Darla tried not to fidget as glowing runes spun around her. She could feel the magic flowing off them, through her, and into other runes. Her eyes were locked on Bernard for support and not for the first time she wished Tim could be there too. For some reason, Zatanna insisted Bernard was the only one who could be in the room, or else the results of the ritual could be skewed. The magician herself was floating in front of Darla in the lotus position, hands held out in front of her with her palms out as she chanted.

After a few more minutes, she stopped. The runes began to dissipate as she unfolded her legs and dropped to the ground. "Alright, I got a good look."

"What did you find out?"

"Do you mind your friends being here?" she asked and Darla shook her head. She looked over her shoulder at the door. "You can come back in now."

Tim was through the door immediately. The teens sat down on a couch and Zatanna sat in an armchair across from them.

"So the demon wasn't lying about the two of you being tied. When your father made his deal with it through the warlock, he unknowingly tied his essence to the demon. It's a pretty common practice and it's why we warn people about making deals with demons and devils without knowing what you're doing.

"Now, technically the bond should have ended when your father died and his soul left this plane, but since the demon transferred your father's life to you, he was able to use a bit of trickery to transfer the bond as well. Thankfully these kinds of backhanded bonds are pretty easy to untie. I can do it within the hour if Alfred's garden is still as well-stocked as it was the last time I was here."

"Probably more so," Tim snorted.

She nodded. "The real problem is that you have a shard of demonic power in your heart. Metaphysically, I mean. Your physical heart is fine."

"That's what's trying to turn her evil," Bernard said.

"It's a bit more complicated than that. It's not turning her evil, so much as poisoning her heart. I'd make her more selfish, less empathic, more like the demon the power came from. With training, time, and great will she could fight off the poison, but there's no telling how much of herself she could lose in the process."

Tim grabbed Darla's hand and Bernard wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she shrunk in on herself.

"There are other options though. The first would be an exorcism, but I don't know if I could comfortably recommend that. You're at a liminal age, not the flexibility of youth or the strength of adulthood. Liminal spaces like that make it easier for demonic energy to latch on. You also have a compromised physical state, having been resurrected. Exorcism can be a strenuous process. I can't guarantee what state you'd be in when it's over, if it even works at all. I could have an associate of mine, John Constantine, take a look since he's more experienced with exorcisms than I am, but I doubt he'd have good news.

"Another option would be to shift the shard to another place within your metaphysical body. Not your mind or core for obvious reasons, but I could move it to your magical well. The downside is that you don't have the training or innate magical strength to balance out the power so your well will turn dark."

"So she'll just end up corrupted that way?" Bernard asked. "How is that any different than what's happening now?"

"Dark magic isn't corrupting," Tim reassured, getting that tone in his voice that said he was slightly offended but didn't want anyone to know.

It was weird, but Darla didn't have a chance to think about it before Zatanna nodded and said, "Despite what popular culture would tell you, there isn't anything inherently wrong with dark magic. Constantine and I even use dark magic sometimes and some heroes use primarily dark magic, like Raven and Kid Devil from the Titans. It isn't evil. No more than light magic is good. The only problem that comes from having an aligned magical well is that it's limiting. Those with dark magical wells can't use light magic and vice versa. There would be many kinds of spells you wouldn't be able to use until you'd undergone the years of exercises and meditation it would take to neutralize your well.

"The final option I could suggest would be confining the shard in a relic. It would still be connected to you, but it would be put into stasis so its poison wouldn't spread. Unfortunately, since the shard is buried in your metaphysical heart, that would mean it would have to be confined in the relic as well." She held up her hand as they opened their mouths. "It wouldn't hurt. In the short term, it wouldn't affect you at all. It just wouldn't work in the long term. Your heart won't develop in stasis, which means you'll be trapped at this level of emotional maturity. You also won't be able to create new emotional attachments or let go of old ones. You'll be emotionally stagnant, and considering you're a teenager… There's also the need to protect the relic. If the warlock realizes what we've done, he may come after it to get to you."

"Nothing stays hidden forever and there's only so much protection you can give something without devoting your entire life to standing watch over it," Tim said and Zatanna gave a wry smile.

"That sounds familiar."

"Since you're worried, I'm guessing this is a destroy the box, destroy the heart situation."

"Yes."

"You mean he'd kill me if he could find the relic and smash it?" Darla said, squeezing Tim's hand.

"It wouldn't kill you, but you'd be emotionally dead. Before you make any jokes, I mean that literally. You wouldn't be able to experience even the slightest of emotions. I'd say you'd be robotic, but I've met many robots that have at least a sense of self-preservation, and you wouldn't even have that. As I said, it would work in the short-term, but it could get very dangerous long-term."

Darla nodded, looking to Tim for help.

Zatanna stood. "I'll let you think this over while I gather what I need to untie you from the demon."

"Thank you."

"What are you thinking?" Bernard asked once she was gone, rubbing Darla's arm.

"There doesn't really seem to be a choice," she said, pressing into him and tugging Tim closer. "I can't stay like this. I know she said there's a chance I could fight it off, but I don't think so. I'm already trying. I'm trying so hard to hold onto my humanity, and being here with you both helps, but I don't think I can make it much longer. And I don't… The warnings she gave for exorcism and the relic scare me. I just came back to life. I don't want to risk anything like that."

"That's completely understandable," Tim said and Bernard nodded.

"What about having her move the demon stuff into your magic?"

"So long as it really won't corrupt me, then I don't care. I didn't ask for this magic and I'm not planning to be a hero or anything. I just want to get back as much of my life as I can." She liked her new magic, but she'd give it up in a second to keep the darkness away.

"It won't, I promise," Tim said.


"B's going to kill us when he finds out about this," Robin whispered as she and Robin slipped through the shadows of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.

"Probably," he admitted. "I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to head back. There's no reason for you to get in trouble too."

"No way. We're Robin, we fly together or we don't fly. I'm just saying, we're going to need an alibi. It's too late for Mardi Gras, so what other reason could we have for being in New Orleans?"

"Do you think B would believe any excuse we could come up with?"

"True. Guess we'll just have to say goodbye to the capes for the next month. Do you think -" she cut off as he held up his hand.

"That's the entrance," he trilled, pointing at a mausoleum just ahead of them.

"Why do you think he's coming to this one?"

"He flew in from Istanbul this morning and booked a room at a hotel in the French Quarter. This is the closest entrance to the bar."

"And you're sure about getting involved? The whole reason Z left her at the bar was so the team could watch her back. They'll be able to take JW," she trilled, setting her hand on his shoulder. Batman had already had a pretty good amount of information on the Shadowpact even before Zatanna had suggested Darla stay with the team while she prepared for the ritual that would shift the demonic energy. They sounded more than competent enough to protect her.

"I know, but she's my friend. If I can keep him from even getting that close, I will. Besides, I have an idea."

"Is it a good idea or a Tim Idea?"

"Tim Ideas are good ideas."

"Tim."

"Just trust me, Bette."

"You said the exact same thing last month and I ended up having to stay home from school for a week because my face was bright purple."

"How was I supposed to know the pollen stain wouldn't wash out?" he trilled, throwing his hands up. "The plan worked perfectly otherwise."

"Stephanie still has pictures and hasn't stopped making jokes about how I'm trying to steal her title."

He just snickered so she punched his arm.

Whistling echoed through the cemetery and the two slipped deeper into the shadows.

"There," she trilled, pointing towards an approaching figure.

"Heading across." He tucked himself deeper in his cloak, pulling his hood further over his face, then slipped from shadow to shadow until he was on the other side of the pathway the figure was walking down.

Robin watched as Johnny Warlock walked toward them with a swagger in his step. She thought he looked rather… normal for a supervillain. Especially one who came from Gotham. He had fair skin and long blonde hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. He wore black pants and shoes paired with a dark blue jacket. Underneath the jacket, he wore a black t-shirt and stump sock.

He was just a normal guy. There were no wacky physical traits or eccentric costume pieces. He looked like he just got done with his bar job. Where was the pizzazz?

As Johnny grew close, Robin trilled, "Engaging."

"What?" Robin trilled back at him, but he didn't respond.

He slid out of the shadows to stand in Johnny's way. He tilted his head back and to the side so his hood slithered off his head. "Johnny Warren."

The man froze, staring at Robin. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled, showing off bloody fangs. "Hunting."

Johnny took a step back, then his eyes darted down to his chest. He straightened up, though Robin could still see the nerves in his stance. He gestured to his neck. "Heard daddy got a little mad at you."

Snickering, Robin fell into a crouch in quick, jerky intervals. He tapped his claws against the paving stones. "Batman made me stronger, but you are just the same as last time. It will be even easier to beat you this time."

"Tim," Robin trilled with a hiss.

"Stay back, Batman," he called back, glancing behind him. "No need to bother yourself. I've beaten him before. He doesn't have near the powers I do."

"Is that what you think?" Johnny growled, his eyes lighting up with sickly yellow power. "IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK?"

Robin jerked forward when the warlock unleashed a powerful wave of energy on her other half, but forced herself to stay hidden.

To her surprise, Robin looked completely unharmed even as the power continued to flow over him. He just smiled wider, his head tilting in that unnatural way Nightwing had taught him. He giggled, "Is that all you got?"

All at once, the energy cut out. Johnny fell to his hands and knees, face almost on the ground. "I-I can't do it! I can't beat him! He's right! He's got better powers than me!" He shook his head. "No, that's why he was able to beat me before. His magic powers… That's the only way he ever could've beaten me before."

Robin crawled up to the warlock and threw a handful of glittering power in his face to hide the tranquilizing mist he used. "Go to sleep, Johnny."

Once he confirmed Johnny was out, Robin came out of hiding. "How did you know he'd fold like that?"

"Something Darla said. Come on. Let's wrap him up for the Pact to find."


Darla stuck close to Enchantress as she watched Nightmaster and Detective Chimp discuss what to do with Johnny. She turned away and her eyes caught on Ragman and Nightshade, who were muttering over a sheet of paper. "What's that?"

Ragman looked up at her and held it out. "We found it stuck to the warlock, but we can't make heads or tails of it. Does it make any sense to you?"

She took the paper to see it was a note.

Thank you for not trying to kill me. We don't like fighting innocents. Keep out of our way and we'll stay out of yours if you wish to come home.

In place of the signature, a robin had been stamped onto the paper with the blood-red ink having been left to drip and smear.

"Well?" Nightshade asked. "What do you think it could mean?"

"No idea," Darla said, handing the letter back with relief warming her chest.


Bernard glared at his ex-friends. Ex because true friends wouldn't laugh at him like Darla and Tim were. "I didn't say I thought he was hot! I said that he'd be hot if he was human."

"That really isn't better," she snickered.

He waved his phone - which was displaying a picture of Corvid - at them. "It is too! And besides, he doesn't even look demonic like the others! See! You could totally imagine him as a human under the wings, talons, and fangs. He's all lithe and that suit only enhances that. His hair looks super soft and his eyes are this really pretty blue color."

"You can't see his eyes."

He rolled his eyes. "The glow is his eye color, Tim. You know, a lot of people think he's an angel that the Colony enslaved. I could totally buy that it's his heavenly light peeking through."

Tim rolled his eyes, this time. "Sure."

"You know what, Tim -"

"Okay, calm down you two," Darla chuckled. "You know we're just teasing. I use demonic magic and Tim's got a crush on an alien clone from Metropolis."

"What? No I don't!"

"Do you think either of us actually judge you for having a crush on a member of the Colony? Especially one who doesn't even look demonic, huh?"

"You both are the worst," Bernard huffed, putting his phone away.

"Speaking of demonic magic, how's that going?" Tim asked. "Was your trip fun? Where'd Enchantress take you this time?"

"Gemworld. It was… colorful," Darla said, smiling. "More so than any of the other places we've gone. It was a nice change of pace, but I don't think I've ever seen Nightshade look so weirded out. My magic also wasn't too happy. Apparently, the world's natural magic is light instead of neutral like most places or dark like a lot of demonic realms. Enchantress wants me to spend some time there since being around so much light magic will help stretch my magical well, which will make it easier for me to neutralize it."

"Cool. So are you heading back there after the party?" Bernard asked, gesturing around at the picnic they'd set up on top of Wayne Tower.

"In the morning. But I'm going to try to make it back to Earth at least once a week, promise."

Tim frowned. "Wait, how long is some time?"

"A few months," she admitted, leaning back. "And if it goes well, she might send me to a few other light worlds."

"So we're both leaving then?" Bernard sighed, pouring a glass of the fairy wine Darla had brought (she said not to call it that, but she also didn't deny that it was made by fairies so he was sticking to his guns).

"His parents told him they'd pay for whatever his scholarship doesn't cover as long as he goes to any school outside of the Gotham area," Tim explained when she looked confused.

"What? Why would they want you to leave? Gotham and Summerset have some of the least expensive, high-quality schools in the country. And Wayne will pay for the schooling of anyone in the area who's brave enough to ask him on Twitter."

"She's not wrong. And Bruce knows you. He'd probably pay for your schooling even if you didn't ask. That's what he did for Barbara, to her consternation, and we're all betting on how Steph's going to react when her mom breaks the news."

Bernard groaned. "They think it will do my righteous Christian soul some good to be away from this hell-ridden city. Honestly, I think that if God actually had a problem with the Colony he would have gone Sodom and Gomorrah on us years ago."

"I'd love to see the look on their faces if you told them that," she said.

"Do you think it'd be better or worse than the looks on their faces when they found out that nice Catholic girl Laura practiced witchcraft?" Tim joked.

"Don't remind me. You know, they still blame you for introducing us," Bernard huffed. "Even though I keep telling them it was the other way around."

"Of course they do. I don't think your parents are ever going to like me."

"At least you're a step up from me now," Darla said, poking his cheek.

"I still don't know what they even have against me."

"Who knows?" Bernard shrugged. "It could be anything from that hickey you had when they first met you -"

"It wasn't a hickey!"

"- to Brucie's reputation."

"He hasn't even been that bad for years!

"You still haven't explained why you're leaving Gotham," Darla chuckled. "Just have Brucie cover the costs if your parents won't."

"I guess I could, but taking my parents' deal means I can get my parents to buy me a pretty good apartment so I won't have to share a dorm. Plus, National University has a really good acting program."

"Your parents are letting you go into acting?" she said, surprised.

"For some reason, my parents are under the impression I'm majoring in business instead of minoring in it. It's the strangest thing."

"Very strange."

"Downright bizarre."

"What about you, Tim?" Darla asked. "Are you abandoning our lovely city as well or are you going to attend GU?"

An explosion echoed over the rooftops and Tim brought a hand up to rub his face. "No. To both maybe. I'm not sure I want to go to college, no matter how much Jason's nagging me about it."

"Jason, not Bruce?"

"Bruce and Dick got into a really big fight when Dick decided not to go to college so now he's paranoid about pressuring the rest of us into anything."

"You're, like, a genius though," Bernard pointed out. "Why wouldn't you go to college?"

Tim shrugged. "I don't like school. It's all just boring busywork. I could learn things faster on my own. Lucius Fox - he helps Bruce run WE - said I could intern at the company over the summer to start learning how it works. If I do well, he said he might be able to get me in on a more full-time job and I can start working up the ranks."

"And you don't need a degree for that?" Darla asked.

"Nah. That was one of the inclusivity projects Bruce put forward. I only need to prove that I have the knowledge and capability to do the job. Bruce hated that capable people were being turned away just because they didn't have the time, money, or desire to go to school."

"Nice. How come Jason and Dick didn't take Fox up on the offer then?"

"I don't think he ever offered it to them. He likes me best. Probably because I do Bruce's work for him sometimes when Bruce gets caught up in other things."

"Seriously?"

"You're kidding."

"Nope. I think Lucius wants to groom me as the next CEO so he can kick Bruce out as soon as possible. Bruce would probably like that too… Actually, maybe that's why he hasn't argued over me not going to school."

"You'll be CEO before I graduate, I'm calling it now," Bernard proclaimed.

"He'll be CEO by this time next year," Darla countered.

"True."

Tim shook his head and stole Bernard's fairy wine.


In this chapter: Tim is 15/16, while Bernard and Darla are 17/18

Timeline:
- Zatanna checks over Darla: Jul 18, yr 18
- Robin takes down Johnny Warlock: Jul 27, yr 18
- Rooftop picnic: Jun 1, yr 19