Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light,

-Dylan Thomas

It was raining. It wasn't heavy; it was just light enough to kiss the skin of the man lying on his back in the grassy field. He wasn't old, nor was he young. His features were aged, but only in emotion. He looked young, yes, but he felt… old. Tired. So tired. His black hair was pressed against his forehead with the weight of the falling water, his clothes equally soaked. They were filthy, stained with a strange green substance and the unmistakable red-brown of blood. In the distance, at the end of the field, stood a town. Once proud and bright with life, was now crumbling, smoke rising from the ruins in columns of black and gray. Any buildings that still stood had cracks everywhere, threatening to topple at any given second. They were like lone statues, grieving over what they had become.

The young man wasn't paying attention to the city, however. He did not even pay attention to the wounds on his body, the black bruises - some fading to yellow - or the scars that marred his entire being. He just lay there, his face slack and the picture of serenity.

The inside was another story entirely. He was fighting a war with himself that he had already given up on.

A fatter drop of rain streaked across his cheek, tracing the many scars on his face before surrendering itself to the ground.

"I am tired, Clockwork," He whispered suddenly, "So tired." His voice was raspy with use - or the lack thereof - he wasn't sure.

"I know," A voice responded, one that was seemingly unattached; disembodied. It could not be defined as young, nor old. It was simply timeless.

"I don't think I can handle...anything. Not anymore," The young man continued. He slowly raised a hand up to his face, watching the water dance across his skin, "I am losing myself."

"I know," The voice said again.

"As always," The man said, a ghost of a smirk stretching across his lips. He would rolled his eyes, maybe have gotten irritated like anyone else would have, but he didn't. He had no energy, and frankly, he couldn't care less. He sighed, his mind travelling - once again - to the the events that have come to pass. Only four years ago he had been almost forced to walk into the portal that had changed his his life so much by his sister and friends: Sam and Tucker. It still hurt to think about them, the wounds still too fresh to ignore. So many time they had helped him, so many times they had been in danger… and then once too many.

"Clockwork," His voice broke, the desperation in his voice made clear.

"Yes, time it is."

At these words, he opened his eyes, but not really seeing, "Time?" It was a whisper, as if he was afraid that this glint of hope that had sparked inside of him would be taken away; that this wasn't real; that this was all in his head.

"Yes, Danny, it is time," The voice pressed on, "Time for you to leave this behind."

"Leave it all behind…" Could he really be freed? Released from all of this pain; this horror? The possibility almost made his mind blank, "Yes… I would very much like that."

"Come," Was the only word to follow, and the only warning given before the young man - Danny - was whisked away, never to be seen again.

When the inky black of the void ebbed, Danny noticed that they were in a lair full of gears, the only sound the ticking of clocks: Clockwork's lair. The pale green light and constant ticking calmed him slightly. He knew he was safe here, at least, as safe as someone of his kind could be. Humans had long since invaded the Zone. Even if this sanctuary was place out of time and space, nothing stayed hidden forever.

When he found Clockwork's floating form, silhouetted by the grey static of one of his many viewing screens, he felt curiousity fill him. Why was he here? Wasn't he beyond saving? Still, he hoped. Clockwork would not have taken him here on a whim.

"Danny," The immortal being began, knowing that what he was doing - what he was about to do; willing to do - would change everything, "Ever since you received your powers, you have done nothing but fight. Fight to protect your town, to be acknowledged, to be loved… especially by your parents," For the first time, Danny's face betrayed what he was feeling inside. Pain.

The day that his sister, Jasmine, and his friends had died, he had decided to tell his parents. He spilled everything, starting with that infernal portal. Deep within, he had hoped they would understand, and free him from his guilt. But when he told them, they had reacted quite differently than he had hoped. They had not forgotten - nor forgiven - the deaths of his sister and friends. Instead, they blamed him. They tied him down, locked him up; experimented on their lab. They released their long held hatred for ectoplasmic beings on him. Day and night they tried things on him, awful things. They tested his reactions to dangerous chemicals, to upgraded weapons, shields, to help them defeat normal ghosts. They did not listen to his screams, his pleading, his begging; his cried to look at them. For Christ's sake he was their son!

But they didn't listen.

After weeks and weeks of pain and abuse, the town was attacked. Fright Knight had tried to awaken his master, Pariah Dark, and called an attack on the town of Amity Park, commanding the skeleton army. They came through a natural portal. People ran, they screamed; they shouted, fleeing from the chaos and death that followed the army. There was no order, for Danny Phantom did not show. When the situation reached a critical level and their weapons were not enough, the body count climbing, Maddie and Jack turned to their son. They coaxed the halfa to help them, told him they believe him; that they had forgiven him

He was weak following the months in that laboratory, yet he still fought for his town. He wanted - no, he had to believe that his parents had come around. That they had forgiven him for those three deaths. That he was Danny again, their son that they were supposed to love. He had held on so desperately to that hopeless shred of hope.

It was a harsh battle. One of the many gruesome to come, unknown to all but Clockwork.

Danny could not stand on his own, not against the colossal army. Therefore, he ventured into the Zone to acquire help. Together they planned, fought and survived. They helped the humans overcome their fear of the deceased and he taught them how to handle the weapons. He had truly believed that after the battle, all would be fine again.

Oh how wrong he had been.

Humans and ghosts stood across from each other, one side staring down the other. The skeletons had the large advantage of numbers, standing in lines and lines. The humans stood awkwardly, fearfully clutching at the weapons in their grasps. He tried encouraging them, flying over their limited numbers and shouting words of unwavering support. They didn't know how the battle began. Humans were shooting; skeletons swinging. Many fell on both sides. Everywhere was soon drenched in blood and ectoplasm. The ground cracked from the many that fell upon it and the buildings were obliterated. It was gruesome, filthy and frightful.

Above them, in the skies, more lights flashed. It was above them that Danny fought for his life, and the lives fighting below him. Despite his weakened state, he took on the leader, even though nothing kind had been done for him in a long time/ He wanted to save his town, his people; his parents. Finally, after hours of agony and exhaustion, Danny banished the knight to his pumpkin.

He fell far, exhausted, as the skeletons fell apart for all to see.

When the dust settled, when it was clear that danger was gone, the remaining citizens of Amity were unsure of what to do. Their homes were destroyed; the battle claimed many lives. They would have to start anew. But for what? For it to be destroyed again? No… no. They were trained, they had weapons; they could fight! But was it worth it?

Taking advantage of the mass' confusion, Danny's 'parents' had seen it fit to tell everyone the 'true' story of Danny Phantom. Danny could still remember the voice that rang loud and clear over the carnage, "Now we have all experienced it! We have all seen it! Ghosts are evil! They bring nothing but pain and death to this world! They took our town from us and reduced it to nothing but debris! They have taken our friends and our family from us! Our neighbours, our parents; our children!" The crowd seemed even more confused. There were good ghosts right? They helped them fight the skeleton army, in fact. Maddie had sensed their indecision, and pressed on, "I will tell you, that the ghost - Danny Phantom - was once my son! He is no longer! He has become a creature; an abomination! Half ghost! Now you see? Ghosts have infected him so badly he changed to what he is now! He is not Danny, he is no longer our son! He is sick!

"The only reason why he helped us was because our son was still strong enough, still strong enough to fight the growing evil within him. But look at him now! He has been overcome by it!" Much to his horror, the crowd were convinced. They ignored the other ghosts that have helped and they surrounded the person they once hailed as their hero. Before he could even think about escaping, he was grabbed.

As soon as he had been caught, he had been brought back to the lab he thought he was free of. They created a jail for him that his kind could not escape from. Scientists were assembled to test him. They didn't care if they hurt him. He was a ghost, he deserved to be hurt. He was only freed if they needed his help, to fight the threat. He was forced to fight as they researched him, creating weapons lethal to both ghosts and halfas. It was no wonder when Vlad was destroyed for trying to rescue him. They disintegrated him, and that forced all of his ghosts friends to not dare lift a finger to help him.

Ever since he had become a ghost, shortly after his fourteenth birthday, he had been fighting. After his final capture, Danny had been reduced to a weapon within three years. Nothing more. He was broken in both spirit and will. And now, after another great battle - one of the greatest - he had finally been saved by Clockwork.

Danny would never blame the ghost for his life. Even if he did have the power to save him, he was very much a prisoner himself. The Observers had increased their power over the time ghost, making him incapable of doing much to save anyone.

"You're taking a great risk in helping me," Danny said, only a liver of emotion audible in his voice.

"As I had said, it is time," Clockwork explained, "After all of your fighting, I now have an answer. Now, I can set you free," The smile the ghost gave him said so much: relief, sadness, and hope, "It is time."

As he said those words, the space next to him was ripped open by claws, Wulf stepping through, closely followed by the small dog that was Cujo. They were just as he remember them to be, "Cujo, Wulf. What are you doing here?" The words were breathless as he picked up Cujo, letting him lick his face.

"Help friend," Wulf said in his own language, one that Danny only partly understood.

"Yes, they have come to help you," Clockwork looked at Danny, his smile paternal in its own right.

"With what?"

The ghost paused, calculating, and then said, "We still have time. You need to know," He motioned for the man sit on one of the many clocks, which was a strange gesture coming from the ghost, who was now in the form of an infant. Wulf and Cujo sat next to him, both interested in hearing what had to be said.

"As you know, time is not substantial. It flows here and there, in circles and in bounds. It has no definite purpose, nor does it need it. It simply exists. But as people change their thoughts, act and make decisions, the timelines split and create an alternative in what could have been. Now, most of these vanish or join the original, though not always. There are those called 'Other Dimensions'.

"They were created from great choices long ago. These choices has such a large impact that the shadowline - the one created from a single action - is ripped from the original, and becomes one that stands alone. It effectively creates another dimension," Clockwork explained, and Danny listened, "After a while, searching, I found a very old dimension. One so old, even I have only the vaguest of ideas at what it could be like. This dimensions has its own observers and hidden it is, no one in the millenia that the Zone has existed has ever found it. But that was until I searched for it," Clockwork smirked to himself.

"I have found the entrance," He turned kind, soulful eyes onto his ward, "This is your chance to be free, Danny. If you got through with it, you will find a whole new world. You could begin a new life there," He hesitated to say more. He would never make this seem like Danny's only choice, but if he stayed, he would die.

"So… I can go through?" Danny asked, "I can actually go to another world without having to worry that anyone would follow?"

"Yes."

Danny couldn't squash the hope that was growing within him. After everything, all the had been through, he could start anew. 'Yes' was the only answer he had. It didn't matter that death could be waiting on the other side, it didn't matter he was leaving this world behind. There was nothing left here for him and he wanted to escape it all. He wanted it so bad.

"It is up to you, but be warned, once you go, there is no turning back."

"There is nothing for me here. Only the prison, and fighting… all there is is fighting," His decision was final, "I will go."

Clockwork nodded, "I believe this dimension to be one of the first to exist, so whatever you encounter I can only guess at," Clockwork transferred into his oldest form, "I do know, however, that when you cross the threshold, your essence will change so you can survive. For example, you know you have a ghost core, one dominated by ice. Now if this dimension, by any dumb luck, would be that of fire, you would immediately dissolve. So the portal would change you, into what I must daresay be who you are meant to be," Danny thought hard about this new piece of information. He could be changed entirely, but honestly, such consequences meant little to him. He still nodded, determination filling his very being. Clockwork understood and turned to the two canines, "And there is no stopping you?"

"What?" Danny gasped.

"They want to go with you," Was merely stated.

"No, you have a life here, the ghosts will treat you well. There is no need for you to let yourself fall into the unknown," He tried persuading them. He didn't want them to throw away their own lives when he was the one fleeing from everything, "It will be dangerous."

The canines huffed in annoyance, so he sighed in resignation. In a way he was glad, he wouldn't be alone in this new world. Then, a thought crossed his mind.

"How will this world fare without me?" Even as detached he tried to make himself, he still couldn't help but worry.

"It will change. War will break out, even bigger than the war that is currently nearing to an end," The old time ghost was blunt in his answer, "It will be war between Mankind and the Ghosts; a complete war between species. You cannot stop this. Man brought this upon themselves when they first captured you, and they made it concrete when they fought for control, not protection."

Clockwork's voice softened when Danny, once again, cringed in memory of his parents.

"You see Danny, you are the Balance of this world. You are the power that had kept both Man and Ghost in their own bounds. When Man found out about the scales you had tipped and interfered, they upset that balance. Now, if they left you alone afterwards, that balance would have restored itself, but they captured you. When you leave, war will be waged, one that the ghosts will win. The world will change to their likeness, and Man will be their slaves. The humans will rebel, they will win and ghosts will be the lower class once again. Then ghosts will rebel, win, rule, then fall. This cycle will repeat until either a new balance is reached or there is no one left to fight," Danny almost couldn't believe it. He could've prevented another world war, just by existing. No, he would not feel guilty. It was their fault. They, in their ignorance and greed, fought for domination. They destroyed his life. No, he would not feel guilty.

Had he been able, Danny would have cried. The gratitude he had for the ancient ghost was overwhelming.

"One last thing, as your core will reassess to the new world you may find more than one change. You were born to be a Balance, so in this new world, you will be as well. That is one thing that I, unfortunately, cannot change," Danny understood well enough, "If you take a neutral stance in this dimension, you will not have to deal with such a horrible power struggle."

"Thank you," Danny croaked, after a minute or so of silence, "So much. For everything."

"You never deserved to be in this position. And now that I have the chance to fix this, I'm going to take it," He floated over to the man and laid a hand on his shoulder, "I hope you find a better life than this one."

He felt his eyes burn, but he didn't let a tear fall.

"It is time. Wulf, if you could," Clockwork said, pointing the to the space by himself, before backing away. Danny stood and did the same. Wulf smiled at his companions before digging his claws into space and time, opening a tear. Cujo bounded next to him when the portal started sucking the canines in.

'"Cujo! Wulf!" Danny cried out in surprise, concern for his friends welling within him. He was about to follow, but a hand on his chest stopped him from going any further.

"Not yet, if you go now, your cores may merge."

"Merge?" Clockwork didn't sound worried, so Danny calmed some.

"What is happening to them will happen to you. Their cores are changing, adapting to the world they are travelling to. While they are together in the portal, they will merge and, if it is seen fit, they will be separated again. They will be different, but bound to each other. You'll understand in time," Danny sighed but he knew better than to press the matter. Another, final thought, crossed his mind. Didn't Clockwork want to be free as well?

A dark chuckle came from the being beside him, "Yes, I could escape with you, but I won't. Do not worry, I may be a prisoner now, but times will change. They always will," He smirked, "Now Danny, it is finally time for you to step through."

The halfa gazed at the ghost for a long time, before saying, "I wish you the best."

"And I hope you will find your way."

It was all Danny needed. He stepped backwards, just before the portal. He could feel it - hear it - beckoning him. He nodded to the time ghost. The one nod held everything, sadness, loss, hope and most importantly, gratitude. Clockwork nodded back; he understood it all. With this Danny smiled, and let himself fall back into the portal, taking in the last sight of his own world.

Time seemed to slow when he fell, his own thoughts speeding up. He saw his life flash behind his lids, like he was dying. In a way he was; he was being reborn. Danny's last thoughts were on his fondest memories. He would never forget what happened to him: the good and the bad. He would learn, and he will become better for it.

Now all he could do, was live.

This was my second rewrite of the prologue and I hope you like it! Lumiele's was a base, I just added something and took some out. It's pretty much a revamp. I promise this is the last time I'm rewriting it!

Please review, thanks for reading!

I own nothing but the writing