Darkness had settled fast and with it came a bright full moon, perfect for the werewolves that may be encountered. He had expected maybe this could end peacefully seeing as the phantom felt sympathy for him regaurding his past, but he let his gaurd down and now hes in a tree watching and waiting for the attack to begin. He could see the moons reflection off of the windows on his grandma's house, and remembered the nights he spent out here with his family and all the fun they had. But this was no time for fun, somewhere out there in his grandma's backyard the two meanest bitches on the planet right now and Jory could sense that he was all alone in this particular area. Focusing his energy, he let his gift roam a little and noticed that not only was he alone in this particular area, but the entire backyard and front yard was empty..something wasn't right.

Maybe it was a trap? The phantom could very well possess the power to make him THINK he was along when really his army was scattered about, watching and waiting much like he is now. He decided that he needed to abandon his post and check to see if the others were alright, maybe they had taken different locations around the area to fool the phantom and its general..well..heres hoping. Quietly, like a cat, Jory leapt from the tree and landed without a sound onto the ground below, holding the hilt of his sword tightly just incase they decided to spring up on him. Swift like a cheeta Jory ran through the trees and around the perimeter of the backyard, only to found the entire place empty of any kind of life. He made a quick check of the front yard and found that the van was still parked in its very same spot as before, so they definately had to be around here somewhere.

He followed the garage pathway up to the old garage and peered in..still nothing. He took a right and went to the right side of the garage area where some of the dogs were kept and notice that fresh footprints were made back there and he followed them..only to find them disappear in plain sight. He studied the prints for a second and decided to keep on going the same direction they were going..which was leading to the other part of the back yard that was used mostly for riding the dirt bikes and go-karts and saw began to saw a pattern...more and more footprints began to appear and they all led to the same area..maybe his crew had found the enemy and chased after it? Making sure to keep low and quiet, Jory crouched low and blended in with the scenery as he made his way from the grassy green family fun back yard to the deserted dirt bike camping area of the backyard, which allowed him excellent cover as there were more trees back here then there were back behind him.

Because the trees were in the way of the main track area, Jory bounded up them once more to get a better view of the track and saw something that shocked him completely..Zedd, Kerri, Scotty, Kain, Vincent, Cloud, Anita, and Richard were all standing before the general and behind her..the phantom..and not the one he was speaking to earlier..the one that tried to kill him at the Queen Mary. Studying the situation, Jory noticed that his friends couldn't seem to move and were stuck where they stood as the general began to pace before them with a menacing scowl on her face.

"Tisk tisk Zedd, I thought that you were stronger then this." Obviously, Zedd didn't take that too kindly. "You never know my dear, I could only be waiting for an opening."

"An opening? I'm sorry to dissapoint you then Zedd..because we plan to kill you as soon as we can detect that troublesome little friend of yours Jory Johnson."

"I'm sorry? Did I just hear you right? Are you two unable to detect a simple creature such as a necroscope?"

It was obvious that Zedd was now beginning to play mind games, he knew he could easily take on this general and possibly even the phantom but he wasn't about to let them in on that. The general simply smirked at him then turned to the phantom.

"I dont understand it mistress, how is it we lost the necroscope so easily?"

The phantom simply floated there and stared out into the night, searching for Jory with all of her power. Jory could feel the air begin to pop and crackle around him with all the power begin serged towards him..it was an amazing feeling.

"Hes still out there general, he couldn't have left us this quickly, especially with how easily we picked up these simpletons as soon as that sun went down. He must be cloaking himself somehow."

"Are we able to counter this in anyway mistress?"

The phantom pondered the question for a moment, even she was a bit confused on how Jory is able to escape detection. Jory figured maybe his life long training was finally paying off and he had somehow in someway figured out how to stay off of their radar.

"I do not think our power is enough, maybe if we both searched at the same time using all of our power..but that would leave us open for attack. No, we must force him out a different way."

Jory was expecting something like this. He knew that evil would always sink to as low as it could to get a job done, even a simple one as this. He remembered all the times Zedd sunk to the lowest gutters to get at Jory, even trying to take Jory's love interest at the time Becca away from him through means of possession. Watching on, Jory felt that the phantom's power was decreasing around him and now being focused more into the area where they all stood.

"I seem to feel in my bones that we have yet another necroscope on the property do we not?"

"Oh yes we do mistress." The general replied with an evil smile.

"And what is its name General Smith."

The now identified General Smith walks over to Kerri Storm and stands next to her and runs a finger down her cold cheek. "Her name is Kerri Storm mistress, the lady you see standing beside me."

"A female is it? Bring her to me."

Without a word, General Smith grabs Kerri by her left arm and without even a bit of hesitation, drags Kerri over to the floating phantom. Jory watches on intentively as the phantom lowers itself to the mortal plain and looks Kerri in the eyes. Being as this is the first time Kerri has encounter the phantom, she cant help but quiver in fear at the sight of this hideous looking creature.

"I can smell the fear dripping off of your body like Niagra Falls little girl, I should kill you now and enjoy the fear wash over me..but first I must ask a couple of questions."

At this point, Kerri would do anything to get herself out of the clutches of General Smith and out of the phantom's face, the only thing she could think of is why Jory wasn't there to deal with this.

"Tell me, what is your association with Jory Johnson? Are you another girlfriend we get to torment? I do so enjoy hurting Jory more then just physically."

"N-no, I'm already engaged to another man, I'm simply Jory's friend." It was a little difficult for her to speak, but she is a Storm..and Storm's arent ones to back down easily..even in the face of evil.

"Simply a friend is it? Tell me, if your engaged to someone else...why risk your life trying to help someone so selfish and useless as him..instead of making a life with the one you care about?"

It was an interesting question, but not one that could phase a Storm. "In order to accomplish that, it would require me in assisting Jory in ridding you of this world so I dont have to watch my kid witness Armegeddon.

This was the time to strike, while they were busy trying to get questions out of Kerri and use her as bait, this is when Jory is to make his presence felt. He crawled down out of the tree and sprinted over to an area closer to them and waited...waited for the right moment.

"My dear girl, you know absolutly nothing."

"Oh really? Then inform me of what I do not know."

"I'm afraid you wont find out those answers easily my dear, possibly in the other world after I slowly kill you and your friends."

"Kill us? Oh hell no! I didn't come out here all this way just to die like this."

Jory could suddenly feel the air around Scotty change, his anger was beginning to bubble with his thoughts focused on Madison..this could come in handy. Scotty was beginning to tremble with a mixture of fear and anger at this point and General Smith turned her attention to him.

"Excuse me? Did you say something mortal?"

"Yea, if you decide to kill us tonight then you better be prepared for a long night because as sure as I stand here before you bitches...I wont go down without a fight.

"Is that so? And how does a mortal like you plan to do that? From what i can tell you have no extrodinary talents..you believe you could take on someone of my nature?"

Scotty was either foolish or had a plan, and hopefully he had a plan. Jory rememberd very fondly his battle against General Smith and though the battle was mostly fought against her army, she did infact come close to killing him..think of what she could do to Scotty.

"Even a simple human can put up a fight if he or she has faith."

"Faith? Faith wont save you now mortal, your at the mercy of my mistress and I...you will not survive."

"Oh? I may be at your mercy for now, but if I remember correctly...Jory is still out there in the dark and you cant even detect him."

Aha, he was distracting them even more..perfect. Becausse it was still too dark outside and they needed some light, Jory decided to build up some energy and give them a small light show before he made himself known to them.

"So? You think he'd acually stand a chance saving you all by going up against BOTH of us? It was a challenge for him to take us both on seperately..what makes you think he could do any better with us teaming up?"

"I'm thinking you'd have a rough time...seeing as though you cant even detect his power..just imagine if he was here right now using it." He said with confidence.

"General, this mortal talks too much and I have yet to finish talking to this wannabe necroscope..please shut him up so I may get rid of him."

"With pleasure mistress" She said with a purr.

It was now or never for Jory. With all his might he tossed a ball of fire inbetween General Smith and Scotty, sending the General and the phantom especially back a few feet. Slowly they all turned their heads towards the direction from where it came from and look on in both shock and in his friend's case happyness as his dark figure begins to take shape from the light of the fire as he slowly makes his way towards them...dragging the blade end of his sword slowly against the ground.

"Curious isn't it? How everything has happened so fast in what seems so little time."

"Nice magic trick there Jory Johnson, almost had me there."

"I wasn't aiming for you...yet." The tension in the air grew as Jory stopped walking so it would appear that he was still a shadow within the shadows. The phantom merely watched on while her general did the dirty work.

"Tough words from a coward."

"I'm here aren't I?"

"Yes, but after making us wait longer then we should have had to."

"Whats the matter? Couldn't find me?" He replied in a mocking tone.

"How is it your able to escape our detection Jory Johnson?"

He was just as confused about that as she was, but he had to come up with something to let them know that he was no ordinary being.

"A good magician never reveals his secrets, you know that better then any of us."

"So true Jory Johnson, you learn fast."

"I would assume with that then, you wont bother to tell me how this happened so quickly?"

"You assume right Jory Johnson, we "magicians" must stick to the code afterall."

Another puzzle to solve..no matter, he'd get to them all eventually. He decided to try and keep the conversation flowing so they wouldn't summon their army..they were sorely outnumbered if that happened.

"I take it fire light isn't enough to make you scatter, but it does seem enough for you to keep your distance for now eh?"

"Only sunlight or a powerful enough flashlight does that to us...firelight is too weak."

"Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I were to say...boost its radius?"

"Then you'll be asking for some serious pain..Jory Johnson."

Once again, the air around Jory began to crackle and pop with energy and suddenly Zedd & the others were lifted off of the ground and thrown to a spot away from where Jory, the phantom, and General Smith stood.

"There, now we can fight without having them in the way."

"I see, so it'll be you two against me then right?"

"Your time has come necroscope, you will fall first so that your friends may see the awesome power we possess...then we will kill them."

Jory looked over at the others and saw that Zedd had easily freed himself of the magic bind and worked on getting the others free, Zedd wasn't as weak as he put off..they should know this.

"More fighting? Now ladies..didn't we learn our lessons last time we all encountered eachother?"

General Smith slowly walks over to Jory in the shadows and runs one of her long nails down his cheek.

"Last time you and I fought, it was Zedd that saved you..I had you right where I wanted you and if Zedd hadn't have showed up..you'd be dead right now."

Jory keeps his eyes focused on the general and gives her a sly smile at her obvious statement.

"Yes, you did have me in a life or death situation...but if I remember corrently..it was you who was too chicken to even fight until I was so weak that I could barely stand."

"I'm a general Jory Johnson, I've earned the right to sit back and watch my men attack you whenever I please, if I really wanted to get involved..then it would have been over before you would have known it."

Jory gets into her face and after looking her in her blood red eyes, he gives her a smile and winks at her.

"Why not get involved now hot stuff?"

A dead quiet settled upon them after that. General Smith was not sure how to react to such a statement.

"You must be joking, are you trying to hit on me?"

"Its kinda hard to hit on someone who has tried to kill me and my friends, I'm simply saying...bring it."

General Smith smirked then turns her back to him and walks over to the phantom whos simply been watching them talk.

"What was that General Smith?"

"Nothing mistress, just a foolish mortal being foolish."

"Ladies, are we going to sit around all day and chit-chat? Or are we gonna get this over with?"

General Smith and the phantom both turn and give Jory very odd looks, they cant believe he is this confident in his abilities.

"Um, by the way...I dont seem to see any calvary here, whats the deal?"

"He doesn't know mistress...HE DOESN'T KNOW!!!" he suddenly felt very foolish like they claimed when they started laughing.

"Yes, a silly man indeed. You see Jory Johnson, while you and your friends are here with us, our friends are out creating a little havoc in your beloved Spokane."

The world kinda seemed to crumble from under him when she said that. This whole thing was a diversion and it had worked..crap, it was a good thing he had decided to leave his army in the town, they are probably defending it as they spoke. Then again, they must have the evil spirits with them...he needed Zedd & Kerri to get to Spokane and fast. He looked over to where Zedd & the others were to see if he could signal for them or something..but to his surprise they were finally unbound and were hightailing it out of there. Hearing this, the general turns from Jory and sees her captives feeling, Jory knew she wasn't about to let them go fight in the battle and before she could run off to get them he drew his sword from the ground with lightning speed and held the sword up to her throat which stopped her in her tracks.

"You want them? You gotta go through me first."

"You think a mere sword will hinder me from killing your friends?"

Though trying to look and sound confident, Jory could pick up the slightest bit of fear in her voice and he gave her a wicked smile.

"This one can."

"Enough of this child's play!! Time to test your skills once more..Jory Johnson!!"

Out of no where a huge sonic boom came out of the phantom and it connected with Jory almsot instantly, sending him flying across the field and into a tree. His breath left him and he dropped to a knee and saw that his sword had left his hand when he was hit and was now lying just a few feet ahead of him, but before he could recover and get it he was kneed to the face which lifted him up off of the ground then was kicked right back up against the tree. Once he hit he was held there by General Smith who smiled at the blood starting to form around the right corner of Jory's mouth and slapped him in the face.

"All powerful necorscope is it? Your fairing well so far." She teased with a sarcastic tone.

"You think I'm doing well, wait til the 5th round."

"I'm afraid Jory Johnson, that this battle wont last that long. Take a good look around and enjoy your final moments of life...cause your about to join the holy choir."

The phantom was closing in and General Smith showed no signs of letting up on her grip. This was how the battle was to end? Him being brought down so quickly?..No..he wouldn't let it happen, Spokane needed him and lfie itself needed him. Without fret, Jory slid a small dagger out from his trenchcoat and with deadly speed sliced General Smith's wrist right down the middle, which is a very popular form a suicide for some people, forcing the general to release her grip from Jory and allowing him to duck out of the way just seconds before the phantom plows into the tree and knocks the big hunk of wood down to the ground. The phantom slowly turns its ugly head and gives Jory a pissed off look as he pulls himself from the ground and smile at the blood gushing out of the general's arm.

"Now ladies, we can get this party started."