Y/N woke up with his face on the ground. He was lying flat on his stomach. He had no idea how long he'd been out. The last thing he remembered was being lifted into the air followed by a bright flash of light.
Y/N picked himself up and checked himself. He had only a few minor bruises. He checked to find he was still wearing his proton pack. The indicator lights on the wand showed no serious damage to the device.
Y/N looked around, taking in his new surroundings. He was astonished by what he saw before him. The whole place appeared to be a twisted town. The buildings looked like the ones from Summerville, only some appeared to take on a more gothic appearance. Some stood as tall as the buildings in New York.
Y/N: I don't believe it.
The buildings themselves appeared to be falling apart, only the broken off pieces never fell and just floated separately from the rest of the infrastructure. All around him, the sky and even ground took on an orange, pink appearance as if the buildings were just floating in an endless void. Broken pathways and bridges connected the different buildings, but they often shifted between locations.
With no other alternative, Y/N decided to explore the path in front of him. He could feel the concrete shifting beneath him as if it were a platform floating on water. After a few moments, he stopped to examine the architecture.
The buildings had large, screaming faces with some kind of liquid pouring out from them. The doorways took on the appearance of large skulls. There appeared to be strange dots floating between the buildings.
Looking closer, he saw that the lights had limbs and large mouths. They were all ghosts! Some took on a more ghoulish appearance. Others appeared to be cultists dressed in flowing robes.
Y/N: Holy shit. All of our theories about a potentially limitless afterlife. All our concepts about a ghost world of some sort... they're all true! Egon, if only you could see this right now.
Y/N continued to look on in amazement at all the different inhabitants of this realm. He felt something nudge his shoulder and fly off quickly. He was about to turn and see what it was when he heard a high pitched screeching sound approaching him. He ducked as an oncoming swarm of bats flew over his head. He looked up and smiled when he saw just what the bats were. They were all books! Their cover binds were being used as wings.
He stood back up when the swarm passed over him. He continued to look around the void that surrounded him. However, Y/N's amazement was cut short when he heard something roar behind him. He turned around and saw three blue and purple ghosts flying towards him. They had fearsome glares and claw like fingers.
There were too many to fight head on. Beside, Y/N didn't have his ghost trap with him. He decided to turn around and run. He was not in his own world anymore. They had the homefield advantage.
Y/N ran across the floating platforms. They swayed under his weight with each step. The ghosts were getting closer to Y/N. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small corridor that led to a large door. He quickly turned and ran towards it. He heaved open the heavy door and quickly shut it behind him just in time. Some of the ghosts flew past him while one noticed his trick and tried to chase him. It hit its head on the door as Y/N closed it.
The Ghostbuster looked around the long corridor he was now it. It was covered from floor to ceiling in large mirrors. Y/N walked through the creaky hallway. He held his particle thrower close to his chest as he stood on guard. Suddenly, he heard a mysterious voice whisper through the corridor:
Voice: You shouldn't be here.
The candles lighting the room switched to a purple flame as Y/N looked around him. He watched for anything to come out of the shadows. He then noticed something out of the corner of his eye. There appeared to be a thin apparition that appeared in the mirrors. Y/N quickly turned around to fire at the ghost but found it wasn't where it appeared to be. He continued looking through the halls, keeping his thrower pointed.
Suddenly, he saw the apparition appear out of the wall. It had a purple hue with the wrinkled old face of a zombie. It wore purple and red robes that flowed when it moved. In its hand was a long staff with a point at the end.
Y/N quickly fired at the cultist. It dodged the orange beam and flew into the mirror. That's how it's hiding, Y/N thought, It's using the mirrors. Thinking quickly, he fired his proton stream at the walls, destroying as many of the mirrors as possible. The ghost howled in anger and appeared once more. Y/N grinned when he saw the spirit appear.
However, his smile was cut short when the cultist lifted up his staff and shot purple beams of energy out of it. Y/N backed away, trying to dodge the beams. He lost his footing and fell backwards into one of the large mirrors. It smashed into tiny pieces as Y/N fell through it and was back outside.
He continued falling until he hit a floating chunk of debris. Looking around, he found a large stairway in front of him. The steps were made of floating beams of steel and concrete. He cautiously stepped on the stairs and continued his journey.
As Y/N continued up the stairway, he heard a familiar screeching noise. He turned to see the book bats return. At least these ones appear harmless. The bats suddenly started to swarm together and connect into a large mass. Y/N was soon staring at a giant golem made entirely out of books.
The golem roared and charged at Y/N. He turned and continued running up the stairs. He used the higher ground to his advantage and fired at the creature. Some of the books burst into flames, but were quickly replaced by more book bats. The creature seemed unfazed by Y/N's attacks.
Y/N noticed something about the golem. Its head was made out of a desk lamp. A glowing light emanated from it. That must be the source of its power! Y/N fired his capture stream at the light. It wrapped around the lamp. Y/N tugged and ripped the lamp straight out of the creature. The golem fell over before exploding into a mess of papers and brown covers. Some of the books fell into the endless abyss. Y/N knelt down and took a moment to catch his breath.
Y/N: Is there anything here that doesn't want to kill me? Why can't we just talk out our differences like gentlemen?
After a few moments, Y/N picked himself back up and continued up the stairway. Before long, he came to an odd sight. He looked carefully at what was in front of him. It appeared to be a ghostly apparition of the Shandor Mines. However, on top of the mountain stood a large castle made out of black stone.
Y/N walked up towards the castle and continued on his journey. He suddenly stopped when he heard a voice behind him.
?: You have come quite a long way, my mortal friend.
Y/N turned around and pointed his thrower at the source of the voice. A figure floated in the air and began to make its way down to him. Y/N looked at it closely. It was mostly human. He had a white beard and wore what looked like a mayoral uniform. Y/N recognized him from several paintings as well as his mortal body found in the mines.
Y/N: Let me guess. Ivo Shandor, right?
Shandor: You are correct. I see you are familiar with me.
Y/N: Yeah. Let's just say I've encountered some of your work.
Shandor: As have I with yours.
The two began to walk and talk to each other. They entered the large castle.
Shandor: You and your friends have become quite the... predicament for my lord.
Y/N: Well, let's just say we don't quite agree with Gozer's methods.
Shandor: Few do, but many eventually come to see it as the right and just way.
Y/N: So mass genocide and conquest is just?
Shandor: Only in the most dire of circumstances. And humanity has far exceeded that point. When I was alive, the human race was cruel. It performed despicable acts of vengeance and self destruction. It has only become worse since my death. Gozer's rule is the only path forward. She will wipe the slate clean for humanity and allow it to start over.
Y/N: Right.
Y/N rolled his eyes sarcastically. He continued to look around the environment. Shandor noticed his curiosity and chuckled to himself.
Shandor: I see you are fascinated by this realm.
Y/N: It's just... simultaneously what I expected and not at the same time. I mean, this has got to be one of an infinite amount of afterlives. The scientific implications of this are incredible. In a way, I guess every belief is correct as each has its own afterlife.
Shandor: Yes. This is just one configuration of a limitless series of realms.
Y/N: I'll take it this is the Gozerian configuration.
Shandor: You would be correct in that assumption. But you may find a multitude of things you did not know residing here. Time works differently in this realm. What is hours here could be days, months, or even years in the mortal plane.
The two continued walking. They came to a circular pathway. Connected to it was another pathway that extended into nothingness. In the center of the circle, a white ball of light floated. Surrounding it appeared to be humanoid spirits floating into and out of it. It began to take on a humanoid shape itself.
Y/N: What is that thing?
Shandor: That is Gozer.
Y/N: I thought we destroyed Gozer, or at least a form of it.
Shandor: No, Gozer can never be destroyed. However, many years ago, it was banished to this abyss. When I and my followers found it, it was too weak to traverse the realms. It could barely hold itself together.
Y/N: Those spirits floating around it. Are they your followers?
Shandor: Yes. They are being used to give Gozer its form. But that was not their original intent.
There was a sudden rumbling sound. Y/N looked over and saw a faint light appear at the end of the other pathway. Some of the spirit wisps flew out of Gozer and towards the light. They were using their arms, trying to pull on it, expanding the light. Y/N realized what they were doing. They were creating an interdimensional portal. He was putting all the pieces together.
Y/N: So, you initially created the Manhattan gateway to summon Gozer. However, in case that ever failed, you also created a smaller gateway in your own dedicated temple. Your workers and followers sacrificed themselves to create enough spiritual energy to open the gateway themselves.
Shandor: You are smarter than you appear. Yes, we planned on our lord coming through to Earth one way or another. However, there was something we did not account for.
He looked over at the fading form of Gozer as it lost its humanoid shape.
Shandor: With Gozer banished back to this realm in its weakened state, it requires these spirits to take form. However, there is simply not enough to keep its form while also opening the gateway. And something else appears to be blocking our way.
Y/N new exactly what it was. It was the proton canons he and Egon had set up to guard the portal. They were keeping the spirits at bay.
Shandor: But, there is another way. To generate the energy needed for our lord's return, we simply needed to keep the gateway open long enough for it to return the same way it did before.
Y/N: Zuul and Vinz Clortho.
Shandor: With the gate keeper and key master united in the mortal plane, they can provide us with enough energy to anchor Gozer to that realm. Then, it can take form and we can rule the world together.
Y/N: You really think Gozer will let you rule by her side?
Shandor: Off course! I am its most loyal follower. I have done its bidding and provided it with the means of conquering Earth.
Y/N: I think Gozer is more of a Pre-Madonna.
Shandor: As for you, sir, you will join us in uniting her.
Shandor proceeded to generate a strange energy from his hands, intent on killing Y/N once and for all. Y/N was in a panicked state. This was worse than what he thought. He looked at Shandor before looking over at the forming Gozer and the opening gateway. He quickly thought of a plan. He turned back to Shandor.
Y/N: Screw it. You're a dead man anyway.
He fired his particle thrower. The stream hit Shandor in the shoulder, knocking him back off the floating pathway and into the void. The stream continued on its journey as it hit Gozer, causing all the ghosts within it to scatter.
Y/N: Yes!
Y/N suddenly looked over and saw Ivo Shandor appear once more. The cult leader had grown large horns and glowing orange eyes. The burned part on his shoulder spread to the rest of his body, making him look like he was made out of a molten rock. He roared and spoke to his subjects in a deep voice.
Shandor: Stop him!
Y/N: About time I take my leave.
He turned around and started to run like hell. The spirits that once formed Gozer were now chasing the Ghostbuster. Y/N sprinted towards the portal. It wasn't strong enough to transport a powerful being such as Gozer, but surely it could transport a weaker mortal such as himself.
The spirits began to converge on Y/N. Shandor himself was now involved in the chase. Y/N ran as fast as his legs would carry him. When he reached the edge of the platform, he took one giant leap of path and jumped into the open portal.