Chapter 10
A/N: hello, everyone, welcome back. Good to see y'all again and hope y'all're enjoying the story so far. Anyways, I just own my OCs and that's it, nothing else is mine. Also, a new OC will be introduced in this chapter and he belongs to twilightnite13. Hope I managed to capture him like you imagined.
/comms/
Telepathy/flashbacks
New Orleans, July 27, 21:57CDT
An old man strode through the busy streets listening to jazz music play. Looking in the shop windows, he stopped at one where a sign for a psychic stood in the illuminated window. He reached into his pocket, pulling out an old gold pocket watch with the image of a woman inside it. Closing the device, he reached for the door and opened it.
The inside of the small shop was not like the outside, it was dark, only one regular light illuminating a table with a crystal ball in the center. Around the room, candles sat perched, flickering slightly as a woman strode in. "Bonsoir monsieur," she greeted. "How can Madam Xanadu be of service?" Before he could answer, she made a sound of understanding, "Ah, there is someone whom you wish to speak, your wife moi'no?"
The man nodded, squeezing the watch in his hand. "Yes. My Inza."
"The Madam will be of service," she said sliding into of of the chairs at the table, "to make contact, if fate be kind."
"With a tired sigh, the old man began to take his own seat, "He so rarely is." Looking to the psychic across from him, he watched as she cleared her throat, overturning her palm expectantly. "Oh, of course," he reached into his jacket and pulled out a wad of cash, handing it to her.
Smiling, she tucked the money away and closed her eyes. A chill came into the room and the candles flickered as the crystal ball began to glow, causing the woman's dark hair to move in a nonexistent breeze as the table rose and the chandelier swayed. "Oh, my darling," she began speaking her eyes opening to be solid white, "how I've missed you. I'm so lonely here and cold…"
Instead of freaking out, the old man gave a hearty laugh. "That's the best you could do?"
The light came back and the table dropped as the psychic's eyes cleared as she glared at him. "Imbecile! You have broken the spell! Your wife is forever lost!"
"That was supposed to be my wife?" he scoffed. "Heck, my little spitfire would've kicked my can for throwing away good money on you."
Madam scowled, standing up and crossing her arms. "No refunds for nonbelievers."
The man raised a brow, "I think we both know who's the nonbeliever here Madam. A wind machine? Tire jacks under the table? Shame too, you have the perfect aura, and nothing would've pleased me more than to be reunited with my bride."
A man with dark skin stomped through the door and yanked the old man off his seat and held him in the air. "You'll be with her soon enough," he said before they vanished in a flash.
Startled Madam Xanadu screamed, running out onto the street where she bumped into a man in a dark coat. Still trying to process what happened, she began sputtering, "The man—the old man, he—that guy—he just disappeared…" she trailed off, holding her head still in shock.
She didn't notice the stranger walk into her shop. Looking around, he spotted the glowing cane that vanished in a flash. Pulling out his cell, he made a call. "Contact Kaiser, we have a problem."
-.-
Mt. Justice, August 19, 19:39EDT
"Initiate: Combat Training," the Computer spoke as Kaldur and Superboy circled each other in the sparring ring as several of the others stood off to the side watching. Once the countdown ended, the two boys lunged at each other, quickly trading blows.
"So, uh, Kaldur's nice, don't ya think?" Artemis spoke up from where she stood with Amber and M'gann. "Handsome, commanding, you should totally ask him out M'gann."
The girl smiled, shaking her head, "He's like a big brother to me. But do you know who'd make the cutest couple, you and Wally," she motioned to the speedster standing by Nightmare and Remix munching on a burrito. "You're so full of passion and he's so full of…uh…"
"It?" Artemis supplied causing the girls to chuckle.
"Fail: Aqualad."
Their attention turned back to the fight and they could see Superboy smirking as he helped Kaldur to his feet. "Black Canary taught me that."
A hiss came from the ceiling causing them all to look up as Red Tornado descended from his quarters hidden up there. Wally was the first to react as he inhaled the rest of his burrito as sped to the android. "Do you have a mission for us?!" he asked through his food.
"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility."
"Yeah well the Batman is with the Robin doing the dynamic duo thing in Gotham," the speedster retorted. "But you're clearly heading somewhere; a hot date? A mission?"
"If we could be of help," Kaldur offered putting a hand on Wally's shoulder to keep him from harassing the hero.
Without so much as a nod, Tornado turned and pulled up the monitor an image flashing across the screen, an old man. "This is Kent Nelson, a friend," Tornado stated. "He is one-hundred-six years old."
Skylar whistled, "Damn, what trick is he using? I wanna know."
"I know, guy doesn't look a day over ninety," Wally agreed.
"And he has been missing for twenty-three days. Kent was a member of the Justice Society," a black and white image popped up, "the precursor to the Justice League."
"Of course," Kaldur realized, "Nelson was Earth's sorcerer supreme, he was Dr. Fate."
Kid Flash scoffed under his breath, "More like Dr. Fake. Guy Dumbledores it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes."
"Kent may be on one of his walkabouts," Tornado continued. "But, he is the caretaker of the Helmet of Fate, the source of the Doctor's mystic might. Such power should not be left unguarded."
"He's like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars!" M'gann's face lit up. "I would be honored to help find him."
"Me too!" Wally exclaimed, his hand shooting into the air instantaneously causing Onyx to wrinkle his nose. "So honored! I can barely stand it! Magic rocks!"
Red Tornado held out a key, "Take this, it's the key to the Tower of Fate."
"M'gann, what are the odds we both admire magic so much?" the speedster smirked snatching the key.
"Oh, yeah, I'd like to know the odds of that too," Skylar snickered.
-.-
Salem 20:22EDT
"So Wally," Artemis drawled leaning back in her seat, "When did you realize you're honest affinity for magic?"
"Well," he put his arms back behind his head, "I don't wanna brag or nothing, but, back before I was Kid Flash, I seriously considered becoming a wizard myself."
"Sure you did," Onyx muttered disbelievingly.
Skylar gave a snicker, "Yeah, care to show us any magic tricks? Surely you have to have some?"
"Wally?! You can do magic?!" Amber asked.
"Uhh…well, I don't have anything on me right now, sorry."
"That's too bad Wally," M'gann reassured, "but on the bright side, we're arriving at the coordinates."
They all pressed against the windows wanting to see the hold of Dr. Fate. Instead, they saw an empty field. "It's an empty field," Superboy deadpanned.
"Wait, look there!" Amber pointed. Everyone followed her gesture and saw a long-coated figure walking across the field. Stopping at the center they jumped as a large tower appeared in the once empty-field. "Maybe that's Mr. Nelson."
"Hopefully," M'gann agreed as the Bioship descended.
"Wonder what was keeping it hidden?" Artemis murmured raising a brow at Wally. "Micro-optics combined with phase-shifting?"
"Absolutely…not!" the speedster exclaimed as M'gann stepped out. "Clear this is the work of mystic powers!"
Artemis rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips. "Idiot."
"No kidding," Nightmare agreed his tail twitching. Sniffing the air, his brows furrowed and he looked towards some buildings at the edge of the field. On one of the dumpsters, he could make out a cat sitting on it watching them watching them. Something about it made the hair on the back of his neck rise up, and he gave a low growl, watching it scamper off.
"What is it?" Artemis asked.
"Nothing," he replied.
"It's not nothing Night, you're bristling," Skylar pointed out.
"Just a feral cat."
This made the girls chuckle, "Guess you aren't a cat person."
"If you could smell what I can then you wouldn't be either."
"I'll take your word for it," the blonde grimaced as they walked towards the strange building.
Using the key, Kaldur opened the door and led the way inside to the surprisingly large entrance. And, despite being a tower, no one could see any stairs. "Uh…where'd the door go?" Superboy spoke up.
They all turned to find the door was gone.
"Greetings," a voice said, causing them to jump as the transparent form of an old man appeared, "you have entered with a key, but the tower does not recognize you. State your purpose and intent."
"Well—" Amber started only to be cut off as Wally stuck his arm out.
"It's alright gem, let me handle this," he smirked. "We are true believers! Here to find Dr. Fate!"
"I'm gonna kill him," Skylar muttered as the shade vanished is a disappointed look.
A cracking sound echoed in the room and the floor gave out from under them dropping them into a chasm. As they fell, Artemis pulled out a crossbow, firing the bolt, a cable flew out and she swung over, grabbing Kaldur from the air and landing on the chasm wall. Her head whipped around watching in horror as the others fell past them. M'gann caught Wally as Amber fluttered above them. Below, them she saw Onyx and Superboy falling towards the lava as Skylar dove after them. Grabbing Onyx's arm, she gave him a boost, allowing him to dig his claws into the wall as she kicked Superboy. The clone slammed into the wall, his fingers struggling to get a grip as he slid further down the wall. His feet slipped into the magma, causing him to cry out and scramble up.
"Those were my favorite boots," he grumbled.
"Hey, at least it's not your skin," Skylar pointed out as she, to Artemis's horror, slipped right into the lava with a sigh. "God, can't remember the last time I had a good lava bath."
"Just when I can't get any scarier you somehow do," Wally muttered as M'gann panted slowly sinking lower.
"Having trouble…maintaining altitude," she huffed. "I'm so hot."
"You sure are," the speedster was quick to reply.
"WALLY!" several of his comrades screamed.
"Hey! Inches above sizzling death, I'm allowed to speak my mind!"
"IN THAT CASE I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR GETTING US IN THIS FUCKING SITUATION!" Skylar screamed.
"Sky!" Amber exclaimed flying down and grabbing M'gann's arm to help her.
"She's not wrong!" Onyx snarled. "If that imbecile didn't lie to whatever the hell that was, we wouldn't be in this situation!"
"Wally…you don't…believe in magic?" the Martian whispered.
"Magic isn't real!" he snapped.
"Save your argument for later dumbass!" Amber snapped instantly shutting the speedster up. "We're still in a life or death situation. And because you were too busy trying to lie your way to impressing Megan, you failed to answer the question. The answer of which is the reason we're here is because Red Tornado sent us to check on Mr. Nelson to make sure he and the helmet are ok and safe!"
Skylar yelped as the lava began to recede and a metal floor rose up replacing the lava. "Well, it was nice it was it lasted," she sighed, flexing her wings allowing the cooling lava to shake off her feathers causing Superboy to step back to avoid being burned again. "Thank God for fireproof clothes."
"Easy Sky, not all of us are immune to fire," Onyx said elbowing her.
"He is right," Kaldur said as he and Artemis repelled down, "M'gann's and I's physiologies are susceptible to extreme heat."
"Good to know," the pyromancer said.
Kaldur gave a nod, knelling down and spreading his palm on the metal. "This should be red hot, but it is cool to the touch."
"I know, disappointing," Skylar muttered.
"Here Megalicious, I got you," Wally said landing on the ground as Amber helped the Martian steady herself.
"ENOUGH!" Artemis screeched shoving the speedster back. "YOU'RE LITTE IMPRESS M'GANN AT ALL COSTS GAME NEARLY GOT US ALL BARBEQUED!"
"I'd be happy to barbeque him myself," Skylar volunteered holding an open flame in her palm and baring her fangs.
"Wally?" M'gann spoke up looking at the speedster. "You don't believe?"
The redhead rolled his eyes, "Yes! I lied! Ok?! I lied about believing in magic! But magic is the real lie!"
"Wally," Kaldur said turning to the speedster, "I studied at the Conservatory of Sorcery in Atlantis. The mystic arts created the icons on my skin that power my water bearers."
He rolled his eyes, "Ever hear of bioelectricity? In ancient cultures fire was considered magic; today magic is just a bunch of bogus tricks."
"Good to know," Sky smirked grabbing his shirt and pressing him against the wall, "let me know if the bogus trick hurts."
"Skylar," Amber spoke up putting her hand on the other girl's shoulder.
"Fine, I won't turn him into fried chicken," she grumbled dropping him. "But for someone who can break the sound barrier in their sneakers, you're really closed minded."
"That's science!" he argued getting back to his feet. "I recreated Flash's laboratory experiment and here I am! Everything can be explained by science."
"Doubt that," Onyx said. "Explain Themiscyra and how it's been hidden for so long then? And how the Amazons have lived so long?"
The speedster sputtered at that question. His attention turned to Kaldur who knelt down and reached towards a handle, "Wait! The backdraft from the lava will roast us alive!"
The door opened and a cold wind burst through, chilling them all to their cores and white flakes flew out. "It's snow," M'gann realized.
"Wow, I've never seen snow before," Amber said reaching out and catching a flake watching as it melted in her palm. "It's so cold."
Artemis smirked putting her hands on her hips smugly as she looked to the speedster, "Are you ever tired of being wrong?" With that she leapt into the door.
"Couldn't have been somewhere warm," Skylar muttered.
Onyx put a hand on her shoulder, "It'll be ok Sky, we're all here."
She gave her fellow clone a soft smile and she jumped through, and landed in the frozen wasteland the snow erupting in steam around her. Onyx landed to her right, nose wrinkling in disdain. "I hate cold."
A grunt came from behind them and they all turned to look at Wally. "Well?" Onyx questioned raising a brow.
"String theory, we're in a pocket dimension, just like Themiscyra is."
"You really are a dick," Skylar deadpanned crossing her arms.
"We all know that Sky," Onyx stated as his tail lashed back and forth. "And we can kick his ass later, right now, we need to find a way outta here."
The pyromaniac looked at him and nodded, "You're right," she scowled looking at the white flakes floating down, "I hate snow."
"You hate snow?" M'gann asked stunned. "Why?"
The redhead raised a brow and opened her palm, fire flickering across her fingers. "Hot, cold."
"What's this?" Amber asked flapping her wings and landing beside a gold-handled cane floating in the icy landscape.
"Maybe it's Nelson's magic wand?" Wally scoffed stomping over with the others.
He, Artemis and Amber reached out simultaneously, grabbing the staff. "I got it," the blonde and redhead exclaimed glaring at each other as the black-haired girl looked between them confused.
She tried to let go and began pulling, finding her hand not budging from the staff. "I can't let go!"
Her hand jerked as the staff began to lift into the air and she glanced to her comrades, watching as they looked alarmed as well. Light came around them, and they vanished from the icy landscape.
"Why do they get to leave?!" Onyx grumbled.
"How do you know they were going somewhere warmer?" Superboy inquired.
"And how do you know they were going somewhere colder?" he retorted.
-.-
The light surrounding them faded and the trio blinked as they found themselves on a large platform in a maze of stairs folding in many different directions. "Where are we?" Amber murmured.
"No idea," Artemis said.
Hearing a gasp, all heads turned to another platform where three people stood, a pointy-haired kid in a tux, some dude in a shirt cut way too much down his chest, and an older man. "There's Nelson," Amber realized, recognizing the man from the image Tornado showed them earlier.
Wally was more focused on another person, "Abracadabra!"
"Kent!" another voice called. Turning, they saw the guy who they watched enter the Tower when they arrived. Now that they got a closer look, they could tell he was pale with messy dirty-blonde hair, and in a dark green trench coat.
The old man smiled, "Well, would you look at that." The new guy leapt across platforms, throwing a blast from his hand, causing Abracadabra to leap back. Taking the opportunity, Kent stretched out his arms and the cane ripped itself from their grips, flying across into his hand. As the strange man landed beside them, Nelson teleported over. tapping his cane on the ground, an elevator door opened. "In here!"
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" they heard a screechy voice exclaim as red lightning came shooting to the elevator. "I WANT IT! I WANT IT! I WANT IT! I WANT IT!"
The doors shook as they closed, blocking the attack and sealing the group of five in the elevator. "Kaiser," Kent spoke up looking to the coated man, "I wasn't expecting to see you here."
The blonde teen shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. "Heard you were missing, been looking all over the place for you. Just figured whoever took you would have to come here eventually."
"Either way, it is good to see you again old friend," the old man chuckled. Turning, he gave a smile towards the other teens, "Kent Nelson by the way. This is Haruo, an old friend of mine. We met back in the old glory days of the Cold War."
The speedster raised a brow looking at the other boy skeptically, "No way you could've been in the Cold War."
Artemis elbowed him, "Ignore him. I'm Artemis, Ms. Manners here Wally, and this is Amber."
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet all of you," Nelson nodded.
"We can exchange pleasantries later," Haruo stated, "Right now, we must focus, we're going up against an opponent with tremendous mystic power."
"You mean Abra?" Wally scoffed. "Flash proved he uses futuristic tech to simulate magic. He's all show, no biz."
"Correct," Haruo spoke, "but he isn't the problem. Klarion Witch Boy on the other hand—the soulless brat with the cat—he's the issue."
"He's a Lord of Chaos," Nelson supplied, "the ultimate enemy for a Lord of Order like Dr. Fate."
"Right," Wally drawled, "you're a Lord of Order."
Nelson gave a short laugh, "Oh no, not me. I'm just an old coat Fate would toss on from time to time, until my wife Inza convinced me there was more to life," he sighed looking down at his pocket watch sadly. "She was a real pistol, my Inza."
"Anyways," Haruo interrupted the old man's musing, "Klarion's after the Helmet of Fate, the source of Dr. Fate's power. If he gets his sticky little mitts on it, he'll turn this world into his own playground of pandemonium. We can't let that happen."
"Sounds fun," Artemis grumbled.
"Not really," Amber disagreed.
"Right you are young lady, it will be difficult," Nelson agreed. "Though even Klarion will be wary at going up against the daughter of a Deva." Before any of them asked what he meant, the elevator dinged as it came to a stop, the doors sliding open revealing more crazy stairs as well as a platform with a giant bell.
"As if anything will stop that imbecile," Haruo deadpanned striding out from the elevator. The others came out after him, only to stop in their tracks as his arm stretched out and blocked them. A creak came from above and they all looked up as a door swung open.
Skylar dove through, barely flapping her wings in time to roll out of the way as the others came through. Superboy was the next to appear, however, he ungracefully crashed to the ground with Kaldur landing on him.
Hauro strode forwards, yanking the Atlantean to his feet by his collar, "Who are you?!"
"Relax, Kaiser," Kent spoke up. "I believe these are friends." He turned looking to the young teens beside him, "Yes?"
"Yep," Amber confirmed gently placing her hand on Haruo's arm.
The man scowled, before reluctantly letting go, and shoving his hands in his pockets. Looking up, his brows rose as he watched another figure leap through, landing in a crouch and standing up shaking snow off. Gold eyes looked at him and he closed his eyes tightly as a sharp pain came through his head briefly as he could see the burning image of amber eyes flashing blue and an angered growl. Stepping forwards, he stood face-to-face with the dark-haired young man with scales. "Do I know you?"
"I don't think so," a surprisingly light voice replied. For some reason he'd imaged a deep rumble filled with annoyance, not a friendly and slightly confused tone. "I'm Onyx, or Nightmare, whichever works better for you."
"Haruo," he introduced.
"DUCK!"
Instinctively following the order, everyone ducked down as a blast flew over their heads, scorching one of the pillars by the bell. Looking in the direction it came from, they all saw Abracadabra and Klarion perched on one of the other platforms.
A loud growl echoed around them and all eyes turned to Skylar. Her fangs were bared as glowing red eyes glared across at the platform, rage clearly written across her face as her wings began to glow bright like hot magma, the glow spreading across her skin and down her hair like fire. "YOU!" she screeched.
With a powerful flap of her wings, she took to the air, sending a shockwave knocking them all off their feet. She shot across the to the other platform, slamming into it and sending dust erupting into the air as the cat boy reappeared on another platform looking rather concerned.
"This is our chance," Haruo hissed, grabbing Nelson and leading him to the bell as Onyx gave a resounding roar, leaping after her. The older man furrowed his brows before nodding and tapping the bell with his cane. As it rung, the metal began to glow and he walked forwards as a portal appeared.
"Come on, we need to keep Nelson safe," Amber said grabbing Wally and chasing after.
"NO!" Klarion screamed flying after them as he tried to avoid the pyromaniac out for his blood.
-.-
he glow around them faded, and the group found themselves of the Tower's roof, a glowing golden helmet floating a just a meter away in the center. Kent stepped forwards to grab it when a red bolt slammed into his chest, sending the old man flying back and sliding across the ground.
"KENT!" Haruo called racing after as Amber grabbed the helmet and ran over with Wally as the other man helped the old man up.
Still kneeling, Nelson grimaced slamming the end of his cane against the ground and a glowing dome came up around them as another red blast arched over it, leaving those inside unharmed. He gave a weak chuckle, "Not bad for a former Dr. Fate, eh?"
"You idiot," Haruo chided gently, steadying the old man and lowering him to the ground.
Kent chuckled, "What can I say old friend, I can't always let you have the glory," he gave several coughs, "The bubble…it will give you all enough time to do what needs to be done."
"What do we do?!" Amber exclaimed looking at Wally.
"Don't look at me!"
The old man gave another weak laugh, "Have faith, in what you can't explain," he wheezed. "Believe…what you can no longer deny." He gave a cough, small amounts of blood starting to dot his lips. "Kaiser, there…is something…something I must tell you."
"Save your breath old man," the blonde said. "We can fix this, we always have."
Kent started to laugh before it turned into another bloody cough. "E-everyone has…has their time Har," he wheezed. "Mine has long since passed…you…you were chosen…for something…greater…"
With those words, his eyes slipped shut and his head lolled to the side, chest going still. "Kent? Kent!" Haruo exclaimed setting the man down and resting his head on his chest. "No, no, no!" he put his hands on his chest and started compressions, "You can't die on me now old man!"
Amber closed her eyes, tears running down her face and her wings drooping. Taking a step forwards, she put her hand on the other teen's shoulder. "I am sorry," she spoke softly, "but he is gone. He was at peace with his time; I could feel it."
Outside the dome, they could still hear brattish screaming as more blasts bounced off the barrier protecting them, "I WANT THE HELMET AND I WANT IT NOW! GIVE IT TO ME!"
"What do we do?" Amber said.
Wally grabbed the helmet from her hands, looking at it. "Have faith," he said lifting it to his head and putting it on.
-.-
"Anyone know how to open this?" Superboy asked looking at the bell their friends disappeared in.
Sky growled grabbing the tied up Abra by the throat and holding him to the bell, "Open."
"I…I don't know how?" he whimpered looking at the blazing eyes.
"Then figure it out," she snarled. A malicious smirk spread across her face as she held up a flame in her plan, "Or this is going to hurt a lot."
-.-
A bright light flashed over the area as a golden ankh appeared before them, blocking the red blast as the shield dropped. The light faded away, revealing Dr. Fate floating a few feet above the ground. Thrusting his hand forwards, a gold blast flew out causing Klarion to teleport to avoid the blast.
Reappearing in a new spot, red orbs appeared in the Lord of Chaos's hands. He threw them forwards, watching as the red fire arched towards the Lord of Order. "Give up Nabu! Order went out of style in the twentieth century!"
"This battle is pointless," Fate replied weaving through the blasts, effortlessly dodging the flames. "You sought to take the helmet before it gained a human host, but you are too late."
"Shut it ya old fart!" Two columns of stone rose from the roof, arching up and slamming together on the Lord of Order.
Grinning in victory, Klarion was caught off guard as a blast hit him from the side. Rolling, back to his knees he scowled as his gaze landed on Amber. Growling, he hurled a red blast in her direction, causing the girl to leap to the side and throw another blast of her own.
Klarion disappeared just before the blast hit him and he teleported behind her, throwing lightning and hitting the girl in the back. Amber cried out, slamming to the ground. The Lord of Chaos was then slammed aside by a golden beam as Fate attacked. Rolling back to his feet, he formed a bird-shaped wall of flame and sent it flying forwards. Fate dove out of the way as it flew at him, but he failed to notice the bird turn around. As the bird turned around, it was intercepted by a blue ball of flame.
Dark eyes widened and the pointy-haired boy's head snapped over to Kaiser standing nearby with glowing blue hair and blue flames in his hands. Another glance to his right showed Aurora back on her feet with glowing eyes and glowing light forming in her own palms "Shit," he muttered as red orbs appeared around him. They began to fire out randomly in different directions, trying to fight against the three enemies he was now facing. Movement came from the corner of his eye, spotting Fate, he took a deep breath, and exhaled with a column of red flame.
He twirled around, allowing the flame to circle around in all directions before he slammed his palm against the ground, causing pillars of flame to erupt from the ground. One hit Fate, knocking him from the air. "You're out of Practice Nabu!" he cackled. "And by the way, your pathetic host body, zero affinity for the mystic arts." He raised his hands above his head, an electric cloud starting to form.
His concentration was broken when a powerful blow connected with his jaw. He could feel the bone crack and his skin burn as he was sent flying across the battlefield. Wiping blood off his lip, he narrowed his eyes as he saw Amber holding up a glowing fist, her large wings flared out and glowing with power.
"Surrender Klarion!" Kaiser snarled, "You are out numbered and out matched!"
Getting up, he gave a laugh, "And yet I seem to be the one winning this fight!"
"Is that so Witch Boy?" Fate spoke menacingly. "It is difficult for a Lord of Order or Chaos to maintain a presence on the physical plane. I am bound to the helmet and use a human host. But that is not your way."
Klarion snarled, his features slowly starting to slip into a demonic form as fire began to burn in a whirlwind around them all. "Babbling to save yourself? Pathetic, even for you, old man."
"Am I?" the Lord of Order asked. Throwing out a hand, a golden bolt flew out and slammed into the cat.
"Teekil!" Klarion exclaimed watching in horror as the cat slid to Kaiser's feet. The men bent down, yanking the wounded familiar up by its scruff and holding up his other hand with a small concentrated orb floating above his palm. "I can't believe you would assault a defenseless pussycat."
"We all know this thing is no cat you soulless demon," Haruo spat. "And without your familiar, you don't have anything to anchor you to this reality."
Klarion bared his teeth, teleporting. He reappeared behind Haruo and blasted him aside, quickly grabbing his cat. "We're outta here!" he said bursting into streams of smoke and vanishing.
"We did it!" Amber sighed in relief. A smile crossed her face and she jogged over to Wally. "Great job! and you didn't even believe in magic!" Not getting an answer, her smile faltered slightly. "Wally?"
"Fate," Haruo spoke wiping a small amount of blood off his lip as he got to his feet. "Let him go."
The golden helmet turned to face him. "No. I will not allow chaos to reign."
"And it won't. Now let him go."
A few moments passed, but, much to their relief, Fate raised his arms, grabbing the helmet and removing it and freeing Wally.
-.-
August 21, 17:55EDT
Thunder rumbled over the sky as a lone figure stood in a graveyard in front of a fresh grave. Pulling their hood back, Haruo knelt down, looking sadly at many flowers and other things decorating the grave of his old friend.
"The funeral was over three hours ago."
"I know, Red gave a good eulogy," he said setting down a set of dog tags. "I should've known you'd be here. And I already know what you're going to ask."
The Dark Knight stepped up, standing by him as they looked down to the grave. "And I assume you already have an answer then Kaiser?"
"I've been around a long time, and even though I don't remember all of it, I do know this: there are worse monsters out there than humans," he said.
"Janjira," Batman nodded. "Any word of what caused it?"
"Not yet, but something tells me we'll find out soon."