A New Skill Explained

Serenity was putting all of the young wizards through their paces. In fact, Cassidee had finally become a tier 1 Earth Wizard. Which Zach seemed less than impressed about.

Marik, at the age of four was also a tier 1 Earth Wizard. Even Etrigan had never heard of such a thing.

So Marik and Cassidee were learning a new spell. Mathen and Areina were off in the distance learning a few fire spells from Zach.

Molly was helping Serenity train Bruce in his water element. Rini was small, but she had bursts of power that seemed to drain her.

Right now she was resting, and Reilie was so bored with the magic. She eyed Rodney and her Aunt Reiena and the pair were playing in the sand as Wesley and Iesha were training in their own way.

Rini rubbed her eyes as Bruce pulled water from the ocean, and he was making a wall of water. He was starting to strain as his water wall was 10 feet high and 10 feet long.

"Bruce...make it smaller, don't overdo it." Molly advised.

And Bruce tried but the water wall wobbled and he was really fighting to keep it from falling.

Rini ran over to Bruce to help and she touched the wall.

The water turned to ice, much to Bruce's shock.

Reilie grinned and used her Kryptonian breath to blow the wall of ice over.

Rini flew Bruce out of the way as the ice wall fell to the ground and broke.

Reilie watched it all with less boredom in her demeanor.

Marik was playing in the dirt around him as Cassidee was trying to make a near-dead carnation alive and grow again. Manipulating the earth was one thing; making stuff grow and come to life was another.

Cassidee struggled with growing the near-dead carnation.

Marik was impatient in waiting on Cassidee to get it right, so for the moment he went to talk to one of his uncles.

"Uncle Roy...can you teach me how to shoot those arrows now?" Marik said, but in Marik's four years, Roy never said anything about teaching him archery.

Meanwhile with the older kids, Shock was teamed up with Damian, and the two were actually on the same level. With Shock's electrical powers, and Damian's extensive training, things were at a standstill.

Static and Terry were watching, when suddenly both of them realized something about the match.

"Dude, does this seem familiar to you?" Virgil Sr asked Terry.

Terry watched for a moment more and then it hit him. "Wow, looks like VJ really picked up your abilities; and Damian really is a Bat."

"Wanna pick up where we left off last time?" Virgil Sr. teased.

"I don't know; I DID fight your younger self at that point." Terry said with a laugh.

"Well, true. But it'll be fun to do...I was totally kicking you all over the Cave..." Virgil Sr then gave a serious look. "Besides, I did give your suit that power boost when we went to save my future self."

Terry was hoping not to be reminded of that as he was still cheesed off that he got help from the young hero in that fight.

Terry's expression made Static laugh. "I see you haven't forgotten it."

"You don't forget something that humiliating." Terry said with a serious tone, but then he looked at Virgil Sr and smiled. "I'm glad I met you when you were that age...showed me just how green anyone can be when they're young."

"Thanks. You turned out fine anyway..."

"I'm still relatively new to the game, but yea...I guess so. I'm not as well trained as Areina, but can't blame her...she's got Reiena's spirit."

"And Roy's stubbornness."

It was just then that Damian started to jump over Shock and land behind him but before Damian landed that was when the young hero sent a stream of electricity straight up.

"OUCH." Terry said, remembering how much that hurt when Virgil Sr used it on him.

Damien fell straight to the ground and groaned loud enough for anyone to hear.

Virgil Sr and Terry ran over...then Eric came running and was worried.

"Oh man, I hope the suit's wiring isn't fried." Red Robin said.

"It is...trust me." Terry remarked.

"You ok?" Static asked as Damien sat up.

"What hit me?" Damian asked as he looked to his sparring partner.

"Sorry Damian; didn't realize the juice was that high." VJ said.

"I didn't know you can do that. Who taught you?"

"Dad." VJ said with a smile.

Static grinned. "And I learned that while fighting Terry."

Damien sensed a story with that. "Tell me."

"Well, it's kinda crazy, but while I was helping Bruce and Tim move the time chair...I was sucked into the future, and the first thing I do in that time...a fight with Terry here."

Damien was laughing. "Who won?" he asked.

Terry sighed while Virgil Sr smiled.

"It was never really settled; I came in to stop Terry from hurting Virgil too much." A voice said and the sparrers turned to see the original Batman walking up to them. "Shock, you've got some good skills, and are as innovative as your father."

VJ flushed. "Uh...um thanks!"

"Hey dad," Damian acknowledged.

"I see that you are getting the same butt kicking that your younger brother received not too long ago."

"Marik! Make it stop!" Cassidee cried.

Everyone's attention was turned to Cassidee.

Marik waved his hand over the tree that grew in place of the half-dead carnation.

The tree then grew hundreds of carnations.

Cassidee stood there, shocked.

"It's not hard, cuz."

No one could believe what the four year old could do.

Serenity had no words for what she witnessed.

Rini hugged her uncle. "Can I climb it?" she asked.

"Sure." Marik said, then to help Rini climb the tree he created a natural ladder within it.

Seeing the ladder, all of the kids stopped what they were doing and all of them were in the tree.

Dick laughed as his wife shook her head.

"Let them have fun, besides, Marik...he's straining himself." Serenity said, not telling her husband that she knew the truth.

"Really? With the age, I get it. But...he's growing up so fast..."

Carlos then got it. He knew what Marik was able to do.

"Remember sweetie, he was even ahead of Mathen the first time." Serenity said.

Zach eyed young Marik with hidden contempt. His plans could be ruined by this 4 year old, who posed a bigger threat than his own daughter.

Marik had to die. There was no exception.

"I know. It feels odd...to see him as Reiena's twin and yet he shows that he could still be Mathen's..."

BBBBBBBBBBBB

Areina and Orin's Home, Two Nights Later

The twins were asleep and the married couple was finally in bed as well. With what all they've been dealing with they were out like a light.

Two Hours Later

A shadow came over the house and Orin was fighting the elements…and losing. Areina was protecting the twins from another, smaller, shadow but she was soon trapped and the smaller shadow attacked the twins…killing them.

Suddenly Orin woke up to the rising temperature in the room, and he saw that his wife was upset while she still slept.

"Areina, sweetie; it's just a dream." Orin said as she shook her to wake her up.

The second generation fire controller's eyes shot open and she jumped out of bed.

"Honey?" Orin asked as Areina was quick in getting out of the room.

"I have to check on the boys." Areina said back to her husband.

Orin was quick in following her and they got to the boys' room and when the door was opened, both Bruce and Jason were sleeping soundly.

"Let's go get some cocoa." Orin said, and after Areina was finally able to pull herself away, they headed to the kitchen.

Ten Minutes Later

Orin had put some milk on for hot cocoa and once it was ready he brought his wife a mug and had one for himself.

"What had you running to check on the boys?"

"A horrid dream, one large shadow was attacking you and you were almost beaten, then another one came out of nowhere and killed the boys after I was separated from them." Areina said after taking a sip of the cocoa and then letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"No one is going to get the boys; right now they are always around one of us, plus Rini would let us know if anything was going to happen to Jason." Orin said, trying to comfort his wife.

"I know, but after what happened before I went back in time…..that dream that had me burning down your guest room…I just don't know." Areina said.

"We'll keep this in mind, please; let's get some sleep." Orin said, taking Areina's hand.

Just as the two took care of their mugs and turned to go back to their room, they were met by a little blonde haired boy.

"Jason, sweetie, what's wrong?" Areina asked.

"I sensed a rise in temperature." Jason answered as Areina picked him up and he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"I just had a bad dream and the stress caused me to raise the temperature in the house." Areina told her little fire controller.

"Did it happen with grandma too?" Jason questioned.

"It did, infact, the story Uncle Dick told was that her power came forth after a bad dream about what happened to your great grandparents." Areina said.

"Yea, Marik told me what happened to them." Jason said.

"How…..oh never mind, it's late and you should be asleep. I'm sorry I woke you up sweetie." Areina said.

Jason hugged his mother then yawned and Areina smiled as she kissed Orin then took their little boy back to the bedroom he shared with his twin brother.

Three Hours Later

Areina was tossing and turning in her sleep, crying out every few seconds. Orin wanted to wake her, but he's felt the wrath of doing that.

Superman is hit with a red beam then falls from the sky…hitting his head HARD. As he lies there, Batman (Terry) is hit with a huge fireball and it remains around him for about ten minutes. Barda is captured and water tortured until she shuts down; Warhawk's wings were cut off by a laser midflight. Nightwing I (Dick) is beaten so bad that he's not only bleeding out, but barely breathing. Kai-Ro (A young Green Lantern) was attacked by a member of the Sinestro Corp and a yellow construct spear went right through his heart. Aquaman's daughter, Marina AKA Aquagirl was hit with what seemed like a neverending humid wind….thus drying her skin out so much that it was cracking and she was bleeding badly. These things happen in succession, and then the worst possible thing happens…Bruce is killed by lightning bursts…right in front of her.

Areina wakes up and the tears start falling.

"Areina?" Orin questioned as he held her for fear that his wife would burn the house down this time.

"I…..I don't know what's going on, why am I having these dreams, I never had anything like this before." Areina said as she fell into Orin's chest and let the tears fall even harder.

"I know you didn't grow up around us, but something tells me that meeting Merlin and hearing his prophecy about Marik's return started this." Orin remarked thinking back to the big duel between Dick's three oldest children. "Did you have these kinds of dreams BEFORE meeting him?"

Areina shook her head, then thought about this, and it did make sense, she's been hearing about being 'favored' by Merlin and such, now she's started thinking about what her fire controlling son said about Marik knowing what happened to his great grandparents. "I'll go talk to Serenity in the morning."

"Ready to get some sleep?" Orin questioned.

"Yea, just need to get something." Areina said as she got out of bed.

Orin knew what she was grabbing….something that helped her mother cope with nightmares and it's helped Areina as well, Saba.

"You haven't needed Saba since the boys were born…these dreams must have REALLY shaken you up." Orin said.

"The second one…the JLU was getting attacked…..and Terry was part of that." Areina said as she got back into bed and kept the stuffed white tiger close and Orin hugged her, which was reassuring.

The two second generation team heroes were asleep quickly, but deep in Areina's mind she was worried about these dreams.

BBBBBBBBBBBB

The Next Day; Dick Grayson's House

While Delta Squad was training, Areina asked to talk to Serenity in private. Having lived over a millennia, Serenity knew something was wrong, but not just because of that, but she saw the questions in her niece's eyes.

"Aunt Serenity, why and more importantly HOW am I 'favored' by Merlin….as Etrigan put it?" Areina asked.

"My grandfather...he...liked Dick...and Reiena... When he realized that you were her daughter...he wanted you protected."

"But how did Etrigan know, it has to be something that happened when Merlin touched me."

"The cockle shell...it did more than give you the abilities it does...it gave you the Mark of Merlin...that means when Etrigan is fighting, your life is held above his. It has nothing to do with you being Arthur's descendant."

"Okay...but why would having the Mark of Merlin put my life above Etrigan's?"

"Merlin couldn't save Reiena…and neither could I. So he needed to make sure that you were always saved."

Areina wanted to cry, but then she remembered her MAIN reason for wanting to talk to her aunt. "Does the Mark also allow me a sense of premonition of any kind?"

"Maybe...but he would have had to do it while you were a baby..."

"I don't think it started till after I met him when Meygan, Mathen and Molly had that duel. I've been having dreams, and one of them already somewhat came true..."

"Areina...you didn't get your meta powers until you were...17? Marik had that..."

"Orin said Marik wouldn't let me go during mom's funeral...could HE have given it to me?"

"Not give it to you per say...he lent it to you. If he reappears, he'll take it back. That alone is why your meta power took so long to show up..."

"He knew he was going to die that day...he said he protected me after seeing me die in a vision. But he's back...shouldn't the ability have returned to him."

"No...not as he is. Areina...Marik is truly back..."

"Then what my son said was wasn't a fluke." Areina said with a small smile.

"Not really. Marik remembers his first year of life, his death, him coming back to stop Morgan...and his rebirth..."

"Would he remember whatever he was told while he was in the spirit realm? Jason said that Marik told him what happened to my grandparents...but Uncle Dick wouldn't talk about that around Marik...would he?"

"No. Marik remembers his time there too..."

"Our kids really are something, aren't they Aunt Serenity?" Areina remarked.

"Marik was meant for greater things...and Carlos was willing to sacrifice himself, his powers...to give him a second chance..."

"Carlos showed himself to be a REAL hero that day. Any clue what Etrigan meant by my boys were meant for great things?"

"I think...Jason is supposed to take over as Batman someday...Bruce...the protector of Atlantis...Marik mentioned it once..."

"Well at least ONE Jason will be Batman." Areina said with a laugh in her voice. "And Bruce...he'd really become Aquaman?"

"More like Aqualad...to King Orin's youngest son..."

"Mierco; Bruce would be ecstatic about that, he LOVES hanging out with him." Areina stated. "I wish I knew what last night's dreams meant though."

"You need Carlos. Marik...is still young and unless his first self shows up, he won't say much. It's annoying, I know; but Dick and I won't push for him to appear..."

"I'll wait; for right now, I need to think about the here and now." Areina said.

"Ok then Areina...but Carlos would be your best shot."

"Or she can ask me, Mommy." Marik appeared over to Serenity's left and walked to them.

"Spying Marik?" Areina said, laughing.

Marik held out his arms to be picked up.

Areina did so and then Marik squeezed her chest...

"Marik!" she cried.

"I did that to Aunt Reiena all the time, and mommy." Marik said with a smile.

"Marik..." Areina groaned. "I do know that one dream came true...it was about my underwater mission during the timeline change. Luckily no one died in that one…well during the mission." Areina said, she didn't care that Marik was there.

"It's my fault you had that dream." Marik sighed and had a pout forming...

"Don't worry, cuz; you didn't know, and when you're old enough, you'll have that power back." Areina said. "I know you don't like fire that much, but will a little fire bird make you feel better?"

Marik paused, as if remembering...and he then smiled..."Please, cousin Areina?"

Areina smiled at her five year old cousin and used her free hand to create a fire and it turned into a bird. It soon flew around and Marik's eyes danced as he watched it.

Marik giggled. "Mathen LOVED when Aunt Reiena did this."

"I heard...But why didn't you?"

"You, Aunt Reiena, Little Reiena, and Mathen all share the same element, but I'm an EARTH wizard, and I did like them...but I saw stuff too much to enjoy it." Marik then closed his eyes and flinched involuntarily.

"Marik...!?" Areina cried.

"Hi Areina!" Marik's voice changed slightly.

"Ummm?"

"What's wrong?" Marik asked. "Can I go now?"

"Your voice...it sounded like it did when..." Areina said as she set Marik on his feet.

"Like what?"

"You really remember everything?"

"Almost?"

"What about fighting Morgan and coming back here...the wedding present before you were reborn?" Areina asked; she had to know for sure that this voice before was what she thought it was.

"Yeah. I remember. Seeing Morgan go all dust was weird."

"That's what an immortality spell breaking after that long will do." Serenity said.

"The reason I ask is your voice sounded just like it did at that time before you flinched."

"Oh, but my head hurts. Can I play now?"

"Sure sweetie, go have fun." Serenity said and so the young earth wizard did just that.

"Wow...I see what you mean...I really feel for him having to go through this. Is there any way to fix it?"

"I don't know if it's even possible..." Serenity whispered seriously.

"Maybe it's a gift that few would have...even in the wizard world." Areina remarked.

"Maybe..."