Broken Phantom

-Star-

The roar of the crowd was deafening, a symphony of cheers, growls, and otherworldly shrieks that reverberated through the Phantom Nebula Arena. Star hadn't expected to enjoy herself, not really. She had been terrified when they first arrived, completely out of her element in a world she barely understood. But now, as the matches rolled on, something about the raw energy of the tournament was infectious.

She found herself gripping the railing, her eyes wide as the next contenders appeared on the battlefield. Their names flared in the sky above, glowing letters shifting between eerie blues and greens:

Kryos the Frozen Tyrant vs. Ember Siren

A hushed murmur spread through the crowd. Star saw the contenders—Kryos was an older-looking ghost in the tournament, a towering figure encased in ever-shifting ice, and Ember she recognized from back in Amity Park.

The infamous ghost rocker floated just above the battlefield, her fiery blue hair blazing like a neon flame. A wicked grin curled her lips as she strummed her electric guitar, a haunting chord echoing through the arena. She wasn't just a wildcard—she was a performer, a disruptor. Ember didn't just fight; she turned every battle into a show.

The battlefield shifted into a jagged ice plain, frigid winds sweeping across the terrain. The bell tolled, and the fight began.

Kryos didn't hesitate, raising his arm as an enormous glacier erupted from the ground, streaking toward Ember like a tidal wave. She barely flinched. With a dramatic strum of her guitar, a shockwave of sonic fire burst from the instrument, shattering the ice mid-air. The flames twisted and curled, forming spectral tendrils that lashed toward Kryos.

He reacted fast, encasing himself in a thick layer of frost, dulling the fire's impact as he advanced. But Ember was already moving, flying across the battlefield like a comet, her guitar riffs weaving hypnotic patterns in the air. The more she played, the more the crowd became enthralled, some ghosts even swaying as if caught in a trance.

Kryos roared, slamming his fist into the ground. The battlefield cracked as massive ice spikes shot upward, forcing Ember to dodge. One spike clipped her boot, sending her into a spin, but she recovered with a midair flip, landing gracefully. Her grin widened.

"You're all frost, no fire, baby," she taunted, plucking a rapid set of chords.

The soundwaves pulsed outward, laced with her hypnotic ability. Kryos staggered, his movements slowing as his mind dulled under Ember's influence. His breath misted in the cold air, his ice magic flickering as if struggling against itself. The crowd roared as Ember seized the advantage, launching forward in a fiery streak.

Her guitar flared, spectral flames forming into a blazing whip. She cracked it once, twice—each strike melting Kryos's defenses bit by bit. He fought against the enthralling melody, forcing his body to move, but Ember's tempo only increased, the sound embedding itself deeper into his consciousness.

Finally, with one last powerful chord, a massive explosion of blue fire engulfed Kryos. When the flames cleared, he was on one knee, steam rising from his frost-covered form. He tried to push himself up, but his body wouldn't obey. His own ice magic had turned sluggish under Ember's relentless sonic assault.

The bell rang twice.

"Winner—Ember Siren!"

The crowd erupted into wild cheers, the energy in the arena vibrating with Ember's lingering music. She hovered in the air, basking in the applause before tossing her hair back with a laugh. With a final pluck of her guitar, she vanished in a blaze of spectral fire, leaving behind only a faint echo of her song.

Star exhaled. 'Okay, that was awesome.' A hushed murmur spread through the crowd.

Star grinned, leaning closer. She had to admit—this was kind of amazing.

-Paulina-

Paulina hadn't expected to enjoy this. She had been dragged into the Ghost Zone against her will, and for the first few hours, she had been completely certain she would die. But as the tournament continued, she found herself slowly letting go of that fear.

The matches were exhilarating, unlike anything she had ever seen before. And more than that, she was beginning to understand just how much power Danny truly held here.

Just a wave of his hand could silence the entire arena. He really had changed.

The next match was announced, and she barely held back a gasp when she saw the names:

Fright Knight vs. Xiorax the Bone Reaver

Paulina barely had time to process the tension in the air before the battlefield began to shift. The arena groaned as the terrain reformed into an ancient battleground of molten rock and crumbling ruins, jagged obsidian structures jutting from the ground like forgotten tombstones. Rivers of lava flowed between broken bridges, the atmosphere thick with heat and the scent of scorched stone.

Xiorax let out a rattling, otherworldly laugh, his skeletal form flexing with unnatural movements. His bones were wrapped in cursed metal, a fusion of armor and spirit, each plate humming with dark energy. In his bony grasp, a jagged scythe shimmered with violet ectoplasm.

The bell tolled.

Before Paulina could blink, Fright Knight moved.

In a blur of purple flames and steel, he surged forward, his flaming sword screaming as it cut through the superheated air. Xiorax barely managed to raise his scythe in time to block, the impact sending a shockwave through the battlefield. Sparks erupted where blade met blade, the clash of their weapons like thunder striking stone.

Xiorax snarled, twisting his scythe to hook around Fright Knight's blade, aiming to disarm him. But Fright Knight was a seasoned warrior, centuries beyond Xiorax in experience. With a brutal twist of his own wrist, he used Xiorax's momentum against him, sending the skeletal ghost skidding backward.

The battlefield responded. A nearby bridge collapsed into the lava below, forcing Xiorax to leap aside as molten rock splashed dangerously close. He hissed, eyes flaring.

"You fight like an old legend, Fright Knight," Xiorax sneered, gripping his scythe tighter. "But eventually all legends fade."

Fright Knight merely tilted his head, his glowing green eyes unreadable beneath his horned helm. "Legends endure."

Without another word, Fright Knight raised his sword high. A pulse of energy radiated from the blade, and the battlefield darkened. The molten rivers dimmed to an eerie glow as thick shadows pooled at Fright Knight's feet. His aura swelled, commanding the very air around them. He was no mere contestant—he was Fear, he was nightmare incarnate.

Xiorax's bravado faltered for the first time.

Then Fright Knight struck.

His sword ignited with spectral flames, and with a mighty swing, he unleashed a wave of ghostly fire. The flames roared across the battlefield, consuming everything in their path. Xiorax tried to dodge, phasing in and out of existence, but the fire seemed to follow him, drawn to his very essence.

He screamed as the flames caught him, his body writhing as cursed fire licked at his bones. His form flickered, struggling to hold together against the overwhelming force of Fright Knight's attack.

With one final leap, Fright Knight closed the distance and brought his sword down in a decisive arc. The blade cut through the air, striking Xiorax's scythe and shattering it like brittle glass.

Xiorax collapsed, his form flickering weakly as the bell tolled twice.

"Winner—Fright Knight!"

The crowd erupted, a mix of cheers and fearful murmurs. Paulina exhaled, barely realizing she had been gripping the edge of her seat. Fright Knight didn't acknowledge the applause. He merely sheathed his sword, his eyes scanning the stands briefly before he turned towards where Danny was and bowed before walking away, his presence fading into the shadows.

Paulina shivered. She wasn't sure if she would ever get used to ghosts like him.

His presence was as heavy as it was when he came to Amity Park years ago.

Paulina barely realized she was holding her breath until she breathed out.

"Wow".