Here it is everyone- preview to the sequel of Malevolence.

To those who live in the Spokane Washington area, Dan Phantasm and I will be attending Kuroneko Con 2015 this weekend- I'll be cosplaying a security guard and Dan will be hosting Fandom Feud on Sunday! So if you're around come up and say hello. We will be posting pictures from the con on my facebook page- just search 'TheColorsof Sand'

The sequel's first chapter in full should be up tomorrow 7/31. Until then enjoy-

Evil

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"The Phantom." The voice of the Council head boomed throughout the Council Room. Its single eye stared him down. The eyes of the entire Observant's Council glared down at him, as he stood in the center of the Council Room, far below the judgement of the high-seated council. Behind him, seven of the Ancients blocked the door, six hovered just beneath the Council head.

A normal ghost would have been intimidated- scared shitless in many cases. But Phantom was not a normal ghost. What struck him wasn't the intimidation technique, but the name they had used. Arrested for the first time, they had used his name 'Daniel James Fenton'. But now they used his real name- the one he earned only a few weeks ago. It was just a little odd that they had thought to use the 'the' part of 'The Phantom'. He wasn't sure if they really expected him to say anything, but he felt his long stare back was answer enough. He wasn't intimidated- he knew as well as they did that in an all-out brawl against the ancients, he probably wouldn't win. But in a fight like that there wouldn't really be any winners at all. Not so long ago the Observants were a little frightening, but now the fear had faded away.

"Do you know why you have been brought before us?"

"I have a pretty good idea." Phantom responded without hesitation. The mechanical double-echo of his voice had faded to a slight edge. The glare of the council intensified, but he bore it and met the glare of the council head directly.

"We are here to determine whether you shall face charges of…"

"Existing?" The pressure in the room intensified, but he was not cowed.

"The council has convened to discuss your rather serious transgressions."

"We both know why I'm here- why don't we just cut to the chase?" A few voices murmured from all around the council seating. They were not exactly kind murmurs. "You're afraid of me." Phantom said boldly, the mechanical undertones of his voice grating. The stunned and angered looks in the single eyes of each Observant told him he'd hit the nail on the head. Interference in the land of the living was, at times, a serious offense. But he had proven his right to pass between the worlds.

The ancient ghosts tensed, readying themselves. As one, the entirety of the Observant's council stood, hovering high above him. They were silent suddenly, their collective consciousness snapping into place at his veiled threat.

But The Phantom knew what to do. It wasn't something that he wanted, but his mentor and friend Clockwork knew best. The claiming of his territory turned heads and drew eyes, and his battle with his alternate self heralded a new age. The dead and the never-born could no longer hide from the living. It hadn't been his intention, but Clockwork claimed everything had happened as it was supposed to happen. So the next step was necessary.

"I submit to the authority of the council." He bowed low to the council head, and for a few moments all was visibly tense.

Clockwork had submitted to the rule of the council when it was formed. It was a show of faith to the rest of the ghost zone. Pariah Dark did not. Clockwork knew better than anyone just how much the council feared another Pariah Dark, and saw the potential in Phantom.

"Y… you submit?" Phantom pulled himself up to his full height, and nodded briefly.

"I do." The council all looked around at each other, at a complete loss for words. Clockwork submitted only after days of debate. Pariah Dark almost destroyed the building. Most ghosts summoned before the council needed either cajoling, or at times, imprisonment before submitting; or needed to be picked up off the floor. Phantom managed to floor the council instead.

"Well, good." The council head said, stuttering a little. The rest of the Observants sat back down awkwardly. "As for the charges…" Phantom fixed him with a glare, and even the confused ancients seemed to shrivel just a little. "You have, I suppose a right to interfere among the living." He cleared his throat, and returned to his seat. The looks shooting across the room made him think that they suddenly no longer had anything to talk about.

"Now as for the conditions under which I submit…"