Chapter 13: Denial
Mount Justice
August 19, 19:45
"Take this," Red Tornado pulled out a key and handed it to Kaldur. "It is the key to the Tower of Fate."
"What are the chances that we both so admire the mystic arts?" Wally asked trying to strike up a conversation with M'gann.
"It would be wise to contact Arianna," offered Tornado. "She is well-versed in the mystic arts."
As he finished speaking Arianna appeared before them, still wearing her ceremonial dress and robe. She lowered her hood and pushed the robe off her shoulders. "You are going to the Tower of Fate?"
"One: What are you wearing and Two: How did you…" Wally began to say.
"My dress is not important and I had a premonition."
"Good, we were going to call you," said Kaldur. "A man named Kent Nelson who…"
"I know who he is and I know he is missing. I do not, however, understand why mortals are involving themselves in what does not concern them," her tone was harsh and demanding, but she was just concerned; and she had reason to, after what she had seen.
"Doctor Fate was a member of the Justice Society," said Tornado. "Now he is missing and the helmet is unguarded, which could endanger countless lives."
"Nabu is a Lord of Order. You should leave this problem to them or Tutellis. My people are more than capable and far better equipped to handle this." She had to keep them from going to the Tower.
"Yeah? Then why haven't you?" challenged Superboy. "It's been almost a month and your people haven't done anything."
"Who are you to challenge us?" Arie asked defensively.
"We are wasting time," said Kaldur forcefully. "We will investigate. You are welcome to join us, but if you decide not to, we will not hold it against you."
Arie knew the risks of going to the Tower of Fate, but now she had no choice. She knew there would be no way to keep them from going and she had to protect her charges. "Very well, I'm coming."
"Good. You can change on the way there."
The trip to Salem was short; the bioship flew faster than most planes. Arie spent the time thinking, ignoring Artemis and Wally as she pried and he tried but failed to flirt with M'gann. It made Arie nervous going to Salem. She had been warned to steer clear of it since she was a child. It was common knowledge on Tutellis that Doctor Fate made that city his home. It didn't help that so many of her people had died there.
Generations have passed, but none could forget the Salem witch trials. The sad truth was most "witches" that were burned at the stake were in fact the very guardians sent to protect the townspeople from the evil that was so potent in the area. Unable to fight back or expose their magic, guardians allowed themselves to die at the hands of the people they were sent to protect.
"We've reached Tornado's coordinates, but…" M'gann announced as they arrived in Salem.
"Nothing's there," Superboy finished for her.
"Take us down," ordered Kaldur. The team filed out of the bioship. "Wally, take a look around."
"Sure thing," he was gone.
Arie looked around, the expression on her face grave. Her heart raced. This place made her uneasy. She sensed a dark presence, but couldn't quite pin it down.
Wally was back in seconds. He slid to a stop in front of Artemis. "Nothing," he reported. "This isn't simple camouflage."
"So what do you think? Adaptive Micro-opto-electronics combined with phase shifting?" supplied Artemis.
"Absolutely… not! Clearly mystic powers are at work here," he answered for M'gann's benefit.
"Hmm," Kaldur thought. "Arie, what do you think?" he turned to her, but could tell she hadn't been paying attention. "Arie?"
"Yeah?" she answered.
"What is it?"
She didn't want to alarm them, but decided they should know. "Something's here. Something powerful and elusive."
Wally looked at her skeptically, but played along for M'gann's sake, "is it Doctor Fate?"
"No, definitely not," she shook her head and tried to focus on the dark presence that screamed into her very soul. But suddenly it was gone. Was it all in her mind? Or was something alerted to her presence and now hid itself from her? Or was she just picking up on the old energy of the witch trials? "It's gone. It was probably nothing."
"So then how do we get in?" Wally asked, quickly dismissing what she had said earlier.
She shrugged, "Well, you have a key don't you?" she said like it was obvious.
"Yeah, but we're missing one thing." Wally said getting a little frustrated.
"What?"
"A door!" he answered.
She shook her head, he didn't believe and as long as he didn't, he could never find the door. Nothing she could ever say would change his mind. He had to come into faith on his own or not at all. Arie hesitated to respond, but then said, "'Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.' -Martin Luther King Jr." She quoted MLK, hoping he would consider his words more than her own.
"I would take a step, but there's no door!" Wally yelled. At this point he was waving his arms to show there was nothing around. They stood in an empty lot surrounded by abandoned businesses.
Kaldur, on the other hand, contemplated what she said. He turned the key around in his hand. "A test of faith," he said as he stepped forward. "Stand behind me." He held out the key and turned it in mid air. The sound of a lock opening was audible as a large medieval tower appeared out of nowhere.
The door opened and the team walked in. They were inside an empty stone room. "Umm where'd the door go?" asked Superboy when he turned around to see a solid stonewall where the door had once been.
"I have a better question," said Artemis. "Where did Arie go?" they looked around and Artemis was right; Arie was nowhere to be seen.
Arie, although hesitant, walked in behind the rest of the team. But when she entered, her charges were gone. She looked around. She stood in an empty stone room and the door had vanished. This is just perfect.
"I assumed you were aware of the deal the Lords of Order made with your mother," said a transparent version of Kent. "But because you're here, I guess not."
"Lord Nelson," Arie said formally and with a small bow of her head.
"Please, call me Kent," he said as he studied her.
"As you wish," she replied. "I am not here on a whim. My charges–"
"Those are your charges?" he cut her off with his rhetorical question. "I'm surprised the council trusted you with mortals after what happened with your mother."
"As am I," she admitted, but quickly returned to the problem at hand. "However I came not to speak about myself nor to defend myself to your master. We were sent here by Red Tornado to find you. The League is worried."
Kent laughed, "That's not what your charge said."
Wally lied, she knew instantly and she knew the consequences of lying to Fate. "Please forgive my charge," she paused, but knew she must speak the truth. "Unfortunately, even a man of logic can become a fool when met with the right pair of bashing eyelashes."
"He still lied. If he can't tell the truth, the tower won't trust them, and if the tower can't trust them… well, you know what will happen."
Arie grew more worried with every passing second. She couldn't sense her charges anymore. She couldn't tell if they were safe or hurt. Nabu's magic was blocking hers. He definitely had the advantage in his own tower. "I vouch for them," she said calmly, hiding her desperation to ensure their safety.
"Unfortunately, you aren't really in Fate's good graces. You shouldn't even be here."
"I explained myself. I was sent by–"
"It doesn't matter who sent you. The late Araiya and the Lords or Order all agreed to keep Tutellian affairs out of Order's territory and Order would remain out of yours. And you, my dear, are in Fate's Tower, which is squarely in Order's domain."
"Despite the deal Amina made with the Lords, I am here for my charges. You must let me help them."
"I understand that you are used to getting what you want, but Fate rules here, and he would never approve of me letting you continue as you are. So I will give you a choice: wait outside for your charges or continue with your charges without your powers."
"You want me to continue as a mortal? I will be of no use to them."
"Not as a mortal, just without your powers. The choice is yours, the options are not."
She paused for a moment, taking time to contemplate her options. How can she help them without her powers? She would only get in the way. But she couldn't leave them alone. Maybe her knowledge alone is enough to help them. "I concede," she said warily. "Allow me to remain with my charges."
"Very well, your powers will be returned as you leave the tower." Kent disappeared and the room went pitch black.
A golden ankh that was twice her size appeared before her. Arie held up her hand and touched it. As she did, she felt her power drain from her and it was absorbed by the ankh. She dropped to the floor when it was done. She was weakened without her normal reserve of energy, what she drew from whenever she used magic.
Suddenly, the floor beneath her disappeared. She closed her eyes as she plummeted through a black abyss, waiting for impact. She landed on snow. Surprisingly it wasn't painful, Kent made sure of it.
She pushed herself to her feet and was shocked when that little movement took the wind out of her. She breathed heavily and tried to maintain her balance. "Arie!" she heard her name, but it was faint.
She turned to see M'gann floating toward her and Kaldur and Superboy close behind her.
"Where did you go?" M'gann asked when she had caught up to Arie.
"I had a little chat with Kent," she looked around. "Where are Artemis and Wally?"
M'gann, Kaldur, and Superboy looked to one another, "We don't really know," answered M'gann.
"They were here, arguing when a cane appeared out of nowhere. They grabbed it at the same time and then they were gone," explained Superboy.
"Great, this just keeps getting better and better," Arie mumbled.
"Can you find them?" Kaldur asked.
"I could…" Arie said contemplating it. "If Nabu hadn't taken my powers."
"He took your powers away!?" asked M'gann concerned.
"Yea, but don't worry about it. I'll get them back once we leave the Tower," she reassured them.
"Then we must focus on locating Artemis and Wally. Then we can complete our mission," stated Kaldur.
They nodded and continued walking together through the snow. Arie felt the effects of losing her powers. Keeping up with the pace of her teammates was exhausting and the freezing temperatures didn't help. The cold air bit at her lungs and burned as it passed through her nose and throat. But she simply wrapped her arms around her for warmth and powered through.
After a while of walking in silence M'gann spoke up. "I don't understand Wally. It's like he needs to believe the impossible can't happen."
"Wally uses his understanding of science to control what he cannot comprehend. Acknowledging the existence of magic would be to relinquish the last vestige of that control," answered Kaldur.
Arie looked to Kaldur, "well said."
"But doesn't it bother you that he doesn't believe in what you're all about?" Superboy asked Arie.
Arie shrugged it off. "Would I like him to believe in magic? Yes. But his unbelief doesn't affect me or my powers and it won't affect our work as long as he knows what I can do. It doesn't matter how he thinks I do it as long as he understands that I can."
"You would think that after being in this place he would have to believe," said M'gann.
"'For those who believe no proof is necessary, for those who don't believe no proof is possible.' –Stuart Chase," Arie said and continued to plow through the snow.
They slowed to a stop and noticed a large doorway open at the top of a mountain. After what seemed like an eternity of painful climbing they all reached the mountain's summit. Superboy entered the doorway followed by Kaldur, then Arie, then M'gann. The gravity changed directions and they all fell into an unceremonious heap on the floor, with the exception of M'gann who floated in gracefully.
Kaldur helped Arie to her feet. They all stood and saw Artemis running toward them and Wally and Nelson at the top of a short staircase on their platform. "Friends of yours?" asked Nelson. Suddenly a bolt of electricity fired through the air straight at Nelson. Wally pushed him out of the way, "Friends of yours?" Wally yelled, motioning in the direction the lightning had come from.
Then another bolt of lightning hit where the team was standing. They scattered in every direction, jumping off their platform to others.
Arie landed hard, without her powers she was weak. Every little motion exerted what little energy she had left behind. Then she saw him. Klarion. She realized he had been who she sensed when they first arrived. She wanted to panic. There was nothing she could do against him, not without her powers.
The witch boy turned and looked right at her. "Oh my! This is getting interesting! The Araiya in the flesh," then he realized, she was powerless. He could sense it. "Uh oh, looks like mean old Fate took your powers away. Leaving you defenseless against me!" he said throwing a ball of dark energy straight for the platform where she had struggled to her feet.
Arie jumped, using the last bit of her energy and landed painfully on a platform near to hers. She tried to push herself up, but couldn't. On her hands and knees she breathed heavily, trying to focus herself, trying to find the energy to fight.
She looked back up to Klarion expecting another attack, and Klarion was prepared to oblige. But suddenly a loud bell rang throughout the room. It drew both of their attention. Kent and Wally were escaping though it. He turned back to Arianna and met her gaze, "I'll come back for you once I have a shiny new helmet. Then I can make your death a lot more exciting. Isn't that right Teekl?" He asked his cat, then flew after Kent.
One problem at a time, thought Arie as she watched Klarion vanish after Wally. She looked up just in time to see a bolt of lightning headed straight for her. She couldn't get out of the way in time. It struck her square in the chest and sent her convulsing to the floor.
She was pinned to the ground in a net of lightning. The pain was excruciating. She shook violently as the electricity coursed through her body. She fought to stay conscious. It seemed like an eternity, but finally, as quickly as it came, the pain was gone. She looked up to see Abra Kadabra, the one who put her in the lightning net.
They all struggled to their feet. Superboy was up first and with one quick punch knocked Abra right out. "Is everyone alright?" asked Kaldur. They all responded in the affirmative.
"Where's Wally?" asked M'gann.
A door appeared from nowhere. "Perhaps this will lead us to him," said Kaldur as he walked through the door. The rest followed.
They ended up on the roof of the Tower. Wally was knelt besides Kent. The team ran to them. "Is he…" asked Artemis.
Wally simply shook his head. Arie placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take care of him. He will have a proper burial. He deserves it."
Wally looked up at her and smiled, nodding his agreement.
A large golden ankh appeared before them and Fate's deep voice boomed from it, "Fate will take care of his own." The ankh absorbed Kent's body and disappeared. Another appeared before them, "and as was promised, your powers."
Arie walked up to it. She held out her hand cautiously. The moment she made contact a surge of power pulsed through her body. Her markings and eyes glowed blue. Then it dissipated. She was back to normal.
She smiled to herself as she felt that her strength was back. "Fate has not changed his mind, Araiya," said the Tower. "You would be wise to exit quickly."
The trip back to the cave was felt long and silent. This was the first time the team had lost someone. Everyone contemplated what they could have done differently. They analyzed their performances and tried to isolate their mistakes. But the truth was, the outcome was inevitable.
The team met in the kitchen. Arie was brewing tea whiled Kaldur, Artemis, and Superboy sat in the living room. M'gann walked in with Wally trailing behind her. Arie brought over the tea.
"Thanks babe, but I don't really like tea," said Wally as he popped open a can of soda.
"Tea is relaxing. The perfect drink after a mission," she said as she took the soda away and handed him a cup of tea.
"Fine…" Wally whined.
"Arie, I don't mean to pry, but what did Nabu mean when he said he hadn't changed his mind and why were you powerless to begin with?" asked M'gann as she stirred honey into her tea.
"I too have been wondering the same," added Kaldur.
"Lord Nelson took them away upon Nabu's request," Arie answered
"Why?" asked M'gann, concerned
"My mother, the former Araiya, and the Lords of Order had a falling out a while back."
"What happened?" M'gann continued to pry.
"Well, remember how I said I was half human?" She waited for a response.
The team nodded. "Don't tell me Nelson is your dad? The dude is like a thousand years old," Wally said jokingly. Artemis slapped him upside the head. "Oww!"
"No," was all Arie said to acknowledge Wally. Then she continued, "Doctor Fate and the Araiya have been close allies since the beginning of time. They worked in tandem often, but my mother was different than all the other Araiyas. She made some decisions that just weren't accepted by the majority of the magical community, including Fate and the other Lords of Order."
"What did she do?" said Superboy.
"Well, she divorced my stepfather, Varonne, which in a patriarchal society like Tutellis was unheard of. She took a lot of heat for that. The elders and nobles didn't approve and the people weren't supportive either, so she wanted to get some distance. She came to Earth and took on some charges."
"Let me guess, your dad was one of them?" asked Wally.
"Yup."
"So what's the problem? They were both consenting adults right?"
"Let her finish!" Artemis ordered Wally.
"Yeah, the problem was… is that it is forbidden for guardians to be in an intimate relationship with their charges or any mortals for that matter," she said choosing her words carefully. "And my mother had a child with hers."
There was a unison "ohhh," from the team as the realized what she was saying. Arie was an illegitimate, half-breed child. Doctor Fate's problem with her mother was Arie.
"Woah, so you're saying we could never get together?" asked Wally.
"Unfortunately," she said sarcastically, "that's exactly what I'm saying." Her eyes were drawn to Kaldur's. His eyes seemed sad. She tried to see past that and look deep into him, like she could with her other charges or any other mortal for that matter, but he was guarded. She couldn't see past his outside wall.
Suddenly, the realization of what she was saying hit her. She hadn't thought about it before, it was out of the question. He's my charge, nothing more. She lied to herself. She was in denial.
"Wow, don't you wish you were that lucky," Artemis whispered to M'gann who laughed in response.
"So what happens now?" asked Superboy. The team turned to look at him questioningly. "I mean about the helmet. Who's gonna take it?"
"Nabu needs another host, a mortal host," Arie replied. "Nabu has been on ice for too long and the world is falling into chaos."
"How do you pick who gets it next?" Superboy kept questioning. "I mean you're basically asking this person to give up their life."
"I don't choose, Nabu does. I have no control over this matter, nor does any Tutellian. This is between Nabu and his host."
"Then how does the next person ever get picked?"
"All I can say is Fate will find a way."