So we have arrived at the last chapter. This is kind of a good occasion for me so I'm trying to make this chapter as long as it can be just for kicks.
Robin and Wally were nowhere to be seen. It had been 2 days and even Batman is starting to get worried. It's not shown but if Flash says, he's telling the truth. Everyone was so unsettled by seeing Batman and Flash going into their rooms and automatically being able to deduce just what was going on.
"They weren't taken, just staying in some place as if they need something to blow over. Did anything happen?" He directed that question to everyone in the room.
"Speak." Batman said.
Artemis threw up her hand in offense. "We all really don't know. If we knew, we wouldn't be here. We'd be looking for them and-" She grasped her stomach and sunk to her knees.
"Artemis." M'gann said putting her hand on Artemis's leg, which she slapped away. "Don't...I'm just not feeling well." She pushed herself up and walked away.
"What if there really is something wrong with her and Wally went to find out more. She's been in this state for a very long time and I don't believe Robin would let that go unnoticed." Aqualad assumed, sitting in a chair. "She's been... too detached, as you would say. They could have easily left and will return with some diagnosis for her."
Flash clapped him on the back. "That seems like something they do, except they've been gone too long. Activate the emergency tracker." He said, turning his back fully on Batman.
"You're giving me that look. Don't think it's that easy for me to say." Flash said through gritted teeth.
"Flash, you can run around the whole world in seconds. You deserve it."
"Ahh!" Wally said suddenly, gasping his mouth as the pulses rocked his jaw, sending painful sparks through his gum and letting him taste the small line of blood released from a weaker gum part n the back of his mouth.
"Let me see." Robin tilted Wally head back and looked side to side. "Emergency tracker. Something must have happened." He said, sitting with a huff on the park bench.
"Well, think about it. We're in a park...in London. I think they'd be a little worried and when I say worried, I mean Batman."
Robin sighed. "Whatever. I just wanted a little extra time. I think you're just jealous because gypsy." Robin said suggestively, waggling his eyebrows.
"Alright, so maybe we found the way to trap the demon soul in a little shop there. It's not like you had it in the first place." Wally said, sitting next to him. "I'm going to ask Flash to take it out. It hurt." He rubbed his shoulders.
"Call him." Robin said, taking out his phone. "We could easily just...okay." HE put in the numbers, clearing his throats as the numbers dialed in.
"Hi...I know...We're coming back. Now.., Wait. I love you too, Dad." He choked out at the end, right before that click that meant Flash hadn't completely understood it yet.
"Get on my back."
He just paced, for those 30 seconds, Flash just paced. No one could understand it, and they wouldn't ever. It was all just time. A Speedster's faithful companion, how a second was a minute and they lived everything as if it was their last. So he paced, and no questions were asked.
"Uncle B!" Wally had run, faster than before, while colliding into him and making a mess of the wall behind them.
"Sorry," He brushed himself off. "Got lost on the ocean and-" Flash pulled him in for a hug, even including Robin who was still rubbing his head.
"Where did Batman go?" He looked around Flash, seeing just the remnants of Young Justice. "Ah, you know him. He's probably at home. Go ahead." Flash ruffled his hair and let him free.
"Iris has been worried sick about you. Come on." Flash sad walking to the entrance before turning around. "Wally, let's go.
He stared at his converses. "I can't go, not yet. When things are so..." He sat, wringing his hands. "I can't explain it, not in any way that could even make sense to you."
"Try me." Flash said, sitting next to him. "Let's go see Aunt Iris. Come on. No time to waste." He said, dragging his Uncle behind him.
"Guys, everything's fine. You should take the day for yourselves, leave the mountain. Now." He says, and they actually decide to do that. The team wasn't stupid, they knew KF wouldn't take that type of tone without good reason.
"Secret, we need this to end, today. Right now, if possible." Artemis stood in front of her. "Please, make this happen." She started earnestly into Secret's eyes. "I can't just will something to happen. This is all up to Wally, I'm afraid."
"Then we're screwed, because Wally's... I still look like me- Wait, scratch that- The demon is still in my body. Do you really think Wally would just so easily hurt me? He's not like me, able to handle hurting a person and feel nothing at all." She wrapped her arms around herself.
"He's weak."
"That's what you say, but then there's Wally. The hero is always able to pull something out of their asses to save the day." Secret looked over at her. "And it's your job to not be a total witch after he saves you!"
"Whatever, I just want this over." She looked around. "Lets go to the mountain, just for a few. You'll like it. " After intense debate, they arrived at the place. The intruder alarm didn't sound because they took the underground passage, which wasn't actually needed since they were ghosts and everything.
"She's here. I can feel it." Artemis walked through the medbay, inhaling the smells of a hospital and remembering her last few moments with everyone.
"She's just reeks of death now. I can't go any further right now. Call if you need me." Artemis waved her off, still impatient and stepped into the room where she watched herself receive oxygen.
"Miss, would you mind stepping out of that body? It's getting a bit dirty from you." It was pure madness. A thing invades her body and she has to watch herself do all this weird shit with it.
"It's...your fault. Just...fade away or something." She waved her arms in her general direction.
"Artemis!" Wally rushed in, going to ...the bed? "Let me see you for a second." He placed his hands on either side of her face, looking into her eyes. "I was so worried you wouldn't come back."
"I'm back...I just- I don't know." He pulled her in for a hug, which revolted Artemis down to the nucleus.
"Well, I had something very important to tell you." She said, winding her hands together.
"Artemis!" Came a whisper, only reaching her ears as she walked into the hallway to be intercepted by Secret.
"I don't like whatever he's planning."
"Me either." Artemis says after much deliberation. "You've got a plan B, right?"
"Yeah, but I just don't like it. It's so...dark." She says, shuddering.
"As long as it hurts her, I really don't care." She takes Secret's hands. "Go on. What are we doing?"
"Exorcism."
"..."
"..."
"Oh, God you're serious." Artemis says, looking deep into Secret's blank stare. "Wait, like cross and everything. When?"
"Now." Secret pulls her hoodie over her, giving the view of a small saint and departs to the kitchen. She returns with a small knife.
"Quick and dirty, that's your only way out. Artemis look at me. You will draw her out and get her into the circle I've prepared. All I've got to do is slash her and saw the incantations. Artemis, listen! She's strong, horrendous. If she breaks through, we will be unleashing hell on this earth. Are you willing to take that risk?"
"I...I want my life. Secret, I need it bad. I feel like this world...without them, it wouldn't be worth living in anymore." Earnest glances are taken and Artemis steps into the room and knows exactly what she will do.
"You're a HOST! Give me back my body!" She bellows, charging at her, focusing as hard as she can on everything, anything.
And the world just spins around her. The books, papers, desks, medical kits, just anything in that room is spinning in an interchanging cycle.
"What's going on? Is everyone okay?" Wally says, amazed that none of it has hit him yet.
"Yeah, let's go." The host says, taking his hand and running in the hallways as Artemis followed. The building seemed to creak under the power, under her power.
"Come back!" She says eagerly, beckoning to kill.
"Secret's out. Miss, are you ready to play?"
Secret really did take a scene out of any horror movie and was able to put it in the kitchen. Candles littered all over, the only thing lighting the place. One center candle was lighted, showing Secret in a somewhat unusual white garb with a head-wrap covering her.
"Munda, perdere, mundate" She says solemnly and looks up. She's paled, her eyes more murky gray than vibrant. Artemis forgets about the chaos she's created and sees the small opening in the salt circle.
"Time to go." Artemis runs with all her might and pushes her, watching the host trip right in. It's hard work, being a ghost and having to do all this work. The circle closes, locking the host in.
"Secret, I don't feel good." Her vision starts to swim and Artemis looks down.
"Secret! What's going on!" She receives no answer as Secret has put all her attention on the Host.
"Dimitte anima tua."She starts and the Host starts to wail, a painful sob that could have hurt anyone who knew Artemis. It was her voice, her face, the things the Host had stolen from Artemis.
"I can't do this." Waly sits to the ground and coves his head, trying to block out the screams and start to cry himself. The Host starts banging on the wall, using this to her advantage.
"Don't listen." Artemis says silently, as she caresses him, hoping he can feel it. He looks straight at her, as if he really knows.
"Okay." It's like a deep bang in her center, to know that he's acknowledged her.
"Vincula confringetur." The Host has changed her. Turned her hair so black, it's become the essence of darkness. Her eyes are fully red and she bares her teeth, banging roughly to get out of her prison.
Secret has almost stopped as she raises the knife, but quickly stares at Wally. It's so blank, so strong that the reason is made clear. Wally knows as well, and he stands up ready to do the task made for him.
"No!. You can't have him do this." Artemis puts her hands out but Wally walks right through her. The salt prison is starting to break now.
"Artemis...Don't you trust me?" He makes a small smile and takes the knife before standing in front of the Host.
" Mea." She jumps right in without destroying the circle. The words seem to flow in him now and he say them with Secret.
"fiat" He cuts upwards on the neck, avoiding almost every major artery and vain. the tears flow fully now, even while the Host grabs him, he holds as well, wishing for Artemis with everything he had.
"voluntas," They screamed at the same time, and Artemis knew that it was time. She had been fading, all this time Secret must've known that it had to be the last moment. Wally couldn't hold on any longer or the Host would be the death of him. Artemis stepped in, and put both hands on the Host.
"Goodbye."
"Ah." Artemis sprung up and looked quickly at her hands...her actual flesh hands.
"Arms, legs, neck, head, nose. Everything's back. Oh Thank god." She rubs her hands together after doing a check to make sure all her body parts are back in the right place.
"And I'm bleeding." She puts her hands to her neck, and looks at the crimson substance on her hands. It's a new type of familiar.
"Thanks Secret, I couldn't have... Secret?" She had gone, taking all the candles and the mess with her. Everything was gone.
Except for Wally laying right beside her, sleeping on his stomach. There were no snores, which was widely accustomed with his night madness.
"Hey, wake up. Wally, it's not funny, get up. I'm going to push you over." After a few more minutes she lifted...
And blood was released.
"Wally!" The Host had won in the end, giving a final blow before leaving this world. She put her hands over the wound, trying to stop the blood.
"Stop." She said with a small sob, wishing the blood would listen to her commands. OF course not. She ribbed his shirt off and used that instead of her hands and felt the blood soak into her jeans.
"Help Me. Please!" She screeched, and the computer announced the arrival of the entire team.
"Artemis, what- Oh." M'gann said, and nothing else escaped for lips. Then, it was like turning on a faucet, that girl started to cry.
"Move." Robin said, pushing her over lightly before pushing down on the wound, hard.
"Welcome back." He said, looking at her, and she nodded in response, before they started to pick him up with Conner's help. After getting him situated on a bed, Robin started the morphine drip.
"Don't worry, I've got his blood stocked and Flash is on his way." He said, and everyone took a collective sigh. Even when Flash came, Robin had already started patching him up and Wally was healing at the same speed.
"How did this happen?" He stared at Artemis, who had her knees drawn up while hiding her face.
"I'm not sure." She mumbled. that was all she said for the day. When everyone had slept, she stayed, watching for his eyes. It almost seemed like their was no use for it, he wouldn't wake just for her.
"Hey." Wally said drowsily from the bed, and Artemis shot up, taking all her control to not jump on him.
"Hey."
"You never answered my question." He says, staring into her eyes. She shakes her head.
"I can't remember."She makes a small smile when he pouts.
"Don't you trust me?" She gives him a small kiss on the forehead and stares at him.
"Yeah, I guess I do."
1)Cleanse, destroy, purify
2)Release thy soul.
3)The bonds shall be broken.
4)My will be done
So this is the end. I can finally move on to my other stories without this one hanging over my neck. I would like to apologize to anyone who had been waiting for a long time for this. School and life like to kick my ass. Anyway, I think this story was pretty good. So long and Goodnight from the Whovian who changed her original name.