The King that Stole Space
Danny didn’t really bother to unpack anything. The room that manifested for him had everything he could want right down to the duplicate copy of his bedroom. Everything else could stay in his bags until he found out what new human haunt he would be relocating to.
It wasn’t like he had plans to spend much time in his living, human form while in the Infinite Realm. He wouldn’t need much of it though he was half wishing he’d brought some snacks with him.
He had a kitchen, how did he put food into it? Did he just will it to be there or was there some kind of grocery store in the realms? Was that how this room worked?
Was the entire Keep some kind of sentient, ever changing mood ring? Were all lairs like that?
Not for the first time, Danny felt out of his depth. There were so many instincts to being a ghost that he didn’t have and today he’d followed his gut and left his living life behind him. Temporarily? Clockwork said they’d find him a new haunt but what did that mean?
Would he be living on his own? How would he pay for his own place? How would he go back to school? What if the GIW found him anyway? Would he just be labeled evil and be on the run again? Forced to return to the realms even if it couldn’t satisfy all of him?
Danny floated in his new bedroom, eyes staring up at the stars above him. The void of space was relaxing, but it didn’t entirely soothe the panic he was feeling. Could he still have a panic attack as a ghost? He wouldn’t hyperventilate, but he’d seen his fair share of ghosts freaking out. Panic attacks might have even been normal for beings who felt emotions so strongly.
He’d have to ask Frostbite the next time he saw the yeti. Maybe he should even make that a priority. Frostbite still called him ‘Great One’, would that change once he learned Danny had joined Panya’s fraid? He hoped not.
He tried to shake the thoughts away like an etch-a-sketch. He couldn’t stay in here moping and while it was nice of the others to give him some space, he didn’t want to be alone with his thoughts right now.
Leaving his room had been a matter of floating down to his door, the challenge was working out which way to go next. Maybe he could find Clockwork. The others were nice but he was looking for something familiar and maybe a little validation that he hadn’t made a mistake with his choices today.
The hallway to his left changed and an archway appeared in its place that hadn’t been there before. It led out of the keep and outside and since no areas were supposedly off limits, Danny headed that way. It was a castle after all, so what else did castles have?
He thought about the games he’d played or movies he’d seen but instead found lush plants and trees of all kinds of colors that grew alongside small stone paths. The desire to see ghost bees was amusing but with his luck, they’d be more like killer hornets the size of a car.
Danny stepped into the garden, though he had some trouble reconciling it in his mind. It was like an open court yard, and the sky was still green. There weren’t clouds but distantly he could see a door or two in the distance of someone else's lair.
The flowers were strange, but a few he recognized from his encounters with Undergrowth. They were strange looking, like fantastical versions of Earth plants. Something pulled out of fantasy books, but they grew here so effortlessly.
Danny wasn’t sure if they were wild or if someone tended to them. He didn’t know Panya well enough to know if she was the type of woman who liked gardens.
“So you’re our new ghostling.”
Danny jerked back at the voice he didn’t recognize, ectoblasts coating his fists waiting to be fired.
“I didn’t mean to scare you, little one.”
“Where…?” Danny finally found the man sitting under a white tree that had purple and pink leaves. It was almost a relief that he didn’t seem to be a giant like everyone else he’d met in the keep so far.
“Who are you?” Danny asked, suspicious.
The man chuckled and didn’t seem to see Danny as much of a threat. His hair was a long, dark brown but it was the enormous antlers on his head that drew Danny’s eyes. Beside him were three large white dogs with red ears. They’re tails were like wisps and they watched Danny keenly, likely to determine if he had treats or not.
“My name is Arawn. Phobos has told me a little about you before, young Phantom.”
“Arawn?” Danny repeated, slowly approaching. The man seemed to be at home in the Keep’s garden which likely meant he was supposed to be there. “You’re apart of Panya’s fraid?” He felt dumb now and flicked his ectoblasts away. Of course the guy belonged here or he wouldn’t be here at all.
“I am,” He said patiently. “Have been for a long time. Panya and I becoming friends was quite the amusing story. We should get her to tell it to you sometime.”
“I guess,” Danny muttered, eyeing one of the dogs. “Never seen ghost dogs like them before…”
“Ah?” Arawn actually smiled at them. “They are called Cŵn Annwn. Spectral hounds. Their names are Keegan, Sloane, and Winnie.” They were just too adorable.
“They are unique to my Otherworld.”
“Otherworld?” Danny repeated. “Can…I pet them?”
Arawn grinned, “Of course. They pretend they receive no affection at all.” He waited for Danny to sit down and hold his hand out to one of the hounds before continuing. “Are you familiar with the Otherworlds?”
“Um? I don’t think so,” Danny muttered, smiling when Winnie nudged at his hands and allowed him to pet her ears.
“That’s alright. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have on the matter,” Arawn said. “The Infinite Realms are home to many afterlife destinations. Heaven. The Underworld. The Otherworlds,” Arawn made a gesture that probably meant there were dozens just like those.
“Oh, okay,” Danny said slowly. “So they’re unique to one of the afterlives. That probably makes sense.” He smiled when Winnie tried to climb into his lap despite being bigger than a great dane.
He could feel Arawn’s amusement, but it wasn’t the taunting kind of laughter that Danny was used to at school. His emotions weren’t so hard to grasp as some of the others but Danny also got the impression that Arawn was projecting for his benefit. Knowing that was so strange.
“You’ve had a lot of changes tossed at you today, haven’t you?” Arawn asked and /Sympathy/ accompanied his words.
Danny shrugged and kept his mouth shut. He didn’t want to talk about his parents or the way he’d left them. He didn’t want to think about his phone call with Jazz or the sense of belonging he felt at being presented his own space in the Keep. There were already too many emotions likely escaping his notice that the others could read. He didn’t need to open that door and spiral into a full blown panic attack.
Winnie licked at his face and Sloane inched closer to him. They were so different from the ghosts he was used to but he could admit to enjoying how friendly they were.
“If you would ever like some assistance, you only need to ask me,” Arawn said.
“Anything. I have a bit of experience with you lot.”
“My lot?” Danny repeated, but something in his brain short circuited as he really looked at the man sitting across from him. He was ethereal sure, and more of an average size but it only just occurred to Danny that this man was far more than he seemed.
“Your heart is beating. You’re alive.”
“It is. I am,” He agreed.
“But…” Danny frowned, feeling like he was handed only half of an equation. “Panya said… my fraid fell apart because it was too alive…”
Arawn’s expression softened and the /Concern/ was pouring off of him. “Oh, Phantom. Do not be too hard on your fraid. Panya wasn’t wrong. Without the proper aptitude or training, it is very difficult for the living to be a part of a fraid full time. That does not mean they don’t care about you.”
“Apptitude?” Danny asked hoarsely.
“I am a god, Phantom. You would possibly only know me if you had knowledge of the celtic pantheon. I rule Annwn, the Otherworld here in the Infinite Realm. Being a god of the dead is a bit of a cheat, but it put my path alongside Panya’s.”
“Death god?” Danny repeated. The only death god the mainstream media ever taught him about was Hades. “That… I guess that explains this. You just visit the Keep?”
“That’s right. I was surprised to feel Panya wake again and I was coming to check on her after the mess that arose the last time she’d woken too early. I am… terribly sorry about that. You were left to deal with her on your own.”
Danny sighed, feeling oddly shaky. “Yeah. It turned out okay. Here I thought I was already fighting her at full power.”
“I’d like to think Phobos would have stopped her before things got too out of hand while he was waiting for the rest of us to arrive,” Arawn made a face. “But I understand your entire town was briefly pulled into the realms. We should be thanking you for the part you played.”
Winnie licked Danny in the face again and it calmed something in his core. She was acting oddly like a service dog… “Panya said something about it being the Observants fault. I still don’t really get it.”
Arawn nodded, and the genuine commiseration he felt from the man was comforting. “Today has been long for you, but keep in mind that you are family now. When you’re ready for the full story, just ask. I’m sure Panya will tell you what she remembers.”
“Family,” Danny repeated quietly. “So quickly? So easily?”
“Quickly? Perhaps. Not easily. You already had a bond with Clockwork and he was willing to fight for you. Panya’s decision, I can not speak on, but know this. Our fraid is small. Small but each of us fit. Panya knew in her core that you belong with us. I see no reason to doubt her.”
Danny shuddered under the weight of his /Honesty/. “Do you think I’ll ever see my fraid again? My living fraid?”
Danny looked up at him startled at how easily he answered. “Really?”
Arawn’s smile was so steady and Danny was briefly distracted by wondering if his antlers were heavy. “You are young, Phantom. I imagine your fraid was as well. I have no doubts you will see them again.”
“Do… you think they could learn to have some kind of… aptitude to be around me again?”
“If they choose it, yes. Being close to death is not easy but it can be learned. If they are prepared for it mentally, it is very possible.”
Danny felt himself smile too, something in his chest easing. Getting to see his friends again, knowing it was possible was a weight off his shoulders. Panya had said he could stay in contact with Jazz, but this felt different. Promising.
“When that time comes, I will help them adjust if you want.” Arawn offered.
“Thank you,” Danny said immediately, hugging Winnie still. Sloane and Keegan had inched closer too and he couldn’t help but rub their red ears. He’d have to read up on spectral dogs or something. Glancing up at Arawn, Danny thought he might have to read up on Celtic gods too.
Awarn wasn’t just calm, he was casual with his acceptance. It wasn’t exactly the first thing he thought of when he thought of gods of the dead, but it’s not like ghosts were inherently evil either.
“Feel better?” Arawn asked, looking pleased already.
“A little, yeah,” Danny muttered, taking an unnecessary deep breath. “I have a ghost dog too. Well, he’s not really mine but he shows up to play fetch. Maybe i’m just his person.”
Danny’s smile grew. “His name is Cujo.”
~
*very loose interpretation of a celtic god
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