Vlad wasn't complaining. He couldn't help but smile when he saw a tear run down the boys cheek as the light took the form of a young man, not much older than Danny himself. This was an interesting change of events.

'You don't want me to be alone?' a voice whispered in the boy's ear.

Danny shook his head. Images of his own captivity began to flash before his eyes. The hours he'd spend alone, crying on the edge of the bed after Vlad had finished with him. He felt himself unconsciously wrap his arms around the staff, wanting to not part from it. He just wanted to hold it, let it know that it wasn't alone. Not while he was here.

'If you don't want me to be alone, promise me you'll stay. Stay with me forever, Danny,' the voice said. It almost felt as if the voice were carressing him.

Danny stared at the staff, tears running down his cheeks as he gripped the staff in his hands, "I promise I'll stay with you... I don't want to leave you."

Vlad watched in awe as Danny gave himself to the staff. It had been so easy. Whatever was in the staff was so very manipulitive. It hadn't taken much to convince the boy what he had been for the last few days. He watched as the light tightened around the boy. He couldn't hear what the spirit was whispering, but it was definitely alluring to the boy.

'Will you give me everything, Danny?' it whispered softly in the boy's ear, cupping his face in it's palms.

"Yes," Danny answered without hesitation. He felt his hands longing to wrap themselves around the entity, but as it had to physical form, his intentions went unmet.

'If I asked for your soul, would you give it to me?' the entity asked, running it's intangible hand over Danny's cheek.

"If it would make you lonely no longer,"Danny whispered.

'It would make me very happy,' the spirit replied.

Danny nodded his head, "Whatever you want.."

Vlad shielded his eyes as a large flash of light engulfed Danny. He saw a spector crawl from the staff and wrap it's form around Danny, caressing his cheeks. However before Danny could come too, Vlad snatched away the staff from the boy's hand.

This action caused the boy to cry out as the spector continued to wrap itself around the boy. He fell back on the bed and began to writhe in pain as Vlad looked over the slightly glowing staff that was now in his hands. He could feel the power raging through it as lay on his palms. He turned ans left the room quickly, careful to lock it behind him. This was Danny and the spirit were both trapped in the room.

With the staff in his hands, Vlad transformed into Plasmius. He began to laugh as he felt the power from within the staff strengthening him. He raised his right hand to a nearby table and shot a plasma ray, successfully destroying the object.

Yes, things were going to go quite smoothly in his mission to take over the town of Amity Park.. and from there, the world.

To Be Continued...

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o-O Well, I shall have the next chapter as soon as possible. It makes me sad that the fandom for Danny Phantom is fizzling out because of the end of the show. It seems that if something isn't on TV, it fades from people's memories. Oh well, I will finish this, I'm not sure when though.

..And sorry for the cliqued ending of this chapter. I'll do better next chapter.