Hiya! Sholay here with my first Danny Phantom Fanfiction.

This story is rated PG-13 for possible violence and blood and general all-around creepiness, but there will be minimal to no adult content.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is the property of Butch Hartman. The plot bunny is mine, and though I encourage feeding the animals I ask that you please do not touch. Thank you.

NOTE: With regards to chronological orientation, this story takes place after The Ultimate Enemy, after Danielle and after Danny's ice powers. However, it takes place BEFORE Phantom Planet. No references will be made to this episode, as I myself haven't been lucky enough to see it yet.

Enjoy!

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The Soul Sepulcher.

-By Sholay

Something foul is stirring in Amity. It begins with a strange ghost attack on the museum; soon Danny's problems are multiplying faster than he can handle: aberrant powers, murder, school and Vlad. Now Clockwork arrives, bearing a mysterious glowing stone…

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Chapter 1— The Field Trip

They were on their annual field trip; Mr. Lancer's English class had been brought to the museum of Natural History just outside Amity Park and given free (or as free as 40 dollar admission fees can get) reign of the place.

Danny, who had always put more stock in the future and the stars, was having more than a little difficulty in appreciating the dusty and somewhat drab history of Amity and could be found trudging sluggishly between the displays.

" 'Walk through the entire museum, Fenton, study it, Fenton, gonna have a test on it Fenton,' " Danny was grumbling caustically under his breath. " 'Need to pass this one, Fenton, make sure you stay awake, Fenton.' Like it's my fault I'm so tired all the time! Like it's my fault Skulker decided to play 'Hide and Go Blast Your Face Off' at 3 in the morning! And that Technus decided to refuel his new pet—using the city's power supply!—the night before that…and…" Danny trailed off as he realized his voice was getting louder and people were starting to send him strange looks. Too tired to properly care, the raven haired boy just glowered at the general population, slouching his shoulders and thrusting his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

After several minutes of walking aimlessly, Danny decided that he should at least try to complete the assignment. Looking around himself, he spotted a high, sloping archway leading into a shadowed room. The heavy density of people in the hall was severely thinned around the room, piquing the teen's curiosity.

Shouldering by a couple of large-bellied tourists, Danny made his way to the doorway and looked inside. Beyond the heavy oaken doors, the room was oddly dark. It was impossible to make out what was inside. Figuring it couldn't hurt to take a look, he stepped through the doorway.

As he hit the shadows of the threshold, something cold whistled past his ear and Danny's head shot up. He peered into the gloom as his eyes slowly adjusted. The room was emptier than he'd realized: aside from a middle aged Asian couple near the other end of the room, he was alone.

Sparing a glance at the exhibit's description on the wall, Danny was able to surmise that the room was a sort of tribute to the lost cities and cultures near Amity. Cultures that had been wiped out by plagues, colonization or other unexplained events.

But it wasn't the historical importance of the room that had the hairs on the back of his neck tingling.

Danny brushed a hand through his hair, feeling vaguely nauseous and ill at ease. There was something dark about this room. Barely one step into this strange exhibit, the sensation of deep, inherent wrongness had slammed into him so suddenly that he'd bit his tongue.

Looking around himself, Danny saw that the only source of light came from a set of huge windows set into one wall, reaching from floor to ceiling. With the cheery, cloudless day outside, the room should have been brightly lit; but instead, thick curtains of dark velvet were drawn over the windows, stifled the sun. Slowly, the curtains shifted in lazy waves, moving as though shifted by an invisible hand.

Turning his head, Danny's eyes paused on a tapestry hung against a different wall. The intricate twists of coloured string ran the length of the room and depicted some sort of violent hunt. Danny gazed at the thing, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the rather graphic pictures of a group of people slaughtering a boar and drinking its blood in a ritual to some disfigured deity.

Tearing his eyes away from the disturbing tapestry, Danny walked further into the room. Tall stone pillars were spaced throughout the room, reaching so high up that he had to crane his neck to see the intricate dome-shaped ceiling, which was decorated by intricate religious depictions of angels and demons. The floor was marble and Danny's hesitant footfalls echoed and reverberated around the room.

Many artifacts were placed on heavy granite platforms interspaced in the room. Danny shivered as he passed a lone tribal mask on a stand. The hollowed eyes seemed to stare right back out at him. Thick, black liner around the eyeholes and horns protruding from the forehead likened the mask to the devil.

Looking away, Danny saw an intricate mirror set in a painted wooden frame surrounded by the long tail plumes of some colourful bird. Within it he could clearly see his own apprehensive reflection, but… Danny looked closer… what was that foggy thing behind him?

Swiveling around, Danny's eyes scoured the area, his heart leaping into his throat.

Nothing.

Forcing himself to relax, Danny sighed and turned back around. He wished Sam and Tucker were with him. Sadly, they had disappeared, saying only briefly that they were each going to check out different areas of the museum—something about it taking less time, so the three of them could compare notes later. And so, Danny had lost Sam to Zoology and Tucker to Technology, leaving him to pick his lonesome way through Anthropology.

All at once, the feeling in the room got drastically worse and Danny shivered, hugging his arms and looking around. Did the room just get darker?

The cold feeling of dread, that of the prey being stalked by the hunter, befell Danny. His eyes skittered around the room, paranoia making his thoughts unfocused.

Backing away blindly, he accidentally hit something and jumped around, just in time to see the tribal mask fall from its stand and smash loudly upon the ground.

The curtains rustled wildly and the shadows danced. A wave of energy hit Danny so suddenly he cried out and curled into himself instinctively. He was not wanted here. He was intruding. This was the home of something… something dark, something malevolent. A spirit? A ghost? Many ghosts?

Danny had never felt like this before, it was like he was surrounded by hundreds… no thousands, of souls. Not even the Ghost Zone felt this bad, those souls were restless…these souls were tortured.

These souls were angry.

Danny's gaze was suddenly, inexplicably drawn to the tapestry, but with a sharp intake of breath he tore his gaze away. The faces... they were grinning.

Suddenly his eyes fell on the Asian couple, and he paused. They were staring at him, openly. Not the kind of curious or condescending looks he'd gotten earlier, but just staring. Blankly. Their hands hung at their sides and their eyes were wide and unblinking.

'Are they overshadowed?' Danny wondered. But before he could do anything more, he shivered and gasped. But instead of the normal plume of blue smoke that usually rose from his lips, there was nothing.

'What on Earth?'

Letting instinct take over, Danny swung around, fists raised.

"What…?" But he was too late. The lights flickered and a fierce wind nearly blew him off his feet. He closed his eyes, covering his face protectively as he stood his ground. With a resounding crash, both sets of doors to the room slammed shut. He was locked in.

Cackling—so loud Danny had to cover his ears—echoed shrilly around the room.

A terrified scream shot through the noise and Danny twisted around once more, his battle cry ready on his lips…

…But it died straight away when he saw what he was facing.

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And…Cue theme song!

To Be Continued…

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Chapter 1 people! I know it was short; the next one should be longer. Please Review!

Adio