Another assassination attempt. Why am I not surprised?

"Angel, are you OK?" Will asked worriedly, with Cecil and Lou Ellen also concerned as they prepared whatever weapons they can.

The assassin this time was a vampiric looking ghosts, similar to that of Dracula who gave me a fanged grin.

"So you dodge that? You really are going to be troublesome, he was right about that."

"Another assassin at the very next day?" I deadpanned.

"Oh you know how these things go," Dracula said dismissively, "When dealing with nuisances and you can get rid of them, you try to get rid of them immediately before they become a bigger problem."

I can't even deny that. Sound logic on Dracula's part right there.

"And why you?" I asked. I could guess... after all, they might know from my last busting, while I had no trouble exorcising the normal ghosts, it was a different story for the Hidden. But what Dracula said surprised me.

"Because I'm not dead," Dracula smiled, "And you cannot exorcise something alive."

My eyes widened in surprise and I used my death sense just to confirm it to feel that he was right. Not only that, it was the same sensation as Danny Phantom. Maybe not as young, but a healthy soul. Although I could see traces of something blasting at his face.

To that, ouch. Experiencing things face first is not a very great experience, and I know... the Great Wall of China is rumoured to have a face imprint somewhere and unfortunately, that rumour is very true.

I narrowed my eyes, "So why are you attacking me?"

Because if as he said, he was alive (I'm not a 100% sure because I did see that blast in the face, and agony. I really understand his pain) then what would he do with the Ghost Revolution that was meant to liberate the dead from the Underworld?

"Because what ghost, dead or alive, wouldn't want their own revolution for their own kind? When I have heard of it, I immediately jumped in for the opportunity."

Alive ghosts... for some reason, the idea doesn't sit well right with me, and a flash of Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom came to my mind. What I wonder, is how?

"How?" Lou Ellen asked, now looking up at the ghost in curiosity, "How could a ghost be alive? Don't you have to be dead to be a ghost?"

"Ah... you say that," Dracula said, "But it never occurred that you could simply obtain ghost 'powers' without dying."

"So you are saying that you are not really a ghost, but you just have their powers, like shooting that laser beam? Makes me wonder if I could obtain those powers?" Cecil asked, with a mischievous smile.

I remembered the electric shocks and the face blasting so for the good of Cecil, "Don't try unless you want to feel pain of almost dying."

If you just tell a child of Hermes not to do something, they would be hellbent to do it instead. If you give them reason, they might back off. Might.

"You mean, he experienced...risky but fun... then again..." Cecil said, his mischievous smile finally going away to a nearly mournful look, "Damn it... cool powers... but..."

And then, out of nowhere, another pink blast almost shot me.

"Oh fiddlesticks," Dracula said, "I hoped you were distracted enough so that I could finish you off like a good boy. Ah, well, as they say, third's time the charm."

Then, with a twirl, a hurricane appeared and I really wanted to shout out and complain with, "What's up with these ghost powers?!"

But instead, I decided to be productive as Will and the others ran from the clutches of the hurricane, I set up a huge crack in front of the hurricane that managed to stuck the hurricane and dissipate it.

How? I will be meta and say cartoon logic, deal with it suckers.

And with that as enough distraction, I shadow travelled immediately behind Dracula and placed the sword in front of his neck.

"Too bad for you it's more like three strikes and your out," I said smugly.

"Oh butter biscuits," Dracula said with his shoulders drooping, careful to avoid that sword.

"Now you answer my questions," I said smoothly. It was better to get this all out of the way, because knowing who this mysterious he is... that will help a ton thank you.

"I will answer you questions... not! No thank you. In fact, you are going to let go of me now," Dracula said, which completely surprised me.

As the Ghost King, my ability to control the ghosts were second only to the Gods related to ghosts. The fact that he easily resisted my attempts to force him to answer my questions when it worked quite well with Octavian spoke volumes.

It made me wonder whether my abilities as the Ghost King have an exception for alive ghosts.

And Dracula also said I was going to let him go now which I did not understand until I was shot by a blast from nowhere with Will and the others shouting, "Angel/ Nico!"

Because of the quick thinking of my friends and boyfriend, I was alive after the shout out of insane durability as a demigod as I looked toward Dracula to see two of them.

"Clones?!" Lou Ellen asked.

"He can do that?!" Cecil asked.

Ghost powers knows no bounds. It's like I am seriously living in another universe, because...

#ihaveseriouslyunderestimatedghostpowers

"Are you really that surprised? Well, be amazed because there's more where that came from?" One of the Dracula said as both started firing their attacks.

Oh, for the love of the Gods...

We started dodging all of the attacks while leery of any more clones and trying to find an opening well worth using.

Unfortunately, Dracula here wasn't even letting up his attacks and the odds are unfortunately in his favor.

My powers as the Ghost King are null with this one, probably because I have command over the dead, not the living, considering my status as the son of Hades before being the Ghost King although this could be considered a special case and all of it theoretical anyway. His powers are unknown and despite not being dead like the other ghosts doesn't make him any less deadly, in fact more because his powers were more varied and used skilfully pushing us to a corner.

I refuse to take this out in the open because if people see me attacking a ghost like this. Sure I can rub it off as being a ghost hunter but exposure was the last thing I need. And involving people... involving anyone other than my friends was also the last thing I need.

"Hey Plasmius, why are you back and wrecking havoc? To innocent civilians no less? Are you having a kick out of torturing kids this time? Then again, sounds right up your alley," someone said, as a blast of green suddenly shot out of nowhere hitting Dracula.

I saw Danny Phantom afloat landing beside me, in a fighting stance against the enemy and asked, "Is everything OK?"

Now, this was again really the last thing I needed. Because I had appeared to him as that hooded person and he was scared of me, or at least wary. I don't want him to make any connections to that point nor be acquainted with him in anyway or lest I slip up and make mistakes.

But because it happened, all I could do was maintain my cool and said, "Everything was pretty much alright until Dracula decided to show up and ruin the day. At least he hasn't yet to suck our blood."

Danny snorted, "He does look like a vampire, but don't worry, your blood's safe. No way he's a vampire, just a pesky ghost that needs to be taught a lesson."

"Oh, joke around all you want. But you got it wrong somewhere, my dear boy," Dracula said, recovering from the shot and started into a fighting stance of his own and continued, "I am not the pesky ghost, it is you!"

As soon as he said that, lasers came out from his eyes.

That's it. How are the ghost powers as well versed as super powers and such a variety at that? Isn't this a little too overpowered or something? What the actual Tartarus?

But all those admittedly dramatic thoughts came and went before I blocked the lasers with my sword and Danny did the same with a ghost powered shield. Danny seemed to be gaping at me as he said, "Where did you get that sword?"

I bit back my surprise, because there was something surprising with that sentence. Ghosts should be able to recognize demigods whether they were half blood or not when alive. And they should be able to recognize the sword as well.

But Danny didn't. It certainly raised a few questions.

"Does it matter?" I asked, as Dracula was shooting a new attack, "Shouldn't Dracula be stopped right about now?"

Danny then set his sights on Dracula as he said, "Right. Let's knock Plasmius back to Wisconsin!"

Wait... that ghost was from Wisconsin? Could that mean there are more of these Hidden all over the world? Great, just great. But that would raise the question, how on earth were the Hidden covered under wraps unnoticed by Hades all this time if that were the case?

I can't help wonder what strings whichever God or Goddess pulled to keep the Hidden and the Ghost Zone secret for Kronos knows how long. But that's a question unnecessary at this current predicament as defeating Dracula came first. But of course he wasn't making it easy. It was just surprising no one else noticed this fight after Danny. Maybe everyone was taking shelter or no one truly noticed. Either way, I had to deal with this priority.

"You will find that hard, Danny Phantom. And it really is a good thing that you are here. Killing two birds with one stone!"

"It's funny you say that but you have yet to defeat them let alone me yet," Danny taunted, referring to us.

"And you are outnumbered," I quipped, "It won't be long before I find out why this is happening."

My choice of words was for the benefit of Danny who was here. If anything, I rather he not be involved too much before I know what he would do if he did know, whether it will help or harm me.

"Oh, Nico di Angelo," Dracula said, using my full name with a sneer, "And what makes you think I'm outnumbered?"

Suddenly, multiple ghosts came all over and overwhelmed us before anything could be said.

"You really think I would leave it up to chance in getting rid of you?" Dracula asked tauntingly, "You were so focused on me that you never noticed the cavalry arriving and was unprepared for it."

I was trying to fend off the ghosts but Dracula was right, it was very overwhelming and I also noticed the Hidden among them. That just makes things even more difficult.

I didn't know how my friends nor Danny was faring, but I know how I was. My vision was blurring over the blows dealt with, and before I knew it...

"Goodbye, Ghost King," Dracula said, the last words I ever heard before I went through the never ending void of blackness.