31DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN DANNY PHANTOM
Dani spell took her about a mile away from the city. Not only that she wasn't even going in the direction she wanted to go in. Apparently while she got some of her powers back without the crown it is severely limited. Dani silently cursed, she had hoped that she could just teleport herself all the way to Sanctuary but now it's clear that she's still going to have to do this the old fashion way. Taking out the instructions on how to meet with the spy, Dani opened another gate hoping for a more favorable result.
Somewhere in the middle of the Badlands, Technus stood before the wreckage of the airship. Looking around for any signs of life, even though it's highly unlikely since nothing can survive a crash like that. Still it doesn't hurt to be thorough. Satisfied that his pursuers have been terminated, Technus made his way to the portal. If he had taken a second longer he would have seen the unmistakable blade of the Striker breaking through the wreckage!
Danny made several rapid slices, cutting the debris in order to free himself and his friends. "Are you alright?" Danny coughed after they made it to a safe distance away from the burning machine.
"A little well done but no worst than when we faced that dragon," Valerie joked. Cujo barking that he was alright as well.
"But how did we survive that?" Greg wondered. The last thing he remembered was the fire from the explosion about to engulf them. This caused Danny to start twitching after he noticed that the hatch over Striker's battery (aka the Crown of Fire) was opened leaving the Relic he had hidden there so many years ago fully exposed.
"Is something wrong Danny?" Valerie asked seeing him act suspiciously nervous.
"Uh well," Danny choked covering the hatch with his hand to hide. When the engines exploded, Danny opened the hatch on Striker in order to access the Crown's magic in order to protect his friends from the fire with a magic bubble. This bubble also helped cushion their fall when the airship crashed. While he's 99% certain that they'll understand his reasons for keeping the Relic hidden, he's not ready to share this secret with them just yet.
"Did something happen with the sword?" Valerie asked implying how oddly he was holding it.
"Oh right the sword!" Greg slapping his head. "The star metal used to make it absorbs heat. It must have absorbed the blast from the explosion. That's why we weren't barbecued." Greg theorized.
"Is that possible? I mean that sword is amazing and all, but I've never would have believed that it can protect all of us from an explosion." Valerie said skeptically.
"I'm just as shocked as you are," Danny lied trying to avoid eye contact. "I mean all I did was use the sword to shield my face and the next thing I knew all the fire was being absorbed into the sword like...like..." Danny couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Like magic?" Valerie finished for him, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Not how I would have put it," Danny gulped. "Hey where did Technus go?" Danny wondered.
"Hey yeah he was just here," Valerie scanning around, but the only thing they could see is miles of barren lands. Cujo started sniffing around tracking Technus's scent. Keeping an eye on the dog, mainly because there's nothing else to look at, they were all startled when Cujo suddenly disappeared. "Now where did Cujo go?" Valerie yelped.
Danny immediately ran to where Cujo disappeared. All of a sudden the landscape changed, so instead of a barren landscape, he found himself and Cujo before a strange canyon. "What is this place?" Danny wondered.
"I have a better question, what the heck just happened?" Greg demanded after Valerie dragged him through the portal.
"If I was to give a guess, I'd say it was a gateway." Valerie theorized. "And a powerful one at that. I didn't even see a single rune or portal opening." She further added.
"This could explain why no one has ever been able to map this place accurately. Portals just keeps sending people to random locations making it seem like an endless wasteland." Danny commented.
"So this whole area is like one big giant labyrinth and the only way to navigate through is to traverse the correct gates in the proper sequence. Clever." Valerie complemented. She may hate wizards and magic in general, but she can't help but admire quality workmanship.
"So if this is the canyon of time, where's Clockwork?" Greg asked.
"Vlad said he's beyond the sands of time," Danny recalled. Looking around he found what it could possibly mean. "Over there," he said pointing to river. A rather brownish river.
"A dirty river?" Greg said skeptically.
"A brown river passing through the canyon like sands in an hourglass," Valerie smiled getting it.
"If we follow this river it should lead us to Clockwork," Danny said.
With that the Hunters made one last weapons check. While most of their equipment was destroyed in the crash, they still had plenty of tools. Danny had his trusty gauntlet with new more powerful retractable blade and cable launcher. He also had a number of throwing knives, a new yo-yo blade, and smoke bombs. Not to mention his signature weapon the Striker and hidden Relic. Valerie lost most of her bomb arrows, mainly because she didn't want them to explode in her face due to the fire, but she still had a number of trick arrows along with her collapsing auto-crossbow. She also had a rapier sword, twin daggers, and collapsing bo staff. Greg only manage to save journal.
The party followed the river and soon found themselves before a large waterfall. "So do we climb?" Greg gulped. Physical activity isn't his strong suit.
"No," Danny said blankly. Before anyone could question him, Danny directed their attention to the DP mark on his hand began glowing brighter than before pointing towards or rather behind the waterfall. Making their way behind the waterfall, the team found a...
"Another hidden temple," Valerie groaned. "Man how cliche, why can't wizards live in a lovely villa or a nice beach house in a tropical isle." Valerie complained.
"Probably because they can't afford the property tax," Danny joked.
The group carefully made their way into the temple with Danny and Valerie taking point. Upon entering they found themselves before a large massive and rather eloquently decorated hall. Greg was about to take another step when Danny stopped him. "What is it?" Greg asked nervously. Neither Danny nor Valerie answered and simply looked around the room.
"I'd count 15," Danny finally said. Which only served to confuse Greg even more.
"Really? You must be slipping, I counted 17." Valerie laughed.
"Oh really care to show me," Danny challenged.
"I thought you'd never ask," Valerie grinned with excitement as she extended her bo staff and rushed right into the room. Greg marveled watching the Grey Huntress leaping around; using her bo to press various pressure plates and throwing her daggers to trigger some tripwires in order to activate the booby traps. Greg held his breath seeing all the darts, floor spikes, trap doors, and falling chandeliers happening with Valerie right in the middle of it all. Then to his amazement, Valerie using almost unnatural agility and reflexes manage to dodge all the traps with relative ease. All the while Danny simply watched his old mentor/partner with mild amusement. Greg on the other hand was about ready to have a heart attack. He knew that a Hunter's life is dangerous, but he'd never imagine that this is what they go through. Still this would make for an exciting chapter in his book, if he lives long enough to publish it.
"14...15...16...17..." Danny counted off as the traps subsided.
"17! Called it!" Valerie cheered.
"Yeah but," Danny fling his yo-yo triggering another trap that sent a giant pendulum towards Valerie barely missing her by about a 1/4 inch. "You missed one," Danny grinned.
"I was saving that for later," Valerie insisted.
"Of course you did," Danny rolling his eyes.
"Yeah well I only missed one, you missed like 3!" Valerie countered. The two continued arguing as they made their way deeper into the temple with Greg following closely behind so as to not get caught in any traps that they might have missed.
"Man poison darts, floor spikes, giant pendulums, is it always like this for you?" Greg whimpered almost afraid to take another step.
"Oh no, this is child's play compared to what we normally have to go through," Valerie boasted.
"Yeah usually about this time we have to run from a giant rolling boulder," Danny laughed. Just the the floor started rumbling as the group slowly turned around to see a giant boulder rolling towards them. "And here we go. Cujo!" Danny commanded. Cujo immediately grew into his monstrous form. Knowing that there's no way Greg can outrun the boulder like they can, Danny placed Greg on Cujo's back and ordered the dog to run. With Valerie and Danny running along side.
"So what's the plan?" Greg asked desperately grabbing on the the monster dog's fur for dear life.
"Well," Danny panted since he's running. "Normally Valerie would use her explosives to break the floor and/or ceiling behind us to create obstructions that will either stop or at the very least slow down the boulder."
"So why aren't you!" Greg panicked.
"Because I lost all my bombs fire!" Valerie reminded them.
"So what's your backup plan?" Greg asked.
"At the moment keep running," Danny laughed.
"How can you joke at a time like this?" Greg freaking out.
"It helps relaxes me," Danny defended. Causing Greg to scowl. "But seriously though, one thing I've learned is that there's always a solution to everything. You just have make sure you live long enough to find it."
"Words to live by," Valerie cheered.
"And how do you plan on helping us live?" Greg cried. Already regretting joining these two crazed hunters.
"Well judging by the architecture I'd say we'll be coming up to the end of the hall soon," Danny said confidently.
"Which will lead us to either to a dead end or bottomless pit," Valerie finished. "Ten coins say bottomless pit."
"You're on," Danny taking that bet.
"Are you nuts!" Greg yelled. That's when he noticed that Danny was getting Striker ready while Valerie was loading her crossbow with one of her trick arrows the cable arrow from the looks of it. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Preparing for the worst," Valerie replied.
"But hoping for the best," Danny added.
The team soon found themselves at the end of the corridor, and just as Valerie called it the passageway ended up over a large lava pit. Danny and Valerie quickly shot their grappling cables to the far wall. Valerie then grabbed Greg while Danny signaled Cujo to revert back to his puppy form, making it easier for him to pick the little dog up. They then retracted their cables, pulling the group over the boiling lava over to the wall. After safely reaching the other side, they all turned to see the boulder that was chasing them fell into the lava and is now melting into nothing.
"Hah pay up," Valerie demanded.
"Hey you said bottomless pit, this is a lava pit." Danny argued.
"Lava pit bottomless pit. Same difference." Valerie countered.
"So how do we get out of this predicament?" Greg had to know.
"Relax, we'll just use that opening right above us." Danny pointing to a rather heavily decorated door. Judging by it's decor it's probably where the nobles would come to watch people being executed in the lava.
"How did I miss that?" Greg wondered.
"Probably when you were crying for dear life," Valerie joked. though it is plausible due to the fact that Greg did have his eyes closed. After freeing their cables from the wall, Valerie and Danny shot near the door to help them climb up there. Danny and Cujo manage to ascend rather quickly and easily. Valerie and Greg however was having problems. "Uh oh."
"What do you mean uh-oh?" Greg didn't want to but had to ask.
"I must have latched onto some weak rock. It can't hold our weight." Valerie informed him. Greg could see that cable was indeed unstable and ready to come loose at any moment.
"What do we do?" Greg cried.
"Here hold this," Valerie giving Greg her crossbow. "No matter what don't let go until you get to safety."
"What about you?" Greg asked.
"I'll be fine, I've gotten out of worst jams." Valerie winked before letting go.
"VALERIEEEE!" Greg screamed in horror as the crossbow began retracting the cable sending him up towards the door.
"I've got you," Danny said helping the terrified man. "Where's Valerie?" Danny asked.
"Valerie!" Greg yelled rushing to look down at the lava pit. Sadly there was no sign of the Grey Huntress. They can only see boiling rock. "She...she...sa...saved me." Greg cried hugging the crossbow.
"The good news is that I don't have to pay her 10 coins," Danny joked.
"How can you! She...she...she" Greg sputtered unable to finish that statement.
"Because I believe she's alright. Valerie survived worst." Danny echoing Valerie's claims but Greg can't help but notice that Danny's voice was lacking in the jolly humor it had before. "Come on let's keep moving. Hopefully we can meet up with her in another chamber." Danny putting on a brave face but deep down he knew that this was the end of the Grey Ghost, for now there is only Ghost.
Over in his private chambers, Clockwork watched the drama unfolding before him. He watched as the Hunters used their various skills and tools to avert his many traps. Even watching as one finally fell to one of them. He watched as Technus used both magic of the Relics and his technology to see through his illusions and break his spells. "Impressive, both are willing to cast people aside to achieve their goal." Clockwork mused glancing at the Skeleton Key safely tucked within a glass display. "The only question is who will reach the prize faster, and what price they are willing to pay for it."