Tim grinned as he noticed my approach. The others, for their credit, didn't scowl, "Hey Two." He stuck out a fist which I bumped, "What are you doing here? You training with Raven today?"
Kid Flash scoffed under his breath, but he didn't say anything out loud.
"Nah, Batman asked me to come here, something about a mission."
"A mission." Kid Flash got into my face, "You have a mission for us?"
"No," I drawled as I backed away from the speedster, "Batman just asked me to swing by."
"Oh," His hope was thoroughly killed as he wandered over to Miss Martian and Artemis.
"Two." Aqualad called out to me as he motioned towards the sparring ring, "Would you like to join us?"
The corner of Superboy's lips quirk, "Yeah, let's see how much better you fair." He said as he kept his gaze on his team leader, who took it in stride with an amused roll of his eyes.
"I don't think that would be a good idea."
Tim slugged me in the shoulder, "Come on, Two." He then lowered his voice, "Seriously, don't sweat it if you turn on god mode." He finished with a snort, and I had to wonder how he saw me.
"Sure." I sighed out, "I can get my arse kicked."
I walked into the ring and bounced on the balls of my heels as Superboy circled me.
He's fast impressively so as he closed the distances between us.
'Amateurish.'
I clicked my teeth, but I couldn't deny One's words, Superboy was wide open stances wise, sure he's got the advantage in terms of strength, but my reflexes can keep up with his speed, and in terms of style and skill, I had him over the rocks.
I took him down, fast, painfully so. I sure as hell expected him to ragdoll me in anger or something. Instead, he took a deep breath as he looked up at me. I could tell he was willing away his glare, "I still got a lot to learn."
"Sure." I said, not quite sure what else to say, "I mean, you can learn quite a lot, but in terms of strength or speed, there's not many who could match up to your potential."
I feel like my words fell on deaf ears, but he nodded nonetheless, "How did you get so skilled?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat, but I still answered him, "The G-Gnome, they kind of gave me a leg up."
"Lucky for some."
"Superboy." Tim called out to him with an 'are you serious look.
My fellow half-half grimaced with a guilty look as he turned back to me, "I'm sorry."
I waved away his concern, "Don't sweat it." Not in the slightest bit offended, knowing well enough that Superboy had plenty of social protocols to learn.
The android known as Red Tornado appeared suddenly, and Kid Flash rushed towards the red coloured being, badgering the android for a mission.
Red Tornado calls up a holoscreen, "This is Kent Nelson."
"Holy shit." I groaned out, kicking myself because I knew these events seemed familiar, but I also drew the attention of the team. I quickly cleared my throat, "That's Doctor Fate. One of the founding members of the OG Justice Society." I finished.
"Of course, he was the Earth's Sorcerer Supreme," Aqualad said as he nodded at me with a thankful smile.
I could hear Wally calling out magic for BS science to Artemis, and a part of me understood his stance, but the other part was confused considering beings like Wonder Woman and Raven are prominent heroines, well more so Raven, but still one of them is a literal demi-god.
"He has been missing for twenty-three days." Red Tornado stated, "He could be on his usual walkabouts," He said, but his eyes snapped to me, odd for android as if he was waiting for me to continue.
"I-um", I shook my head and took a deep breath, "He is the caretaker of the Helmet of Fate. If that falls into the wrong hands, we, a collective we as in the entire Earth, is fucked."
"How so?" Superboy questioned.
"The helmet is one of the most powerful magical relics out there. The power it can grant is outstanding and considering most of the Justice League can't counter magic on that level, best case, scenario death, worst case, enslavement."
"I think you got those mixed-up, pal." Kid Flash snarked.
"No, he didn't." "No, I don't think I did." Superboy and I said at the same time.
'Idiot. People who think death is the worst thing to happen to them clearly haven't suffered enough in their life.' I hated that I agreed with him on, that death is final, its peace, especially here.
"Take this." Red Tornado said, handing me a key, "It is the key to the Tower of Fate."
My first time entering the BioShip and I couldn't help but feel uneasy about sitting in the fascinating craft, though it may have something to do with the ship's master pretty much hating me, as a weird vibe was telling I wasn't welcome, more so than usual when I entered the base.
"How goes your training with Raven?" Aqualad questioned as he tried to draw my attention on to anything else.
I let out a sigh, "Well enough, I suppose." I defo have powers, that's for sure, and according to Raven, even if demon abilities are different to each other in a broader sense, most should have access to the base power of our kind, i.e. magic.
Though it's linked with our emotions like all magic users in this universe, most have the luxury of not being a half-demon like Raven and me. Hence we need a tight control over our emotions. Yep, an emotional wreck like me needs to control the thing I've struggled with my entire life.
"How's Gotham been?" Tim asks as he tries not to look too interested as he change the subject for my benefit.
"Alright, I suppose, as much as that hellhole can be. Damian is being Damian, and Nightwing has mostly been stuck in Bludhaven."
"Patrols?" He questioned.
"Yeah, not too bad. I kicked the shit out of Penguin."
"Ah, that's always fun," Tim said as he leaned back in his chair.
"There's something wrong with you two," Artemis said as she glanced at Tim and me.
He shrugged his shoulders defensively, "It's a Gotham thing." She let out a huff at that.
Doesn't she live in Gotham?
"We're here." Miss Martian announced, she was her usually quiet whenever I was around. Thankfully though, the rest of the team warmed up to me. Well, maybe not Kid Flash so much, but that's more to the fact he wants MM to like him.
We all shuffled out of the ship and looked at where the Tower of Fate was supposed to be, "It's just stealth tech." Wally rambled on with a smug look, not noticing the flash of annoyance in the green-skinned girl who he's got it bad for.
"It's about belief. The basis, core and structure may differ in regard to different religions and beliefs, but magic is always about belief fundamentally." I pulled out the key and motioned to unlock a door, and with a distinctive click, a door and tower appeared.
Wally continued to ramble to the archer about how it's simply stealth tech similar to the Martians ship.
"Halt." A holo image of Kent appeared in front of us the moment the door behind us closed, "State your business at the Tower of Fate."
Wally was about to open his mouth and literally about to drop in the heat of it, thankfully though Tim had enough foresight to shut him up before he could, a light jab to the ribs, "Ow, Rob, what the hell?"
"We were sent by Red Tornado to investigate the disappearance of Kent Nelson. We are allies of the Justice League." I added the last bit for more so my safety of mind than anything else.
The vision of Kent nodded and disappeared, allowing us to see a wall open up all magic like, "Come on, we have a fancier security system in the base." Wally said to Artemis.
"You know on Mars we have a dedicated group of sorcerers?" Miss Martian said aloud with an annoyed look on her face as she regarded the team's speedster.
"What? But." He let out a sigh, "Come on, babe, you really believe in this nonsense?"
"You know I'm half demon, right?" I said over my shoulder, "Plus, Kaldur comes from Atlantis. Pretty much the holy land for all magic folk."
"Hmm. Would you like to see Atlantis one day?"
I let out a deep shudder at the thought, sure Atlantis being an honest to god place here is something most would kill to see and spend some time there, but the idea of being so deep under the sea, a place filled with deadly creatures, and the fact I know how limited I would there, "Nope. I'm sure it's a sight to see, but…"
Superboy narrowed his eyes as he stared back at the door that closed behind us. He then looked to me and then Miss Martian.
"Someone is coming." I felt it in my gut, two magically inclined beings were coming, "two of them," A stray thought entered my mind, "Could be an extra one as well."
"Hide. Get ready to ambush them." Aqualad said as he ducked into cover.
I pressed my back against the wall next to the door that closed behind us, thankfully before the door opened, the rest of the team popped into cover.
"Hello, Kent." The holo image of Kent Nelson once again appeared as three men walked into the room, "How unlike you to bring guests to the Tower, especially one with such potent mystic power."
Oh, I'm going to get fucked over my karma for this, I rushed forward and yanked the tail of the witch kid's cat, whatever his name is, and chucked it away from the boy and into a wall. Superboy saw this rushed forward to punch the man, I'm sure is called Abra Kadabra, though the man was on guard and deflected the half-half and zapped him with a bolt of electricity from his wand.
To Superboy's credit, he tanked the bolt like a champ, though it would be a different story if the brat and his cat hit him with an attack like that because of Superboy's weakness to magic.
"You half breed swine." Witch-Boy whined as he cupped the 'cat,' "I will skin you." He lurched a concussive red blast of magic my way.
I dodged the series blast though one managed to knick my shoulder though he didn't let up as he continued to fling them like they were going out of fashion, "I'm sure there's a skinning a cat joke there, but I think I'm better than that."
"Did he just call you a half breed?" Tim said as he flung a Batarang at the whiny brat, "How does he know what you are?"
"He's a lord of Chaos. I'm sure he did some magical BS." Wasn't Ra's and he working together, or should I say they are working together? Though it seems unlikely that Ra's would let it slip that he tasked my creation only for me to flake on him. Villains and their pride.
I rushed forward, gripped his wrist and slammed my forehead against the fool. "Robin, the cat." I grabbed the Witch Boy's neck and hit him into a wall.
"You would hurt a defenceless pussy cat?" He wheezed out.
"Oh my god, shut the fuck up. We both know that's your magical anchor." I groaned out, his whiny disposition grating my nerves.
A bolt hit me in the side of my ribs, pushing me away from the whiny Witch-Boy, "Killjoy, poser, fool." He uttered out to me as he teleported away to his familiar and jet out of the tower, leaving the man named after two Pokémon on his own, with both Robin and I still mostly on point.
"You okay, Freak." He stumbled on my alias with a sigh.
"That smarts." I rubbed my side as I noticed that the rest of the team were encased in a cage of electricity. Aqualad looked up at me in his hunched overstate with a slight nod, I returned it as Robin slid beside me, "Two fronts?"
"Two fronts." He agreed before we both barred towards the tall man with no real magic to his disposal.
Robin had enough training and experience to dodge oncoming attacks. In contrast, I had my programming, though it begs to question how Kid Flash got trapped, probably because he was trying to impress the resident Martian.
Robin reached the man and slid across the ground when he was a meter away from the man, causing him to tumble down on one knee. Allowing me to slam a boot across his head, which was then followed by a brutal attack with water-mace by Aqualad, who used his electricity generation to escape.
"Was that overkill?"
Aqualad snorted, "Yeah, but I hardly have any sympathy."
The team got to their feet, all of them no worse for wear, Kent wrapped his knuckles against the collar on his neck, "Superboy, if you would?"
The collar crumbled under his strength, and Kent let out a relieved sigh, "I owe you my thanks, my young friends." The man summoned his cane with a golden light, and he walked closer to me, "Pray tell me, young man, how did you know that Klarion weakness was his familiar?"
"Raven." I half lied, sure my fellow half-demon hero taught me the basis of the mystic world and those of note, but I do remember moron's weakness being his anchor, "She hopes to teach me the mystic arts."
Kent waves two fingers in front of my head with a golden glow to them, "Your potential is outstanding."
"Let me guess, but." I didn't bother waiting for his answer as he nodded his head in, knowing I understood my pitfall, like Raven, there's a slippery slope with my abilities and falling to the dark side, though I'll probably won't get possessed my 'father' like Raven.
"Have you made much headway with your magic training, then?"
"No, sir." I rubbed the back of my neck, "I've been taking it slow for that very reason. I don't want to hurt those around me."
"Admirable, but you should understand that life will hardly give you much time to be ready. Sometimes we must dive in despite the risks."
"What's there to worry about, as much as I hate to admit it, Two you kicked ass," Kid Flash said, drawing Kent and me back to the team.
"Well, he's been kicking ass since we've known him," Tim said with a sly smile as he glanced at Kid Flash in the corner of his eye.
"Yeah, but for once, it wasn't one of us." Artemis said before giving me a small thankful smile, "Thanks. I don't think it would've gone as smooth without you."
Miss Martian and Superboy looked uncomfortable, both probably for different reasons, though their team leader picked on this and jumped in, "Perhaps we should be on our way unless you require our assistance in apprehending Klarion?"
"No, I do not believe we will find him today, but nonetheless, thank you for the save my young friends."
I looked down at the card as I thumbed the edge while the words glittered and shone, "So are you going to call him?" Artemis questioned as the rest of the team conversed about the mission while the Martian flew her ship.
"I don't know." I sighed out.
"What's there to think about? Kent Nelson offered to help guide you in magic. Wouldn't most magic users kill for a chance like that?"
I couldn't deny her words, Kent Nelson, even without the Helm of Fate, Kent is still a force of nature in regards to magic, but I have a feeling he gave me the offer more so to do with the fact he doesn't want a ticking time-bomb like me out there without any precautions put in place. Hell, I wouldn't put it past Bruce if that was his thinking when he sent me to the team so I could tag along in this mission.
'Would it not be imperative to garner more power, for not just your survival but those you care for?'
'Depends on whether or not you can influence me when I use my demonic powers.'
'You will wish it were so.'
Well, that's not fucking ominous.
A/N - 24/09/21 - Edit - 25/09/21
