Issue Description

Spear of Destiny

One night, the 21 Phantom comes into the Skull Cave with his children, Kit and Heloise. He shows them around the treasure chambers, and pulls out a spear, which he calls “Spear of Destiny”. He then begins to tell the story of the spear.

Many centuries ago, the 7 Phantom had travelled to the kingdom of Koqania, to challenge the Hanta Witch, Heloise. But he fell in love with her, and they married soon afterwards. During the feast, a friend of the Phantom, Abu Sultan began to tell the tale of the “Spear of Destiny”. He mentioned that in olden days, the cities of Atlantis and Lemuria fought with each other. However, Atlantis always seemed to have the upper hand. Then a Lemurian Shaman devised the spear through magics, and Lemuria turned the tables on Atlantis. However, in later years, Lemuria was corrupted by the power of the spear, and the civilization vanished.

Heloise’s brother, Adric believed that the spear might still exist, and he was determined to recover it for Koqania’s glory. However, the Phantom got skeptic, and on Heloise’s request, journeyed with Adric towards the place where Abu Sultan predicted Lemuria might have been. After a few days without food and water, Phantom and Adric arrived at a lake which had some statues around it, as if on guard. Adric believed that he had found the spear, and dove into the lake. He eventually recovered the spear from the depths of the lake. The Phantom felt the spear’s power surge through him, when he held it.

The two of them returned to Koqania, and a feast was held. However, bandits snuck past the unguarded gates, but were interrupted by Adric. Adric held the spear and unleashed a burst of power, before falling unconscious. The bandits fled. The Phantom noted a change in Adric’s behaviour and left Koqania for a few days. Back home, he translated an inscription on the spear, which read “for the hands of the man whose heart power cannot corrupt”. Phantom knew Adric would be a danger for Koqania and sped back.

Upon arrival in Koqania, Phantom noticed that the royals were gathered around a murdered maid, and Adric was leaving, vengeful. He walked after Adric and to his surprise witnessed Adric turn into a monster before his eyes. Adric jumped out of the castle. Later, he murdered two priests and left a note saying that Heloise was the next on his list. Phantom told the people that if the murderer was to be captured, Heloise would have to be used as bait. Heloise agreed.

Later that night, Adric approached Heloise’s room when she was bathing. He followed her to her bedroom, only to be greeted by the Phantom. A hide and seek ensued, followed by a fight, in which Phantom easily defeated Adric. Adric was chained, and Heloise passed judgement that Adric was nothing more than a murderer. She requested Phantom to return the spear to the place where he found it, and Phantom complied.

As the tale ends, Phantom tells his children that their ancestor was not corrupted, because he was a man of pure heart. As for how the spear came to be in the possession of the Phantoms, is another story.

The Phantom (2000)

Publisher

Egmont Imagination India

Volume Description

The series was published by Egmont Imagination India (formerly Indian Express Egmont Publications Ltd. and Egmont India). The initial issue was distributed in a promotional package called The Phantom Adventure Kit and included three comic books. This version of the series ended with #21 in 2002.

Please first Sign In before leaving a review.

Status: Not in Collection