Ghost Story

Ghost Story is a story centering around the Ghostverse characters, starting off as a loose retelling of the unfinished The Ring of Blood story (the last story was producing before going inactive) before diverging and becoming a completely separate story. The Hopebringers get involved in a gladiator tournament on the journey to awaken the godlike being known as the Titan, but end up fighting an unexpected foe who crashes the tournament. The story was written by to clean up the arc for these characters while presenting new directions for the Ghostverse material.
==Story==
We see a top down shot of a stadium on as a ship lands. Out steps the Hopebringers, consisting of Kaiden, Elina, Solotus, Volta, Taikari, and Keraniza. 
:Kaiden: Alright, so this is close to the center of the universe, where we believe the sleeping Titan lays. If we can awaken him, we can defeat Tobura, the necromancer. 
:Keraniza: Not to question your leadership here, but how can you be so sure about that result? The Titan created the Spirituis galaxy, sure, but… I don't know if he's a helpful ally necessarily. 
:Kaiden: Ralnu was the one to tell me about it, so… he's a magic spirit, I'm pretty sure he knows what he's talking about.
:Keraniza: I just find your confidence in this working a tad… arrogant. Some magic spirit… who wants to us to stop a necromancer, is telling us to wake up the god of creation? Don't… don't you find that just tad suspicious? Like even a tiny bit?
:Kaiden: It's our only recourse for now. If you have a better suggestion, I'd like to hear it. Otherwise… we're heading into the Ring of Blood. For better or worse.
:Elina: Yeah… I don't really understand what we're in here for? 
:Taikari: I'm not complaining.
Kaiden sighs.
:Kaiden: C'mon guys, it's our first mission as the Hopebringers! We need to get some information about possibly waking the Titan to begin with. We're hoping to get that information from a sorceress named Nasni.
:Solotus: No offense Kaiden, but you kind of pushed us into full throttle here without even telling us the plan. That's why we're asking so many questions. Even your damn wife is confused.
Kaiden looks to Elina, who glares at him.
:Kaiden: Right… I'll try to be more informative next time.
:Volta: Sorry… I thought Kaiden would have you guys up to speed on this. I was the one who told him about all of this stuff. 
:Taikari: Wait, where did you get all of this info?
:Volta: Taikari, I work at a fucking tech company? It'd be weird if I wasn't the one supplying most of you meatheads with info. 
:Taikari: Right… right. Let's go get registered.
:Keraniza: Hell yeah!
----
A Krexxon, a woman with a torn gray face, and a mysterious orange figure lean against the lockers in a locker room. The Krexxon's mechanical eye looks over to the woman. 
:Krexxon: Frankly, I'm not sure what's going on here, Nasni.
The woman with the torn face looks at the Krexxon, her steely gaze moving from him back to the orange figure.
:Nasni: Are… are you listening? My sister asked me to snuff out hope, so we're doing that. I lured the Hopebringers here with the held of our good friend here, Akun, who has similar abilities to his sister.
Nasni motions over to the orange figure, who we can tell is Akun from Vyrus, the brother of Volta. Nasni returns her look to the Krexxon.
:Nasni: Your short term memory is really killing us, Xelnak. Please check if you have a concussion or something...
The Krexxon, Xelnak, looks down and then looks back up.
:Xelnak: Frankly, I'm not sure what's going on here, Nasni.
:Nasni: I swear to Titan…
Akun puts his hand on her shoulder.
:Akun: It's fine. He's a Krexxon. Whether he knows the plan or not, it doesn't matter. As long as he's willing to serve.
:Nasni: Heh, you're right.
Nasni glances over to the leaderboard of the tournament.
:Nasni: We're about to go up. Come on.
The two follow her to the Ring of Blood.
----
The Hopebringers have formed their team of Kaiden, Taikari, and Volta, who are training in a separate room. Elina, Solotus, and Keraniza are sitting on a bench outside of the intense training inside.
:Keraniza: Hey, Elina… how did you admit your feelings to Kaiden?
:Elina: Does someone capture your interest?
:Keraniza: Haha… yeah… 
Elina ponders for a bit.
:Elina: I mean, we've been together so long, I barely remember… I think we were just speaking from the heart, together… it was sudden, but he said he had something to say and I knew what it was.
:Keraniza: Well… I dunno if my person would say that.
:Elina: I mean, you kind of need to expect some level of rejection, just so the heart doesn't ache too much… I dunno, it kind of comes easy to me…
:Solotus: I dunno, you gotta take a chance with these kinds of things.
Keraniza nods.
:Keraniza: I'm just worried… I guess… 
:Elina: Well, that's unusual for you.
:Keraniza: Mm, don't pretend like you really know me.
Solotus laughs.
:Solotus: Alright, we better get up in the bleachers, the fight's about to begin. C'mon!
----
Kaiden nervously glances at the crowd as him, Taikari, and Volta enter the arena against Nasni, Xelnak, and Akun. Akun takes his orange cloak off, revealing a black jumpsuit outfited with a technomagic device. 
:Akun: Sister…
Volta glances at him, confused.
:Volta: Brother!?
:Akun: Yes, it is I!
:Nasni: Alright, fucking chill.
Nasni grits her teeth as she spreads out her arms, creating dark pentagram symbols over her hands.
:Nasni: Prepare to meet your ends.
:Xelnak: None of you are getting past me!
Xelnak pulls out two tonfas, ebony and black. Akun grins as Taikari aims her palm at the group, preparing to fire a missile. Volta's hands spark with electricity, with Kaiden's sword hand shaking as he looks at the crowd of people, mostly consisting of Konsai and Krexxon.
:Kaiden: Oh yeah, this is fine…
:Volta: You doing alright Kaiden? You don't look-
Suddenly, a blast of a black hand projectile slams Kaiden against the arena wall. Nasni grits her teeth as she keeps firing powerful dark magic at Kaiden.
:Taikari: Uh, he didn't even try to parry that, what the…
Akun fires a orange energy projectile at Taikari's face, cracking her helmet. The group is clearly way out of their league her. Volta keeps skipping through attacks by constantly turning into electricity, occasionally firing electricity at the assailants, but it's clear that the Ring of Blood wasn't just a name as Kaiden's body begins to bleed heavily, the black magic tearing him up. Taikari lays weakly on the ground as Xelnak goes to smash her head in.
:Volta: You stay the FUCK away from her!
Volta delivers a powerful kick to his tentacled face, slamming him into the tournament wall. Volta posses her armor, carrying Taikari inside her own armor as she tries to go for Kaiden, but a black magic spell nearly hits her.
:Volta: Ah, shit…
Volta carries Taikari out of the arena, forfeiting. Kaiden attempts to weakly resist against Nasni, his consciousness beginning to fade. Yet, he's still fighting to the very end.
:Nasni: Huh, my sister saw you as very powerful, yet here you are, just letting this happen to you…
:Kaiden: You caught me off guard…
Kaiden grunts as he stabs Nasni in the gut, causing her to shriek in pain as blood spills to the arena floor. Akun attempts to come to her aid, but Nasni puts her palm up.
:Nasni: Don't help me. 
Kaiden slams against the tournament floor, his breathing stopping. Nasni sinks her fingers into her wound, grunting.
:Nasni: She better be coming…
Suddenly, green flames fill the arena. Nasni grins.
:Nansi: Sister…
Akun turns his head to see Tobura slowly fall from a portal, slamming the Deathcarver into the ground. She walks towards Kaiden. Elina watches horrified along with the rest of the group, her horrified state turning into anger as she attempts to fire a spell at Tobura.
:Elina: FLAME TEMPEST!
An emerging tidal wave of orange flame moves across the arena floor, but Tobura grabs it with a single hand and absorbs all of it's power. She quickly turns her head to Elina, who stares horrified at her again. Tobura smirks.
:Tobura: That's all you had?
She shifts her focus back to Kaiden. Kaiden is dead. The black magic that attacked him tore him up from the inside- he's only seen this magic from Silver Zin, and had no way to defend against it.
:Tobura: Excellent job, sister.
:Nasni: This magic is illegal, you know… I hope the trouble was worth it.
:Tobura: Are you kidding? I've dreamed of killing the man who killed me. Granted, it wasn't all bad…
Tobura smirks as she cradles the dead Kaiden's chin, pulling him up from the ground. She sinks her fingers into his chin, imbuing him with green life energy.
:Tobura: You always said you would be prepared for the day I came back. What happened?
Kaiden snaps to life. Tobura drops him to the ground as his eyes glow green. He looks to Toubara, almost like he's asking for answers to his existence.
:Tobura: I want you to kill every soul in here. I need a lot, and you're the man to do it, aren't you?
Kaiden robotically nods, pulling out his two swords. He is no longer afraid of the crowd, rather vengeful at it's existence.
----
Elina is in complete shock as Volta in Taikari's armor grabs her. Solotus prepares to leave, leaving just Keraniza sitting on the bleacher. She stands up, a bag full of explosions in her claws.
:Solotus: We need to leave, NOW. 
:Keraniza: You all do. I'm staying. I'm ending this where it stands.
Keraniza grabs a bunch of bombs and pulls the pins with her teeth.
:Keraniza: Taikari?
Taikari turns her head, one eye open as the other is covered with blood.
:Keraniza: I love you. There, I said it. 
:Taikari: Hu-whu…
Keraniza jumps over the railing, dropping bombs all over the stadium as the stadium glows aflame with green flames. Kaiden begins running towards her as Nasni and Tobura turn their heads towards her.
:Keraniza: See you all in the hell you all belong in.
Explosions go off. Everyone in the Hopebringers- everyone that's left anyway, turns their heads away as the stadium goes up in flames, collapsing.
:Taikari: KERANIZA!!!
Taikari shouts relentlessly, her body trying to move back as Volta keeps her moving.
:Taikari: No… no…
:Volta (inside Taikari's suit): She did what she had to, Taikari.
Taikari breaks down into tears as everything goes up in flames. Suddenly, Kaiden emerges from the flames, green eyes burning. He's in his Hyper Mode.
:Volta (inside Taikari's suit): We need to fucking run.
The Hopebringers run to the ship as fast as possible, the flames from the arena reflected off the chrome as they enter inside and take off. Hyper Form Kaiden watches from below, a resentful look in his eyes.
:Kaiden: They got away.
Tobura emerges from a portal to stroke his cheek.
:Tobura: There's always next time. Come claim more souls, Sanctus Ferrum.
Kaiden responds to his new name, following Tobura into her portal.
----
Elina is unresponsive. Taikari grunts as she squeezes her ice patch, while Volta stays away from both of them. Solotus sighs heavily as he looks to Volta.
:Solotus: We can't give up now.
:Volta: It was a set up… I should have known. Akun probably had a hand in this… lead us right into Tobura's trap.
Volta sits down at a booth.
:Volta: I couldn't rescue Kaiden. You saw what happened, right?
:Solotus: I saw, yes.
:Volta: You know I couldn't, right. I had to save who I could.
Taikari punctures the ice bag, sending ice flying everywhere.
:Solutus: I'll get a new one.
:Taikari: If only I wasn't so fucking weak. I could have saved Kaiden, I could have saved Keranzi…
:Volta: It's not your fault.
:Taikari: It's not your fault either. I don't know who to fucking blame.
:Volta: I get things are a little hard to see right now, but we need to push through this rationally. 
:Taikari: I'm angry… I'm sad… I don't…
Solotus pushes a new ice bag on the table as Taikari picks it up, pushing it against her face.
:Solotus: You're the leader now.
:Taikari: No, I'm not. I… dunno. I gotta think about some stuff. Figure out a new approach to things. This Hopebringers thing isn't working.
:Volta: The Titan thing…
:Taikari: No! We can't depend on that! Who knows how deep this river of deceit goes? We can't just summon god to solve all our problems!
Taikari breathes really erratically, Solotus tensing up as he expects her to break the ice bag again.
:Taikari: Goddamn it… Keranzi… why did you have to tell me right there and then? I would have returned your feelings if you just…
Solotus puts his hand on her shoulder.
:Solotus: We need time.
:Elina: We need to kill Tobura.
Everyone looks to her. She looks weirdly calm.
:Elina: We need to kill every crummy minion of her's. Do what she did to us.
Elina storms out and disappears into the bathroom of the ship.
:Taikari: Should we…
:Solotus: She probably wants some time alone. We'll comfort her when she's less… angry.
:Volta: I'm so sorry.
:Taikari: Volta. It is not your fault. I would not be alive if it wasn't for you.
Taikari pulls her in for a hug.
:Taikari: We'll figure this out. I promise.
----
Doomulus Xyne and Fenrir of the Flame stare at Fenrir's promised "test subject", a clone of Quartz named Citrine. 
:Doomulus Xyne: This is the test subject?
:Fenrir: Yes.
:Doomulus Xyne: We'll see what we can do… 
Doomulus Xyne holds the Jalzetai, the alien technology he previously swiped from KageCo. during the events of Beyond Spirituis. It allows for the transferral of a soul to enter inside machines, replicating the ability of Sparklings and Ambients to do such.
:Fenrir: Have fun with her! She hasn't had too much time to exist yet, so be a positive influence!
Xyne chuckles. He doesn't intend for that at all.
THE END
==Trivia==
*Ghost Story is a rebuild of The Ring of Blood story. Many things remain the same, but there also many differences.
**Ring of Blood fails to establish any motivations for any characters in it. The Hopebringers and Nasni's group are not doing things with any kind of spoken motive, making the story rather confusing to read. In this story, both of their motivations are linked and clearly defined. Nasni tricked the Hopebringers into coming to a deadly arena so Tobura could claim Kaiden after Nasni murders him.
**Nasni is a character introduced in Ring of Blood for no apparent purpose behind her appearance. In this story, it is established that she is Tobura's sister instead.
**Keranzi is not part of the original line up for characters in Ring of Blood, instead being added to finish the plotline that began in Beyond Spirituis where she was dealing with feelings for Taikari, which goes completely unsolved in that story and all other future stories.
**Felton and Trent are removed, randomly making a appearance in Ring of Blood but seemingly having no plot relevance. 
**The story cuts to the chase as opposed to dealing with the Big Bad Wolves, who attack Kaiden and Taikari savagely. Their injuries are more or less identical to what occurs in this story, except Kaiden's is far more fatal.
**Volta openly forfeits the first fight in Ring of Blood- in this she instead rescues Taikari. 
*The title, Ghost Story, refers to both Kaiden's ghost becoming part of Tobura's collection- a story about his ghost, if you will, and is a slight nod to the naming scheme of other Ghostverse stories like Ghostverse Stories and Ghostverse Adventures. Since this is taken from a unfinished episode concept from Ghostverse Adventures, the name was chosen to kind of reflect this as well.
Category:Stories
Category:Original Fan Fiction
Category:Fan Fiction
Category:Ghostrealm Stories