"Thanks a ton Spirt Boy!" Vlad called back sarcastically as he flew away. "But at least I've got one swell consolation prize..."

Daniel, furious, hopped onto Cujo and prepared to attack Vlad...

"...A friend of yours who's dying to see me." Vlad finished.

Cujo stopped. Daniel's heart twisted.

"Sam." He gasped.

Cujo flew faster than ever before, trying desperately to get Daniel to Sam before she died. It was too late. As Cujo landed...

"Sam?" Daniel said as he dismounted.

Frostbite turned around and shook his head sadly.

"Sam." Daniel went over to her and hugged her. "No."

He cried on her.

"Oh I'm sorry kid." Frostbite patted his back sympathetically. "There's just some things you can't change."

Daniel then remembered something and looked up with anger and determination.

"Yes I can." He said.

Now Vlad, as I'm sure you've all guessed, was trashing his domain with a tantrum.

"We were so CLOSE!" Vlad screamed. "So close! We tripped at the finish line, why? Because our little nut Sam has to go all noble!"

Daniel suddenly burst in riding Cerberus.

"Where's Sam?" Daniel demanded.

"Oh look who's here." Vlad wasn't worried, he expected Daniel to show up. "Spirit Boy, you are too much."

"Let her go." Daniel grabbed the front of Vlad's robes.

"Get a grip...or more like remove it." Vlad forced Daniel's fists off. "Come here come here, let me show you around."

Vlad led Daniel to the beginning of the river where the souls were kept.

"Well well, it's a small underworld after all huh?" Vlad smirked.

Daniel saw a familiar face.

"Sam!" He reached in for her but quickly pulled his hands back out when he saw them wrinkle.

"Ah-ah-ah, no no, mustn't touch." Vlad grinned. "You see Sam's running with a new crowd these days and a not a very lively one at that."

Daniel got an idea.

"You like making deals, take me in Sam's place." He said.

"Hm, the son of my hated rival floating forever in a river of death." Vlad had to admit he liked the sound of that.

"Going once!" Daniel raised a finger.

"Is there a downside to this?" Vlad wondered.

"Going twice!" Daniel raised a second finger.

"Okay okay!" Vlad gave in. "You get her out, she goes. You stay."

Daniel dove in and started swimming to Sam.

"Oh, you know what slipped my mind?" Vlad grinned. "You'll be dead before you can get to her. That's not a problem is it?"

Daniel continued swimming towards Sam even though he felt himself growing older and weaker.

The Fates were preparing to cut his string...but suddenly they couldn't.

"What's the matter with these scissors?" Kitty asked.

"The thread won't cut!" Wulf realized.

Daniel started to climb out of the river, now sporting a weird white glow.

"This is-this is impossible!" Vlad almost stammered. "You you you can't be alive you'd have to be a...a..."

"A ghost-god?" Skulker and Walker offered.

Sure enough, Daniel was a ghost-god. Vlad completely lost it.

"Daniel stop you can't do this to me you can't-" Vlad begged desperately.

Daniel just punched Vlad's face in without even looking. Vlad paused a moment to pop his face back out.

"Okay well I deserved that." He laughed. "Danny can we talk? Your dad he's a fun guy right? So maybe you could put in a word with him and he'd kinda blow this whole thing off you know? Sam? Sam talk to him, a little-"

Daniel punched Vlad so hard that he fell into the river. All the mortal souls attacked Vlad.

"Ew get away from me! Don't touch me!" Vlad ordered. "Get your slimy mortal souls off me!"

"He's not gonna be happy when he gets outta there." Walker gulped.

"You mean 'if' he gets outta there." Skulker pointed out.

"If." Walker agreed. "If is good."

"I don't feel so good." Vlad groaned. "I feel a little...flushed!"

He sank all the way to the bottom.

A bit later on, Daniel returned with Sam's soul. He put it back in her body, bringing it back to life. Frostbite and Cujo smiled.

"Spirit Boy what-?" Sam was surprised. "Why did you-?"

"People always do crazy things." Daniel shrugged, smiling. "When they're in love.'

Sam beamed, realizing that Daniel had forgiven her and still loved her back. They were about to kiss, when a cloud picked them up and carried them towards Spiritus. Cujo and Frostbite were not far behind.

On Spiritus, leading to the gate, were all the ghost-gods and ghost-goddesses cheering.

"Three cheers for the mighty Daniel!" Vortex said.

"Oh yeah, flowers for everybody!" Tucker agreed, tossing flowers all over the place.

Daniel smiled. Not from the cheers, but from seeing Jack and Maddie. He smiled to Sam and then went over to them.

"Daniel, we're so proud of you." Maddie hugged him.

"Mother." He hugged his mother back.

"Fine work my boy!" Jack one-armed hugged Daniel. "You've done it!"

"Danny!" Jazz hugged him. "Hey bro!"

They had met a few times before back when Daniel was training and doing his heroics, so Daniel just hugged her back.

"You're a true hero." Jazz said proudly.

"You were willing to give your life to rescue this young woman." Maddie smiled.

"For a true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength." Jack added. "But by the strength of his heart. Now at last, my son, you can come home."

All the ghost-gods and ghost-goddesses surrounded him and congratulated him.

Sam was proud of Daniel, but was going to miss him.

"Congratulation Spirit Boy, you'll make one heck of a god." She said as she started to leave.

Daniel saw her leave.

"Father, this is the moment I've always dreamed of." He said. "But..." He went over to Sam and took her hands, much to her surprise. "A life without Sam, even an immortal life, would be empty. I wish to stay on Earth with her. I finally know where I belong."

Jack and Maddie looked at each other for a moment, and then smiled and nodded. Daniel lost his ghost-god glow as he and Sam kissed. The ghost-gods and ghost-goddesses cheered even louder, but Jazz went over to Daniel.

"Bro." She said sadly. "I will miss you."

"Hey come on, you can visit me anytime." Daniel scoffed.

"You can bet on it." Jazz grabbed him and noogied him.

"Hey get off!" He laughed.

"Hit it ladies!" Tucker said.

The Muses appeared out of nowhere.

DORA:
Oh gonna shout it from the mountaintops

ALL:
A star is born

DANI:
It's the time for pulling out the stops

ALL:
A star is born

EMBER:
Honey hit us with a hallelu
That kid came shining through
Girl sing the song
Come blow your horn

ALL:
A star is born

PENELOPE:
He's a hero who can please the crowd

ALL:
A star is born

Daniel, Sam, Frostbite, and Cujo flew back down to Earth. Daniel greeted his mortal parents.

DESIRE:
Come on everybody shout out loud

ALL:
A star is born

Sam then pointed up. Jack was forming an image in the stars. Don't need to guess what the image was of either.

Frostbite, seeing this, dropped his jaw speechless.

"That's Frostbite's boy!" Dash pointed.

Frostbite felt like crying, but was interrupted with a group hug from Daniel and Sam.

Just remember in the darkest hour
Within your heart's the power
For makin' you a hero too
So don't lose hope when your forlorn
Just keep your eyes
Upon the skies

Every night a star is
Right in sight a star is
Burning bright a star is born
A star is born!