Alchemic Justice

by WafflesTheApprentice

Sequel to "Sandman Unlimited". Keemia Marko is now Djinn, a sorceress who is eager to become a member of the Justice League alongside her friends and fellow sidekicks. However, they are instead made into their own superhero team, one designed for stealth and espionage. There is always trouble however, for on the horizon looms Endless Destruction!

7. Denial

Alright, welcome back everybody to another chapter of Alchemic Justice.

Seems like these things just keep getting longer and longer, eh?

This chapter was easily my favourite to write thus far, and I don't think any other chapter will surpass it for that honour any time soon (at least, not until a certain Kobayashi Maru), and there is a reason for it. So much great development, so many great moments. The hype for me on this one has been intense, so I hope you all enjoy it as well.

But, as always, before we proceed any further, it's time to take a look at some reviews!:

mitchn: The only inspiration that came from Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay as far as Knockout and Scandal are concerned, would just be Knockout's appearance. Other than that, these two are based off of their incarnations from Secret Six, by Gail Simone. Now in terms of power, neither Ace or Djinn have really reached their peak yet. Once that happens, I'm not sure who will be the strongest. As far as we're concerned now, Ace is more powerful. at least as far as feats go. But who knows, that might be changing ;)

rmarcano321: The Marvel universe does indeed rock. Uh, plans for Cheshire and Artemis? They're pretty much just gonna follow the canon for YJ. There isn't really a theme for this fanfic either.

MajorBrony95: Killer Frost and King Shark definitely grows on you, for sure. It's one of my favourite ships now for a reason.

7-Eleventh: Trust me man, there's more to Niuhi's backstory than this. And not one second of it will be comfortable. While the version of Firestorm in my universe is Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch, they're currently doing their own thing right now. They'll show up later, but they won't be joining the team. Jaime won't be joining the team until he joins them in canon, so don't expect him until Season 2. As I've mentioned before, I won't be bringing in any Marvel characters to join the team at all, so Toxin is a no. Thing is, I don't know anything about Patrick Mulligan, or Toxin, and even then I hate the symbiotes. As far as I'm concerned, if they're not Flash or Eddie, I couldn't care less. There will be a sequel (for Season 2), but don't expect Baron Mordo to show up at all. Besides, how would he even know about Klarion and the DC Universe? The only reason Strange knew was due to Sorcerer Supreme responsibilities allowing him to see and contact it. And I still don't understand how it wouldn't make sense to kill Kent Nelson...

Celgress: It sort of is, but trust me, there's more to it.

Dion ComicWiz: Always good to hear from you my friend, and I appreciate the extra long review covering both chapters. Bruce only thought it necessary for himself to intervene, but with the failure of that attempt, it's time to pull out all the stops. Trust me, Lois will have fury. And Clark does have a reason for it, so it'll be fun to explore. Conner and Keemia will continue to build their brother-sister relationship as well, and I'm definitely looking forward to exploring it more. Funny enough, that easter egg could have either applied to Jorge or Phil Jimenez, so it killed two birds with one stone almost. River and Cupcake are so precious I just had to have them. And yeah, Destruction is an art teacher now. Should be a fun time. Black Spider desperately needed that fix, and I love Scandal and Knockout so it was a bonus. And trust me, Niuhi will definitely have a sad backstory. The Seven Soldiers of Victory won't be appearing as a splinter team for the Dark Division, despite the fact that I loved that series (It was fantastic!). This is mostly due to how the original Seven Soldiers already sort of exist in this canon (see the next chapter of Tales From Earth-45 to see that). As for Klarion... he's the YJ version. So expect an unrepentant asshole. An incredibly unrepentant asshole. Nina won't be coming for a few episodes yet, but it'll be good. I promise.

Thanks again for all of the reviews, I appreciate every single one!

And now, for the disclaimer:

I own nothing but the idea. Keemia Marko and all related characters are owned by Marvel and Disney. Young Justice and all related characters are owned by DC Comics and Warner Bros. Please support the official releases.

And now, for the most heart-breaking thing I've ever written.

---

New Orleans – August 18th, 21:57 CDT

All throughout the city of New Orleans, there was a deep-rooted and palpable joy among the citizens. Music played throughout the streets, as numerous people ventured out to enjoy the evening's festivities. However, not everyone in the picturesque bayou city known as "The Big Easy" was celebrating. Tonight, in particular, one older man walked through the streets alone. His perfectly trim and tailored suit was radically different from the colourful and festive clothes that the other people in the streets that night wore. His once chestnut brown hair was rapidly greying, and wrinkles adorned his face. He clutched a cane tightly as he walked around with a slight limp. Kent Nelson truly was a far cry from what he once was in his youth, but such things happen when you abandon magic; it in return, abandons you.

The man took out a golden pocket watch before opening it. Inside there was a picture of a beautiful young woman. Her long raven hair and soft blue eyes were perfectly offset by her slightly pointed ears and smile that held both kindness and mischief. Kent smiled as he looked at the photo before noting where he now stood. Directly in front of him, was what appeared to be a magic shop. "Madame Xanadu's House of Wonders" hung proudly on the sign outside, swinging slowly in the glow of the surrounding lanterns.

Kent took a breath before entering the shop. While it might be a long shot, he could afford to break his ward now. He was desperate enough now to finally be found. The bell on the door rang gently as he walked inside, noticing the multitude of tapestries and beads that hung from the walls. There were numerous candles lit and a table in the centre of the room awaited with two chairs and a deck of tarot cards.

"Welcome to Madame Xanadu's," a voice began from the back, as Kent finally dispelled the spell he used to disguise his appearance and aura. "How may I…. Kent? Kent Nelson?!" the woman breathed in shock, although there was an underlying sense of urgency and hope in her voice as well.

"Evening Nimue, how have you been?" he asked with a soft chuckle as the woman's face took on a worried and frustrated visage.

"Where have you been?! It's been almost a year!" she yelled with a grimace. "Do you know how long we've been searching for you? Even with Amazo's help, we couldn't dig up any traces!"

"I didn't want to be found… I didn't want anything to do with magic…" he trailed off before looked away. "Not after what happened to Inza."

Xanadu's face immediately softened at that. "I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to upset you. We all know how much she meant to you Kent. But your disappearance so soon after her death threw the entire League into disarray, not just the Dark Division."

"I know, and for that, I am dreadfully sorry. I just needed the time to come to terms with everything." The aged sorcerer nodded.

"Then why come here now after so long?" she asked, sitting down at the table as she drew three cards and laid them out. Her magic allowed her to see premonitions of the future, translated to her through the cards.

"You know why I've come here." He chuckled. "I have to see her again."

"You know I can't do that Kent," Xanadu said sharply. "It's against my bounden duty to do so."

"Please Nimue, have compassion for an old man…" he urged before Xanadu suddenly stood up with a glare.

"Do not pretend to lecture me about compassion, Kent Nelson! Or have you forgotten the centuries I lived without my eyes!" she yelled. Hundreds of years ago, the Spectre had seen fit to burn Xanadu's eyes and leave her blinded. Only her own magical affinity and immortality allowed her to get by in life. It wasn't until much later that the marauding Spirit of Vengeance had removed his damage, but by then the woman had learned true helplessness.

Kent flinched at her reminder before sitting at the table with a sigh. "That was careless of me to say." He admitted. "But it's been so long without her. I can't help but count the days. Three hundred and sixty-five from this very night." He chuckled dryly before looking away.

"We all miss her. But it does you no good to dwell on what you could not help." She pointed out, slowly flipping her cards over. "But you never know, fate may just be kind to you."

"But he so rarely is," Kent added with a nod. "I just so wish to see my darling wife again."

Xanadu nodded back before looking at her cards as the colour drained from her face; the Helmet of Nabu, The Witch Boy, and an all too familiar silver ankh.

"You will be with her soon enough." A new voice added before Kent was suddenly dragged from his chair by Abra Kadabra, dropping his cane in the process. The villain disappeared in a flash of light, with Kent Nelson's cane following soon behind him.

Xanadu watched the villain before reaching out in despair. "No!" she screamed before looking at the cards again, hoping she saw them wrong. Her second view proved to only further her fear before she ran off.

She moved out into the street before holding out her hand. "Wohs em eht esuoh fo yretsym!" she cried as magic energy swirled from her outstretched hand, and the House of Mystery faded into view. Once it appeared, she ran inside before rushing into the meeting room.

"Slow down Xanadu, what's got you all worked up?" Constantine asked from where he was busy reading. Zatanna and Sandman also noticed the commotion and gathered around the frantic clairvoyant.

"I found Kent Nelson, and he needs our help!" she said urgently as the three other heroes looked to her in shock.

---

Mount Justice – August 19th, 19:39 EDT

Inside the hideout, Conner and Kaldur were in the middle of a heated combat session. The two boys were throwing and blocking numerous punches, deflecting blows, and breaking grabs every other second. It was clear that Black Canary's training had greatly improved their hand-to-hand techniques. Conner dodged another of Kaldur's sweeping kicks while attempting a blow of his own, making sure neither one left the center of their training area.

Nearby, Keemia watched the two with Megan and Artemis, while Barry simply stood to the side eating a burrito. Tim was out with Batman going after a lead in Cape Canaveral, while Ashley was at home with Waller to catch up with her homeschooling, in addition to having a few well-earned days off. With the cave emptier than usual, it brought the team a little closer together as they mingled.

Both Megan and Artemis, in particular, were spending a significant amount of time ogling Conner, after the boy had opted to ditch his shirt partway through the combat training. It was becoming clear that the two were in some sort of competition as they both vied for the clone's affections. Keemia simply rolled her eyes as she watched her teammates continue to ogle someone who was basically her brother. Their competition for him was becoming more and more obvious by the day. It was a wonder that Conner hadn't noticed yet.

Or if he did, he didn't give any indication. Not that Keemia could blame him.

At the very least, Conner seemed receptive to M'Gann's advances. They were more subtle than Artemis' to say the least, and the clone had definitely softened where the Martian girl was concerned. In his own way, it almost seemed like he was flirting with her.

Artemis was much more direct and forceful, and she made sure everybody knew that whenever she made a pass at Conner. Not only that, but she was trying every attempt possible to try and steer M'Gann away from him.

"Kaldur's, uh, nice, don't you think?" the archer asked before continuing. "Handsome, commanding. You should totally ask him out." She pushed.

"He's like a big brother to me." M'Gann retorted with a smile.

"Besides, I think he's already pining after someone else." Keemia shrugged.

"But, you know who would make the cutest couple?" M'Gann started before looking at a certain speedster. "You and Barry." She said, as Barry very audibly took another bite of the snack wrap he was eating. "You're so full of passion, and he's so full of… uh…" she trailed off.

"It?" Artemis finished before Keemia nudged her with a smirk.

"It rhymes with 'it', I can tell you that." She added before the three girls all broke into laughter.

While they continued to laugh at Barry's expense, Kaldur and Conner were continuing their combat training as the two quickly locked arms, each trying to overpower the other. However, in the middle of their deadlock, Conner found his opening before pulling his foot around Kaldur's ankle and tripping the Atlantean.

"Fail – Aqualad." The automated voice of the computer said as Kaldur slowly got back to his feet.

"Black Canary taught me that." Conner panted with a grin, wiping the dirt from his hands while Keemia stepped forwards.

"Nice moves there. You're getting better at this." She grinned.

Before Conner could respond, the teleporter suddenly activated with a flash. "Recognized: Sandman-14, Zatanna-12." The computer said before the two aforementioned individuals rushed into the cave, their urgency clear on their faces.

"Dad? Z? What are you doing here?" Keemia asked as Flint and Zatanna reached her.

"Keems, we found him!" Flint said as Keemia's heart froze for a split-second before hope dawned in her eyes.

"Y-you mean it? You found Uncle Kent?!" she said, tears starting to brim her eyes before she hugged them both close. The rest of the team looked on in mild confusion, except for Conner. Ever since he had moved into their house, he had become roped into Keemia's frantic search for her missing Uncle. To finally hear news of his appearance was certainly a load off of his mind.

"More like he found us. But he needs our help." Zatanna urged.

"Someone needs help? Sounds like a mission for us!" Barry grinned wide as he finished his snack.

"Batman's usually the one who gives you missions. Besides, we came specifically for Keemia." Flint said, folding his arms.

"Yeah well, the Batman's with the Robin doing the dynamic duo thing in Cape Canaveral. Besides, Keemia's a part of this team, and we'd like to help." The speedster pushed before leaning forward with interest. "Now, who's Uncle Kent?"

"If we can be of help," Kaldur said, pulling Barry back a bit. "We would more than willing to provide assistance."

Flint and Zatanna looked to Keemia for a moment, before the girl nodded. "Yeah, if he needs help, it might be nice to have a team backing me up." She conceded before Flint brought up the holoscreen, typing on the keypad before the image of an ageing man appeared, dressed in a black suit and tie, and with a gold-adorned cane.

"This is Kent Nelson, or as Keemia knows him, Uncle Kent." Flint introduced. "Not related by blood, but he might as well be. He's over 106 years old."

"Guy looks pretty good for 106," Barry smirked, whispering to Artemis who simply rolled her eyes in response.

"He's been missing for almost year now, vanishing shortly after the death of his late wife, Inza Nelson." Flint continued, bringing up an image of an almost elfin-looking woman. "Kent was responsible for training numerous heroes, including both Z and Keemia here. He used to be known as Doctor Fate." As he said this, the image of Kent changed to the eponymous Doctor Fate. "An extremely powerful magic user, and Lord of Order. He was a member of the original Justice Society, and has been an invaluable member of both the Justice League and the Dark Division."

"Of course, Nelson was Earth's Sorcerer Supreme." Kaldur nodded in realization.

Now it was Barry's turn to roll his eyes. "More like 'Doctor Fake'. Guy knows a little advanced science and Dumbledores it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes." He scoffed to Artemis again. Keemia's attention flashed to Barry briefly, frowning at him, before focusing forward again. This mission was too important to start missing any details.

"He's been hard to track down, damn near impossible, because of several wards he'd placed on himself," Zatanna explained. "He didn't want to be found, didn't want to return to the realm of his magic after the grief it caused him."

"How did you manage to track him down then?" Conner frowned.

"We didn't. He found us." Sandman corrected, frowning at the memory. "When he vanished, he placed numerous spells and wards over himself so he couldn't be found or tracked. As a Lord of Order, these were naturally quite powerful. No one in the Dark Division had the power or the immediate resources to find him. Even with John doubling his searches, and with Holland scouring the Green for any signs of Kent, it proved fruitless."

"Anyone else know what they're talking about?" Barry whispered to Artemis again, before the archer elbowed him to keep quiet.

"However, last night Kent decided to drop every single ward he had on his person, and walked right into Nimue's shop in New Orleans," Zatanna said with a frown. "Shortly after however, he was kidnapped by Abra Kadabra." She continued. "Kadabra's a fraud, but he's clearly working with someone who has real power. There are new wards erected, ones that have prevented anyone in the Justice League or the Dark Division from finding Kent, or the Tower of Fate."

"Stopping anyone in the Dark Division, but not us," Keemia said in realization.

"Exactly." Flint nodded. "And since Kent is the sole owner of the Helmet of Fate, it's paramount that he's not only found safely but that the Helmet is protected too."

"He is like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars. I would be honoured to help find him." M'Gann said reverently.

Barry's eyes widened, as he suddenly but in to seize this new opportunity to hopefully impress the Martian girl. "Me too! So honoured, I can barely stand it! Magic… rocks." He said with a grin as Artemis face-palmed, and Keemia's eyes narrowed slightly. She wasn't about to let his earlier comment go, but her attention was soon directed by Zatanna.

"You still know how to get into the Tower of Fate, right?" she asked.

"Of course. Uncle Kent always allowed me unlimited access to the Tower." Keemia nodded.

"Then you need to be their guide once you get there. Your best bet is to get inside the Tower and ensure the Helmet is safe. From there, you can find Kent and hopefully, whoever has taken him." Sandman said before hugging Keemia. "Good luck kiddo."

Keemia hugged him back before immediately turning to the others. "Suit up. We're leaving, now!" she urged before rushing off to the Bioship, the others close behind.

As they rushed off to the hangar, Barry leaned close to M'Gann with what he believed to be a flirtatious grin. "What are the chances that we both so admire the mystic arts?" he asked as Artemis audibly groaned. This was gonna be a long night.

---

Salem – August 19th, 20:22 EDT

Once inside the Bioship, the team immediately sped off for Salem, Massachusetts where the Tower of Fate was usually located. While everyone was focused intently on the mission, none was more ready for this than Keemia. She clutched her hands tightly, so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She had been waiting for a moment like this for a year now, and she wasn't going to let it slip.

Conner looked at her carefully before placing a steady hand on her shoulder. "You're lookin' a little tense."

"Sorry, I just… I've spent so long dreading the worst. But now there's a chance. I can't help being anxious." She admitted.

"It's understandable. But I'm sure he'll be fine." He assured her.

Keemia smiled at that, giving a brief nod of thanks before her attention soon found Barry. She couldn't get over his whispered comments earlier. Despite his declarations to the contrary, subtlety was not the speedster's strong suit, and his comments didn't sit well with Keemia. Not after all the time they'd worked together, and especially not with the situation ahead of them.

She wasn't the only one concerned with Barry, as Artemis looked at the speedster with a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. The true extent of the lengths he'd go to all for impressing M'Gann were starting to become more and more unbelievable by the minute. She soon got an idea, however, as a smirk formed on her face.

"So Barry, when did you first realize your honest affinity for sorcery?" she asked as the speedster shot her a confident grin.

"Well, I uh… I don't like to brag but, uh, before I became Kid Flash, I seriously considered becoming a wizard myself." He shrugged, leaning back in his seat. At that, Keemia let out a barking laugh.

"You, a wizard? Please, you don't have nearly the right mindset for that." She snorted.

"Oh yeah, and how would you know?" Barry countered before Keemia raised her eyebrow in disbelief.

"Uh, sorceress? Remember?" she said as Barry rolled his eyes derisively.

"Right, how could I forget?"

M'Gann frowned as she brought the Bioship into a slow descent. "We've reached the coordinates you've given us, but—"

"Nothing's there." Superboy finished, looking at the empty expanse of land inside a public park, where their coordinates supposedly lay.

"Nothing that you can see anyway." Keemia shrugged as Kaldur gave a nod.

"Take us down." He ordered as the ship came in for a landing. Unknown to the team, however, their descent was watched by a nearby tabby cat. The cat's red eyes narrowed in suspicion before it ran from the alley it was hiding in, and into a nearby theatre that had been foreclosed.

After sneaking through one of the boarded up windows, the cat made its way into one of the many abandoned screening halls, moving down the carpeted walkway. Up on the stage, Abra Kadabra was in the middle of torturing the hostage Kent Nelson, who was helplessly tied to a chair.

"Grant us access to the Tower, and I promise an end to your suffering." The rogue said simply, threateningly brandishing his false-wand. "Continue to refuse, and…" he trailed off before attacking the aged sorcerer with electricity.

Sitting in one of the many seats and eagerly laughing at the torture was the cat's owner; Klarion Bleak, also known as Klarion the Witch Boy. His ever-loyal cat, Teekl, soon arrived and leapt into his lap. Klarion stroked the cat's fur amicably before it sat up and meowed at the chaos sorcerer.

"Shush, Teekl!" the boy ordered. "I'm watching the show."

"Enjoy it, while you can…" Kent panted, looking at Klarion with a scowl. "Soon enough, my friends will come to help me." He said before Kadabra shocked him again.

"Ha! Not with my wards they won't!" the Witch Boy grinned before gleefully cackling and applauding the man's misery. "Encore, encore! Haha!" he said before Teekl once again howled and hissed to get his attention. "What?" Klarion groaned in annoyance.

Once he had the boy's attention, Teekl meowed again, softer this time, before his eyes softly glowed, allowing Klarion to see what the cat had seen earlier.

"Oh…" Klarion said in realization, as a sinister smile grew on his face.

---

Outside, the team had spent several minutes attempting to find the Tower, but to no avail. Barry rushed around the entirety of the park before running back and stopping in front of Artemis. "Nothing. This isn't simple camouflage."

"So, what do you think? Adaptive micro-optoelectronics, combined with phase shifting?" Artemis asked rhetorically.

"Absolutely…" Barry started before noticing M'Gann watching him. "…Not! Clearly, mystic powers are at work here." He declared, while the rest of the team simply looked at him unimpressed.

---

From inside the abandoned theatre, Klarion watched the team outside with an earnest interest. He used his magic to cast an illusion, adding an extra barrier to the theatre that wasn't actually there, so he and the other occupants could keep out of sight as they spied. Unfortunately, with the sorceress present, he'd had to keep on guard. One wrong move and she'd see right through the illusion.

"Hey, Abra Kadabra, aren't you using adaptive micro-optoelectronics and phase shifting?" he asked, while the con man groaned.

"Yes…" Abra admitted with a scowl. He hated to admit that he didn't actually practice real magic, only having technology to substitute for the real thing. More than anything else, he wished for real power. And he certainly didn't need to Witch Boy to remind him of his short-comings.

---

While her teammates continued to look around puzzled, Keemia finally stepped forwards from where she was watching them. While their confusion was amusing, she wanted her Uncle found as soon as possible. "Y'know guys, I could get through the spell work here rather easily."

"Oh really?" Barry scoffed while M'Gann clapped her hands together cheerfully.

"Hello Megan, of course she can! Keemia's been to the Tower before!" she said eagerly as Keemia stepped forwards.

"Alright, then how do we get in?" Barry asked skeptically, folding his arms.

"With a key, duh." Keemia declared as though it were obvious. "Tnarg aimeek okram a yek ot eht rewot fo etaf!" she cast, before there was a brief flash of light and small golden key appeared in her hand.

Barry blinked twice before scowling slightly. "Okay, so you have a key, but what good is it without a door?"

"Oh ye of little faith," Keemia countered with a barbed tone. "It's magic." She declared before inserting the key into mid-air and turning it. As soon as she did, the Tower of Fate faded into view in front of them, as the large oaken doors opened for them. "Ta-da!"

The team looked on in wonder as Barry huffed, folding his arms. "I could've done that…"

"Oh really? I'd like to see you recite that spell." Artemis snarked before the six made their way inside, the door closing behind them with a resounding echo. As the team looked around in wonder, Conner was the first to turn around.

"Uh, where'd the door go?" he asked as the others turned. Sure enough, the door they just entered through had disappeared.

"It's a doorway in, not a doorway out." Keemia shrugged before a sudden illusion of Kent Nelson appeared before her.

"Welcome back to the Tower of Fate, Keemia Marko. It is good to see you." It greeted before looking past her. "However, those behind you are not recognized by the Tower. Please state your purpose and intent." It asked.

Keemia nodded and was about to answer before Barry suddenly cut her off. "We are true believers, here to find Doctor Fate!" he said with his arms held wide. The illusion seemed to frown at that before disappearing as Keemia turned to Barry with a scowl.

"Lying to the Tower is just about the dumbest thing you could have done Barry." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Barry deflated a little at that before the floor beneath the team suddenly cracked before crumbling away, causing the team to plummet towards a pool of lava below. All expect for Keemia who was still safe on a small floating patch of floor that remained behind for her.

Artemis quickly drew a small hand crossbow before firing a grappling arrow into the wall. Once secured, she swung towards the wall, grasping Kaldur as their momentum ceased. M'Gann meanwhile, quickly flew into Barry to catch him, while Conner stopped himself by grasping the wall with his bare hands. However, he had to drag deep grooves in the rock with his fingers as he slowed his descent. This, unfortunately, meant that his feet dipped into the lava before he was stopped, burning the shoes off of his feet.

The clone cried in pain before pulling his feet out and planting them firmly on the wall. "Those… were my favourite boots. This Nelson guy better be worth it." He grimaced.

---

Back outside, Abra shoved Kent towards the Tower, as Klarion watched, still holding onto Teekl. At the presence of its true owner, the symbol of a golden ankh flashed on the door of the Tower, before the door opened to allow all three inside. Klarion smirked triumphantly as they entered before the door inside once again disappeared.

"The Tower may not appreciate trespassers," Kent warned as he tenderly flexed his bound wrists.

"Mute." Abra retorted as a collar suddenly fastened itself around Kent's neck tightly. With the sorcerer suitably bound, they unlikely quartet proceeded onwards as the Tower opened up to a large living area. Inside was a large embroidered rug, along with numerous sitting areas. On the wall directly in front of them was a large fireplace, and above that, a large painting of Inza Nelson.

Before they could enter the room any further, the same illusion that appeared to the team appeared in front of them. "Hello Kent. How unlike you to bring guests to the tower, especially one with such potent mystic power." It commented, looking at Klarion.

Abra smirked before twisting his wand, as the collar around Kent's neck glowed red. "My friends… come to help me." It recited, perfectly mimicking Kent's voice. Kent flashed Abra a look of annoyance before the illusion disappeared, satisfied with the answer. Once it was gone, the wall behind it opened to reveal a multitude of staircases.

---

"Having trouble… maintaining altitude… I'm so hot." M'Gann panted, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"You certainly are." Barry grinned.

"Barry!" Artemis admonished with a scowl.

"Hey, inches above sizzling death, I'm entitled to speak my mind!" he countered.

"My physiology and M'Gann's are susceptible to extreme heat. We must climb out, quickly!" Kaldur panted.

"Hang on guys, I got you!" Keemia said before leaping from her floating platform and diving down towards her team with her arms outstretched. "Keemia Marko declares these individuals allies of the Tower of Fate. Do not allow harm to come to them!" she urged, her eyes glowing with magical energy. Once she did, the lava below was immediately sealed beneath a thick stone floor. Seeing the now safe platform, Superboy dropped to it, before being joined soon after by the rest of his team, with Keemia floating down last of all.

Once he got his bearings, Kaldur crouched down low to the floor, touching it curiously. "This platform, it should be red-hot, but it is cool to the touch." He pointed out as Keemia nodded.

"Yeah, well I did ask that no harm comes to you in this Tower, so the Tower responded in kind." She pointed out.

M'Gann nodded, still a little shaky from the heat exposure as Barry moved to help her up. "Don't worry Megalicious, I got you."

"Enough!" Artemis yelled before pushing Barry away from M'Gann and into a wall. "Your little 'impress Megan at all costs game' nearly got us all barbecued!"

"When did this become my fault?" he retorted with a scowl.

"When you lied to that… whatever it was… and called yourself a true believer!" Artemis said, pointing a finger at Barry as Keemia nodded.

"The Tower does not take kindly to the skeptical, or to liars." Keemia frowned, folding her arms as M'Gann looked to Barry seriously.

"Barry, you don't believe?" she asked.

Barry looked away sheepishly as the others looked at him, awaiting his answer. After a few seconds, he relented. "Fine! Fine! I lied about believing in magic. But magic is the real lie, a major load!" he ranted.

Kaldur frowned as he continued to investigate the floor. "Barry, I studied for a year at the Conservatory of Sorcery in Atlantis. The mystic arts created the skin icons that power my water bearers."

"Dude, you ever hear of bioelectricity?" Barry scoffed. "Hey, in primitive cultures, fire was once considered magical too. Today, it's all just a bunch of tricks."

"You're pretty close-minded for a guy who can break the sound barrier in his sneakers." Artemis scowled.

"That's science!" Barry countered. "I recreated Flash's laboratory experiment, and here I am. Everything can be explained by science."

"Everything, Barry?" Keemia said. Unlike most times, her face was completely straight and unreadable. Conner and M'Gann took tentative steps back as the anger almost seemed to roll off of Keemia in waves. "Then what are my powers? How do you explain what I do?"

"Well, you do transmutation. Like Shimmer!" he justified.

"Oh? And how exactly do you transmute the elements Barry? I can't rearrange molecules like Firestorm." Keemia countered. "And what about my golems? Suspending people in mid-air? Teleporting? Conjuring fire, energy, chains, what of that? Is that not magic? Besides, transmutation is just alchemy. You know, magic! Don't you trust your own eyes?!"

"I trust them enough to know that it's not magic!"

"Then why am I here?! What is my power if not magic?!" she yelled at him, tears starting to streak in her eyes. "My step-mother is a sorceress. My Uncle Kent is the Sorcerer Supreme, a Lord of Order. The Dark Division is full of monsters, vampires, and shadow beings. The House of Mystery is owned by an immortal spectre who invented murder and was punished by Heaven itself! But you don't care. All you care about is having to be right. Well guess what Barry, you're almost never right!" she yelled. Barry reeled back like he'd been slapped while Artemis tried to placate Keemia.

However, Keemia simply shrugged her off. "You know what, I don't care anymore. I don't care if you believe Barry, because I still have to save my Uncle. So while you're still doubting everything, or trying to prove how my own family is a troupe of charlatans, I'm going to go and save the man who taught me to be a hero! And when I'm done… when I'm done I'll just leave. I don't have room to be doubted on this team, especially not by my friends." She finished with a frown, before turning to a wall and raising her hand. "Aimeek okram skees ecnartne rehtruf otni eht rewot fo etaf!" she said as another doorway opened on the wall. Before anyone could stop her, she stepped through and slammed the door behind her as it once again faded into the wall.

"Well, there goes our only guide to this tower." Artemis sighed.

"Everything can be explained by science?" Kaldur repeated, almost mockingly to Barry. "Let us test that theory." He said before reaching for a trapdoor on the floor.

"Wait! The back-draft from the lava will roast us alive!" Barry urged, only for Kaldur to open it anyway. Instead of the scorching heat Barry expected, they instead found a freezing cold wind as the trapdoor lead them to a snowy landscape.

"It's snow!" M'Gann said with a smile as the flakes blew all around them.

"Do you ever get tired of being wrong?" Artemis asked with a smirk while Barry glared at her before Conner pushed past the two of them towards the open trapdoor.

"Please, if he got tired of that, he'd just stop being wrong," Conner smirked before jumping into the hole with the others close behind him. Once the five of them had entered the snowy mountain landscape, the trapdoor disappeared, much like the other doors before it.

Artemis looked at Barry expectantly as he observed their surroundings. "Well?" she asked.

"Ever heard of string theory?" He asked. "We're in a pocket dimension."

"Ugh! No wonder Keemia left!" Artemis cried out in exasperation. Meanwhile, M'Gann noticed something shining from the corner of her eye.

"What's that?" M'Gann asked before everyone turned to look at what she had pointed out; a wooden cane with a golden handle.

"Ooh, maybe it's Nelson's magic wand," Barry said, rolling his eyes.

Artemis ignored him, instead opting to approach the cane. However, Barry sped up behind her, as the two teens grasped the cane at the same time.

"I got it." They both declared at the same time before a golden glow overtook them. "I can't let go!" they cried out in alarm before the cane suddenly shot into the air, and vanished in a flash of light, taking the two teens with it.

---

"Are we there yet?" Klarion whined, quickly becoming impatient as he ascended yet another staircase, alongside Abra Kadabra and Kent Nelson. They'd been walking through the unending maze of stairs for the last ten minutes, managing to walk along any and all perceivable angles and platforms that they could find. For the Witch Boy, it was becoming monotonous. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" he continued in his drawn out whining tone, the cat in his arms mimicking his boredom.

Kadabra was quickly becoming fed up with it all as he grasped Kent. "Tell us how to find the Helmet!" he ordered before removing the collar from around Nelson's neck.

Kent simply smirked at the fraudulent magician. "Can't. Having too much fun." He taunted while Abra Kadabra growled in frustration.

Kent would soon be met by another surge of Kadabra's electricity as he was sent painfully sprawling to the floor. "Still having fun?" Kadabra seethed.

"Heh, I am!" Klarion grinned as Teekl moved to perch on the boy's shoulders. "Zap him again! Ooh! Or dump him off the side and watch him splat!" he mused as Kadabra continued his torture of the aged sorcerer.

The Witch Boy watched gleefully before Teekl nudged him, meowing in a low tone. "Ah, yes, yes. I suppose we might still need him." Klarion conceded, rolling his eyes. However, while that might be true, that didn't stop him from enjoying the torture in the meantime.

---

Back in the frozen wasteland, Kaldur continued to wander about through the snow, leading M'Gann and Conner close behind him as they traversed the drifts. Through the bitter cold of their surroundings, the three were left in silent contemplation, at least until M'Gann turned to look at Kaldur with a questioning glance.

"I don't understand Barry. It's almost like he needs to believe the impossible can't happen." She frowned.

"Barry 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." Kaldur explained.

M'Gann frowned at that, looking away before turning to Kaldur again. "But what about Keemia? It's almost like he didn't care that he hurt her."

"He does care, but his stubbornness won't allow for that." Kaldur sighed. "He and Keemia have been friends for as long as they've known each other. While they may bicker most of the time, they really do care for each other. For him to be so bull-headed, especially now, may have damaged their relationship irreparably." He started. "Keemia obviously feels that Barry's doubt for her powers will carry over to her ability to fight alongside the rest of us, even if she is still more than capable of doing so."

"She's not in the best mindset for this to happen right now, either." Conner frowned.

"What do you mean?" M'Gann asked.

"Keemia's been looking for Kent for the last year now. And when I moved in? I got roped into her search. I've seen her notes, her pegboard of leads, how frantically she goes after every clue. She spends most of her free time now searching. Do you know how many times I've had to console her while she cries after another lead turns out to be false?" Conner said with a frown. "This search is destroying her, so the chance for it to finally come to an end is the most positivity she's had in months. So you can imagine the stress she's under."

"Barry's just adding to her stress with everything that's happened today." Kaldur surmised.

"She could really use some good news right now." Conner finished before three of them heard a sudden loud creak off to their side. Turning, they noticed a new doorway having opened near the peak of one of the nearby mountains, with a large staircase extending down to where the three of them stood.

"Let's see if we can give some to her." M'Gann urged before leading them onward towards the door.

---

Kent Nelson slowly lifted his head off of the ground before smirking as he turned back to Klarion. "Hey Klarion, how good are you at fighting enraged sorcerers?"

"Please, fighting other sorcerers is literal child's play!" the witch boy sneered, before Teekl suddenly hissed in fear, jumping away.

"Let's test that theory then, shall we?" Kent smirked wider before Klarion was suddenly knocked aside by a burst of magical energy.

"Stay away from my Uncle, Witch Boy!" Keemia ordered as magical energy crackled around her fingertips before she landed on a platform directly across from them.

"Oh great, a girl. Why don't you just make me a sandwich?" Klarion scoffed.

"Nrut mih otni a hciwdnas!" she cast, firing another burst of energy that Klarion only barely dodged, as the platform he was standing on turned into a massive sandwich.

In the sudden confusion, Artemis and Barry reappeared on a platform above them, still holding onto the cane. The speedster was the first to see the new scuffle below. "Abra Kadabra!"

"Well, would you look at that?" Kent chuckled before the cane being held by Barry and Artemis glowed a golden colour. As it did, Kent shot forwards through the air with magical energy, grasping the cane as the ropes around his wrists came undone, and Artemis and Barry suddenly found themselves able to let go.

"In here!" Kent ordered, opening an elevator for them.

"What about Keemia?" Artemis protested.

"She can handle Klarion for a minute. Once she sees I'm safe, she'll back down." He assured as the three made their way into the elevator. Klarion saw their escape and scowled angrily.

"No! No! NO! I want that Helmet!" he roared, throwing red lightning at the elevator door. "I want it, I want it, I want it, I WANT IT!"

"Sorry, but you'll have to try again some other day," Keemia said with a smirked before conjuring a circle of energy below her. "Wollof tnek noslen!" she cast, before disappearing a flash of light, following behind the three escapees.

---

Inside the elevator, there was an awkward silence as the three occupants ascended up towards the top of the tower. Kent stood next to the door with a jovial smile, his cane once again held tight in his hands to support him, while Barry and Artemis stood expectantly behind him. Barry seemed to be carefully judging the aged sorcerer with skeptic scrutiny, his arms firmly planted on his sides.

"I'm Kent Nelson, by the way." The older man greeted, looking back to the teen heroes.

"No duh." Barry frowned before being elbowed by Artemis. "Ow!"

"I'm Artemis, and Miss Manners here is Barry." Artemis greeted. "So you're the Uncle Kent Keemia's been talking about?"

"Yes, I suppose that would be me. The girl always did have a soft spot for me over everyone else in the Dark Division." He mused before his gaze turned serious. "Artemis, Barry, we're up against an opponent with tremendous mystic power."

"Abra Kadabra?!" Barry scoffed indignantly. "Flash proved he uses futuristic technology to simulate magic. The guy is all show and no biz."

"Right you are." Kent nodded as Barry looked to a stupefied Artemis with a satisfied smirk.

"He is?!" Artemis asked incredulously.

"Abra is a charlatan. But Klarion the Witch Boy, the kid with the cat? He's an actual Lord of Chaos, the ultimate enemy of a Lord of Order, like Doctor Fate." Kent explained.

"Right, you're a Lord of Order." Barry nodded skeptically.

"Oh no, not me. I might have some magic potential, but it's relatively small time. I'm just an old coat Fate used to put on. At least until my wife, Inza, passed away." He sighed, taking out his pocket watch and opening it to look at the picture of his wife inside. "Ah, she was a real pistol that Inza."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to her?" Artemis asked carefully.

"The job. As much as I warned her to not be involved, she wouldn't have it. She was a sorceress on par with Zatanna and proved as much on the battlefield against Trigon the Terrible. It was the first ever battle that the entirety of the Dark Division engaged in together. But… it was not without its losses. Inza died in my arms after destroying the conduit Trigon was using to stay tethered in this domain. As it turns out, gems are a lot less durable than half-demon daughters." Kent said morosely.

"I'm… I'm so sorry." Artemis said whole-heartedly. Even Barry nodded with a solemn frown. To lose a loved one was always hard, especially if they had joined a battle alongside you.

Kent nodded appreciatively before closing the watch and tucking it away. "Anyhoo, Klarion's after the Helmet. If he gets his sticky little mitts on it, he'll turn the planet into his own personal playground of pandemonium." Kent said before the elevator suddenly dinged, signalling their arrival as the door opened. The three exited to see a large gilded bell in front of them, resting upon a platform surrounded by more staircases, much like before.

As they stepped onto the platform with the bell, a doorway opened above them, dropping Conner, M'Gann, and Kaldur at their feet. Artemis rushed over to greet them as Kent smiled fondly.

"Friends of yours?" he asked before Keemia appeared next to him in a flash of light.

"Some of the best." She said happily before hugging the older sorcerer. "It's so good to see you again." She whispered, close to tears.

"It's good to see you too kiddo." He smiled before suddenly shoving her out of the way as he and Barry narrowly dodged an attack from the newly arrived Abra Kadabra and Klarion the Witch Boy.

"Friends of yours?" Barry asked snidely before quickly moving Kent out of the way of another attack. The rest of the team immediately sprang into action against their opponents, while Keemia stuck close to her Uncle, prepared to defend him. Kent raised his cane, striking the bell before it glowed. Once it did, he stepped through with Barry and Keemia. But not before Klarion flew into the bell after them with his cat.

---

Kent soon reappeared alongside Keemia and Barry, on the roof of the Tower of Fate. Once there, they found the Helmet waiting for them, floating ominously, suspended in the air. Kent gave a soft sigh of relief before reaching out to the Helmet. Unfortunately, he was struck in the chest by a black and red spell, sending him stumbling back.

"Uncle Kent!" Keemia cried out as she and Barry quickly caught him. However, Kent tried to stand back up before clutching his chest painfully. There was clearly more damage there than at first glance. That didn't deter the aged sorcerer, however, as he raised his cane for one last spell.

"Certe toto sentio nos kansate non iam adesse!" he proclaimed before a large golden barrier shielded him and the teens from another magical attack, as well as protecting the Helmet. Klarion landed on the roof across from them with a scowl.

"No!" the Witch Boy cried out angrily as Kent turned to look at Barry, panting but still with a triumphant smirk.

"Not bad for a former 'Doctor Fake', eh kid?" he asked before collapsing again as Keemia was quick to catch him. "The bubble'll give you just enough time to do what you need to do."

"No, Uncle Kent we can save you. I can put you in a stasis spell until we can get you to the House of Mystery." The girl said urgently, her hands glowing with a purple energy as she prepared a spell.

"There's no point… Klarion used a withering spell… I can feel my heart crumbling away." He whispered.

"N-no… no there has to be a way! There has to! You can't leave me again! You can't!" she said hysterically, tears freely spilling from her eyes.

"Sorry kid… it's time for me to go." Kent sighed, kissing her forehead. "For what it's worth…. I'm proud of you…"

"No…," she said, shaking her head as Barry moved forwards.

"Come on, tell what to do. What do we need to do?!" he asked.

"Have faith… in what you cannot explain… Believe in what you can no longer deny…" Kent said, pulling out his pocket watch one last time before looking at Keemia again. "Lleweraf aimeek okram… I llahs syawla chtaw…. revo… uoy…." He finished before his eyes closed one last time, and his hand fell limply to the ground, dropping the open watch.

"Uncle Kent…. Uncle Kent!" Keemia screamed, clutching the man close as she openly sobbed into his chest. Barry shook his head before nudging Keemia.

"Go. Hold off the brat, I'll do CPR!" he urged her.

"I can't leave him Barry… I just got him back… and he's gone!" she sobbed harder.

"I'm gonna try to save him, but if I can't do that… then you can at least avenge him." He asked as Keemia frowned before turning to see Klarion's smirking face.

"Aw shucks, did the little old man die? Good, he was a boring old coot anyway." He cackled before Keemia slowly stood with a scowl. She wiped her tears away before fixing a glare of murderous intent at the Lord of Chaos.

"Pray to whatever god you believe in Witch Boy… because I'm in no mood for mercy." She seethed. "Tropelet dniheb uoy!"

In a flash of light, Keemia disappeared from the dome before reappearing behind Klarion. As she did, she immediately launched numerous fireballs at him from close range. Klarion blocked them all with a hasty shield, before responding in kind with a flurry of lightning.

"Oh did I strike a nerve? Was he important to you?" he taunted further, as Keemia continued to dodge his attacks with ease.

"Shut… up!" she growled out. "Kcoldirg!" she cast as a large energy cube formed around Klarion as a sort of barrier, intending to trap him. However, he broke through with ease before blasting Keemia with another surge of lightning.

"Couldn't just let him die, now you have to disappoint him after the fact?" he mused before binding her in powerful shackles. She grunted at her constraints, opening her mouth to cast again before Klarion conjured a quick gag to silence her. Once she was sufficiently mute, he shocked her with a powerful surge of fire and electricity that sent the girl into painful spasms. "Well, at least you won't be here long to see the end result. In fact, let's find you somewhere else to go. You need a time out!" he grinned madly before snapping his fingers. As he did, Keemia disappeared in a flash, leaving empty air behind her.

"Keemia! What did you do to her?" Barry demanded, ceasing his CPR too look at the Witch Boy with a glare.

"I sent her to a pocket dimension. After all, you know string theory?" Klarion laughed. "Don't worry, she's not alone. She's got her thoughts… and her failures." He grinned wider before suddenly glaring as he threw a multitude of powerful magical blasts at the barrier that protected Barry and the Helmet. "Now, I want that Helmet, and I want it now!"

Barry grimaced as the barrier shuddered and quaked with each attack, before turning to the Helmet with a frown. He then turned back to the body of Kent Nelson his guilt slowly growing before M'Gann contacted him telepathically.

"Barry, Keemia, we're in trouble. Tell Kent we need Doctor Fate!" the Martian girl urged as she and the others were summarily beaten easily, by Abra Kadabra's technological assault. The telepathic link suddenly ended after Kadabra's latest attack, as Barry gasped in fear.

His team was under fire, Keemia was trapped who knows where, Klarion was gaining ground against the barrier, and he was running out of time. The cane next to him continued to burn as its energy to keep the barrier intact was rapidly depleting.

Klarion took notice as several arcane symbols suddenly appeared around the Witch Boy's feet. He drew energy from them before forming massive clawed hands and using them to assault the barrier next. They proved incredibly effective as a great deal of damage was swiftly dealt to the barrier, consuming the cane faster as the claws slowly dug through. Klarion smirked triumphantly as the barrier creaked and cracked beneath his assault, digging ever deeper and closer to his prize.

"A test of faith…?" Barry whispered, looking back to Kent before he stood and grasped the Helmet quickly.

"Hey, dumb kid!" Klarion called. "You put that on, you may never get it off!" he declared before tearing the barrier open, ripping the magic to shreds as the energy rippled and disappeared.

Barry grimaced, raising the Helmet as Klarion attempted one last attack, firing a massive burst of sickly, crackling energy at the speedster. Just before the energy could hit him, Barry closed his eyes and slipped the Helmet on.

---

When Barry opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a massive expanse of nothingness. All around him was an absolutely impenetrable darkness, the only illumination existing around his feet as a tall column of light illuminated his body and nothing else.

He blinked twice before taking a breath to calm himself. "Okay, okay… no problem. I'm not here, I'm just delusional." He assured himself before hearing chuckling echo all around him.

"Still don't believe?" Kent Nelson asked, before stepping towards him out from the darkness as the light illuminated them both. "Seriously Kid, how'd you get so bullheaded in fifteen short years?"

Barry blanched before stumbling backwards. "B-but you're…. you're…!"

"Yep, but don't feel bad. Soon as this little brouhaha is over, my spirit will ascend, and I'll be reunited with my beloved Inza." He assured the speedster, a soft smile tugging at his face.

"Oh… okay." Barry nodded before his eyes widened in fear. "Wait, does that mean that I'm—"

"Ah, you're alive. But your soul no longer controls your body." Kent explained. "You see we're inside the Helmet. You put it on, and my soul got sucked in. Probably because I spent so many years serving its master."

"Master?" Barry repeated, his face now intrigued.

"Nabu, the real Doctor Fate. One of them Lords of Order I told you about." Kent nodded. "He's the guy controlling your body now. Wanna watch?" Kent offered, before opening a viewing portal so that they could watch the fight occurring outside.

---

With the Helmet on a new host, Doctor Fate once again arrived on the Earthly plane. The initial wave of energy Klarion attempted to attack Barry with was quickly dissipated with ease by the Lord of Order, before he took to the air. Klarion shot spell after spell at Fate, only for him to block each one with a shield in the shape of a golden ankh.

"Give it up Nabu! Order went out of style in the twentieth century!" Klarion scowled.

"This battle is pointless," Nabu spoke, his voice a combination of his own unearthly and immortal voice, and Barry's own voice. "You sought to take the Helmet before it claimed a host, but you are too late."

"Shut it, you old fart!" Klarion hissed, before firing columns of brick from the roof of the tower, attempting to crush Nabu with them. However, a large glowing ankh appeared on the brick before they blasted away, revealing an unharmed Lord of Order.

"Brat…" the immortal Lord of Order muttered before firing a massive blast of golden energy at Klarion. The Witch Boy screamed in pain, dissolving under the assault before reforming from his own tattered remains a few feet away. With his body back, he fired another burst of lightning, attacking Nabu from behind, and striking him head-on.

---

"Augh!" Barry cried out in pain, before falling to his knees from the plane inside the Helmet. "What gives?"

"Well, it is your body." Kent shrugged.

"Then let me control it." Barry frowned, standing quickly. "With Fate's power, and my speed—"

"Sorry kid doesn't work that way." Kent shrugged again. "But you can see why I haven't put on the Helmet for the last year."

Barry frowned, swallowing a lump in his throat. "And… if Fate, loses this fight?" he asked, dreading the answer.

Kent only frowned solemnly. "You see Inza before I do."

---

From the moment she arrived in the pocket dimension, Keemia was left suspended in midair. Her restraints and her gag were both gone, but she had no easy way of getting back to where she was. What was worse, was that displayed all around her were her worst memories. In a sick twist, they were all from the last fifteen minutes.

She stared in horror as she saw Kent dying over, and over, and over again. The same sick, macabre sight becoming burned into her brain as she clutched her head screaming in pain and remorse.

"No… no more… I can't take it…" she said weakly, tears once again brimming her eyes. "I couldn't save him… I just wanted to save him…"

You desired… to save him…

The voice echoed all around her, as Keemia's head looked up sharply. The same words echoed all around her as she frowned. "I couldn't save him… but I can avenge him…"

You desire… retribution…

"But I need to escape here… But I don't think I can do that… I'm not strong enough to do that!" she yelled at the voice indiscriminately.

You desire… power…

"I don't just desire power… I need it! I need power to get out of here, to fight that son of a bitch!" she seethed. "I'd need to destroy the planes dividing us to get back!" she reasoned before an idea slowly dawned on her… one that reminded her of a conversation she had the other week.

"Figure it out for yourself kid…" Mr. Walker's voice echoed in her mind, as a dark arcane energy swirled her hands, lifting her off of the ground, while her eyes durned a deep coal black.

You desire…

"You need only ask for…"

"DESTRUCTION!"

---

Klarion's renewed assault immediately put Nabu on the defensive, as the Lord of Chaos conjured a massive monster of arcane energy to assault the sorcerer. Nabu shielded himself from the attack, only for another burst of energy to strike him from behind, sending him rolling along the floor. When he got up, Klarion fired numerous smaller blasts, almost like bullets, right at his prone form. Fate conjured a hasty shield, using both hands to protect himself, but the barrier soon cracked and shattered under the multitude of attacks.

Nabu took to the air soon after, dodging a stream of hellfire that Klarion spewed from his mouth. Klarion turned in a circle, attempting to strike Nabu with the fire before switching to massive columns on energy that shot from the ground. Nabu dodged the first few but was eventually caught, as Klarion held him within his grasp, before nocking Nabu to the ground again.

"You're out of practice Nabu," Klarion taunted. "And that pathetic host body? Zero affinity for the mystic arts." He commented before raising his hands as clouds formed overhead, and thunder started to rumble all around them.

Once enough of a thunderhead had developed, Klarion shot a wicked thunderbolt from the sky down at Nabu. Nabu formed a dome of energy to protect himself, as the lightning collided with it, conjuring a massive array of colourful sparks.

"Ooh, rainbow power!" Klarion taunted in mock fear before Teekl meowed, getting his attention. "I am paying attention, you stupid cat!"

Teekl meowed again, more urgently this time as Klarion rolled his eyes. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm winning?" he asked as Teekl meowed once more. "What do you mean she's escaped?!" he demanded before the entire tower suddenly shook from some unseen force.

The blast that shook them was so powerful that Klarion's assault was immediately halted, as both he and Nabu were sent sprawling on the ground. Teekl ran to his master before looking into the sky and hissing. Klarion followed the cat's gaze, only to see Keemia.

She floated in the air above him, however, the entirety of reality around her seemed to be cracked and fragmented. The folds of reality seemed to be warping around her very presence. Colours distorted around her as she was surrounded by a pitch black aura of untold might.

"Witch Boy!" she yelled out as Klarion stood again.

"Uh oh… that's not good…" he muttered.

---

"Uh, Kent? What's that?" Barry asked as Kent frowned.

"During Darkseid's invasion, Keemia accidentally joined the battle when she stopped Steppenwolf from killing Zatanna. Unfortunately, she was too early in her training to really defend herself, and was thus an easy target." He began. "However, through unknown means she found a hammer. This hammer was constructed from something… powerful."

"How powerful are we talking here?" Barry asked.

"One strike nearly killed Steppenwolf, and the energy released from the blow blew out every window for miles, as well as cracking the pavement below her."

"You're kidding!"

"I wish I was." Kent sighed. "That hammer is one of many abilities she can call on now, as some immortal entity saw fit to give her access to his power. What you see here? This is another glimpse of this power."

"Who was this entity?" Barry asked, enraptured.

"When the universe was formed, a book was opened. This book holds every event in known history. Over one hundred-billion years are inscribed in it. It was entrusted to a man, Destiny by name. He embodies destiny, naturally. As he was born, so was the first life. And with the first life, came his sister, Death."

"You're kidding right? This is just some prank…"

"No prank. Five more siblings followed after; Dream, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium. Together, they are known as the Endless. Each are the absolute representation of their named domains, as well as the exact opposite. Death governs death, but also life." Kent continued. "Keemia was given power by Destruction. As such she can wield its untold power, as well as power over the domain of creation."

"Why would Destruction give this power to her?"

"I… I don't know…" Kent admitted. "When she used the hammer, she was naturally scared, and as such she sought my help since at the time I was one of her teachers in the mystic arts. I scoured my library before eventually finding what I was looking for. In order to keep her safe, until she was ready to wield its true power, I placed a block in her mind. She would need to destroy it herself to find this power again… and with her outburst of emotion tonight, it's safe to say she did."

"Oh man…" Barry grimaced.

"We can only hope she can come to her senses before she does something she regrets." Kent finished solemnly.

---

Back outside, Keemia fired a massive burst of destructive energy at Klarion. The Witch Boy only barely escaped, as the energy tore a massive chunk from the foundation of the tower, leaving the floor and walls in an irreparable state wherever her attack touched. She soon turned quickly, as Klarion attempted to attack her in return.

His beam of energy was simply deflected by her outstretched hand as the energy dissipated against it. "Destruction is my domain boy… as is it my tool." She declared before firing another attack. This time Klarion attempted to block it with a shield, only for the barrier to be shattered on impact at Klarion was sent sprawling.

"It is difficult for a Lord of Order or Chaos alike to maintain a presence on the physical plane." She spoke carefully, landing on the ground between Nabu and Klarion. Klarion only hissed as his face became more demonic and energy swirled around him before he fired a volley of attacks at her. Each one dissipated before it could touch her as she stalked towards him.

Nabu attempted to intercept her, only to be blasted away by a similar attack, sending him landing next to the body of Kent Nelson. "Nabu is bound to the Helmet, and as such must use a human host. But that is not your way…" she said before firing another attack.

Klarion conjured a shield of brick to protect himself, only for the attack to fly past him and hit Teekl instead. The cat immediately screeched in agonizing pain as numerous bones in its body were shattered, leaving it defenceless and feeble on the ground as Keemia suddenly reappeared next to it.

Klarion cried out as he felt a similar pain, echoed through his own body thanks to his connection to his familiar. "Teekl!" he cried out, coughing painfully, as he clutched his chest. "I can't believe you would assault a defenceless pussycat!"

"We both know that creature is no cat, Witch Boy," Keemia said before grasping Teekl by the neck and lifting him in the air. She snapped her fingers, and suddenly the cat's every bone was mended. However, there was a painful and sickening crack as this happened. "And without your familiar, you have no anchor in this reality." She said before squeezing Teekl's neck and slowly twisting it.

"N-no… what are you doing?!" Klarion cried out as he saw his body flicker rapidly, disappearing, while at the same time clutching his neck in pain.

"It's clear to me that you love this cat, don't you? Tonight you took the life of someone I loved," she mused before sending him a malicious grin. "Isn't it proper that I return the favour in kind?"

"No! Teekl!" Klarion cried helplessly as the cut struggled.

Fortunately, she was forced to let go as Nabu struck her with a burst of golden energy. "That is not the way of Kent Nelson, nor is it your way." The Lord of Order said defiantly as Teekl scrambled back to Klarion's side.

"How dare you?! Let me have this! Let me hurt him as he hurt me!" Keemia cried out angrily as the energy around her flared.

"There is no justice in what you are attempting to do, only shame," Nabu said sagely. "Klarion will face a proper punishment, not your reckless and destructive indignation."

Keemia scowled before frowning as she looked at her hands guiltily. "I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… I only wanted…"

"We all know what you wanted… however, you are perverting Nelson's memory through this needless destruction." Nabu said.

"I'm sorry… I'll fix it…" she said before using her power again, this time mending the damage done to the tower as it once again appeared intact before them. Once that was done, she took a breath before the aura around her dissipated and her eyes went back to normal.

"Well done, Keemia Marko." Nabu nodded.

"Yeah, serves you right you stupid bully!" Klarion hissed as Nabu turned to him with glowing eyes.

"Is that what you have to say, Witch Boy?"

"Bully! Killjoy! Geezer!" Klarion continued before Nabu shot a massive blast of golden energy at him.

"Holy Carp!" Klarion cried before vanishing and reappearing next to Teekl before picking him up hastily. "We're outta here!" he said before teleporting away.

Once he was gone, Keemia gave a weak smile before walking back to where Nelson's body lay. She then stopped by his side before falling to her knees and holding her face as she once again cried.

---

Far below in the tower, the rest of the team lay helplessly on the ground under the assault of Abra Kadabra. While he wasn't too powerful in his own right, his futuristic technology gave him the edge he required as they lay unable to counterattack.

He smirked confidently before increasing the power behind his electrical barrage until a large golden ankh appeared behind him and flashed with a bright light. The magic radiating from the ankh left Kadabra in nothing but his underwear as his wand vanished and with it, his attack ended as well.

"Wha?" he gasped in surprise before looking around in shock, desperately searching for the source of the treachery. Instead, he found the team now assembled on their feet, each one looking at him with a less than enthused expression on their faces.

"Show's over." Superboy frowned before punching the fraudulent man and easily knocking him out.

---

"Yes! That's how we kick it on the Earthly plane!" Barry said with a grin as Kent nodded thankfully.

"Hopefully now, Keemia is ready to begin her training anew. You never know when that power might fall into her lap again. She needs to be ready." He said sagely as Barry nodded.

"Oh yeah, totally." He agreed before looking around expectantly. He was soon met with an empty silence, before turning back to Kent. "Uh It's… it's over, right? So why isn't Nabu taking off the Helmet?"

"Because the Earth needs Doctor Fate," Nabu answered, as a golden vision of the Helmet appeared behind Barry and Kent, drawing their attention. "I will not release this body."

"He can't do that!" Barry exclaimed before looking to Kent. "Can he do that?"

"Can, but shouldn't." Kent frowned before looking at the Helmet's image. "Nabu, this is not the right candidate. The kid's soul belongs to the world of science, not sorcery."

"True," Nabu agreed. "But I do not appreciate being permanently hidden away, useless, and isolated for months at a time. Especially not when the Endless Destruction has once again returned to the Earthly plane."

"Returned?" Barry inquired.

"Destruction left his realm to travel the universe a couple hundred years ago. He preferred to create, and decided that humanity already knew how to destroy itself without him. In addition to natural disasters of course. For his power to return with such a focus, means that Keemia is a host of a different sort." Kent mused.

"Chaos must not be allowed to reign," Nabu spoke coldly, the realm seeming to shake with his every word.

"That won't happen again. The boy'll take the Helmet and make sure you're put to good use." Kent said seriously as Barry nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, I swear!"

"And in the meantime," Kent continued. "I'll stick around, keep you company."

"Wait, what happened to you ascending, seeing Inza?" Barry frowned.

"So you believe now, eh?" Kent chuckled. "Don't sweat it, kid. I'll spend a few millennia here, then see Inza. That's the great thing about eternity," he smiled, taking out his pocket watch to look at her portrait. "It's eternal."

Nabu was silent for a moment before speaking again. "The bargain is acceptable."

"Some free advice before you go," Kent said, placing a hand on Barry's shoulder. "Find your own little spitfire, one who won't let you get away with nothin'. For example, that—"

---

Kent's words were suddenly cut off as Barry removed the Helmet, Doctor Fate's costume disappearing from around him. He looked around at his surroundings, seeing Keemia kneeling next to Kent's body, her body wracking with loud sobs.

He stepped over sheepishly before taking the pocket watch and closing it, carefully setting it back in Kent's hand, before closing Kent's fingers around it. As he did so, a trapdoor appeared on the roof as the rest of the team suddenly poured out, only to stop as soon as they saw the state of things.

"Oh no…" M'Gann whispered in horror, clapping her hands over her mouth as Conner immediately rushed over to Keemia's side.

He quickly crouched down before wrapping his arms around her. As he did, Keemia immediately latched on, crying into his chest as he held her still. "It's okay Keems… it's okay…" he whispered as the rest of the team stood around, bowing their heads in respect for the dead.

---

Mount Justice – August 20th, 03:48 EDT

The weather outside the mountain seemed to convey the mood everyone in the team was in, as rain poured in heavy sheets from the sky, causing a slick torrent to barrage the cliff faces of their base. Inside, Barry looked at the Helmet of Fate in his hands, before he gently set it on the shelf next to the various trophies they'd gathered. It wasn't the most reverent place for the Helmet, but it would stay safe there until a proper owner could be found.

He smiled softly as he looked at the Helmet, before hearing Artemis clearing her throat behind him. "You never said what happened to you when you put on the Helmet."

"To be honest… I don't even know what I saw…" he sighed.

"You okay…?" Artemis asked carefully.

"No… not really. Everything I've learned up to this point has been grounded in science, cold hard science. It's hard to accept a truth that doesn't match that. What happened tonight? I could use science to try and explain it but… it would be wrong." he admitted, folding his arms. "I want to deny it so desperately, but something in me just can't now. And besides, the Helmet's safe, but at what cost? Keemia's lost her Uncle…"

Artemis felt a strong twinge of guilt before she reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Just be there for her, okay? You two used to be really good friends. I think it would be best for her if you stayed that way. Especially now." She advised, releasing her hand as she walked towards the door. "Besides, you may just want to keep an open mind now."

He watched her leave for a moment, before turning back to the Helmet as Kent's voice echoed in his head.

"Find your own little spitfire, one who won't let you get away with nothin'."

Barry frowned at that, as he turned back to where Artemis left. Kent's words seemed to echo louder before he shook his head. "Nah, couldn't be." He muttered before walking out of the trophy room and down the hall to where the sitting room was.

Keemia sat on the couch, staring blankly off into space, with Conner and M'Gann on either side, trying to console her. Kaldur watched from afar, looking at Barry as he entered.

"How's she doing?" Barry whispered.

"Not well. She hasn't said a word since we got back." The Atlantean frowned, looking to the floor. "I'm considering giving her a leave of absence until she can come to terms with it."

"You should. She'll need all the time she can get for this." He nodded just as Sandman entered the room.

"Keems, it's time." He said as Keemia gave a small nod before standing and moving over to her father.

"Wait, where are you going?" Barry asked with a frown.

"The House of Mystery," Sandman said, placing a gentle hand on Keemia's shoulder. "The entirety of the Dark Division is gathering there for Kent's wake, and for a bit of a memorial."

"Oh," Barry nodded, looking away. "Can uh… can I come?"

Flint thought for a moment before shrugging. "I don't see why not. What do you think kiddo?" he asked, looking to Keemia. Keemia seemed to regard Barry for a moment, her eyes narrowing in momentary anger. However, they quickly softened before she gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Yeah… he can. Don't expect him to believe his own eyes though." She muttered before the three made their way outside just as the rain was stopping. Once they had exited the mountain and emerged into a large clearing between the trees, Flint raised his hand out to the empty sky.

"Wohs em eht esuoh fo yretsym!" he spoke, before the House of Mystery slowly faded into view.

"Whoa… you do magic too?" Barry asked in surprise.

"Nah, not really. Z taught a few smaller spells, but for the most part I can't. That's just the password to let you in the House." Flint shrugged before the three entered. Once they did, the House shimmered and vanished behind them.

Barry looked around in wonder, seeing numerous people gathered together in the large entrance hall, which doubled as a study and sitting room. Keemia immediately flocked over to where another teenage girl was standing. This girl had short white hair, which came to pink streaks, and she wore a large fur coat with leopard-like spots. The coat seemed to shimmer like a rainbow every time she moved.

As he continued to search, he happened to look out the windows and was completely shell-shocked at the distorted space that seemed to ripple and exist around them. "Where… where are we?"

"Th-th-this is the s-space b-b-between worlds-s." a man answered with an obvious stutter as Barry turned to look at him. He was fairly short and portly, with a curly black goatee that matched his short cropped black hair. On his shoulder was perched a small golden creature with wings. "I-it's a r-r-realm made of p-pure magic, and w-where the House of Mystery exists w-when not on Earth."

"Ah, I see." Barry nodded, before extending his hand. "I'm Barry."

"P-Pleased to m-meet you," the man greeted, shaking Barry's hand. "M-my n-name's Abel, a-and th-th-this is Goldie." He said gesturing to the small creature on his shoulder.

"Well met." Barry smiled.

"W-w-were you f-friends w-w-with M-mister Nelson?" Abel asked curiously.

Barry frowned at that, thinking for a moment, before nodding with a small smile. "Yeah, I guess I was."

---

Miami – August 21st, 13:41 EDT

Keemia sat on her bed at home, idly gazing at her desk that was filled with old notes and leads for her past search. Just gazing at them made the pain even more pronounced as she thought about how she couldn't find her Uncle, much less save him.

She sighed before looking back down at the floor. She wasn't doing herself any good by dwelling on it like she did. But it still hurt, knowing that she'd found him again, only to lose him so soon after. And he wasn't going to come back this time.

'I can't just keep harping on this, He'd want me to move on. He'd want me to be stronger.' She thought to herself bitterly. 'That doesn't make it any less hard though…'

Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of someone knocking at her door. She sat up straight before looking at it expectantly. "It's open." She called.

The door opened slowly to reveal Ashley, as she nodded sheepishly to Keemia. "Hi… Conner told me what happened." She said as Keemia nodded sombrely.

"Y-yeah, I figured."

Ashley nodded before opening the door wider and stepping inside. Even from outside the door, the psychic could fell the sorrow billowing from Keemia in powerful waves, and stepping into the room only made the emotion more palpable. "I thought you could use a drink." She said before offering an iced coffee to Keemia.

Keemia looked at the drink before taking it graciously. "Thanks. Sorry you have to see me like this, I probably look like hell." She laughed bitterly. While her eyes weren't as swollen as they were, they were still fairly red, and dried tracks from where tears once flowed could still be seen.

"Nah, I think you still look like you usually do," Ashley said, shaking her head.

"And what do I usually look like?" she asked, sipping the coffee.

Ashely thought for a moment before blushing a faint shade of red. "Uh… cute."

"Cute, eh?" she asked, her own face turning a faint shade of red. "Well, I guess that makes two of us then." She chuckled before hugging Ashley. "Thank you for coming, it means a lot to have you here."

"Hey, you're my best friend." Ashley shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be here?"

Keemia looked at her for a moment, biting her lip. It seemed almost like she was debating something internally. After a moment, she leaned in before kissing Ashley's cheek gently. "Well thank you again. It really does mean a lot." She said, her blush darkening substantially, as Ashley's own face became a dark red as well.

"Y-yeah, no problem." Ashley nodded before Keemia sat up straight.

"Did you wanna watch a movie or something while you're here?" she asked.

"Would it make you feel any better?" Ashley asked.

"Well, it would take my mind off of it." Keemia shrugged.

"Then, yes, I would." Ashley decided as Keemia stood up to put a movie on. After choosing one of the many comedies she owned, she sat back down on the bed with Ashley and settled in. As the two slowly became enraptured in the film, neither one noticed as their fingers slowly started to intertwine.

---

[Unknown Realm] – August 20th, [Unknown Time]

Massive resounding impacts completely shook a massive white realm. The realm looked like meticulously sculpted marble, with an aesthetic of ancient Greek architecture. There was a large pool in the middle of a round room, the waters not rippling, even slightly, in spite of the heavy impacts.

A tall, slender figure slowly strode down a long hallway towards the pool. Their skin was the palest white, which was contrasted powerfully by their piercing yellow eyes. Their cherry red lips were pursed in a frown as they adjusted the red suede jacket they wore. Their heels clicked against the marble floor quietly, while a small heart-shaped glass necklace bounced against their bare chest.

All around them on the walls of the hallway hung various framed items; a sword, a chained book, a silver ankh, a rounded helmet, a hooked ring, and a swirl of colours. The figure paid them no attention until they noticed that for the first time in nearly six centuries, the sword was glowing.

"Impossible…" the figure whispered with wide eyes, before running to the pool in a panicked state. Just as they reached the edge, it exploded outward like shattered glass, as Olethros Walker leapt into their domain.

Destruction had returned.

"Dear brother, don't you remember? You're supposed to ask my permission to enter." The figure started before being shoved back by Destruction. Their height difference became readily apparent, as Destruction grew to his full 7'5" stature.

"And you should know better than to meddle in my affairs!" Destruction seethed.

"Who, me? Why on Earth would I do that? You know I only taunt dearest Morpheus." the figure smirked before Destruction wrapped one large hand around their neck, slowly crushing it as the figure struggled against their grip.

"Don't play dumb with me, oh dearest sister-brother." Destruction mocked before glaring harshly. "You know the harm that comes when my domain is tempted. That's why I left it. It was safer when the universe decided for itself."

"Then why give it to a mortal being?" Desire mocked before Destruction dropped them roughly to the floor.

"Someone must guard it. You saw what happened to the Dreaming when our brother was captured for half a century. I spent the time since then thinking, pondering. As I wandered I kept thinking back to my domain," Destruction began, pacing back and forth. "I wished to no longer have any part in it, but I recognized that someone must be there. Someone must be able to guide it, so that man's hubris cannot abuse it."

"So you chose that girl? Please, you could do better." Desire mocked.

"Maybe so, but for now, she is under my guidance and protection. Do not interfere again." He warned sternly.

"Or what? You'll barge in again? You know that we cannot harm each other. It is law for us!" they taunted as Destruction sneered.

"It is also law that we don't fall in love with a mortal, and what should I find in my wanderings, but a mortal who you have devoted such… intimate care to?" He said threateningly. "They aren't just another of your flings for once, you actually love them. Your hollow glass heart has finally been filled with warmth."

Desire's expression turned fearful again. "N-no… no, don't hurt them. You can't!" they begged.

"I am the only one of our siblings who knows, aside from our eldest. But he is bound to not speak a word of it. However, make one move towards Keemia Marko, set one toe out of place, tempt her with my power again before she is ready, and I uphold the ancient law. As it is my responsibility to do so." Destruction finished before turning and leaving through the pool again. As he did, the sword on the wall ceased glowing.

Desire stared after him, tears slowly streaking down their face before they scowled. "Damn you…" they hissed before breaking into sobs. They lay there on the floor before lashing out and striking the marble floor with their clenched fists, repeatedly beating it.

"DAMN YOU!"

---

Alrighty, another chapter done!

And god is it a tearjerker. I seriously cried writing this one.

Also, some housekeeping: Inza's death. For those of you wondering, she died two weeks after the original Dark Division's expansion. Meaning, that the first chapter of Tales From Earth-45 is her last canon appearance before her death. And her death was directly attributed to magic, further driving Kent away from it.

Barry not believing Keemia... this was hard to justify, but I hoped I did okay. It's kinda difficult to doubt magic when you're teamed with a magician. On top of that, I absolutely hated his reversion to thinking magic is bogus at the end of the original episode, so I definitely had to change that. On top of that, Barry just dropping Artemis to keep chasing M'Gann... yeah that had to be altered, at least a little bit. Hopefully this puts Barry on a nicer path.

Keemia accesses the Power of Destruction for the first time, and was it ever effective. But as we've seen later, Desire hasn't escaped from this without punishment. Or at least, blackmail.

Also, Abel appears. That's nice.

Finally, looks like some romances are budding on the horizon. Wonder where they could be heading?

But next time, we get a little bit of a change; an original chapter!

Keemia is drowning in her grief still, but Tim's gonna need some help. There's a drug runner in Gotham pushing cocaine harder than any other, and what's all this news about a vigilante decimating gangs? A new team-mate is coming in the next chapter so, the only question left is...

What lies under the Red Hood?

Remember to read and review, I love seeing them all.

Ciao for now!

~WafflesTheApprentice