Tales of Phantasm

Tales of Phantasm is a direct sequel to Tales of Deception. The sequel is responsible for starting off the events in Nightmare Epic, as well as introducing an alternate timeline to Project: Zone and Project: Kill

The story starts off where Tales of Deception ended; Zone has had his Mind Distorter powers taken away from him due to him not fulfilling Kill’s wish, which was for him to remove his King of Sorrow powers. Suddenly, war drums were clashing across the Darktonian Realm, as Nightmare has issued a war against Antarctica.

However, while this is all happening, there has been a malfunction in The Time Agency. The end result caused several Vortex Manipulators to shut down, while unleashing a terror that was not meant to even exist...

Prologue
By some kind of miracle, I was given another chance at life...

Kwiksilver was waddling along the icy tundra of Club Penguin Island. The meeting he recently had at South Pole City with the council left him having one goal in mind; retrieve the Mind Distorter at all costs. The recent events in Yoenah involving the newly crowned King of Sorrow had the South Pole Council in a worried state, so Professor Shroomsky, being the one who saw the King of Sorrow first hand, was entrusted the task to research about this apparition.

Kwiksilver activated his personal Vortex Manipulator, and travelled back in time to a few days ago where the alleged King of Sorrow attacks happened. He watched as the Yoenah townsfolk ran petrified and Kill just standing there in terror. As much as he wanted to, Kwiksilver knew he couldn’t interfere. Not only would it alter time, but he knew that he was definitely not a match for someone as powerful as the King of Sorrow;

So, this is what we’re dealing with? Kwiksilver thought;

He then set his Vortex Manipulator back to a week, which was the time when Zone infiltrated Pengolia and deleted several Pengolian guards. He watched as Kill grabbed Zone’s hand, and they both just froze – however, Zone had his hand covering his left eye. After a few short minutes, he simply uncovered his left eye and ordered them all to delete themselves;

''Hmmmm, this must be when Zone first received the Mind Distorter powers. Professor Shroomsky did tell me that Kill was under contract with Zone..'' Kwiksilver thought again. He then set his Vortex Manipulator to go forward in time, as he was interested at what happened after the Yoenah massacre – especially what happened with Zone and Kill.

'''I was the forgotten cell. Left to die in the flesh of my brother...'''

Kwiksilver then appeared at Zone Fortress, a day after the Yoenah massacre. He witnessed Kill’s plea for Zone to remove the King of Sorrow and Zone refusing to comply with what Kill wanted. His ‘’Mind Distorter’’ powers were removed from him due to his violation of the contract he and Kill agreed on.

''So Zone no longer has his powers? This is excellent, but what if Kill makes another contract with someone else?''

Just as Kwiksilver was articulating his thoughts, he noticed the X-Antibodies roaring across the plains, their war flags high;

''Nightmare has declared war? On who?''

Before Kwiksilver could investigate, he received an urgent message from his transmitter;

"EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! ALL TIME AGENTS REPORT BACK TO THE TIME AGENCY NOW!" the transmitter yelled;

I felt myself becoming thick and lump, growing into the form that was robbed from me...

Kwiksilver returned to the Time Agency, only to receive alarming orders. He knew something big was about to happen, because even Doctor Hickory was present;

"SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, ALL TIME AGENTS SENT BACK TO THE TIME AGENCY" one of the nearby computers prompted;

"What’s going on?!" Kwiksilver asked;

The Doctor began to speak;

"I’m afraid something wrong is happening within your universe, little Club Penguin. You see, there seems to be a malfunction within the space-time continuum. We’re trying to fix this as quickly as possible, but we’re not having any luck at the moment."

Just then, the time agency began to shake – nearly knocking The Doctor off his feet;

"CODE RED! CODE RED! SYSTEM AT CRTICIAL MASS" the computer prompted;

I’m so hungry...

"Send in the repair crew! We must save the TARDIS at all costs!" Kwiksilver yelled;

"Doc, do you know what’s causing this?" one of the Time Agents asked;

"Computer, run a scan on the TARDIS" Doctor Hickory ordered;

"Hmm, interesting.."

"What is it Doc?" Kwiksilver asked;

"It seems there’s been a rip between time. An alternative timeline is trying to come into this timeline.. seal off the TARDIS, we may need to temporarily shut it down as well. If this alternate timeline intertwines with your timeline, there may be consequences even I can’t forsee."

'''To thrive is to eat. I must continue consuming my host, my ignorant kin...'''

"INITIATING SYSTEM SHUTDOWN. ESTIMATED TIME IS 5 MINUTES."

"Quick! All stations report to the TARDIS! I don’t want anything coming out into this timeline!" Kwiksilver yelled;

What kind of god gives entity just to let me die again, tucked behind a kidney and fat...

Sirens were going off inside the Time Agency. Something was definitely going to come out of the TARDIS, its just that nobody knew what it was..

I love you my sweet brother, my forgiving host...

The whole Time Agency was shaking violently. Several penguins and other time agents could not get to the TARDIS in time due to the earthquakes knocking them about….

I never desired wealth or status, just existence...

Just then, a shining bright light engulfed the entire Time Agency. The system did not shut down in time, and as the light started to disappate, there was a shadow emerging from the TARDIS. It had what looked like to be a cape, and a human appearance…

"Is that... ZONE?" Kwiksilver said in disbelief. He quickly picked up the phone and called the scientists responsible for Project:Zone and Project:Kill. He described what looked to be a shadow of Zone, and the scientists were just as stunned as Kwiksilver was;

"It can’t be! It’s really him? We thought he had died!" the scientist spoke in the phone in a shocked tone;

Kwiksilver however, gazed at the creature. He couldn’t make out his exact appearance, but he saw the creature raise his arms in the air in triumph, only to say;

O, EXISTANCE...

LET ME BE KNOWN!

Chapter 1: Repairing the friendship
Zone stood atop Zone Fortress, plotting his next move. He knew he wasn’t going to get help from Kill anymore, seeing as how her goal is to destroy the King of Sorrow. If she did help him, she’d also be helping the King of Sorrow as well.

''I need to figure out where I stand with that woman first before I do anything. She could end up my greatest threat – she knows too much about me. It’s bad enough that Nightmare has decided to launch a war, but I’ll figure out what his intentions are later.'' Zone thought to himself. He then approached Kill, who was playing Zone’s organ. Though, she never played an organ herself so the notes sounded a bit off;

"That’s some interesting music you’re playing; have you ever thought of joining the Penguin Band?" Zone asked in a smart tone;

"Oh ha ha ha, and they say you have no sense of humor. What do you want?" Kill replied;

"I want to know where you and I stand. You seem to want to destroy the King of Sorrow, but you won’t leave the very thing that houses it. You could simply just take me out and the King of Sorrow would be no more as well. Which is the reason I need to ask; why?"

Kill paused for a minute, this seemed like something she didn’t want to talk about;

"I could ask the same thing about you; why do you still let me live even though I have a vendetta with the King of Sorrow? Why do you still give me shelter even though I want to take something away from you? And more importantly, why doesn’t the King of Sorrow see me as a threat and murder me right now!" Kill yelled angrily;

Zone sighed;

"I will only say this once. You my dear, are the closest thing to a friend I have in this world. You might see me as some evil guy in a snappy outfit that only manipulates people for his own desires, but truth be told everyone is evil. It’s just a matter of putting it in perspective. Right and wrong, are just opinions Kill."

"If right and wrong are just opinions, then everyone being evil must be an opinion as well."

"Perhaps, but allow yourself to put it in perspective for a bit. Those agents back in Yoenah, they hit you. I for one, would think of that as "evil" but other people would think its "good" because those agents were exacting justice."

"Justice?"

"Yes, justice. Violence is a key factor of justice, because justice is really someone going "do what I say or I’ll hurt you". I, am saddened by justice, so my goal is to tear it apart and rebuild the world. However, to do that I’ll need to use a little justice of my own." Zone smirked;

"Now you’re just twisting words."

"Haha, I guess I am." Zone laughed;

"Anyway, as you are aware Nightmare has started a war – with whom I’m not sure. Being one of his greater creatures, I’m sure to be notified what the war is about sooner or later. Once I find out what this is about, I plan to use the war to my advantage and end up taking both sides for my own. Are you with me, or against me?"

Kill fainted a small smile;

"I’m with you. To the bitter end." She stated;

Just then, some footsteps echoed throughout the fortress. Someone had broken in and was very close by;

"Wait here." Zone told Kill, as he grabbed his katanas and headed towards the noise;

Zone rushed down towards the third floor of Zone Fortress, where he heard footsteps;

"Who’s there? Show yourself!" Zone bellowed;

"Such an angry tone! I thought a reunion was supposed to be a happy occasion, my sweet brother!" A voice echoed across the floor.

"Brother? Who ARE you?" Zone yelled;

A figure emerged from the shadows;

"I have returned, my forgiving host!" the being said happily;



Chapter 2: The non-existant brother
"What are you going on about?" Zone asked the creature;

"My name is Raziel. I’m your twin brother Zone."

Zone stared at Raziel blankly for a second;

"Brother? I don’t have any siblings." Zone replied;

"That’s rude. And I’m the reason why you’re alive too. I could have just taken your life back when you were in the lab." Raziel said;

Zone was confused. Who was this man, and how does someone who he just met know so much about him? Zone pointed his katana at Raziel’s throat;

"What do you know about me?"

"You’re threatening me with a weapon? I’ve experienced death twice and lived to tell the tale. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do, brother."

Zone and Raziel walked up to the fifth floor of Zone Fortress to discuss about this newly found information. Zone was extremely surprised at this, though he had a feeling that this Raziel character was just a fake. However, he wanted to hear what he had to say.

Raziel looked like a younger version of Zone, only he had grey hair and was wearing a purple cape instead of the red tuxedo Zone wears. Some of the more notable features about Raziel was that he simply had a ribbon bowtied across his neck, whereas Zone had frills and a bowtie.

"Who is this?" Kill asked;

"We’re about to find out." Zone snarled;

Raziel began to speak;

"My tale is about the desire to exist. The desire to live a life that everyone in this world takes for granted. Living is the greatest gift anyone has, and I truly envy anyone who is alive."

"That doesn’t make sense; aren’t you alive yourself?" Zone inquired;

"No, I simply come from an alternative timeline. A timeline where I took your life, and I was reborn."

"You killed me? How?"

"Have you ever heard of fetus in fetu?" Raziel asked;

"Isn’t that the case where a fetus is growing inside a child?"

"Well yes, that’s the blunt interpretation. You see, while you were the subject in Project: Zone you had a twin. I was that twin, but you enveloped and overpowered me. Then you suddenly thought I was food and consumed me. I was left to die in that cursed lab because of you."

"Go on..." Zone said;

"However, by a very small chance, by some kind of miracle, I was given another chance at life. I was reduced to a mere cell, left to die in your flesh. I fed on you, you were my host. I was eating away at non vital organisms in your body. Merely just nutrients and the like. I felt myself becoming fat and plump, and I wanted more. I was so hungry."

Zone was speechless;

"I was... PREGNANT? Well, thanks for popping by. It's great to know that my manhood just went down the drain."

"No no, it wasn't pregnancy. It was just a development abnormality. More of a parasitic twin than a child. I wasn’t going to endanger your life because then I would die again. I just kept feeding on nutrients until I grew and grew." Raziel replied;

"If you were a parasite, then why am I still alive?"

"As a parasitic twin, I held authority on whether you could live or not. Originally, I had planned to take your life and replace it with mine. Eventually, I was ready to burst out of your body and claim the existence I sorely desired. However, in the end I could not do it."

"Why not?"

"I just could not do it. I couldn’t take something that was once taken from me." Raziel replied sadly;

"Are you still alive within me?" Zone asked;

"Not anymore, I died after I decided to let you live. I’m here because there was a malfunction in the Time Agency, which opened up an alternative timeline. I was released into your timeline."

"What happens in the alternative timeline?"

"I simply burst out of your body and received the blessing of existence."

"Did it hurt me?"

"Oh what do you think?" Raziel replied, giving Zone a dumbfounded look;

"Well, if what you’re telling us is true, then I thank you for sparing my life. What are your plans in this timeline, brother?" Zone said;

Raziel stood up and held out his hand, wanting to shake Zone’s

"We’re brothers! I want to be by your side! I want to experience what it would have been like having a brother, though I’m from another timeline I lost the chance to have a family." Raziel remarked;

"Very well, I’ll take you under my wing." Zone said, as he shook his new brother’s hand.

Meanwhile, back at the Time Agency, Kwiksilver and Doctor Hickory Dickory Dock were trying to analyse and fix the damage caused from the time malfunction earlier;

"What did those scientists have to say, Club Penguin?" The Doctor asked Kwiksilver;

"One of the darkest stories I’ve ever even heard of. Zone had a twin, but it turns out that Zone overpowered the twin and it died. However, the twin was reduced to a mere cell and lived in Zone’s body, feeding off non vital parts. The twin grew and grew and was about to take Zone’s life but it didn’t. The twin just sat there in Zone’s body and died on its own. We know the incident that happened earlier was from an alternate timeline, but we theorize that Zone’s twin was the shadow that emerged out of the TARDIS." Kwiksilver stated;

"We’ll need to send this twin back to his own timeline. The longer he stays in this timeline, the more chance he has of altering it." The Doc replied;

"Agreed. He’s probably hunting down Zone, so logically he would be at Zone Fortress. We’ll send a team over there to investigate; ring up the AIA while you’re at it. Professor Shroomsky might be investigating the King of Sorrow incident, but I think this new threat is far more important."

Back at Zone Fortress, Zone received a message from Nightmare, announcing a conclave between the Greater creatures of his army, Lizlord, IcE, and Nightmare himself;

This is the time I’ve been waiting for; now I’ll figure out what it is that Nightmare seeks. Zone thought to himself, smirking with satisfaction.

"Raziel, I’d hate to leave you here at a joyous time like this but I have some important business to attend to. Kill will look after you while I’m gone – don’t worry, I’ll come back." Zone said;

"Okay brother, I’ll be here if you need me." Raziel replied, as Zone smiled and flew off into the distance. As Zone left the fortress, Kill looked directly at Raziel;

"I know exactly who you are; I was just lying. You better not give Zone Mind Distorter powers either." Kill snarled at Raziel, who was smirking evily;

"What, does it make you worried that you’re not the only one with the Mind Distorter? I deserve – no, I have the right to give Zone whatever he wants – even though he didn’t know it, he was my sole provider."

"It doesn’t worry me at all, after all you’re just a beta. A prototype. I’m the finished product, so my Mind Distorter far outranks yours." Kill said smartly;

"Oh boo-hoo, You’re just angry because I was before you. If I wasn’t involved, you would never of even had Mind Distorter powers." Raziel replied;

"Listen to me Raziel, if you give Zone the Mind Distorter abilities, you’re only helping the King of Sorrow. Don’t do it."

"Oh, I am fully aware about that King of Sorrow character. I had to do quite a lot of research to track down my brother, and I don’t care if I’m helping him. As long as my brother reaches his goals, then I’m satisfied. He doesn’t need you anymore. Once he finds out that I have Mind Distorter powers, he’ll toss you aside like the garbage you are."

Kill was speechless. She knew there was a possibility that Raziel was right. After all, Zone even went so far as to violate the contract him and her had;

"If my research is correct, I don’t think the King of Sorrow used Mind Distorter, did he?" Raziel inquired;

"...No, he didn’t. But there’s a possibility, and I don’t want you giving him that option. If the King of Sorrow actually uses hypnosis powers, he would make swift work of the USA. You might of died twice and lived, but we can always go for strike three if you want." Kill said in an irate tone;

"Of all the people in the world, you think I should be scared of you? Besides, the Mind Distorter isn’t limited to just hypnosis. The power is different from person to person, contractor to contractor as well. Since I’m a different contractor, the power I’ll give Zone might not even be hypnosis." Raziel sneered;

"So what power will you give him?"

"Who knows? It could be anything."

TO BE CONTINUED.