Prologue

5 Years Ago

Danny hacked up blood as he blinked slowly, trying to clear his vision. He was on the ground, nose dripping sideways down his face. There was smoke and ash in the sky, making him sick to his stomach, and the swirls of the green sky only made it worse.

He coughed once more before placing his hands under him and pushing. The world tilted into focus despite the jackhammer in his brain. He looked around.

Clockwork was a master with both the staff and a sword, using both in perfect harmony to defeat the skeletons that seemed to come with no end. Though, that wasn't a surprise. There must be trillions of bodies buried on Earth, there was certainly no shortage. He also saw Dani and Frostbite tag teaming it against the Fright Knight. All of them were fighting dirty, especially Dani, but it was somehow graceful, like a dance of death. Despite the carnage, there was a semblance of beauty, and Danny didn't know how to feel about that.

Others were fighting too. Valerie, whom he had married two years prior, Sam and Tucker who fought tooth and nail not only for each other but for the world that wasn't theirs, along with the people that did call the Zone a home. Skulker, Ember, Amorpho, and so many others fought against the army of skeletons, all taking Danny's side as best as they could. They had fought harder against Danny, and he knew he couldn't blame them, but there was something hesitant about their movements despite the fact that they were all on the same side.

As he finally made it to one knee, he was suddenly knocked to the side. He bounced once before finally settling. A groan escaped his lips as he blinked up at the still swirling sky.

However, the groan soon turned into a small scream of pain as he was pulled up into the air by his hair. He kicked his feet and grabbed the massive hand that had pulled him off of the ground.

He stared defiantly into Pariah's red, glowing eyes. They were filled with nothing but rage and hatred for anything and everyone that defied him. He hated the living, and he hated the ghosts that were somewhat immune to his control, but most of all he hated the beings who were both.

"Today, halfa," he said, spitting the words at Danny, "today both of your halves die."

As Pariah lifted his other hand up, Danny reacted without thinking. The cold was running up his fingertips and spine before he realized what had happened. One last burst of strength, and he was lying on the ground next to Pariah, who was staring in shock as the ectoplasm-infused spear glowed brightly, dripping with Pariah's ectoplasm. Danny looked down at his hand. The evidence was there. Frost and frozen ectoplasm stuck to his entire forearm, but the look on Pariah's face as he faded away was worth it.

All of his allies surrounded him as the last of Pariah drifted away. Danny settled down on his knees. Valerie came up behind him, putting a gloved hand on his shoulder. He couldn't help it. He leaned into it, into her, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. It was done.

They had won.

When Danny opened his eyes again, he wasn't where he was a second ago. He was in a bed that wasn't his, in a room that wasn't is, but sitting next to him was the wife that was his.

"Hey, Tiger," she said. She was still in her Red Huntress gear. It was ripped and shredded, but Valerie didn't seem to mind. She was just happy to see him, somewhat alive and in one piece.

"Hey, you," he said back. His voice was raspy and dry, and she pressed a glass of water into his hand. He sat up and sipped it.

"Pariah is dead. For good," she said.

"I killed him."

He remembered everything. He was kind of hoping that he wouldn't.

"Yeah, but he deserved it. He was literally about to kill you, Danny. And after you, he would have killed everybody else."

"Yeah, I know, but...It's just...I've never killed anybody before. I don't like it."

"Well, let's hope that this is the last time you have to do this. Now come on, we have to get you cleaned up."

Danny nodded and sat up, placing the glass of water on the nightstand by the bed. Then he followed Valerie.

She led him to a big shower, where a new suit was waiting for him. He glanced at it, then in the mirror.

"Holy shit," he said.

"Yeah, you got fucked up out there. Probably more than the rest of us to be honest."

Valerie was probably right. He had streaks of dried blood going every direction on his face, all coming from the gash in his forehead and the bloody nose he had gotten earlier. He had a massive black eye, and his ribs were bandaged tightly. Now that he saw the bandages, he could feel the dull pain. It wasn't bad. He didn't notice the pain until he started thinking about it, and that would probably be the first thing that healed.

"Get cleaned up, then meet us out front," Valerie told him. He nodded, kissed her cheek, and started stripping.

The bath was relaxing and warm, and he didn't realize how tense his body was until he unclenched all of his muscles. He knows he just woke up, but he could honestly go back to sleep again. He wouldn't mind. He's sure Valerie would, though, so instead of doing that he started scrubbing.

The clear water was soon stained green due to the dried ectoplasm he cleaned off of his face and body, but he was still out in fifteen minutes or so. He had no sense of time, so it could have been five, or even thirty. But fifteen sounded good.

Before putting it on, he held the suit up. It was really cool. Instead of the plane white D on his chest, it was a blazing green P, since he had stopped going by Danny Phantom years ago. Now it's just Phantom.

It was in the middle of a white background, that made a pizza shape from his shoulders to his belt, which was still white. He had new boots and gloves, which was nice. His thermos was the same one he had always used, but there was a new air in the Zone. Even his exhausted self could tell. It was lighter than it had ever been before, and he was ready to start anew.

He left the thermos there.

After he brushed his teeth and gave himself a once-over in the mirror, he stepped out and headed to the front. Valerie knew he had a tendency to get lost though, so she had asked a maid to guide him.

The halls were decked out with burnt paintings, large suits of armor, and other treasures and such. The hallways they went down led them into a throne room, and then everything clicked in his head, and the only thing that kept him from freaking out was the fact that Valerie hadn't. Whatever was about to happen next, he knew that she would be with him every step of the way.

The maid led him to the large double doors, where two guards opened it.

Music and cheering is what greeted him, along with his friends and wife. Clockwork, despite being a baby, was absolutely beaming at him. So was Frostbite, but Frostbite always beamed at him.

Sam and Tucker were clapping for him on stage, and standing next to them was Valerie and Dani, who surged forward. She had gotten bigger, but hadn't seemed to notice considering she still shot at him like a bullet every time she saw him.

Once Dani let go, he gave everyone a hug, and gave Valerie a kiss.

Then Clockwork spoke.

"Attention, residents of the Ghost Realm, hear me!"

Despite the large, endless crowd, every single one of them became quiet, giving their full attention to Clockwork.

"Today, the tyrant known as Pariah Dark has been defeated!" An eruption of cheers came. It was so loud, so thunderous that Danny could feel it in his bones. Clockwork held up a hand, and the crowd was silent once more. "We have a hero to thank, Daniel Fenton! Half human, half ghost, and an all righteous being who fights for the people. Today, it is my privilege to crown him king."

Somewhere in the back of Danny's mind, he remembered Clockwork telling him about how, if one king is killed, then the one who killed him take their place, but nothing really quite connected until now. He killed Pariah. He is king.

Danny smiled at the crowd as Clockwork let them cheer some more, but inside, his stomach was churning.

"We'll help you, Great One," Frostbite whispered to him. Danny nodded, and his smile became a little less forced.

"There are no longer poisonous artifacts like the Crown of Fire or Ring of Rage. They have been destroyed, for they were too powerful for any one king to wield. But we have with us, a Crown of Ice, and the Cape of the People. Each stitch was made from a piece of clothing from out allies who fought with us on this day to defeat the greatest evil that ever lived, died, and ended."

Clockwork turned to him, and looked at the ground. Danny got the idea, and knelt down to one knee. Frostbite came forward and placed the Crown of Ice over his head, where it sat perfectly, like it was meant for him. Like him becoming king was his endgame after all.

Then Clockwork floated behind him, holding up the cape. It was black on the outside, white on the inside, and had a bright green, swirling design along the edges. He hooked it on with two pieces of shoulder armor, which obviously came from Dora's kingdom. He'd recognize their handiwork anywhere.

"Rise, Daniel," Clockwork said. Danny listened, and when he looked back at the crowd, they seemed louder than before. Despite his aching body protesting, he stood up tall and proud. He would serve the Zone and his world, just like he had always done.

"Meet you new king," Clockwork said, gesturing towards Danny. The cheering continued.

He had killed Pariah.

He was the Ghost King now.