Two Dead Worlds

Chapter 2: Vault 95

The following days proved to be quite fruitful for the vanguard of the scouting corps. From their report Phantom learned that the northern part of Boston was not only mostly safe from the radioactive storms, but was also in a pretty acceptable condition. Danny easily managed to convince the Council to let him go. It could be considered a vacation. He didn't need to work, only use the fists, what he did not do for quite a while, ever since all pretenders to his position were taken care of. The destroyed world, full of mutated creatures, presented a wonderful challenge for the generally bored monarch.

And speaking of creatures, Phantom had ordered to give the genetic material to Frostbite for a reason. Despite a tribal system, the FarFrozen were one of the most technologically advanced realms. And even if they were against helping, they would have to. But it never was like that and a genetic scan was made. Apparently, that creature was some kind of a mutated Jackson's chameleon. And the mutation seemed somewhat...artificial. Radiation couldn't be so direct in its intention to make such a perfect killing machine.

Danny was calm. He was the Ghost King for a reason, and some detestable mutants were not going to scare him. However, he put a mental note to collect more genetic samples. He could order the same task to the scouts, but he wanted to do everything himself, to make things more interesting. But they would have to collect plants as they went around Boston and map the locations, unnoticed by the humans living there. The project of reviving Human World required the creation of a stable ecosystem, so they had to know the strengths and weaknesses of new flora and fauna.

After a week of preparations, Phantom was ready to move out. He had decided to travel alone, with Cujo being an exception. His closest advisors protested, saying that a man of his importance couldn't go there alone. But Danny wasn't going to change his mind. Meanwhile an outpost was set in the Glowing Sea, which was pefect. No sane human would go into that radiation infested wasteland. Only ghosts and mutants could remain there. And that 'Children of Atom' weren't pestering the armed people. When their preachers came there, the ghosts just laughed at them, since they had gotten an education, and viewing the tiniest piece of matter as a God was amusing for them.

And here Danny was standing at the edge of the green fog.

"Ready to go, pal?" He asked the puppy.

Cujo barked and ran forward. Danny chuckled.

"That's why I am a dog person."

He walked a few meters and the fog was becoming thinner and thinner, until it fully dissappeared. Phantom couldn't help but smile at seeing the clean and bright blue sky. It was good to know that not the entire world was like that lifeless and dark place. Danny was snapped from his observations by a bark. He looked down and saw Cujo sitting near a broken tree, wagging his tail in anticipation.

"Wait a bit, boy," Phantom raised his hand. "Can't go around the world glowing like a light bulb."

Then a shining white ring appeared around the man's waist. It then split in two and traveled up and down. Danny's appearance changed. His stark hair became raven black, his neon green eyes changed their color to icy blue, and the skin became surprisingly paler. The clothes also changed, Phantom was now wearing a white and red T-shirt and sneakers, blue jeans. Never would anyone think that he was a ruler of the entire kingdom. Only several scars seen across his hands showed that he wasn't a simple young adult.

Phantom's eyes fell at the broken mirror conveniently lying nearby.

"I almost forgot how it feels to be a human," he mumbled, staring at his reflection.

It came in handy when he had to blend in. But with no need for that, he remained as a ghost for all those years. After Sam's death a brief, horrible thought crossed his mind for a brief second. But no, he wouldn't repeat the same mistake twice, he would have to keep his human half inside. Still, it was a painful reminder of the life he once had.