Watchtower: December Thirty-First, 17:57 EST...
Knowing that the team will be fine on their part of the plan, Doctor Fate teleported himself within the Storage Room of the Watchtower. The Lord of Order doesn't see anything special or important on why they have a Storage Room, or why they even have a Zeta-Beam down here; there was hardly anything down here except for unopened crates with tarps covering them from the dust and he's certain that the League has other Zeta-Beams within the higher levels of the Secret Base.
[Huh. So, this is the Storage Room Bruce was talking about.] Dick said to himself, recalling all those times Bruce would talk about some parts of the Watchtower whenever the Dark Knight would return from a meeting or had to stay up there to help out the bugs with the League and Dick would ask what he done during his time with the League.
[Really? What does he say about this room?] Nabu asked, as he made Dick's body silently walk towards the center of the room and looking around, making sure that nothing abnormal happens within the room they're in.
[He keeps on saying how they need to make some adjustment to this room, instead of letting it gather dust and be a waste of space to have it still here when they hardly use this room at all. He also states how it was a complete idiotic idea to have a Zeta-Beam in here when nobody comes out of there when they have three Zeta-Beams in the Transportation Room that automatically sends everyone to their home town.] Just when it seems that there's nothing odd with the room, they heard the sound of doors pulling opening and knowing it would be wise to not reveal themselves to anybody within the Watchtower, Doctor Fate flew towards the crates and hid behind them, leaning against the tarp and turning his head to the left so that he could still see who would be entering the Storage Room and won't be able to get caught from the intruder. [Although, there are some advantages to how this room hasn't been used much and why nobody would expect anybody to be here.]
The sound of footsteps came closer and closer towards the center of the Storage Room and just as they believe it to be, it was Red Arrow. He face was blank, much blanker than usual and it's not because of his Domino-Mask covering his True-Blue eyes. His bow is hanging over his right-shoulder, with his quiver holding at least twenty red-arrows strapped itself over his left-shoulder. His blank gaze also seems to look as if he's in a trance and realizing his eyes not searching the room for anybody within the room, Doctor Fate knew that someone from The Light has activated his hypnotic trance and most likely commanded him to come into a room where nobody would bother to find him.
Staying completely calm and shielding himself within a golden-aura that will shield him from being sensed by other sorcerers, the young Lord of Fate watched the scene change in front of him when a black and red portal appeared in front of the redhead archer. In just five seconds since the portal appeared, out came Klarion the Witch Boy, along with his familiar, Teekl, and Vandal Savage.
Both child and adult had smirks on their faces as they stared at their little puppet, with Teekl, who stayed snug and comfortable around Klarion's neck, purring and narrowing his blood-red eyes from the thought of what their plan is going to do to the Justice League and how much closer their goal is nearly in their grasp. It was a good thing that he's laying on Klarion's right-shoulder instead of his left; if he were laying on the left, the cat would most likely catch Doctor Fate's scent and then would follow his scent behind the create, which will eventually blow their cover and have their plan to go ruin.
Since Red Arrow, Klarion and Savage's scent are stronger and thanks to the golden-aura that's shielding the Lord of Order from being detected, they were in the clear and their plan is going very much smoothly... For now.
"I love this part of the job," the Witch Boy said. "It's always fun to have a toy to play with and have it do whatever you want it to do, but having a bunch of new toys will make the game much more interesting and entertaining. Ain't that right, Teekl?"
"Meow..." The cat replied lazily, as he was being scratched behind the left-ear and was enjoying the attention he's getting by his master.
"As soon as you give him the case and have him infect the League with the Starro-tech, the sooner you can start having your fun on having them attack Rimbor and infecting the Team to have them to do some of our little errands... Which will be any day now, Klarion?" Just like a kid would behave whenever given an order to do their chores or what their parents are asking them to do, Klarion let out a groan of annoyance and ceased his petting for Teekl, who also didn't like his treatment being ended because of Vandal wanting to have their plan go to action A.S.A.P.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it." The Witch Boy then turned towards the portal, which had stayed in its spot the whole time they came into the Storage Room, and then reached his left-hand right into the red and black hole. "Hmm..." Klarion hummed to himself, as he leaned in a bit closer to the portal and then started moving whatever was left of his left-arm within the portal. "Nope, that's not it... I know it's in here somewhere... Aha!"
He pulled his hand out after thirteen seconds of searching for whatever he was looking for, and then out came the case that Doctor Fate knew he had gotten from the rooftop of his home.
[He won't suspect on how he easily he found the case, will he?]
Despite them going through their plan on how Klarion would find the briefcase that held the Starro-techs, Dick was nervous on how the Witch Boy would come to realize how easily and quickly he had found the case in such an obvious place.
[Do not fear, child. The Witch Boy may have lived on this planet for many years, but he is still both a teen and a child. And, with both a child's thought and mind, he won't suspect us on letting him finding the case so easily. He may come to believe that because I've become one with you, a child who's both younger and shorter than he is, he most likely believed that I've grown weaker and dumber.]
If Nabu were to see Dick beside him, he would've seen the preteen blushing and looking rather nervous from his choice of word.
[Besides, the Witch Boy is overconfident that we would not come and help out either the Team or the League.]
Once they had ended their little conversation with each other and easing Dick's fear on being caught, they watch as Klarion opened the case and shifted it to have Vandal get to see the Starro-techs all there and ready to be used.
"Perfect," he stated. Vandal then took the opened case from the Witch Boy and turned to Red Arrow, who had stayed completely still and silent throughout the time the two had came into the Storage Room. "You ready to perform your next task, Red Arrow?" In response, Roy nodded his head and accepted the open case to be laid in his arms.
"Born ready," he stated.
Dick's heart constricted from Roy's choice of word; they were the same choice of word he had used when they were supposed to become full-fledge Justice League Members, and to no longer be called 'sidekicks' or be known as 'hero support'. Though the preteen wanted to come out of the helmet and run up to snap Roy out of it, he calmed himself and stuck to what they've been planning to save his surrogate-family. Vandal Savage smiled in satisfaction from his question being answered.
"Good," he said. "You have until an hour before midnight to have the whole League infected with the Starro-tech. When that time is up, we shall return and see if you have completed your goal or not." He then turned his back and slowly headed towards the red and black portal, with both his hands folded behind his back. "Until then, get to work."
"What?" Klarion whined, as he now held Teekl with both arms and against his chest. "We have to wait six hours?! But I want to play, now! Why can't we just speed up time and help him out with the Starro-tech mission?"
"You know perfectly well why we can't stay, Klarion." Was the reply the Witch Boy got. "The Storage Room is basically the only room that doesn't have a sensor or security camera to alert the League we're within the Watchtower. In order for us to have our plan go according to plan, we need to be sure that the League don't get any suspicions on Red Arrow implanting the Starro-tech while trying to behave as he's been programmed to do."
"Urg..." Klarion knows that Vandal was right and that Red Arrow will need to use all the time he's given wisely, but he couldn't help but behave like a spoiled brat that he is. "Humph!... Fine." He finally agreed to the plan. "But if he doesn't complete his goal in over a second of his time limit, I get to go up to the Main Room and take control of the League as I want to."
Vandal Savage let out a sigh of both annoyance and relief, annoyance because of the way Klarion is behaving like a child and relief for having the boy finally get his head back to their plan on taking down their enemies.
"Very well," he stated. "Six hours, Red Arrow... Do not waste them."
With that said, the two walked straight towards the red and black hole and once they were gone, the portal swallowed itself up and vanished, leaving Red Arrow alone and under the light of the Storage Room. Knowing that it was safe, Doctor Fate allowed the golden-aura to fade away and to be prepare when they would have to spring out and stop Red Arrow.
[Are you ready, Boy? Once we do this, we'll need to move quickly and get everything set before the time that Vandal Savage gave to the Elder Archer is gone.]
Dick knows that this was the moment to either stick to the plan, or to change the plan with a new idea. However, despite wanting to prove himself to be able to take care of a situation on his own, though he's being aided and controlled by Nabu, he knows that he needs the help from his surrogate-siblings in order to stop Vandal Savage and Klarion the Witch Boy, which is why he isn't going to back out and change the plan.
[Though I'm not completely whelmed as I would usually be, I'm still ready as I'll ever be.]
[Good.]
Red Arrow stared down at the Starro-tech being held and secure within the case Vandal has just gave to him, as if going through what his objective is for The Light within his head and making sure he wasn't forgetting anything. He then used his right-hand to open a small pouch that's clung to his right-thigh and then gathered the Starro-tech to place them within the pouch that will keep the alien-like chips safe and easier for him to bring them out one at a time when going after a member of the Justice League.
[Get ready.] Nabu told the boy, as Doctor Fate raised his right-hand towards the door that had allowed Red Arrow to come into the Storage Room and will allow him out of the unused room.
When they watch all the Starro-tech had been secured and transported to Roy's pout and after tossing the case towards the boxes that Doctor Fate is hiding behind to stay hidden, the redhead archer slowly made his way towards the door that would lead him back towards the surface where some of the Justice League Members are probably either looking for him or are heading towards the Mess Hall to get some food while celebrating the New Members joining the League and New Years. When the doors began to separate themselves when they sensed him coming within five inches, that was when Doctor Fate's eyes went golden-yellow and once his Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes completely changed, the doors quickly snapped themselves shut.
"Huh?" Red Arrow stated in confusion, after having to jump back in startle and shock when the two doors suddenly decided to close and not allow him to leave the room. He went towards the sealed doors and tried to pull one of them back, but the doors would not separate. "What the hell?" He cursed out, letting go for a few moments to let his fingers rest a bit until he tried to once again pried them apart. "Come on... Open, damn it!"
No matter how many times he pulled or no matter how much of his strength he uses to get the doors to open, they wouldn't budge in the least, thanks to the power of Doctor Fate keeping them together. Roy eventually gave up and let go of the right-door he's been trying to pull away from the left-door. He then used his right-foot to kick the door in anger, as if thinking that if he kicked it then the doors would open from feeling the force of his anger from that kick.
"Why the hell isn't it letting me out?"
[Shall we make our appearance, Child?]
[Let's get this over with.]
With them on the same page, despite Dick not wanting to do this to his oldest-brother figure, they let themselves be known by a spell.
"Este (Barrier)!"
By Doctor Fate's command, a small golden-bubble appeared in his hand and then launched itself towards Red Arrow, which had quickly expanded its size so it wouldn't crush the archer, and then swallowed Roy within itself. In a panic from being captured, Red Arrow tried to break free by jabbing his bow in the golden-sphere or releasing some of his arrows to have it break. However, no matter how many times he jabs at the barrier or how strong the arrows he uses, the sphere showed no signs of letting go or anywhere near to breaking.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Red Arrow hollered out, though he couldn't be heard as long as he was supposed to be because the sphere had greatly cut off more than half the volume of his voice, which had reduced it to the sound a bit over to a whisper but would be impossible for anybody on the floor above the Storage Room, unless Superman happens to be on that floor for any reason, to hear Red Arrow's cry for help.
Watching his older-brother fighting to get himself free, made Dick's heart ache with regret and wanting this whole thing to be just a miss understanding.
[I know this may be hard for you, child, but you know it's for his own good.] Nabu told the boy, as they slowly came out of hiding from behind the crates and walking towards the trapped archer.
[I know... It's just so hard to believe that Roy would be the traitor; we've been through so much together, that we ended up becoming brothers... I'm just hoping that this will all be some sort of nightmare that I'll be coming out of, but that's really too much to ask for, huh?]
[There are many things that many people wish to gain and earn, but even the most peaceful and giving people will not gain what they wish to come true. It's one of the toughest lessons that everyone must realize that life isn't always fair, or that Mother Earth can do so little because of the many years of being abused and used by many evil times of her creation of life. Which is why humans must make the best on what they can gain and achieve on the Earth to try and be happy.]
[Yeah, I know. If only that could've helped us to prevent Roy from being the mole, along with saving him from being kidnapped four years ago to prevent The Light from cloning him.]
[You were most likely eight years old when that happened, child, which could also be when you were either starting or were still getting used to living with your preview caregiver. So, even if you were Robin around that time and had caught wind to what had happened to the Elder Archer, something was bound to go wrong... There would even be a chance that the both of you would've been cloned and then there would be two moles instead of one, or maybe you would be cloned if you were able to save the Archer from Cadmus and then the situation would've turned for the worse for the Team and League, especially to the Dark Knight.]
A silent pause came after Nabu spoke his words, which meant that the preteen is thinking on what his new mentor and current caregiver has said to him, though it would be hard to think clearly with Roy still trying to make his escape and continuously jabbing his arrow against the barrier of the golden-sphere keeping him captive until it was given command by Doctor Fate to release him. So, until it was given that command, it will not let go of the redhead archer inside of it, no matter how many times he would jab at it or how strong his arrows carry within itself.
[You're right.]
During his many years of life and during his services on Earth, along with if he were to have a body of his own instead of taking over somebody else's for his need to continue on protecting the Earth, Nabu had never felt something so heart-breaking that would have him fall to his knees from just the feeling and hearing of his host's pain and suffering.
'Now I both see, and understand, why many of these heroes and his previous team are very protective of him. Despite being in his preteens, he is still a child who needs to be taken cared of and feel wanted by all. Know wonder he pushed himself far to please his previous mentor; he wanted to prove himself useful and crave for attention in return of his loyalty.'
[What should we do about Roy, Nabu? We can't leave him awake; he may have something that could alert Klarion and The Light that he's being prevented from performing his mission and then they'll come after the team or even us if Klarion used his head to realize how easy it was on finding the case of their Starro-tech.]
[Agreed.]
As they discuss on what they should do about the redhead, they watch on how the eighteen year-old has finally given up on his attempt to escape the sphere-bubble and is now on his knees, catching his breath after using his strength to jab his bow against the walls and having to inhale so much smoke from using his explosive arrows.
[We shall put him to sleep until we return with the team, which he shall be seeing what The Light has done and what they're using him for.]
[Good, because I prefer to not go through the whole explaining and showing proof on how and why he would be the mole if he were to suddenly forget what he's been doing, especially if he were to ask why he's in the basement of the Watchtower and in the barrier.]
"Alright, who's there?!" Roy's voice broke the conversation the Lord of Order and preteen were having on what they need to do with the red-archer. He finally chose the time to cease his attacking on the barrier and to realize that he isn't the only one in the basement. "Show yourself, now!"
[Well, here goes nothing.]
Watchtower: December 31, 23:16 EST...
"Override: Batman, 0-2." The Dark Knight told the computer, as he swiftly typed in the command code to have the computer bring up the two people he wants the Watchtower to come up.
"ACCESS, GRANTED."
The computer replied, as the Batman pulled away from the control panel and went to stand in front of all Justice League Members that are within the Transportation Room, with Red Arrow also standing in front of group and now standing at the left-side of the Dark Knight. All held emotionless faces, their heads staring down at the floor but facing the three Zeta-Beams in front of them, awaiting for the arrival of two people which they're all supposed to silently greet.
"VANDAL SAVAGE, A-0-4; KLARION, A-0-5!"
When the light of the Zeta-Beam ceased itself from surrounding the two arrival of the villains, Vandal came out of the beam and stood on top of the staircase, staring down at his still motionless Justice League.
"Finally! It was about time he finally have them all under our control." Klarion stated, walking to stand beside the left-side of Vandal Savage, with Teekl held in his arms. "Any longer, and I would've lost my temper and taken care of the matter, myself."
"Luckily, it won't have to happen." Vandal told the Witch Boy, as he turned his head and stared down at the ageless child. "If you were to loose control, then our plan would've failed and while being blinded by your anger, the Justice League would've easily taken you down with their powers to restrain you and have your Uncle Jason Blood to send you to you and Teekl to your room as Etrigan the Demon."
When he turned his gaze back to the group of heroes, did they all got down on one knee and bowed to Vandal Savage, which has greatly pleased to see that he now has power over the League and he doesn't have to fight or even lift a fist to make them do what he wants them to do.
"Fifty thousand years of life and nothing ever troubled me as much as the founding of the Justice League, dedicated to maintaining society's calcified status quo. The League would protect mankind from disaster, crime, tragedy of any kind." He walked down the steps, with Klarion and Teekl staying at their spots on the steps, went through the center of the bowing Justice League and then stopped to look down at Earth. "Had you never heard of 'the survival of the fittest'?"
Klarion simply stayed quiet, not sure if Vandal was talking to him or the Justice League, though it mostly sounded like he was addressing to the heroes.
"In essence, you heroes sought to protect humanity from its own glorious evolution." He turned back to stare at the kneeling heroes, his smile that was just on when he was gazing on Mother Earth turning into a simple line of a frown. "As such, you forced my more enlightened colleagues and myself, to organize a response." He then slowly made his way back to the league, though his strides were much slower and a lot more like a sergeant general scouting and observing his men to see them stay in line and awaiting for his commands to either move or be prepare for battle. "We created or co-opted networks of operatives, placed key-individuals in key-positions, made certain we were on the cutting edge of all new technologies, genetic engineering, biochemical engineering, robotics, nano-robotics, even techno-sorcery."
He then stopped in-between Batman and Red Arrow, turning his Blackish-Brown eyes to the two heroes.
"Not to mention every conceivable method of mind-control."
Normally, the Dark Knight would've slowly and secretly reach for one of his smoke-pellets or a Batarang to perform a sneak attack or a distraction to instantly come up with an idea on how to take down the intruder. However, Batman didn't make a single budge to indicate him preparing to make his move, even if Klarion and Teekl wouldn't be able to predict or see what he would do since his movement would always be silenced and his cape covers his entire body to only have darkness be seen. Vandal smirked, proud of what his group are able to do to prevent even the greatest hero on Earth to be unable to attack.
"Cold-heard science, a little misdirection and now you, champions of stagnation, have become our agents of change, forcing the human race to evolve on a more advanced schedule." He made his way back towards the steps of the Zeta-Beam and to the Witch Boy remained in their spots. "Allowing the Earth to take its rightful place, at the center of the Cosmos."
He then turned to Klarion, his wicked-smile back on his face.
"Are you ready to have some fun, Klarion?"
Just having to say the word 'fun', instantly had Klarion pumped up and ready to do what he wanted to do after going through the plan with The Light.
"Are you kidding?!" He cried, letting his familiar go lay around the back of his neck. "I've been waiting a long time to do some fun, especially with my Uncle Jason not being here to stop me!"
Vandal chuckled at the ageless child's reply.
"Good," he said. "Prepare the original seven of the Justice League to head for Rimbor. Meanwhile, have the rest of the League to get the supply to create more Starro-techs or to head for the Team to have them under our control."
"Forgive me for speaking, Master, but I'm afraid that plan won't work."
Vandal Savage, Klarion and Teekl turned to the direction where they heard a voice that wasn't either of them, and saw that it was Batman, no longer kneeling and standing, who was the one who just spoke without giving any command or permission to speak.
"Oh?" He now made his way back down the steps and now stood eye-to-eye with the Dark Knight, his Blackish-Brown eyes staring at white-lens of the cowl. "And why is that, Dark Knight?"
"We've already looked for the Team at their headquarters, but we found they're no longer there. We've search everywhere but we can no longer find their location on Earth. We believe that they're either hiding within another Secret headquarters of their own, or are basically no longer on Earth at all. Either way, we're still looking for them."
Vandal simply scoffed at the news, thinking of it as a simply problem that can be fixed with just a snap of his fingers.
"Is that all? No problem; we'll have The Light track down the children and have them under our control." He turned his back and once again, but slowly, made his way up the staircase. "Right now, the seven Original Members of the Justice League, get ready for your objective on Rimbor. The rest of you, get to work as if it were your routine on the Watchtower."
What he was expecting and assumed to be a wordless reply of obedience, wasn't what he got when he heard a reply that had Vandal halt in his steps.
"Yeah, about that? Sorry, but we're not going to do any of what you just told us to do."
Vandal turned his gaze to Batman, his eyes showing shock and confusion on why his orders had been ordered and declined by his controlled enemies of superheroes.
Klarion gave a confused look on what the Dark Knight just said, while Teekl let loose a low growl, sitting up from laying on his familiar's shoulders and slowly getting himself into a crouching position, his red-eyes staring suspiciously at the tall human when the cat tried to sniff his scent but only to smell nothing on or in him.
"Uh...? Was that supposed to happen?" He asked Vandal, since he truly doesn't know how the Starro-tech works and simply wonders if this was a side-effect of the chip when it enters a host's body.
"No... It wasn't," the adult answered. Slowly descending down the steps and making his way towards the Dark Knight, who simple smirked and folded his arms. He then turned his Blackish-Brown eyes to Red Arrow, who he and the rest of the League still kneeled. "Red Arrow, I thought you've completed your task and had given the Starro-tech to all Justice League Members before we had arrived."
"Oh? Was I supposed to give them the Starro-tech?"
They couldn't see his face, since it was lowered to stare at the floor, but Vandal and Klarion could hear the mocking tone in the redhead's voice.
The ginger then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small item to hold it underneath his face that the villains couldn't see, which they assume that it was one of the few extra Starro-tech. He then smirked at what he saw, which greatly confused the two villains.
"Well, it's no wonder that it didn't work. Turns out I gave him the wrong chip."
"'The wrong chip'?" Klarion repeated, now knowing that there was something wrong to what the red-archer just said. "Those Starro-tech chips should be able to control any type of person, without having to know specifically who or what kind of person to control."
Vandal got down to his knee and when he saw what the small item was, his anger and suspicious grew when he saw that it wasn't the Starro-tech he and his team made, but a small-square patch chip that was in a lighter-pink color with a small red-dot in the center of it.
"What is the meaning of this?"
As a response, the Dark Knight let out a chuckle from hearing the question, while Red Arrow formed a sly-smile that Vandal didn't see, when he gotten up to stand.
Vandal turned his gaze back to the Dark Knight and, even though he couldn't see his eyes, he knew that this wasn't the actual man under the cowl.
"You're not the Dark Knight."
"No, I'm not. You got a problem with that, Vandy?" Batman's voice seemed to have lightened a bit and if it wasn't for the fact that he was an adult, Vandal could've sworn that he could hear a child's voice instead of a grown man.
"Who are you?"
The impostor Batman let out a sigh and shook his head, still having the small on his face.
"Still haven't figured it out, have you?" He replied, his beginning to sound more and more childish than dark and old. "Man, you're a lot stupider than I expect you to be. I even gave you a clue that even Klarion should be able to figure out on his own, without any help from Teekl."
"Hey! I resent that!" Klarion yelled out, pointing at the fake, while Teekl let out a mini-roar the moment he got off of Klarion's shoulders and made a bunch of hissing sounds, both too angry to even think on who is behind the cowl and not the real thing.
"Enough talk!" Vandal demanded, grabbing the collar of the man and bringing him close to his face. "And enough with this childish game! Who are you?!" He then used his right hand to pull off the cowl, but the moment it went down and behind the mystery person's head... The face that appeared from the clothed-mask was his own face, smirking at the stunned look the real Vandal Savage was giving.
"You surprised from what you see?" His voice now matching Vandal's voice, though it was lighter than deeper as Vandal's actual voice. "Then, you'll be more surprised on what you'll hear, which hopefully will have you guess who I really am... Gå vekk (Go away)!"
The moment he said those words, did Vandal believe to have quickly realize who was the one that has been playing Batman the whole time, before he's been blast from the mere words of the impostor.
The force made Vandal feel like he's been punched wall by a professional wrestler, even with his strength being three times stronger than the average man's strength would be. The force was so strong, the villain could've sworn he felt his chest beginning to crack, which included one of his collarbones close to breaking. He may had been blasted, shot at, punched, fallen off of buildings or planes, poisoned, burnt, and even freeze to death during the thousands of years he's been on Earth from a caveman to the villain he became to this day, but this force has got to be one of the toughest feeling that took his breath than the time when he almost got mauled by the bear that gave him the scars on his face.
Klarion, who he and Teekl are still on the top floor in front of the Zeta-beams, wasn't able to move or teleport out of the way when they heard the backward spell the fake hero just said, and were soon shoved to the ground by the sheer weight and shove of Vandal Savage.
"Agh!" He gasped out, hitting his chin on the ground when Vandal's head slammed into his face and having his back being pressed down by the adult's back.
"Rawr!" Teekl cried when his familiar and Vandal landed on top of him and squishing him against the floor, now trying to crawl himself out of the massive weight that's crushing his body as if trying to make him become a small rag.
Once the small cat was able to free himself and after shaking his fur to get any dirt off his fur or making sure nothing in his body got broken, did he turned to the man and hissed at him, his body looking as if he were stretching but only with his fur sticking up as if he were struck by lightning.
The impostor Vandal simply chuckled at the demon cat's threatening cries and posture, knowing that the cat can't do anything in his cat-form unless Klarion boosts his physical abilities to turn him into his saber-tooth tiger-cat form.
The only thing Teekl could possibly do at the moment is either scratch or bite him, but neither of those attacks would do any harm to him or even leave a mark for very long. Though it was making hissing sounds, the human knows what the creature was saying to him.
You are the Magician Girl, Zatanna Zatara, aren't you? How did you know about our plan?
"Sorry, Cat, but I'm afraid you got the wrong person."
Klarion's eyes shot up wide-open when he heard what the impostor said to his cat, which meant he understood what Teekl had just hissed out and had given away an important hint to who he really is when he used a spell to push Vandal away without having to cancel the face-copy spell. The ageless child then crawled himself away from the adult's which, who almost recovered from the sudden thrust of air that sent him flying and sat up on the ground, and when Klarion was finally to his feet did his eyes shrunk to their bead-sized eyes.
"I should've known it would be you. I shouldn't had listen to what Lex Luthor had told us after he came back from his little trip to Santa Prisca."
Then, both of his hands lit up and filled themselves with red energy-balls, ready to be tossed, to destroy, and cause any form of chaos.
"Reveal yourself... Nabu!"
The actual Vandal was startled when he heard the name that Klarion called the fake Vandal by, why the impostor Vandal let out a deep sigh of breath, with a smile still on his face.
"Looks like I was right when I said that you can figure out my true-self, though I'm a bit disappointed on our fun being ruined and that you basically had Teekl to help you find out. Aren't you, Red Arrow?"
He turned to the redhead archer, who stood up from kneeling after putting the chip back into his pocket and turned to face the fake Vandal, with a smile also on his face.
"Why, yeah. I'm upset that we didn't get the chance to be in the game, too."
Vandal finally got to his feet, though he did stumbled a bit from the ache still in his chest, and glared down at the two.
"What is going on here?!" He yelled, anger coursing through his body and his mind realizing that if Doctor Fate is truly the fake Batman, then that'll mean both his and The Light's plan will be ruined with the Lord of Order getting in the way, though there was a few problems to Klarion's claim on how and why the impostor couldn't be Doctor Fate because of what Luthor, Queen Bee and Bane had told them when the Team attacked them in Santa Prisca. "Though it should be obvious that you are Doctor Fate, according to what some of our members from The Light had informed me from Santa Prisca, they claim that the Boy Wonder has removed the Helmet of Fate and is no longer the host of the Lord of Order! Which means that Doctor Fate is no longer with us, until he finds a new host! And you!"
He turned his Blackish-Brown eyes towards the redhead, who he and the fake turned their gaze and ceased their talking.
"I did not give you permission or a command to no longer kneel!"
Instead of an explanation, Red Arrow turned back to the impostor Vandal and gaze him a form of a pout.
"Can you believe this guy? He interrupted us on what kind of game we should play, since Klarion and Teekl had broken the rule and ruined our fun."
"I know..."
The impostor then gave a snickering smile.
"What do you think we should do to get back at them?"
"Hmm..." Red Arrow crossed his arms in front of his chest, with a playful thinking look on his face that seems to tick off the villains from above. "You know? I think we should..."
Even though they couldn't see his eyes hidden underneath his Domino mask, but the slight turn of his head towards them gave them a hint that he just removed his gaze from the ceiling of the Watchtower to them, with a sly smile played on his face as well.
Quicker than the smile came on his face, it then turned into a frown and his eyes looked to have narrowed at them. The next action was what sent the alarms in Vandal and Klarion's head when he spoke an important piece that was keeping their goal from being successful... Which is also a piece that can quickly destroy all The Light's hard work on their master plan.
"ATTACK!"
And just from hearing the redhead's command, the remaining members of the Justice League that had been kneeling the whole time got up from their knee and made their way towards Vandal, Klarion and Teekl.
Vandal couldn't believe what was going, and yet, here it was, playing right before his eyes and before he could fully figure it out: His plan has failed. It's been destroyed. Became all for naught. And what else? These aren't the Justice League that are supposed to be in the same room with them and be under The Light's control.
No, the moment they stood and, lifted their eyes to stare up at him and Klarion, besides Red Arrow calling out 'attack', he knew that they were not the adult superheroes that was going to put their plan to phase two.
"Argh! I should've known! This was all too easy!" Klarion hollered out, as he set up a red-barrier around him while tossing the red energy-balls towards the charging Justice League and took that moment to quickly boost Teekl's abilities to turn him into his saber-tooth tiger-cat form when the energy-balls came into poof of smokes when they hit some of the impostors.
Teekl's small cat-size body massively grew, no longer becoming an ordinarily cat, but into a beast that none of The Brain's feline armies could ever match or rival up to.
"Get them, Teekl!"
Once his transformation was complete, did the giant creature let out a massive roar and then launched himself in the air to attack the impostors. Just when the giant feline was about to pounce on Superman and Green Arrow, Captain Marvel launched himself in the air and thrust both hands on Teekl's chest, pushing them back to the platform where Teekl launched himself from and having the large cat be pinned on his back by the Greek God hero... Or, who should be the Greek God hero, since he was snarling at the saber-tooth tiger-cat and was growling like an animal, himself.
Klarion's eyes narrowed from the sound that Captain Marvel just made and from the way Teekl kept on hissing and struggling to get the Greek God hero off of him, did he see what was going on. Which also explains to why Superman isn't flying towards them and had leap his way up the steps towards Teekl to assist Captain Marvel, or to why Plastic Man didn't stretch his way towards them but chose to curl himself into a ball and roll towards them like a bowling ball, and to why the first Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, isn't using his Power Ring but is somehow able to match strength with Vandal Savage without the aid of having to active his Power Ring.
His eyes then turned to the first impostor, who simply stayed put on his stop during the whole fight but instead of having that smug smile on his face, he held a frown on his face and glared back at the ageless child.
"So, you like to play Junior Magic?" He raised both his hands up, now focusing on all the heroes that are attacking him, his familiar and Vandal. "Then, fine! We'll play your Junior Game. Lecnac tuo lla Ypoc dna Noitamrofsnart Slleps (Cancel out all Copy and Transformation Spells)!"
As the backward spell spill from his lips, a sudden blast of red-wave thrust itself throughout the room and all the heroes, except for the first Green Lantern, Red Arrow and copy-face Vandal, were launched towards the glass that keeps the oxygen and gravity inside the Watchtower. The moment they slammed against the glass, which appears to be one of the toughest glass in the world since none of them seem to have single crack or crater when the group of heroes made hard contact with it, and when they made contact to the floor after falling from the glass, did a poof of smoke came off of them and their appearance suddenly changed when the smoke cleared.
It turns out the one who was playing Superman, was none other than Superboy, the Boy of Steel. The one playing as Flash was Kid Flash, the Fastest Boy Alive. Shockingly, but somehow not surprisingly, the one being Green Arrow was Artemis. Aqualad had been Aquaman, while Raquel became Icon. As for Captain Marvel and Plastic Man, Wolf has taken the place of the Greek God and Sphere took the role as Plastic Man. As for Martian Manhunter and Zatara, Miss Martian had actually morphed herself as her uncle and Zatanna used her own spell to be her father. The rest of the League, except for the first Green Lantern, who continues on fighting Vandal Savage, were simple clones of the original and because they're Copy Spells of the Original Justice League Members, they vanished with the smoke that had surrounded them.
"So, I was right." Klarion stated, as the team got to their feet and readied themselves to fight the Lord of Chaos and his familiar. Rather than keeping his gaze on the team, Klarion turned to the fake Vandal. "I knew that the bald guy Lex Luthor and nagging hag Queen Bee were too stupid to fall for a simple Clone Spell to believe that your host would be able to take off the Helmet, especially when I'll still be able to sense your power or presence on Earth."
He then slowly walk down the steps, ignoring the fight going on between Vandal Savage and the first Green Lantern, who Klarion believe to simply be an impostor but also a skilled magician to still be able to hold in the Transformation Spell and to withstand his Canceling Spell.
"I also should've known that finding the briefcase on the roof of your home would be a trap and a simple bait for me to fall."
"Because we knew on how much you want to begin your fun, that you would be too distracted on causing chaos to think about the whole thing being set up and to ignore your familiar's suspicious, even when he knew that it would be of no use to convince you or get it through your thick head."
And just like that, after the impostor's true voice came out, a poof of smoke circled around his figure and when the smoke has subsided, the true figure whose been playing them the whole time has revealed himself: Doctor Fate, the Lord of Order, himself.
Teekl let loose a mixture of a hiss and a snarl, his claws digging into the hard material of the Watchtower's floor and his fangs growing a few inches longer from the sight of his master's greatest opponent.
"As always, you know so much about me, besides my Uncle Jason." His dark-black eyes turned to stare at the team, all of who were turned back to their actual appearance from pretending to be the Justice League and had made their way to stand beside Doctor Fate and Red Arrow, and scoffed at the sight of the teens. "I never thought you would ask for help from the Junior Justice League, especially when you prefer to work with only your host. Why the sudden change of heart or what was it that had you decide to ask for help from somebody else, rather than your host? Decide to search for one who has better potential and can actually live up to the use of powers, or did you grew tired of a mere boy like the other two before him and want to use another one of them to be your new puppet?"
As fast as Flash and Superman, perhaps maybe a bit faster, Doctor Fate had shockingly broke through Klarion's barrier and soon had the child's neck within his left-hand.
"Silence your tone, Witch Boy, or I shall have your tongue slit."
Teekl, who quickly recovered from the stunned action that had played right before her eyes of Doctor Fate getting through his master's barrier and now having Klarion in his grip, crouched down and launched himself towards the Lord of Order, ready to take down the hero and to draw blood from the flesh of the boy with his fangs and claws.
However, like he did while playing Captain Marvel, Wolf launched himself towards the saber-tooth tiger-cat and pinned him to the floor, with Superboy going over to assist his canine companion to prevent Teekl from trying to attack the Lord of Order. As if to warn the giant cat and to show that he won't hesitate to finish him off, Wolf clamped his jaws around the cat's throat and drew blood when he added more pressure from Teekl thrashing around underneath his and Superboy's hold.
"Teekl!" Klarion cried out, watching his familiar growing in pain from the tightening of Wolf's fangs digging into the cat's flesh, all the while feeling what his familiar's going through and that his anchor keeping him in this dimension slowly starting to slip. "Let him go! Pl̀x- (Relea-)!"
"Horrid Child, cease power and thy voice, only I shall return them by choice!"
"Eh...!" The rest of what Klarion was going to say went silent from a new voice that had interrupted his spell and when Klarion tried to re-speak the spell, not a single word or sound has been made or heard from his lips, and it wasn't because of Doctor Fate's hand tightening his grip on his throat.
"Dude, I never get tired on your spells that comes when you do riddles... Though, I'm a bit creep out about it and, oddly somehow, reminds me of the Riddler." Kid Flash commented on the voice that had silenced the Witch Boy, which he was very surprised and very please to no longer hear his voice or use his powers unless the one who cast the spell decides to give them back to Klarion.
Out from the corner of his eyes, Klarion saw the first Green Lantern come to stand to the right of Doctor Fate, with Vandal being held in his right-hand, his hands bound behind his back with rope and a few bruises visible on his face that shows the sign of him and the Green Lantern's scuffle with each other.
Oddly enough, Green Lantern seems to have only a few scratches but no signs of bruises whatsoever.
"Thank you, Kid Flash, though I prefer to not be measured up to the psychotic Riddle-Man."
Klarion's eyes widen from the sound of his voice and when that sudden realization slapped him across his face, did he try to struggle even more to get his neck out of Doctor Fate's hand.
Teekl, still pinned to the ground and blood still seeping over his neck, also panicked when he knew the sound of Green Lantern's voice. Even though Klarion can't scream or yell and though Teekl can't speak human unless his master gives him the ability to talk human, Doctor Fate can still understand the feline's words from underneath the hissing and snarling.
Etrigan?! What are you doing here?!
Green Lantern chuckled and, knowing that the jig is already up, did he allow his appearance to change and become Etrigan the Demon.
Vandal stared up in shock when the Green Lantern has changed into a demon, more terrified that he's now in the clutches of Klarion's Uncle Jason. He knew that trying to escape from the hold of Etrigan won't be that simple and trying to do so will most likely have him transported to the demon's dimension or most likely forever become a mindless slave.
"Oh, you know, the usual things, Teekl: Helping out in Gotham as Jason Blood, gathering Ancient Artifacts to protect them from other Sorcerers that would abuse their powers... Searching everywhere for you two and to stop you both from causing anymore trouble than you already had."
His red-eyes, which explains to where and how Klarion gets them when his eyes would shrink from having to cast a spell, matches to the Rage of Fire when he had mentioned on the many of troubles Klarion and Teekl had done over the past few centuries ago. They held so much anger and darkness for the two, that Klarion and Teekl had to turn away from the demon's glance as if they would be turned to stone by Medusa.
"You two never listen to me when I'd warned you to not attack or torture this dimension, let alone to not cause any mayhem to any other dimensions except for your own. Then again, Klarion, you're known to being the Lord of Chaos."
Rather it was the spell or his choice to not speak to deny what his uncle said is true, Klarion made no reply to the demon's words and Teekl simply growled at the last remark.
"What will you do with Klarion, now that you've finally caught him and Teekl, Etrigan?" Aqualad asked the demon, knowing that both he and Doctor Fate have every right to do what they see fit to punish the Lord of Chaos for his crimes, especially on entering their dimension centuries ago without gaining permission from his parents and/or the Submissionaries who ran his hometown from his dimension, which resulted to have his parents to be turned into mice when they denied him to stay with his uncle and warning him of the consequences of his actions will lead him if he plunge the Earth into Chaos.
"I shall deal with him later," the demon replied. "Right now, I believe we have this problem to take care of, first." He held up Vandal Savage, who glared up at the demon, though his body trembled from the strength Etrigan holds that far surpass his own.
From the reminder of who had caused this sudden problem to come, Doctor Fate released the Witch Boy to the ground, having to thrust him to the floor and knowing that the team will stop him if he were to try and escape in his defenseless state, and made his way towards Etrigan and Vandal. Even though that Dick's body was short for his age and Etrigan can easily hold the immortal up to reach his eye-level, the Lord of Order kneeled on one knee and had Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes to meet with Blackish-Brown.
"Well, Vandal Savage, you were not expecting this to happen in your plan, have you?"
Vandal simply glared at the Lord of Order, until he scoffed at Doctor Fate's words.
"Don't get so full of yourself, Doctor Fate." His eyes narrowed in disgust, but he allowed a wicked-smile to appear on his face. "You may had been able to predict our plan to take control of the Justice League, but I bet you didn't predict the rest of The Light's plan on taking all of Cadmus' supplies to help us with the next phase of our plan. By now, they would already be gone with the supplies and may as well made pitstops in all your hometowns to gain the sidekicks' attention. So basically, I still won both the fight and the war."
What he was expecting to be stares and gasps of shock and horror from the team and Lord of Order, was actually blank and calm stares, none of which were even showing any signs of concern from his words.
A few responses came, but it wasn't what Vandal wanted to see or expected to come: Doctor Fate let out a deep sigh and slowly shook his head, Kid Flash seems to be holding in his laugher for some reason and Superboy, who usually snaps when something goes wrong, actually smirked and even gave a small chuckle.
Vandal also noticed that Klarion and Teekl weren't thrilled about his choice of words and seemed to have gotten more scared from the few responses of the team and Doctor Fate.
"Do you really take me and my host for fools, Vandal? or better yet..." If the helmet allowed the mouth to be visible, Vandal would most likely see a sly-smile on his face. "Did you receive any calls of your team completing their objectives at Cadmus a few hours ago or if they're going to cause havoc in their hometowns?"
The second question was all the adult needed to hear before he, too, showed fear and worry in his eyes.
"No..." He whispered, which earned some smirks and smiles from the team when he whispered the word.
"Oh yeah, Vandy." Kid Flash stated, his smirks being the biggest out of the whole team when he sees the fear in the villains eyes, which he had wanted to see for a long time ever since he heard this man had never showed fear or even feared anything at all for being an immortal.
"But how? The only way you could be able to get to the rest of the Light within six hours, would be to stop time and we both know that you would never do a spell that would have your host lose both his body and soul from a High-Rank Spell, since he has no experience with Magic and even if you were to train him on the Art of Magic, he won't be able to handle using his entire energy and life to perform such a spell."
"You would be right on that part, Vandal Savage, unless I would have an assistance to help us decrease the chance of my host losing his life, which we both gotten the help from Etrigan the Demon."
"And I'm glad to have been of help and be part of Doctor Fate's plan; I would finally get the chance to catch up to my nephew and put a stop to his childish games."
Klarion stared fearfully at his uncle, knowing that both he and Teekl are going to get it the moment the Team hands them over to Etrigan the Demon.
"Oh, and one more thing, Vandal Savage..."
Before anybody could see it coming, with the exception of Etrigan the Demon, everyone watch in shock when they witness Doctor Fate giving the Leader of The Light a good punch in the stomach, making the villain scream in agony and wincing in pain from the impact he wasn't prepared to endure. The Lord of Order than grabbed a fist full of Vandal's hair and forced the villain to look up at him, even though his neck is still in the grasp of Etrigan.
"Never underestimate the ability, nor the appearance, of my host. I may be in control over his body and have more than enough power to eliminate every villain off the face of the planet, but he has the Wisdom of Merlin and shows to be a magnificent assistant than Phantom Stranger had in all his years on helping other heroes. Out of all my hosts that I've had in my existence, this boy has got to be the greatest host that I've ever got the privilege to know and bond with."
The Team couldn't believe what they've just heard, especially Zatanna, while Etrigan, Teekl and Klarion were completely startled of hearing the confession of the Lord of Order actually admitting to bond, let alone care, for his host. Never, in their entire lives or existence of learning or knowing the role that Doctor Fate has for the Earth, would they come to believe the day where the Lord of Order would admit to be happy to be with his current host and to defend his host from those who would mock that person for not matching up to the level of Doctor Fate's magic or ability. Today, this will be the day where the Team finally learned that anyone, even Doctor Fate, shows to care about somebody and isn't as coldhearted as they thought he was to be.
Doctor Fate then released Vandal's hair and then stood up at his full height, with Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes keeping their glare on the villain to remind him who can match up to Batman's own cold glares.
"Vandal Savage, it is time for you to be judge of your actions and to accept the punishment for what you've done to the Earth for the last thousands of years."
Still wincing in pain and recovering from the punch in the stomach, Vandal Savage simply gave the Lord of Order a deep, dark chuckle, as if what the hero just said to him was a simple joke that's worth to be laughed at.
"Please... Do you honestly believe that your powers will have any affect on me?" He conceited, showing to not be afraid of whatever the Lord of Order has plans for him, knowing that even if the hero were to kill him, he'll simply be brought back to life, thanks to the radiation from the meteor that gave him his immortality. "In case you have forgotten, there hasn't been anything or anybody on Earth, in space, or even from different dimensions, that have been successful on defeating me or ending me for good, thanks to the power of my immortality. So, whatever you have plans for me that'll become my punishment, will not have any effect on me."
The Team knew that Vandal was right on every word and, hating to admit it, knew that whatever Doctor Fate and Robin has in store for the villain, won't do anything in the very least on stopping him from ever repeating his actions on what he did in the past and possibly continue his plan on attacking the Justice League and the Team.
While the Team held looks of defeat and both Klarion and Teekl showed to gaining back their confidence and hope on stopping their enemies and once again escape Etrigan's grasp, the Lord of Order simple let out a deep sigh of annoyance.
"Have you forgotten who you're talking to?" Doctor Fate asked the fifty-thousand year-old man, who wasn't at all intimidated or afraid on what the Lord of Order has to say. "I am the Lord of Order, I decide whose fate shall be spared and whose fate shall be punished. Which means I have the power to give out any kind of punishment to those who're guilty, and I have the one punishment that you'll fear to have bestowed upon, Vandal Savage."
"And just what would that punishment be? Be put into jail, with no chance of parole? Banished to another dimension? Be forced to live in exile within your humble abode?"
Annoyed by his cocky arrogance, Etrigan would've snapped his neck as if snapping a branch in two pieces to shut him up, if it wasn't for the human being immortal and that he's to only use his powers to protect humanity from other magic users.
"Not even close... I'm going to take away your Immortality."
Boy, did nobody get to hear that coming, not even Klarion or Etrigan... Especially not Vandal Savage, for his cocky and smart aleck mood immediately switched into one of shock and disbelief.
"Wh... What was that?"
The sound of quivering brought worry and panic back into Klarion and Teekl, while it seems to stun the team and impressed Etrigan on what the hero said he'll do to the villain.
"You heard what I just said: I'm going to strip away your Immortality."
If it weren't for Etrigan's hold on him, Vandal would've fallen on his back and try to crawl away from Doctor Fate as far as the Watchtower will allow him to, since they were at the right-side of the room and far away from the Zeta-Beams for him and the Witch Boy to use as their escape route.
"That's... Impossible! There's no way that you can take away ones Immortality, even if you're an Ancient Sorcerer!"
"On the contrary, if one who gained their Immortality from natural causes and not by performing any ritual or spells, than I can easily strip it away from that person, with or without help. And since you gained your gift from a radioactive meteor, that classifies as a natural cause and allows me to easily strip you of your Immortality." Doctor Fate then turned to Etrigan. "Release him. It is time to end this."
As commanded, though preferring to release the filth that he held in his hand, Etrigan the Demon released Vandal Savage and backed away to give the Lord of Order some room to perform his spell, along with wanting to keep a further eye on his nephew if he tries to get away.
"Y-You're bluffing," the villain stuttered. Another surprise for both heroes and villains to hear such tone to come from Vandal, while it seemed hard to not believe to watch him trying to crawl his way backwards to get as far away from the Lord of Order as possible. He then turned his head to stare at Klarion, who showed so much fear than the Immortal human has ever seen in the child's eyes. "Tell me he's lying, Klarion! He can't really take away my Immortality, can he?"
For a Lord of Chaos, who also specializes in Trickery and deceit, Klarion is still a child and as a child, he has to be honest with the villain and answered his question by lowering his head to stare sadly at the ground and slowly nod his head.
Seeing the truth that Klarion just showed to him, along with seeing Teekl, who finally ceased his struggling but still being held down by Superboy and Wolf, flatten his ears to his skull and staring at the ground to avoid eye contact with the adult, Vandal knew that he's in major trouble and for the first time since staring death in the face from the bear that gave him the scars on his face, Vandal Savage was afraid. Turning back to Doctor Fate, he saw not a child wearing a mystical helmet that conceals his entire face, but his executioner that came to end the life of his Immortality.
"N-No, please... You can't do this to me!" He yelled, struggling to get back on his feet, only to succeed on getting to his knees.
"I can, and I will." The Lord of Order told the adult, calmly walking towards the now cowering man. Feeling the sudden adrenaline kicking in when Doctor Fate grew closer to him, though fueled with his new found fear and knowing that his superhuman strength won't do any harm to the Lord of Order but can finally free his bound hands from the rope, did Vandal Savage found the strength to finally get to his feet and made a quick dash towards the Zeta-Beam.
Before anybody of the team were about to make an attempt to stop him, Doctor Fate formed an Ankh-Symbol shaped cuff in his hands and thrust it towards Vandal Savage. The Ankh-Symbol caught the man before he could make his way up the stairs, and anchored him down to the ground on his knees, bounding him for the second time and preventing him from escaping. Doctor Fate's eyes glowed golden-yellow, as he floated himself in the air and used his power to slowly lift Vandal Savage in the air and towards him.
"Vandal Savage, it is time to face the charges for your past crimes and sins."
"No, let me go!" Vandal pleaded, as he soon found himself face-to-face with the Lord of Order and completely paralyzed by the Ancient Sorcerer's own Telekinesis Powers.
"For the past fifty thousands years, long when Man began their life on Earth, you've done nothing but spread war and destruction unto the planet. You've killed thousands of innocent lives: Men, women and children... You've even taken the lives of your own flesh and blood, along with your past wives and brothers in arms who had fought along side with you in the many wars you've caused." Doctor Fate raised both hands in the air, which was soon surrounded in an aura of golden-yellow. "And for that reason, along with your plot on having the Justice League be put up to attack the Planet: Rimbor and accused them for being too dangerous, you are hereby guilty of all charges, and are sentenced to have your Immortality taken away from you, thus having you become mortal."
The moment he spoke those words, the Ankh-Symbol shaped cuff grew big until it was almost as big and tall as a four storey house, having Vandal be held within the center of the Ankh-Symbol of Doctor Fate.
"Wait, Doctor Fate, don't do this! Please, I didn't mean to cause so much destruction on the Earth; I've been blinded by power and greed, that I lost sight to what truly matters! I beg for your forgiveness!"
Acting to show that he meant it, Vandal Savage bowed his head as far as he was allowed to move it and forced tears to stream down his face. His little wolf under sheep's clothing act wasn't going to fool the Lord of Order, not in the very least when the Ancient Sorcerer knew that the villain had used that move countless of times while his fifty thousand years of life on the planet to get what he wants to make his plans go into action.
"Sorry, it's too late for forgiveness, Savage, especially when your false words has fallen onto deaf ears."
Doctor Fate then took a deep breath, preparing to speak the backward spell.
[Child, are you sure you're up to this task? This won't be an easy spell to perform: I fear it'll drain your entire energy, even take up almost half of your Life Energy.]
[I know the risks, Nabu, and I'm willing to even place my entire life on the line if that'll help end Vandal's endless plot on bringing war and destruction to the Earth.]
[Very well... Let us finish this.]
"It's time to take your punishment, Savage... Lui, che una volta un immortale, diventare un uomo mortale una volta di più (He, who once an immortal, become a mortal man once more)!"
Suddenly, with both hands held over the center of his chest and gathering as much energy as he can, did he release a massive Energy blast towards Vandal Savage, who lifted his head and screamed the moment the blast hits him square in the chest.
"NOOOO!" Vandal hollered in the air, feeling the inexplicable pain coursing through his entire body and the literal feeling of his Immortality being torn away from him.
The Team, Etrigan, Klarion and Teekl could only watch the event playing before them, as they watch the actual downfall of the mastermind and immortal leader of The Light.
Just already past the halfway point of the spell being completed, Nabu can sense Robin already running low on energy and can feel his Life Energy beginning to drain away.
[Boy, you must hang in there and try to endure the spell a while longer. If we back down and cancel the spell, not only will Vandal Savage remain Immortal, but the incompletion of the spell will kill you and destroy your body.]
[I can handle it, Nabu.] Robin's voice sounded strained and, for the fact that child's voice sounded as if he's trying to hold in his own screams of pain that Vandal Savage couldn't in in, Nabu is having a hard time believing what his host just said to him. [I've been through much worse than this, even if this has got to be one of the toughest magic fights to endure. And besides, since I'm your host, I decree that our efforts shall not be in vain!]
Sensing the thirteen year-old's determination, despite also sensing the child also going through the agonizing pain of his Life Energy draining, Nabu can sense Robin's Will and Spirit growing strong as ever, which somehow gave the Lord of Order the extra energy boost he needs to push aside the draining feeling within his host's body and to press on finishing the spell. Within another minute, the Energy Blast slowly pulled itself away from Vandal Savage and returning to the Lord of Order... Within the grasp of the Energy Blast, an orange-yellow glowing orb surrounded by a burning-red flame came towards the hero.
The moment it was within reach, Doctor Fate held the small-orb in his right-hand, glaring down at it as if it were some sort of poison or a dangerous device that'll cause trouble if fallen into the wrong hand, which it had been fifty thousand years ago. Everyone, including Vandal, who finally got the chance to catch his breath, stared that the small-orb in curiosity and shock at what Doctor Fate's Energy Blast just pulled out of the villain's chest.
"It's kind of a shock, really." The Lord of Order said, his gaze completely on the small-orb in his hand. "Something so small and appears to be fragile, can cause so much damage and an unbelievable amount of chaos. Although, not as much chaos as you cause, Klarion." He then turned his Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes back to Vandal Savage. "And now, it is time to put an end to your master schemes and, just so we don't have a repeat of this event to ever occur in the future..."
His eyes immediately went whitish-gold, along with his hand and the small-orb being surrounded by a golden-yellow aura.
"Dnes siht tfig ot eht Koob fo Nilrem, erehw ylno eh llahs eb elba ot niatbo eht Rewop fo Ytilatrommi (Send this gift to the Book of Merlin, where only he shall be able to obtain the Power of Immortality!)!"
The glowing aura around the small-orb grew brighter and lifted the small-orb away from the Lord of Order's hand, heading for the ceiling of the Watchtower and the moment it reached the top, just like a light in the dark and as quick as a Flash, it vanished in plain sight without leaving a single trail on where it just went, except to where Doctor Fate just told it to go to.
The Lord of Order felt lucky to be wearing a helmet that conceals his host's face, otherwise everyone in the room would be seeing the sweat rolling down the preteen's face and panting for breath from having to use multiple spells in just one day that a few of them took a major toll on the body and child's spirit.
[Boy, are you alright?]
[Yeah... I'm alright... Just need to... Catch my breath...]
Just hearing the boy struggling to catch his breath to stay alive, almost made Nabu wish to had used the Power of Immortality on Dick, but what's done is done; the power is already sealed up within the Book of Merlin and even if he were to call for it to comeback, the book will only allow its master to call for any magic or spells that's been sealed away within it. Besides, giving the Immortality to Dick will have his body to no longer age, thus never allowing the preteen's body to withstand the overuse of the spells in the future, and to suffer the curse on having to watch those he love to pass on to the Afterlife and to never join them in death until a stronger sorcerer can strip the power away from him.
[I am sorry to do this to you, Boy, but I need you to withstand a bit longer before you can finally get the opportunity to rest; I'll be doing a few more spells to cast upon Vandal Savage, and then both your body and spirit can start regaining their strength and energy.]
[Like I told you before... Nabu... I've been through... Much worse and will... Do whatever it takes... To put an end... To this war... Do what you... Have to do...] Nabu can hear the disappointment in the boy's voice, but he hears no regret or argument from being told to endure more pain while trying to catch his breath from overusing too much of his energy.
[I'll make it quick, just hang in there.]
Slowly flying his way towards Vandal Savage, who's been trying to break free from being bound to the Ankh-Symbol, Doctor Fate grabbed a fist full of the villain's shirt in his left-hand and snapped his fingers with his right-hand, where the Ankh-Symbol vanished from the command of the snapping fingers of its creator and left Vandal dangling in the air.
The villain grabbed at the arm gripping onto his shirt with both his hands, either to keep himself from being chocked to death or to continue fighting with the Lord of Order. The hero pulled his captured victim towards his face, where fearful Blackish-Brown eyes watch glaring Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes go whitish-gold once more.
"Koimitheíte(Sleep...)..." The spell was whispered to the villain, making Vandal Savage to be forced into an unwilling sleep and avoid putting the rest of the group down below to sleep as well. The grip on his arm immediately went slack and the hands that had gripped his arm glided off of the arm, dangling in the air at both sides of Vandal Savage.
Doctor Fate then used his Telekinesis Powers to lower the villain back to the ground, as he also lowered himself back to the floor below them and to stand over the body of the now unconscious villain.
"May your actions and past sins haunt you for the rest of your days." He then turned his head to stare at the Team, Klarion and Teekl, and Etrigan the Demon from behind him, standing tall and bold and majestic as he can be to the viewing eyes before him. "It is finished... The Immortal Vandal Savage, is no longer immortal."
TBC
Yeah, yeah, I know. 'How did Vandal and Klarion get inside the Watchtower without tripping the alarm or having the computer announce their arrival when giving Red Arrow the case that has the Starro-Tech?' Well, since Klarion is a Lord of Chaos, he can shield himself and Vandal from being detected of the Watchtower's security or cause a security breach, sort of how Doctor Fate did when hiding himself from the villains detecting him in the same room (which he also did the same when he teleported himself into the Watchtower).
Also... Yeah, I know on the wiki that it said that he has child(children) as his relatives (for those who looked on his profile on the Young Justice Wiki), but I always think those who're immortal (Except for Ra's Al Ghul, since he isn't really immortal because the Lazarus Pit is keeping him alive) wouldn't want or even need any children to carry on their bloodline if they can never die. So, in this, Vandal Savage killed his children (Trust me, I don't like to kill off babies/children, but I need to add something horrible to what Vandal did in the past fifty thousand years of his life).
And in other news... VERY SORRY for the late update! Trust me, I can explain: Since I couldn't get a job before April, which I had a deal with my mom, she's making me go to a college (Which I'm positive that I won't like; the colleges she's suggesting I should go either has few classes because the college's small and their electives sucks, and I wanted to do PE while I'm at college but the counselor suggested the other lame classes that don't even intrigue me at all, or because it's too big and will be hard to find all my classes [also, it's in a city; I live in the mountains and will take me an hour to get to the city]) and also wants me to try to get my license (I don't like driving, or cars [especially shift gears; they're hard to drive], which makes it hard for her to decide what sort of car to get me [Besides that it has to be an Automatic]. If they allow us to use horses as transportation, I'd gladly get a horse and ride it wherever I go, even if it's just to town and back).
So, I'll probably be stuck trying to please my mom and family (again, as always), which is going to be stressful, but I'm still going to keep doing Fanfiction, I promise. I know this chapter isn't good, but I promise I'll make the next chapter better. As for my other stories that I haven't updated lately, they WILL NOT be removed/deleted; I'm still doing them, just having a tight schedule on trying to complete them because of personal/family issues. So, please, if you can, be patient and I'll get them done ASAP.
R&R