Mount Justice, November 5, 7:47 P.M.
The past few days have been eventful, the team have been helping with the rebuilding of Gotham, Superboy has decided to spend the weekends at the Kent Farm and M'gann has already begun planning Wally's surprise party for his birthday. Finally after days of nearly no sleep the team now have the time to relax they've even had time to relax. Things have calmed down so much that Batman sent them to pick up supplies for the cave, they even had time to pick up groceries.
"Did you get everything?" Batman asked.
"All supplies are accounted for." Hunter said, setting down a large wooden crate.
"Plus groceries." M'gann added as she telekinetically set down two boxes full of food.
"Cookie fixins?" Wally ran up to the boxes excitedly.
"Mustard?" Kori flew over the box with just as much enthusiasm.
Koriand'r had developed a love for mustard after the team went out for hotdogs in Happy Harbor. They then had pizza where she splattered mustard over a slice much to everyone's disgust. Since then she had a love for 'mustard with pizza on bottom' as she calls it.
"Snickerdoodles and we got the fancy mustard." M'gann replied much to the other's delight.
"How delightful!" Starfire exclaimed.
"Not to mention two tubs of rocky road ice cream." Hunter added holding up one of the large tubs, "This should hold out for two days."
"Or less." Wally replied as he and Hunter fist bumped. With Wally's high metabolism and Hunter's love for ice cream the cold desert wouldn't last the week. It was one of the few subjects the two boys can wholeheartedly agree on.
On the other side of the room the doors slid open revealing Artemis and Zatanna in their civilian clothing, "Glad you're back Zatanna. Does this mean you're officially joining the team?" The blonde asked.
Hunter couldn't help but pick up on the conversation, "I don't know. Zatara's so overprotective just getting me to visit takes a whole day's wheedling." She looked to her father who had just cast a spell to carry the boxes without his hands, "I just wish he'd just give me a little space."
Suddenly, the sound of wood breaking caught everyone's attention. Everyone turned around to find Batman, Zatara and Red Tornado gone. Zatanna yelled for her father while the rest of the team was left dumbfounded.
"What just happened?" Wally asked, breaking the tense silence.
"They just disappeared." Artemis said as Hunter approached where they once stood.
"It was magic." Zatanna said, "I saw it."
"Someone must have taken them." Hunter added.
"We need to contact the League." Kaldur ordered, "Get Black Canary."
"Right." Robin nodded before the team ran off towards the mission room.
Contacting the League was a dead end. Wonder Woman, Superman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, it was all useless, they were all gone. They quickly went on the internet to find that children all around the world were reporting the same thing. They all quickly suited up and fanned out around Happy Harbor searching for children who needed help, even Starfire aided with search and rescue.
Wonder Warrior and Starfire flew over the harbor. Hunter heard the sounds of crying off the coast and the princess decided to join him. They found a pair of young girls stranded on a sailboat, they looked to be four and seven. They quickly calmed the girls down and flew them off the boat.
"We found these two on a boat." Hunter said as they landed in front of the high school next to Conner who had a trio of kids clinging to him.
"Have you gotten through to Diana?" Conner asked.
Hunter shook his head, "Have you heard from Mr. and Mrs. Kent?"
Conner only shook his head before they headed inside of the school.
They dropped off the children at the gymnasium where M'gann, Artemis, Wally and a bunch of teenagers took the children into their care. They quickly left before too many of the older boys could ogle Kori any longer. They found a few more children before they eventually went back to the cave.
Once Hunter entered the cave Robin and Zatanna approached him about Zatara's locator spell. Zatanna didn't think she could do the spell on her own and had asked for Hunter's help. The Amazon had little experience in the mystic arts but he did have an affinity for them. He agreed to it and the two quickly began to work on the spell.
Aqualad, Kid Flash and Robin addressed the world by commandeering Justice League systems. While they did this Hunter and Zatanna chanted the spell together so they could be in perfect sync. Once the final preparations were done Hunter retreated to the trophy room. He looked at the Star Sapphire Power Battery and ring.
"Are you going to use it?" Hunter looked over his shoulder to see Wally entering the room, "Everyone was wondering where you are."
"Sorry I was just thinking." He replied before looking back at the ring, "It is tempting but I might lose control." He admitted before he sighed, "I can't get through to my mother or Themyscira."
"Yeah, neither of my parents are answering my calls." The redhead replied before looking at the Helmet of Fate.
Hunter noticed Wally's gaze on the helmet, "It's tempting isn't it? Knowing that it'll help but. . . it comes with a price." He rested his hand on his bracelet and let out a shaky breath.
"Do you think that it'll come to that?" The speedster asked, only getting a sigh in reply.
"I've finally gotten through to Atlantis." Aqualad said as he entered the room, "No adults there either."
"Should we be prepared for a last resort?" Hunter asked, looking at their leader, "Should we head to battle without our most powerful weapons?"
"Perhaps not, but we all know the price of putting on the helmet." Kaldur replied looking at the helmet, "Any who dons it and allows Nabu to possess them may never be released from Doctor Fate." Kaldur then looked at the Star Sapphire ring, "And as you've said before, my friend, the ring may take control of you should the violet light overpower you."
"So no last resort." Wally said unsure.
"Not yet." Kaldur replied.
"Guys."
The trio turned around to see Zatanna standing at the hall, "The spell's ready."
The team gathered in the mission room where the holographic globe was waiting for them. Zatanna and Hunter stepped forward and looked up at the globe. They held their hands together before Zatanna raised her wand and Hunter raised his other hand.
Together they exclaimed, "Etacol retnecipe fo yrecros!"
A red dot appeared on the globe and Robin quickly exclaimed, "Coordinates locked, Roanoke Island. You guys did it!"
Hunter looked over at Zatanna and saw the look of apprehension on her face. He was going to ask her what was on her mind but Kaldur spoke first, "We know where they are and now we need to plan."
The first thing they did was to try and figure out who was behind this. There were many evil sorcerers in the world but very few could accomplish something like this. Circe, Enchantress, Wotan, and Klarion were their most prominent suspects. It was hard to zero in on a primary suspect when they couldn't confirm the locations of the adults.
"We have the element of surprise." Kaldur declared, "We need to be quick and precise. There us no room for mistakes -"
The crashing of thunder along with the flash of lightning caused Kaldur to stop. The team froze but Hunter moved in one swift movement. Drawing his sword he dashed across the room and pointed his blade at the intruder. When the light finally faded he was met with the sight of a boy.
"It wo - aahhggg!" The boy screamed as he fell back on the floor.
The prince quickly sheathed his blade before he asked, "Who are you, how did you get here?"
The boy's blue eyes darted around before they landed on M'gann, "Quick read my mind!"
M'gann's eyes glowed a pale green before she gasped, "He's Captain Marvel!"
"Right and I'm Speedy Gonzalez." Wally shot back, "Look just because he believes he's Captain - "
"Wow Wally do I really need to bring you nachos and pineapple juice to get on your good side?" The boy asked teasingly, causing the team to fall silent.
"That's good enough for me." Hunter stated.
Captain Marvel, or rather Billy Batson, quickly explained the nature of his transformation, powers and how he can travel between the worlds of adults and children. They quickly formed a coordinated plan with Batman, Zatara and Billy. Within the hour both teams took off towards Roanoke Island.
Landing a mile away from the epicenter of the spell. They found Klarion standing within a spell circle alone at the center of a crossroads. Sticking to the plan Robin and Artemis fired a flurry of birdarangs and arrows at the lord of chaos. But Klarion senses them and easily stops the projectiles.
"Is that the best you can do?" Klarion teased before he fired a bolt of magic at the two causing an explosion to fling them away.
"You aren't prepared for our best!"
Klarion looked up to see Wonder Warrior in the sky sans bracelets. Black clouds began to form in the sky and with them came the rumbling of thunder and the flashing of lightning. Lightning struck down at the barrier causing it to flash. Klarion laughed before Superboy, Aqualad and Kid Flash all charged at the barrier.
"At least this will be entertaining." The Witch Boy cackled as the three heroes bounced off of the barrier.
"We are not here for your entertainment!"
Starfire flew out from the trees before she fired a barrage of star bolts at Klarion but they did little to no effect on the barrier. M'gann joined her in the sky flinging rocks at the barrier but they did next to nothing.
"You're new." Klarion commented before he fired red bolts of magic at the princess.
Starfire flew back dodging all but one bolt, sending her flying through a tree. He then sent a pillar of fire from his mouth forcing the Martian to fly away. Zatanna jumped out of the trees and attempted to cast a spell on the barrier but it didn't work. Klarion scoffed, "Baby magic." He then raised his own hand and recited his own spell sending her flying down the road. Conner caught Zatanna before she could collide with the ground.
Kid Flash dashed to Artemis' side and quickly whispered, "When Fate possessed me he defeated Klarion by attacking the cat."
"Fine by me, never really much of a cat person." She then fired an arrow at the cat but Klarion turned it into a green ball of yarn.
Klarion cackled, "Show them what the familiar to a Lord of Chaos can do Teekle."
The cat then grew into a monstrous feline. Superboy charged at the cat but he was easily knocked back by the cat's paw. The cat charged at the clone but a golden lasso ensnared its neck keeping it from going through with the attack. Conner got to his feet to see Hunter in the sky with his lasso in hand.
"I've battled beasts bigger than you before." He then raised his hand as a bolt of lightning struck down on it. The electricity traveled through his body and into the Lasso of Enticement. Teekle's body lit up as the lighting flowed into its body.
"Teekle!" Klarion exclaimed before he looked up at Wonder Warrior, "Stupid, baby god!" He fired a red bolt at Hunter and knocked him out of the sky. The crystal at the center of the circle flashed with blue energy causing Klarion to scoff, "So they've teamed up with the grown ups. Teamwork is so overrated." He removed the light magic from the crystal and fired it at the heroes knocking Robin and Artemis down while Kaldur blocked it with his tattoos.
Zatanna quickly ran to their side, "Artemis, Robin?"
Hunter got up from the ground with a groan to see Superboy wrestling, and losing, with Teekle. The booming of thunder and flash of lightning. He looked over to see Billy in his original form. He began to shout but M'gann quickly put her hand over his mouth.
"Don't shout, Billy , I've telepathically connected you to the others." She quickly explained.
"So cool." He gushed before he quickly got back to the matter at hand, "It's the gem at the center of the pentagram. Destroy it and everything will go back to normal."
"That's all I need to know." Zatanna said before she placed the helmet of fate on her head.
"Zatanna!" Kaldur exclaimed.
"No!" Wally shouted as a golden light engulfed her.
"Klarion!" Fate took to the sky, "This ends now."
"Billy, go tell Zatara what's happened." M'gann ordered.
"On it." He replied before he shouted, "Shazam!" He shouted and in a bolt of lightning he disappeared.
They team, along with Doctor Fate, began to mercilessly attack the barrier. Wonder Warrior took to the sky along Doctor Fate and began to bring down bolts of lightning down onto the barrier. Starfire fired her star bolts, Kaldur began to swing his mallets down onto the barrier while M'gann threw whatever large objects she could find.
Whilst they continued their assault Fate briefly disappeared leaving Zatanna to fall out of the sky but Fate returned just as quickly. Klarion let out a taunting laugh, "Ha, when the world divided the helmet split in two! You're not all here Nabu and will lose hold of that soon to be dead girl!" A sadistic smile spread on his face, "She gave herself up for nothing."
"You're mistaken, Witch Boy! Fate decrees that her sacrifice will not be in vain!" Fate declared before he unleashed a powerful golden blast of magic.
The team continued their onslaught on the barrier and eventually it began to falter, "No, no, no, no!" Klarion exclaimed before Fate shackled him in a golden Ankh.
"Now Kid!" Aqualad ordered.
Kid Flash dashed down the road and snatched the crystal from the pentagram, "Got it, catch!" He threw the crystal at Fate who caught it and quickly shouted out a spell.
In an instant the adults appeared alongside them. Klarion's allies all fell to the ground, defeated, "They don't make immortal evil sorcerers like they used to, oh well." He snapped his fingers, freeing himself from Fate's spell, "Fun while it lasted, Teekle." He called for his cat who had pinned Superboy down. The cat ran across the road and shrunk down just in time to fit into Klarion's arms. The Witch Boy opened a portal, "See you later Armadillos, unless I see you first." He then walked into the portal, closing it.
"Aren't you going to stop him?" Wally asked.
"To what end?" Fate asked, "Klarion is chaos personified, he cannot be contained."
"Fate!" Zatara exclaimed before he approached Doctor Fate, "Great Nabu, release my daughter."
Everyone stood in tense silence before Fate replied, "No. Witness the havoc wrought on these hours, the world needs Doctor Fate and the girls natural affinity for the mystic arts makes her the perfect candidate."
"You can't do that!" Artemis exclaimed.
"She has her own life to live!" Robin added.
"Kent would never allow you to -"
Fate cut off Wally, "Kent Nelson objected strenuously so I released his soul to the afterlife, he is gone."
"Is there anything we could do?" Superboy asked Hunter who only shook his head.
"Take me instead." Zatara suddenly said, "My abilities are already at their peak, my body is physically stronger and better suited to withstand the strain of your power."
"All true." Fate replied, "But if I remove the helmet what guarantee do I have that you will dawn it?"
"My word." He replied before he chanted a spell.
Silently Fate descended from the sky and stood face to face with Zatara before removing the helmet, releasing Zatanna.
Zatanna blinked before she saw her father, "Dad!" She exclaimed before they embraced each other.
"Remember, I love you." He said before he Orestes a soft kiss to her temple. He took the helmet from her hands and turned to Superman, "Take care of my girl."
"You have my word." Batman replied.
"No please, this was my fault!" Zatanna exclaimed, "No dad!" She yelled desperately as Zatara placed the helmet on his head.
"Leave these to fate." Fate took hold of the four remaining sorcerers before he flew off and they all disappeared.
In the aftermath of the catastrophe Hunter took the Zeta tube to Greece and flew as fast as he could to Themyscira. There he found his mother, grandmother and all of the Amazons waiting for him.
Conner went back to the farm where he found himself embraced by Mr and Mrs. Kent.
All was well but there was still one father and daughter still separated.