Beyond Life

Chapter 14- Reign Storm

A red eye with a dark pupil was squinting. The eye widened.

We're in the Ghost Zone. The eye belongs to a black bird.

The bird cawed as it flew away. The bird flew around a flight of stairs and headed towards a tree.

Several birds have been murdered. The bird landed on a tree branch and cawed.

The bird cawed two more times. Vlad Plasmius was standing by a box with purple cushion lining.

Vlad Plasmius turned around, grinning evilly. Vlad Plasmius flew away, completely satisfied.

Vlad Plasmius flew into Pariah's Keep. Vlad Plasmius flew around the castle halls, staring at the skeletal guards and depressed- looking portraits of guys who bear a remarkable resemblance to George Washington.

Vlad Plasmius opened the door at the end of one of the halls. Vlad Plasmius entered a room with a sarcophagus with an odd green light shining down on it. 

Vlad Plasmius flew towards the sarcophagus.
"Here we are," Vlad Plasmius said. Vlad Plasmius stopped at the foot of the couple steps that lead to the sarcophagus.

A skeleton holding a pumpkin with a sword sticking out of it was standing near the sarcophagus.
"Pariah's Keep," Vlad Plasmius said.
"Home of the Fright Knight-," Vlad Plasmius trailed off. Vlad Plasmius stared up at a sphere another skelton was holding.

In the middle of the sphere was a ring, the Ring of Rage.
"And before that-," Vlad Plasmius trailed off once more. Vlad Plasmius held up the Skeleton Key.

Vlad Plasmius stuck the key into another skeleton's nose, which just so happened to be key- shaped and turned it clockwise. The sphere around the ring dissolved, leaving liquid residue on the skeleton's hands, and dropped the ring into Vlad Plasmius' hand.
"The Ghost King. And here I am, Vlad Plasmius. With all his power in the palm of my hand," Vlad Plasmius spoke, putting the ring on. Vlad Plasmius flew up and laughed.

The ring sputtered and started to smoke. Vlad Plasmius stared at the ring in surprise.

Vlad Plasmius looked away from the ring, frowning. Vlad Plasmius stared at the crown resting on top of the sarcophagus.
"Ah, of course. The Ring of Rage only works when one wears the Crown of Fire," Vlad Plasmius commented. Vlad Plasmius flew up to the sarcophagus and stuck the skeleton key into a triangle hole on the sarcophagus.

A bird cawed nearby. Vlad Plasmius turned the key.

The sarcophagus' eyes glowed red. Birds flew away and swarmed towards a tree as the coffin opened.

Pariah Dark, the Ghost King, was resting peacefully inside.
"Separately, they're nothing, but together they give you power unimaginable," Vlad Plasmius explained as Pariah's uneyepatched eye snapped open. Pariah stomped out of his coffin.

Vlad Plasmius started at Pariah in fear. Pariah is a huge, Scottish, Viking- like ghost with only one eye, horns (one of which is broken), a thinning beard and LOTS of hair on his head.

Pariah dawned the Crown of Fire on his head.
"Who dares?," Pariah asked menacingly.
"Uh, hello. Plasmius, Vlad Plasmius, did I mention I'm a huge fan of your work?," Vlad Plasmius shakingly asked, flashing a nervous smile at Pariah. Pariah narrowed his eyes at Vlad Plasmius.

***

An explosion shook Pariah's Keep as Vlad Plasmius was thrown out of the castle.

***

Pariah pulled out a sword of a purple pumpkin. The pumpkin flew into the air and exploded, revealing the Fright Knight.
"The Fright Knight lives!," Fright Knight bellowed. Pariah threw his sword at Fright Knight.
"To serve me," Pariah ordered. Fright Knight stared up at Pariah in surprise.