Night of October 5th.

Damian was sitting on the rooftop of his dorm building with Morgan looking out over the campus which now had a variety of ghosts floating around. She broke the silence between them. “Do you remember the plan?”. 

Damian gave her an irritated look.“What kind of stupid question is that?! Of course I remember the plan!”.

Morgan fell silent feeling uneasy about carrying on a conversation with her unhappy partner. Damian stood up and grit his teeth. “If you get into trouble don’t expect me to help you”. Morgan gives him a reluctant confirmation.

 Damian looks hesitant for a moment. “Watch your own back out there”. Morgan looked up at him surprised. Something about what he said, perhaps the way Damian said it, almost made it sound like concern. Her train of thought was interrupted by a bright blue light in the sky.

A blue ball of fire rocketed into above the clouds and took on the form of a skull and crossbones. Out of context it would be like beautiful fireworks, if things were different it could be the equivalent of shining a superhero signal in the air or a flare to call for help. To these otherworldly creatures it was a crazy monster lady calling them out to play.

Morgan smiled at Damian. “I guess she really likes the name crossbones”. Damian breathed out a little bit of white mist. “I’m gonna freeze her tongue off”. They descended and made their way through the ghosts towards their goal.

***

They arrived on top of the infirmary building. They found Onna sitting cross legged a few feet in front of them with a twisted grin. “Come forth my pet!”. A black portal spiraled into existence in front of her and released Joana. Damian called out to her, but the monster controlling her responded. “She can’t respond, skeleton”. 

Onna stood up and had a look of pure excitement on her face. “See if you can take them out for me”. Joanna took a few steps forward. “Anything for the queen of the underworld”. Damian stepped forward to meet Joanna. 

As the distance began to close between them they both held out their hands to the sides. White swirling mist wrapped around Damian’s fists and purple ectoplasmic energy smothered Joanna’s. 

In the blink of an eye the area filled with white and purple smoke. Morgan saw Damian rocket out of the smokescreen into the sky with Joanna flying after him. Damian zoomed through the air by releasing spiraling white mist from his hands while Joanna continued to close the distance using her natural flight ability.

Joanna was now only a few feet away as Damian shot past Morgan. He quickly turned around and sprayed a large cloud of fog to temporarily blind her. Before she could react Damian appeared above her then smacked her towards Morgan.

The smokescreen from the start of their fight cleared and revealed Morgan standing near three pumpkins arranged in a triangle shape. The witch began to chant. “Shadows trapped in my symbol bin, transform your shapeless bodies, now become the binds to hold your kin!”.

Black smoke shot out of the pumpkins and created an orange floating sphere around Joanna. Joanna began pounding away at the barrier. “I can’t phase!” wailed the now caged monster. 

Onna took a few steps in Morgan’s direction with an amused look on her face. “I see. You casted a spirit sealing spell using the pumpkins and the shades that you captured from earlier”. Damian landed near Morgan and clenched his fists. “No barrier for you! Just me, freezing your insides!”. 

He lunged at her ready to make her pay for everything she’s done and finally be done with this supernatural nightmare. Chains suddenly shot out of the roof and restrained Damian in place. “What the hell?!”.

A blue portal spiraled into existence in front of him and released Jasper who now had long chains extending from an arm stump. “Jasper…?” The moment his name left Damian's lips a painful memory rose to the surface.

***

A room full of bunk beds at an orphanage had children scattered around talking amongst themselves. There was tension in the air, but hope upon each of their faces including a 10 year old Damian and Jasper. “I heard the next family wants two kids. That means you and me could be brothers!”. Jasper gave an uneasy confirmation, almost as if something was bothering him. All of the children in the room fell silent when they heard footsteps approaching from the distance. “Get ready!”, shouted one of the kids. Damian turned his attention to Jasper. “We got to do something to stick out…I know! I’ll get my sunglasses! They’ll think I’m a cool kid!”. Damian quickly bolted out of the room and ran past a young Joanna sitting on her bed.

He enters a closet and starts digging through a pile of clothes. The door suddenly slammed shut behind him. Damian scrambled to open it, but was unable to make it budge. He heard Jasper on the other side of the door. “Bye, Damian”.

Damian’s eyes widened and panicked crept into his mind. “Jasper?! This isn’t funny?!”. Damian threw himself at the door repeatedly. Over, and over, and over again slamming his body against the immovable door. He continued until the pain was too much for him to handle. He sits against the door holding his shoulders and tears form in his eyes. Emotional, mental, physical…Several different types of pain bring the tears down his face as he quietly sobs to himself. Dark, alone, and now broken.

***

Damian is brought back to the present day by the sound of Onna’s voice. “At last, my phantom is complete. He is desperate for freedom and I ensured it to him as long as he fights you. Can you step up to the challenge?” 

Jasper’s body becomes smothered in blue fire and his appearance changes. The chains have now wrapped up into the shape of an arm, and his new form looks like a see-through skeleton covered in blue fire while wearing a cloak. Several blue fireballs manifest around Damian.

Damian smiles. “Lady…”. White fog starts gushing out of his body and puts the fire out around him. “You have no idea...How much I’ve wanted to kill this asshole!”