The Second Piece: Ghost City Part XX

I shall claw back from inactivity with a super 20th issue! Let's bring this arc towards its conclusion!

The Sand Band is taken aback as the hordes of Phantoms they were sneaking past have all waken.

Rodoran: Huddle at the sides! Don't draw attention to yourself!

As the Sand Band attempts to render themselves invisible, they notice that all the Phantoms are heading for the exit without giving them a second thought.

Saboten: Where could they be headed...?

Soon, all the Phantoms have cleared out of the room, leaving only an empty corridor. The Sand Band look out from their hiding places. Not 100 yards away, in full sight and completely unguarded, is a lever encased in a glass box.

Cottontail: All right! This was easy!

Cottontail rushes for the level, followed carefully by the others. Suddenly, a horde of Phantoms pours in from both sides, about a dozen in all. The kids immediately tread back in fear.

Phantom: WE ARE PROGRAMMED TO STAY HERE AND KILL ANY INTRUDERS. BEGIN KILLING!

The Phantoms unsheathe their weapons and rush toward the Sand Band. The kids pull out their Cactuswords and get ready to defend. However, being ill-prepared in these circumstances, they are easily pushed back and only try to get in hits whenever they can. For some, the thought of running away fills their mind.

Rodoran has no intention of falling back and presses his attack whenever he can. Although his Cactusword barely fazes the Phantom, Rodoran keeps pressing on, landing a blow hard enough to send the Phantom spinning back a little. The Phantom rights itself, but makes no effort to go to Rodoran. Instead, a glowing ball begins to form and grow within its hood. Immediately realizing what it is, Rodoran ducks out of the way before the projectile is sent flying. Upon impact it creates a small explosion, the force of which propels Rodoran.

Rodoran: Since when could they do that?

Rodoran looks at his comrades battling the Phantoms. It is clear they are at a severe disadvantage, and if they did not make a strategy soon, they could annihilated very quickly.

However, the chaos in the storage room was nothing compared to what was happening to the entire town. Phantoms flood from the harbor with the ability to do almost anything they want. They invade the homes of every citizen, keeping an eye on them so they don't run or fight. Some Phantoms break into buildings and steal whatever they find to bring it to the palace, while others wander the streets, shooting and beating anyone that runs.

Citizen 1: Please...STOP...I beg of you!!!

Citizen 2: Why is this happening???

Meanwhile, Willard wanders down a corridor when he hears the sudden commotion. He turns around and peers over, seeing the Phantoms flooding into the harbor.

Willard: Dammit! What happened?

Suddenly, a few Phantoms hear Willard's exclamation and turn to him. Weapons pulled out, they begin chasing him through the corridor.

Willard: Dammit dammit dammit dammit dammitttttttt!!!!!!!

Willard runs at top speed, looking for a way to escape. Suddenly, a Phantom fires an explosive ball at him, which he barely manages to dodge.

Willard: SINCE WHEN COULD THEY DO THAT?????

Willard looks up to the ceiling, where he sees a cord running along the lights. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of that?

Willard: I just hope it leads somewhere nearby...

After several more minutes of running and dodging blasts, Willard comes to a room at the end of the corridor. At the side, where the cord ends, is a light switch!

Willard: YES!

BOOM!

While Willard was briefly in the midst of celebration, he failed to realize that a Phantom was charging up an explosive ball. The ball detonated right at his heels, slamming him against the wall. Willard coughs hard and struggles to get up.

Phantom: SUBJECT IDENTIFIED AS AN ESCAPED REBEL PRISONER. TERMINATE HIM IMMEDIATELY.

Willard: No! Not now...c'mon!

Willard struggles to move himself around, when suddenly he looks below the Phantoms.

Willard: That's it!

Before the Phantoms can sic him, Willard rolls underneath them to the light switch. Reaching his arm up, he turns off the lights with a flick.

Willard: Now that's more like it!

Phantom: ACTIVATE NIGHT VIS-

Willard: Too slow!

Grabbing a large metal object, Willard slams it into the Phantom's head, dislodging it. The other Phantoms look around for Willard using their night vision.

Willard: Looks like your night vision's not as good as mine! Draghaghaghaghagha!

The sound comes from all over the room as the Phantoms continue looking around, with nothing registering.

Willard: Darkness Style: Cimmerian Tie-Up!

With a sudden motion, the Phantoms are all pulled toward each other. It seems that Willard has tied a rope around them!

Willard: And finis.

With that, Willard drives the large metal object through each of the Phantoms. He then turns the lights back on.

Willard: It's always fun looking at the results in the light. Now where do I go...*looks around* Wait...this is the recording room! Crap, I hope I didn't break anything...

Willard messes around with the equipment a bit, to see if it still works.

Willard: Good, it works. Well, time to go live...

Meanwhile, the battle between the Sand Band and the Phantoms continues. Rodoran rushes over to Sakyu.

Rodoran: Sakyu! Did you see anything we could use to defeat these guys?

Sakyu: I wasn't planning for this! I have no idea!

Rodoran: Well, it's high time we looked. SAND BAND! SCATTER!

The surprised kids look at Rodoran and flee all over the place as the Phantoms chase them.

Rodoran: Let's look over here...

Rodoran and Sakyu go to the Phantom loading area, and Sakyu begins examining it. After about a minute, she finally settles on some padding.

Sakyu: This padding must be soft to protect the Phantoms from damage...given its feel, the only thing that could be inside it is...*she looks at Rodoran* SAND!

Rodoran: PERFECT! I'm getting an idea...do you see those rafters above? *Sakyu nods*

Rodoran tells Sakyu his plan, and she agrees to it.

Rodoran: JOSH! COTTONTAIL! NETTLE! COME HERE!

The three kids curiously go over to Rodoran. He tells them what he wants them to do, then heads back to where the Phantoms and the rest of the kids are.

Rodoran: All right! Now press your attack! Don't let up, and don't let them move anywhere!

Tanburu: So many changes! What exactly are we trying to accomplish?

Rodoran: You'll find out soon!

The Sand Band starts pressing an attack, confusing the Phantoms, but they quickly adapt and attack back. Rodoran sees that the kids are fighting for their lives, but are quickly starting to get exhausted.

Rodoran: Hurry, guys...

Sakyu: COMPLETE!

Rodoran: All right, guys! Now head back to where we came from, and make sure the Phantoms are close behind! Anyone with an electric dagger, be prepared to take it out!

The Sand Band does as he says, and head back out towards the Phantom loading area.

Rodoran: STOP!

The Sand Band stops, and the Phantoms draw closer to them.

Rodoran: NOW!

Sakyu: Well hello there!!

Sakyu, Josh, Cottontail, and Nettle slit open their bags, pouring great quantities of sand on the Phantoms. The kids below cough as well, but fight to regain their composure.

Phantoms: SYSTEMS IMPAIRED. COMMENCE MASSIVE CLEANSING PROCE-

Rodoran: Let's finish them!

Everyone with an electric dagger stabs them into the hearts of the Phantoms. Soon, they are all brought down once and for all.

Tanburu: Huh...huh...we did it!!

Rodoran: Good work, everyone. Funny thing is, this doesn't look like sand...

Saboten: I feel moist all of a sudden...

Josh: EW!

Saboten: NOT THAT KIND OF MOIST, IDIOT!

Rodoran: Now all that's left is the lever...

Moya: Do it, Rodoran! End these baddies once and for all!

With great apprehension, Rodoran approaches the lever, and breaks the glass box surrounding it with his cactusword. With great emotion, he pulls down the lever.

All around Terradise, the people once cowering in fear realize the Phantoms have started to slow down. Eventually, they all collapse. Everyone stands frozen at this sudden turn of events, when their monitors suddenly turn on. On it is Willard.

Willard: Citizens of Terradise. It is clear from recent actions that Marin was not the ruler we thought he was. Or, as I should better say, she was.

The citizens begin to murmur when they heard this. Marin was actually a woman?

Willard: But that was only one of the things Marin tricked us about. As it turns out, she was the one who caused the Eternal Drought!

The crowd begins to erupt as everyone exclaims in shock and anger.

Willard: You may recognize this substance in my hand. This is Dance Powder, a substance that brings rain in some areas while taking it away in others. For the past decade, Marin has been releasing Dance Powder on a nearby island to take away our rain! Don't believe me? Look for yourself!

Willard pulls a bag full of Dance Powder to him. On the bag is Marin's hooded face, the stamp of all her official goods.

Willard: It's long past time we took a stand against her. I and some brave souls are confronting Marin and her Phantoms as we speak. Soon we will be successful in shutting down all the Phantoms scouring Terradise. But the Phantoms in the palace are still up and running, and only if we unite can we eradicate this menace!

Who is with me???

The entire city of Terradise begins to cheer. With no Phantoms to oppose them, they rush for the palace and the harbor. The city of Terradise has been won. It now falls on three pirates to make it free.