MOUNT JUSTICE
AUGUST 19TH, 2010
19:39 EDT
Another day in the mountain had brought yet another round of scheduled combat training. Anyone else might have grown bored by the repetitive drills and maneuvers, but Ski'Lira never lost the thrill of a fight, simulated or not. Of course, she much preferred to participate, but watching her teammates' performances and making in-depth critiques provided its own brand of entertainment.
Very early on, she had been unofficially established as sort of a teaching assistant for Black Canary, sometimes taking over entirely when the woman was called away unexpectedly. A long lifetime of intensive training, as well as a propensity for noticing small details and a reluctance to mollycoddle made her a ruthless tutor. But in a career where even a wrong placement of footing could mean the difference between life and death, well, there were rarely complaints.
At present, she stood on the outer edge of the illuminated combat floor, alongside her Wally, M'Gann, and Artemis. Kaldur and Superboy were within the ring, facing off.
Aqualad was the only one not wearing civilian garb, which had resulted in a brief conversation with Artemis, as the archer had never seen Ski'Lira's cloth mask until this moment. After a quick rundown of the cultural norms she was respecting, the Thanagarian promised a lengthier conversation in future.
In the ten seconds it had taken for her to fish the pen and pad of paper she'd tucked into her back pockets for this exact moment, Superboy had stripped off his shirt and thrown it off to the side. She rolled her eyes at M'Gann and Artemis' near-drooling expressions.
Had neither of them heard of the concept of subtlety?
"Initiate: Combat Training" The mechanical voice of the computer droned. "3… 2… 1…"
Countdown over, the two opponents surged forwards into a rapid-fire exchange of punches, kicks, and dodges. Hawkgirl's eyes were glued to the fight, writing down notes without looking down at her paper. As concentrated as she was on the task, she found her attention wavering as Artemis began to speak.
"Kaldur's, uh... nice, don't you think?" The blonde began, clearly addressing M'Gann. "Handsome, commanding... You should totally ask him out."
"He's like a big brother to me." M'Gann shot down the suggestion as kindly as she was able. "But... You know who would make the cutest couple? You and Wally."
Ski'Lira was incapable of telling if that was a joke or not, as the speedster in question was in the process of trying to stuff as much of a burrito into his mouth as he could manage in one go. Logically, she knew that he required an insanely high calorie count to even remain conscious, let alone use his abilities, but really? Likely he was attempting to implement an inane challenge at the risk of choking to death.
"You're so full of passion!" M'Gann tried to defend her opinion. "And he's so full of... uh... of-"
"It?" Artemis finished with a wry grin.
Unable to help her snort at the comment, Ski'Lira used her notepad to hide her amused smile. A beat later, both M'Gann and Artemis had fallen into full-blown laughter.
Meanwhile, Aqualad and Superboy had ended up with their arms locked around each other in a faux-wrestling hold. The stalemate was broken as Superboy hooked a foot around Kaldur's ankle, disrupting the Atlantean's balance. Kaldur couldn't recover his footing fast enough, and Superboy tossed him halfway across the ring, making him land harshly onto his back.
"Fail: Aqualad" The computer declared the match.
Superboy was panting a little from exertion as he dusted off his hands, a smile plastered firmly on his face. "Black Canary taught me that."
Ski'Lira pointedly cleared her throat.
"And Hawkgirl made me practice it over and over until she thought it was good enough." He amended at her prompting.
Satisfied, she nodded in approval and prepared to give the two her notes on the bout, only for the circular ceiling hatch above them to open, depositing Red Tornado into the cave. Wordlessly Superboy helped Aqualad to his feet, the android walking past them without a word.
Kid FLash sped over to interrupt his path. "Do you have a mission for us?"
"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility." Red Tornado reminded them, monotone as ever.
"Yeah, well, the Batman's with the Robin doing the Dynamic Duo thing in Gotham… But you're headed somewhere, right? Hot date? Or a… mission?"
Well, it looked like combat training wasn't going to happen anytime soon. And Ski'Lira was so looking forward to her chance to finally put Artemis through the wringer.
Kaldur took a step forward. "If we can be of help…"
After pondering the request for a solid few seconds, the android turned and summoned a holographic keyboard, pulling up a screen displaying a familiar image. Ski'Lira's spine stiffened as she recognized the old man's portrait.
"This is Kent Nelson, a friend. He is one hundred and six years old." Red Tornado began.
Wally spoke up in a loud whisper. "Guy doesn't look a day over ninety."
"And he has been missing for twenty three days."
Her grip tightening on her pen, Ski'Lira couldn't help the way her wings flared ever so slightly. The search for Kent Nelson had been an increasing point of stress for her parents, and her, as with every day that passed the more worried the Halls became.
Between fruitless all-nighters spent tracking down leads and interrogating possible suspects that had no intel to give, the odds were looking less and less in Nelson's favor.
But she couldn't help but wonder why Red Tornado was telling them this, as this was already an active League mission.
"Kent was a charter member of the Justice Society." Red Tornado explained as the screen superimposed his hero persona over the image of Kent Nelson, golden Helmet of Fate gleaming. "The precursor to your mentors' Justice League."
"Of course" Kaldur's eyes widened in recognition. "Nelson was Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. He was Doctor Fate."
Leaning over to Artemis, Wally made his clear displeasure known. "More like Doctor Fake. Guy knows a little advanced science and 'Dumbledore's' it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes."
The pen in her hands snapped in two, black ink flowing down Ski'Lira's fingers and dripping onto the pristine floor. She couldn't care less, as she was taking a page from Superboy's book and attempting to develop heat vision via intense glare, aimed directly at the back of Wally's oblivious head. Her thoughts ran on a loop of 'how dare he' and 'they'll never find his body'.
Continuing with the improvised debriefing, Red Tornado gave no indication he was concerned with either Ski'Lira's visible temper or Wally's flippancy." Kent may simply be on one of his walkabouts. But he is caretaker to the Helmet of Fate, the source of the Doctor's mystic might… And it is unwise to leave such power unguarded. Those closest to him have expressed their worry, but investigating the matter has revealed nothing."
"He's like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars!" M'Gann piped up, sounding genuinely thrilled as she made the connection. "I would be honored to help find him."
Wally didn't miss a beat, shooting an arm up into the air. "Me too! So honored I can barely stand it. Magic rocks!"
Okay, if he didn't backpedal real quick, this was about to be Wallace West's last day on this planet. Perhaps she should give him some forewarning so that he could get his affairs in order before his demise?
Brandishing a small golden key he had pulled from... somewhere... Red Tornado held it out. "Take this. It is a key to the Tower of Fate."
Kaldur stepped forward to grab the key, handling it with a subtle reverence.
"What are the chances we both so admire the mystic arts?" The resident speedster chimed in, a sickeningly love struck expression on his stupid face.
It was at this moment that Artemis was the first to notice the growing puddle of black ink and its source. "Whoa, what did you do?"
A short grumble left Ski'Lira's throat. "It doesn't matter. Red Tornado, why are we being put on this mission? Last I checked the League was far from giving up on Nelson."
"You are correct," Red Tornado gave her an acknowledging head tilt. "Searching the Tower of Fate is something of a... last resort. According to my information, your team is best suited to traversing the tower without succumbing to the various failsafes it holds. In short, as you are minors, I believe the Tower will recognize you as such and treat you accordingly."
"Right. Sorry for the mess, I'll clean it up later." Dropping the remains of the pen onto the ground, she stalked past the rest of her peers, making a point to shoulder check Wally. Unprepared for the blow, he was sent stumbling forwards.
Rubbing at his shoulder, Wally stared after the irate Thanagarian as she went off to change into her uniform. "What's her problem?"
H
It had taken the entirety of the last fifteen minutes, (wherein Hawkgirl frantically scrubbed the ink off her hand, changed into her uniform, and headed to the hanger) but most of her fury had been tampered down by sheer force of will. She had convinced herself that because Wally had minimal experience with magic, due to a mix of his own power's origin and his mentor's science-skewed Rogue's Gallery. He was ignorant, she kept reminding herself.
Of course, just because she wasn't as angry doesn't mean she was about to break her silence.
Her gaze was locked firmly out the window, ignoring the occasional looks that Aqualad or M'Gann would send her way. Inevitably, her mind drifted towards their quarry, Kent Nelson.
She couldn't say she knew him very well, but she did know him. Nelson had a habit of visiting her parents' museum in St. Roch, either by request for consultations on possibly dangerous magical artifacts, or sometimes he'd just stop by for a friendly conversation. About half the time, he'd usually end up at their dinner table for the evening 'while he was in town', he would always say. Whenever they ended up alone in the same room, Nelson would tell her about his days in the Justice Society of America, old war stories and tales of daring do that were always riveting.
He had a way with words. She hadn't found an equal to his skill with storytelling yet.
She was really hoping that Red Tornado was right, and this was just a walkabout and he forgot to leave a note behind.
Before her thoughts spiraled out of control into decidedly 'doom and gloom' territory, Artemis spoke up, a teasing edge to her voice. "So, Wally, when did you first realize your honest affinity for sorcery?"
Wally hesitated for a moment, blatantly thrown by the question. "Well, I… I don't like to brag." Liar. "But, uh, before I became Kid Flash, I seriously considered becoming a wizard myself!"
And look at that, the anger's back with a vengeance.
As if sensing the murderous turn her inner monologue had taken, Kaldur glanced over at Ski'Lira, a look of complete disbelief in his eyes. She gave a pointed eye roll and clenched her jaw as they shared a moment of commiseration in their teammate's inane attempts at impressing his crush.
"We've reached Tornado's coordinates." M'Gann's announcement shattered the mounting tension, bringing their attention back to the mission at hand. "But…"
"Nothing's there." Superboy pointed out.
Shifting into his leadership role, Aqualad gave the order. "Take us down."
H
SALEM
AUGUST 19TH, 2010
20:22 EDT
Thanks to M'Gann's expert piloting, the bio-ship now sat primly in the middle of a deserted street, well out of sight of potential passers-by. More importantly, they were within direct line of sight of the park where the Tower of Fate currently stood.
Kid Flash was the first to separate, doing an enhanced-speed sweep of the empty park in an attempt to locate the Tower first.
For a moment, Hawkgirl wondered if she should tell them that the Tower was elusive, and couldn't be allowed without direct invitation. Said invitation was the key currently tucked away in Aqualad's pocket.
Ultimately, she opted to wait five minutes to see if they could figure it out without intervention.
As expected, Kid Flash's preliminary search proved fruitless, and he skid to a stop in front of Artemis. "Nothing. This isn't simple camouflage."
"So, what do you think?" Artemis prompted. "Adaptive micro-optive electronics combined with phase shifting?"
"Absolutely… Not!" The speedster hastily corrected as he remembered Miss Martian was within earshot. "Clearly mystic powers are at work here."
He may have been saving face, but he wasn't wrong.
Meanwhile, Kaldur was staring pensively at the golden key in his palm. "A test of faith..." Inspecting the key closer, his eyes widened. "Stand behind me."
Taking a few steps forward, he pushed the key forward into the seemingly empty space before him, only for it to vanish into nothing. With a turn of the key, there was a ripple of magic as the Tower materialized.
Despite the fact the structure was perfectly square, it was comprised of irregularly shaped bricks, all in the same sandstone hue. It rose high into the sky, the very top of the crenelated roof barely visible from their position. The entry door was a simple arch, molded from heavy wood and wrought iron.
From the sheer amount of magic leaking off of his thing, Ski'Lira's mace was practically humming. She gave it a fond pat, knowing she'd get at least some use out of its magic nullification properties today.
As her companions were still struck in a stupor from the appearance of the Tower, she was forced to take initiative. She strode past an openmouthed Aqualad, taking point. "I wish I had a camera. The looks on your faces are utterly priceless."
Only once she had the door pushed open did the others shake off their shock, following being her with more caution. After the last person filed in, the door slammed shut with an echoing bang, vanishing into the stonework and leaving behind a solid wall. It was as if there had never been an entrance in the first place.
"Uh, where'd the door go?" Superboy asked, brows raised almost to his hairline.
If a vanishing door was enough to trip him up, this was not going to be a fun trip for the Kryptonian. Ski'Lira wondered a second time if she should have given more forewarning about potential magical shenanigans in favor of quietly fuming about Wally's irritating commentary. Well, it was too late now.
The outside of the Tower had been saturated with plenty of mystical energy, but inside was a completely different story. She was worried her mace would start rattling against her leg, and the telltale sharp scent of magic hung in the air so heavily that she swore she could taste it on her tongue. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, it just made her wary.
A slight, shifting glimmer burst into life, manifesting into a glowing illusory image of Kent Nelson himself. "Greetings," the illusion began, face flickering oddly. "You have entered with a key, but the Tower only recognizes one of you."
Hawkgirl's eyes widened a little behind her mask. The illusion had to be talking about her, but she had never realized he'd keyed her signature into the Tower. She had never visited before, but... maybe he knew that one day she would?
Her jaw ached oddly at that realization, but she forced the sentimental emotions down to unpack later. They had a mission.
"Please state your purpose and intent." The illusion demanded.
Kid Flash stepped forth, sweeping his arms in a grandiose manner before she could stop him. "We are true believers, here to find Doctor Fate."
Ski'Lira had some experience with illusion magic, but up until this point she didn't know it was possible for a magically conjured facsimile to look exasperated. Perhaps Nelson had put more of his personality into the Tower's Guardian than he needed to. It turned to face Ski'Lira, and for a fleeting moment it shot her a look of apology before fizzling out of existence.
An ominous cracking noise was all the warning they received before the floor abruptly disintegrated underneath them, sending them plummeting into an abyss below. But it was not bottomless, far from it, as boiling lava bubbled at the end.
They were all spurred into immediate action. Miss Martian caught Kid Flash with her telekinesis, keeping them both aloft and safely hovering well out of harm's way. Drawing a hand crossbow she had concealed on her person, Artemis shot a grappling arrow into the steep side of the pit, reaching out to grab Aqualad as she did so. Grasping onto the thin rope, they both crashed into the wall, but remained where they were.
Hawkgirl flared her wings to as much of their span as she could manage, bringing herself into an awkward hover. The heat emanating from below created enough of an updraft that she didn't even have to flap her wings to remain aloft. Superboy caught the side of the wall with his fingers in a move he definitely picked up from her, falling down further and further until his feet sank up to the ankle in the lava. He let out a cry, yanking his newly bare feet out and clinging to the wall.
"Those were my favorite boots." He grumbled to himself. "This Nelson guy better be worth it."
M'Gann had been slowly drifting downward, visibly struggling now. "Having trouble maintaining altitude... I'm so hot."
"You certainly are." Kid Flash replied in a dreamy voice.
"Wally!" Artemis snapped at him.
"Hey, inches above sizzling death, I'm entitled to speak my mind!"
"My physiology and M'Gann's are susceptible to extreme heat." Kaldur reminded them, something that had been drilled into all of them during the mandatory first aid training. The Atlantean's skin was beading with sweat. "We must climb out quickly."
Never one to remain idle, Hawkgirl swooped back up to the top of the pit, only to discover the hole was repaired. All that remained above them was roughly hewn rock, and there was no way to break through in time. "The top's sealed closed!" She shouted. "This is entirely Gingersnap's fault!"
"Why am I being blamed?!" Said redhead shouted up at her.
M'Gann smacked herself on the forehead, nearly compromising her hold on Wally. "Hello, Megan! We never truly answered the question!" Raising her voice to guarantee that the Tower would hear her, M'Gann addressed the building itself. "Red Tornado sent us to see if Mr. Nelson and the Helmet were safe!"
As her words rang true, two sides of a tiled floor slid over the lava, cutting off the dangerous heat and permitting them to descend safely. Superboy merely jumped off from the wall, while Kid Flash and Miss Martian both fell gracelessly. The two on the rope rappelled down, while Hawkgirl tucked in her wings and executed a perfect dive and landing.
"Show off," Wally muttered, presumably still peeved about her blatantly blaming him for the entire debacle.
"This platform, it should be red hot." Bending down, Kaldur placed a hand flat on the ground. "But it is cool to the touch."
"Don't worry, Megalicious." Wally proclaimed, slinging an arm around the Martian's shoulders. "I got you."
"Enough!" Surging forward, Artemis placed a hand on Wally's chest and shoved him backwards. Just like that, the archer gained a great deal of respect from Ski'Lira. "Your little 'impress Megan at all costs' game nearly got us all barbecued!"
"When did this become my fault?!"
"When you lied to that… whatever it was… and called yourself a true believer!"
M'Gann's face twisted into an expression of genuine hurt, staring at him with beseeching eyes. "Wally, you don't believe?"
Under the force of the utterly betrayed look from the girl he was attempting to impress, and the scathing glares from both Artemis and Hawkgirl, Wally finally broke the charade. "Fine! Fine! I lied about believing in magic. But magic is the real lie, a major load!"
"Wally…" Aqualad began, his usually calm tone bearing an icy edge to it usually reserved for their opponents. "I studied for a year at the conservatory of sorcery in Atlantis. The mystic arts created the skin icons that power my water bearers."
"Dude, you ever hear of bioelectricity?" Wally shot back with unearned confidence. "Hey, in primitive cultures, fire was once considered magical too. Today, it's all just a bunch of tricks."
Crossing her arms, Artemis frowned. "You're pretty close-minded for a guy who can break the sound barrier in his sneakers."
"That's science!" He immediately defended. "I recreated Flash's laboratory experiment and here I am. Everything can be explained by science. Hawkgirl!" Turning to her, there was a near-frantic look in his eyes as he scrambled to find an ally. "You Thanagarians only believe in proven facts, right? Tell them magic isn't real!"
If he could see the way her eyes narrowed, he probably would not be so eager to beg for her aid. "Of course magic is real. Your tiny human brain just can't seem to comprehend it." She jerked her chin towards the blonde archer. "You should be more like Artemis."
Mouth dropping open, Wally nearly staggered backward from the verbal blow she'd dealt. But he remained stalwart. "Magic. Isn't. Real!"
"Let us test Wally's theory, shall we?" Kaldur proposed calmly, snagging the handle of the trapdoor set into the platform.
"Wait! The backdraft from the lava will roast us alive!"
A flurry of snowflakes spewed up out of the opening, offering a view into what was clearly an arctic landscape beneath them.
"It's snow," M'Gann exclaimed with sheer delight.
Artemis leveled their resident non-believer with a deadpan look. "Do you ever get tired of being wrong?"
One by one, they jumped through the relatively safe exit, the gravity switching directions on them so they all ended up standing upright in a mountainous, snow-blanketed region. Hawkgirl happily fluffed her feathers at the breeze that tugged at her wings. Behind them, the trapdoor disappeared in a burst of yellow light, yet another instance of the Tower forcing them forwards, not back.
"Well?" Artemis asked expectantly.
"Ever heard of string theory?" Wally insisted. "We're in a pocket dimension."
To his credit, Wally was partially right on that answer. The interior of the Tower of the Fate was basically a pocket dimension, albeit a sentient one that molded to fit the whims of its owner. And its origin was completely and utterly mystical.
"What's that?" Pointing, M'Gann directed their attention to a blip of strangeness on the landscape. She recognized the black and gold cane as Nelson's, one he had with him every single time she'd seen him. It floated a few feet above the snowy ground, affixed in place by an aura of blue-tinted magic.
"Ooh," Wally taunted. "Maybe it's Nelson's magic wand."
He reached out at the same time as Artemis, the two speaking in tandem. "I got it!" This declaration was closely followed by another unified, "I can't let go!"
The blue aura altered into a vibrant yellow, the cane held within jerking upwards and absconding with both Artemis and Wally. In a burst of accompanying magic, they vanished.
H
After a few tense minutes of waiting, wherein neither of their companions (or the cane) made a reappearance, nor did any kind of exit materialize for them, they were stuck with the only option of trudging forward. Their best hope was that they would stumble across another exit or at least, the Tower would take pity on them and make one.
Ever the chatterbox, M'Gann was not content to let their trek through the snow go without conversation. "I just don't understand Wally," she admitted, sounding disappointed more than anything else. "It's almost like he needs to believe the impossible can't happen."
"Wally uses his understanding of science to control what he can't comprehend." Kaldur explained. "Acknowledging the existence of magic would relinquish the last vestige of that control."
"And that's supposed to be an excuse for his behavior!?" Ski'Lira snapped, physically lashing out via kicking a nearby chunk of ice and sending it flying off into the distance. "He has been acting nothing but disrespectful and childish since we received this mission."
Stopping in place, Aqualad brought the entire group to a halt. "I cannot deny that," he admitted as he moved to stand in front of Ski'Lira. "But cannot his ignorance be forgiven?"
"No." Ski'Lira practically growled. "If he were willing to be open-minded, perhaps, but he has shown zero indication of doing so. We would be better off having left him behind at the Mountain, else we might have found Nelson already!"
"What's up with you?" It was Superboy who had spoken, arms crossed and doing his best to appear as indifferent as possible, but the slight tilt of his brow betrayed his underlying concern. "You're acting... weird."
"No offense, but..." M'Gann chewed on her lip uneasily. "He's got a point. You're... usually really respectful of people's beliefs, excluding the crazy villain stuff. What's so different now?"
Teeth grinding together, she resisted the urge to deflect. She inhaled deeply through her nose, letting out a long exhale, wings visibly sagging. "It's stupid."
"Hey, your feelings are valid." M'Gann insisted. "Did... Did Wally say something that hurt your feelings?"
"Could you have phrased that in a more demeaning way?" Ski'Lira mocked, reeling herself back in when she received a sharp glance from Kaldur. "Sorry, I... Okay, I've been off, I admit it. I'm... worried. About Mr. Nelson." She barrelled on, ignoring the startled expressions she gained at both the apology and the admission. "He's a good man and he's been a hero longer than we've been alive combined. And Wally's been treating him like a joke."
Hands clenching into fists, she kicked out at the ground again, this time only churning up the freshly fallen snow. "If it were just his flippant disregard for the mystic arts, I could understand, magic is ridiculous sometimes. But instead, he hasn't stopped insulting one of the greatest men I've ever had the privilege to know who has been missing."
M'Gann's hand awkwardly hovered before she reached out and squeezed the Thanagarian's shoulder as a sign of comfort. "I, we, had no idea that you know Mr. Nelson. We should have asked Wally to stop earlier."
She gave a small shrug, but made no move to dislodge the other girl's hand. "He's known my parents practically since they first landed on Earth, and... he likes to visit. He tells very good stories."
A brief silence settled over the group, as M'Gann visibly struggled for something assuring to say. In the end, it was Aqualad who stepped up. "We'll find him," he insisted. "And then Wally will see exactly who he has been dismissing so casually."
Cracking a smile, she gave an amused snort. "Knowing Nelson, he's probably putting up a hell of a fight." Nearby, some of the tension left Superboy's shoulders from where he was growing increasingly uncomfortable. Stiffening her spine, Ski'Lira hardened her resolve, thoroughly done with her moment of emotional weakness. "Now, I think it's high time we got out of here."
"How?" Superboy couldn't help but ask. "We're in the middle of nowhere and we haven't seen any sign of more... magic doors."
Hawkgirl's slight smile morphed into a vicious smirk. "If only Wally were around for this." In a well-practiced motion, she removed her mace from her belt and hefted it threateningly in both hands. A miasma of crackling white energy formed around the spiked head of the weapon, throwing a bright light around the immediate vicinity. "Hey Tower, you've got exactly five seconds to take us out of here before I start swinging. One... Two..."
With a nearly comical, soft 'pop!', a nondescript door appeared in front of them, already opening for them in an attempt to be welcoming.
Aqualad actually took a physical step backwards as he looked at her with a slight amount of fear.
"Did... Did you just threaten the Tower?" M'Gann asked in a horrified voice. "And it... worked?"
Readjusting her hold on her still-ignited weapon, Ski'Lira strode towards the door. "Who am I to ignore the groundwork my mother left behind?"
H
The door betrayed them immediately, depositing them into a short freefall above a platform positioned inconveniently in a room that looked like an MC Escher painting. She clocked the stability of the platform, as well as her companions' locations and the presence of the giant, gleaming gold bell that took up most of the space in the center.
Once she was upright, she took notice of the real Kent Nelson, who was standing with both Artemis and Kid Flash. Seeing the old man alive and well earned a gusty sigh of relief from her, and she waved at him to catch his attention.
A smile curled his lips, "Hawkgirl, it's been awhile. These friends of yours?"
Before she could reply, a stream of cyan energy shot straight towards the trio. Kid Flash swept Kent up into his arms, moving him out of harm's way, while Artemis merely ducked and rolled to avoid the bolt.
Whipping her head to locate the source, Hawkgirl recognized Abra Kadabra (mostly from his telltale ostentatious garb and general air of arrogance). The other was a complete mystery to her, a pale teenager that reeked of magic and blood. This could only bode ill.
A second energy shot forced everyone to scatter in different directions, as Abra's magical assault was relentless. Every time one of them attempted to close distance with Nelson, they were forced away. A cacophonous 'bong!' reverberated from the massive bell, having been rung by the sorcerer supreme via a hit from his cane. Golden light surrounded the metallic monstrosity, morphing into a portal, and the unidentified enemy closed distance with the old magician.
Just as she was about to make a hasty sprint for the makeshift portal to follow Nelson, Kid Flash, and the unknown opponent, Abra sent a beam straight for her. She just barely managed to dodge off to the side, but was unable to recover in time to avoid falling off into empty space. Passing by at least two more platforms on her way down, an iron grip snagged her wrist.
A glance up confirmed that Superboy had caught her, crouched at the very edge. With a scary amount of ease, he stood up and pulled her back up to safety, depositing her onto stable ground.
"Thanks," she said immediately.
"No problem," he shrugged. "Where-"
"Look out!" A tangled net of crackling electricity was being hurled straight at Superboy's back, and instinct kicked in as she pushed him aside, allowing it to wrap around her. The net burst into life, magical energy crackling into life and trapping her firmly to the ground. Her armor didn't have the same level of magical nullification as her mace did, so she only had a brief window of time to work with before she succumbed to the trap's effects.
To his credit, Superboy immediately attempted to grasp the net with his bare hands, which proved futile as he was shocked and bodily thrown backwards. That moment of distraction was all Abra needed to successfully trap Superboy.
Ski'Lira attempted to claw the net open, but the rends she tore mended themselves almost as soon as she made them. Whatever spell this was, it was a powerful one. The last of the nullification failed as the spell fully overwhelmed the metal's natural ability, and the nerves in her hands and halfway up her arms lit up in indescribable, brief pain. Ceasing her struggles, she realized how well and truly stuck she was, only able to watch and hope one of her teammates managed to get the upper hand over Abra.
Aqualad went down not long after Superboy, leaving only M'Gann and Artemis upright and free.
"I'm going to try to get through to Kid Flash, cover me!" The Martian demanded, and Artemis immediately acted to draw Abra's fire, giving M'Gann the time she needed to push a message to their missing teammate. Thanks to the archer's persistent distraction, it seemed M'Gann was successful, but at great cost.
In the end, they failed, every one of them trapped.
It was all up to Kid Flash now.
H
Later, during the mission briefing, neither Ski'Lira nor the rest of her captured teammates could agree exactly how long they had been captured by Abra Kadabra. Not only was the passage of time unpredictable at best within the Tower of Fate, but the near constant electrical shocks Abra periodically inflicted upon them via their net traps had kept all of their attention.
When the warm yellow glow of an Ankh appeared behind their captor, they were finally freed from their prisons. With the nets gone, all that remained were a few lingering tremors, but no permanent damage done. Abra himself had been humiliated as he was relieved of his clothing, thankfully apart from a black leather thong and a golden medallion.
Superboy recovered the quickest, as Abra blinked around in confusion at the sudden turn of events. "Show's over," he punched the fake magician straight in the face, instantly knocking him unconscious.
H
SALEM
AUGUST 20TH, 2010
02:15 EDT
"Are you certain you will be alright on your own?" This was the third time Aqualad had asked her that question, accompanied with heavy scrutiny of the visible parts of her face for any signs of dishonesty.
"I am certain," Ski'Lira answered the same as she had two times before. Even if she had been lying (which she definitely wasn't), she doubted he would be able to tell anyway. "I can more than handle any threat that comes, you need to get the Helmet to safety."
"Very well," Kaldur finally relented, though he was still reluctant to do so. "I trust your judgment."
"Thank you," she gave him a nod, silently urging him on.
Returning the gesture, he finally turned and ran towards the bio-ship hovering next to the roof. Everyone else was already strapped in and waiting, and once Aqualad had hopped onto the ramp and boarded, they were off.
Leaving Ski'Lira alone with the body of Kent Nelson.
The story of what had happened after going through the bell portal had left Wally's mouth in a near frantic rush when they finally made it to the roof, only to see Nelson already gone. Ski'Lira's fist had immediately found its way wrist-deep in the nearest wall. Two of the fine bones in her hand were definitely broken, and she was pretty sure her middle finger was dislocated.
Kaldur had approached her cautiously, talking her down and coaxing her away from punching more holes into the Tower. Once the haze of anger had faded, she'd proposed a plan. She would remain behind with the body until the League arrived to retrieve him, leaving the rest of the Team as a protection detail for the Helmet of Fate.
Their leader had been the most difficult one to convince, but the others were supportive. Miss Martian assured her that she would contact Red Tornado directly once she was on the ship. Wally barely looked her in the eye before stammering out an apology, and Superboy was similarly awkward. The second to last to leave, Artemis had fidgeted for a moment before slipping a roll of medical tape out of her utility belt and handing it over.
So here Ski'Lira stood vigilant, hand newly wrapped in tape and mace in a readied position, just in case.
"It's awfully nice of you to stay with him."
She didn't jump, the voice was too familiar a cadence for her to do so. Instead, she slowly turned her head towards the speaker, the illusory guardian of the tower that had taken on Nelson's face. Its presence was... strangely warm, combating the chill of the night air.
"It's the least I can do." She offered. "I could not protect him in life, so I will protect his remains and his home. "A moment later, she found herself unable to stop from asking a question. "I thought you would have been dispelled when he..."
"I will remain a part of this tower up until the point the good doctor decides he doesn't need me anymore." The illusion answered. "Or he decides he'd prefer a different personality to have mirrored. Such is the life of the tower's illusory guardian."
That made sense, she guessed. To her surprise, the illusion kept talking.
"You know, I never thought I'd see the day that a Thanagarian opted to defend me rather than break me." The Tower's spirit mused aloud. "Considering your people's propensity for breaking magic over practicing, it's quite a pleasant surprise."
An amused huff left her. "My people learned our distrust of the mystic arts and adapted accordingly. I think, considering all you've seen, our viewpoint is more than justified."
"Cheeky, just like your mother. Just as scary, too." Head tilting upwards, illusory eyes scanned the sky above. "... Nice night, isn't it?"
"... Yes. It is."
The ever-vigilant Thanagarian and her temporary companion lapsed into a comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the rustle of trees and the various animal and insect calls from around the park.
Thus, when someone rang out of the ordinary, she immediately caught it.
Multiple silhouettes descended from the sky, bringing to mind the night they'd rescued Superboy from Cadmus.
Red Tornado was at the front of the pack, her mother and Zatara close behind.
For the first time since they'd started this whole debacle, Ski'Lira allowed herself to finally relax. She had scarcely hooked her mace back onto her belt before her mother landed in front of her. Crossing the short distance between them, Shayera's hands went to her daughter's shoulders. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine, da'mi." She assured immediately, the return to her native language comforting. Her eyes drifted towards the phantasm that had been keeping her company. "But..."
"It's alright, we know everything thanks to M'Gann." Shayera shifted, grasping one of her hands and bodily steering her to the other side of the roof. The reason for doing so became apparent as Zatara and Red Tornado studied the remains of the great hero she had been guarding.
The magician retrieved his wand with a quick sleight of hand, and Zatara began to cast a spell, creating the framework of a magical coffin around Nelson.
Sitting down on a low point of the crenelated roof, Shayera tugged her down to sit next to her, slinging an arm around her shoulders and curling one wing around her like a feathery shield. "M'Gann told us some of what happened. I'm sorry we couldn't be here to help. I'd... like to hear the story in full from you, if you think you can manage that."
Before she could spin her tale, the illusion gave a polite cough, entirely fabricated as it did not possess organs. "Shayera Hol," the spirit of the Tower greeted. "I'd say it was a pleasure, but the last time we met, you put a hole in my side."
"I didn't regret it then and I certainly don't regret it now." Shayera bit back, irritated at being interrupted, even if by the visage of an old friend.
"You'll be happy to know that your daughter takes after you in at least that aspect." The illusion chuckled softly. "You did a good job raising her. Kent thought so, too."
Shayera's wing flexed just a little tighter, "Thank you."
"Well, you all seem to have things well in hand. I think that means my job is done, at least for now. Perhaps we shall see each other again when the Doctor returns home."
Ski'Lira found herself only able to offer a hesitant nod, while her mother lifted a hand in farewell. As it promised, the spirit dissipated in a cloud of golden sparks, each mote of light seeping back into the stonework of the Tower from which it was born.
It was with a subtle detachment that Hawkgirl recalled the events of the day, outlining each encounter in at least cursory detail for her mother's sake, killing time as Nelson's body was entombed and Zatara did a final check of the Tower's defensive wards. When she reached the part where she'd threatened the tower into providing a way forward, she'd received a proud pat on the back. She even included the parts of the story Wally had hastily told them after the reunion, just to fill in the gap where she and the others were trapped.
"So, the Helmet almost claimed Wally?" Her mother spoke up only once the story was completely done. "That would have made a hell of a mess."
"I guess. If it hadn't released him, I would have rung his head like a goddamn bell with my mace until he let him go."
Letting out a bark of laughter, Shayera pulled her daughter even tighter into an embrace. "That's my girl. I'm glad you and the other kids managed to get out unscathed. Abra Kadabra is a joke, but it is undeniable he can be a threat. But from what you described of his partner... Well, that was the real worry."
"Who was he, anyway?"
"His name is Klarion," her mother began to explain. "A Lord of Chaos, a direct counterpart to Doctor Fate. Whenever he makes an appearance, it rarely ends well. If he had a mind to, this night could very easily have resulted in more than one funeral."
Unable to help her wince, Ski'Lira looked down at her hands, one bandaged and the other mottled with red lines from her magical electrocution. "I'm sorry we couldn't get to Kent in time."
"I take comfort in knowing how hard you and the others tried. Kent... He lived a very long life, far longer than a normal human has the chance to experience. I'm sure that he was relieved to finally find peace. Now..." Hopping off of her perch, Shayera confirmed with a glance that Red Tornado and Zatara were ready to go. "I think it's time to leave the Tower to its own devices."
H
MOUNT JUSTICE
AUGUST 20TH, 2010
05:22 EDT
Instead of heading home straightaway, Shayera had treated her to an improvised very early waffle breakfast at a twenty four hour diner in Salem. Ski'Lira had quietly admitted that she'd rather return to the mountain, wanting to check in person to make sure everyone else was alright. It was a... significant ordeal they had gone through tonight, as despite assurances from the League, they had still failed in their task (as impossible as it was), and someone important had died for it.
Her mother, understanding as ever, had relented, escorting her to the nearest Zeta access tube before sending her off.
She had fully expected everyone to be in bed by the time she returned, but the turned on kitchen light proved her wrong. Artemis stood alone, turning off the stove just before a steaming kettle began to whistle.
"Couldn't sleep?"
Artemis jumped at the Thanagarian's greeting, shooting her a half-hearted glare as she opened up a nearby cabinet, retrieving a mug. "Yeah, too keyed up from... everything, I guess." Hesitating for a moment, she grabbed a second mug from the shelf, and placed a tea bag in each.
Taking the silent invitation, Ski'Lira sat down on one of the stools perched before the counter, resting her forearms on the countertop. It wasn't long before the blonde was taking the seat next to her, placing a steaming mug of tea in front of her.
"Thank you," picking it up, she sniffed once to confirm it was a simple herbal tea. Satisfied with the amount of time it had steeped, she took a sip of the still-scalding liquid.
"Did... Did you just drink near-boiling water?" Artemis squeaked, grey eyes wide with disbelief. "Are you... okay?"
"I have a higher tolerance for extreme temperatures." She explained succinctly.
"Oh. That's... pretty neat, actually." Cheeks pinking a little, Artemis fiddled with the string sticking out of her own tea. "I, uh, keep forgetting you're not actually human."
"Strange, you'd think the wings would give me away."
Letting out a snort, Artemis gave her leg a nudge with her foot. "Yeah, it's pretty stupid of me. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually." Lapsing into silence for a moment, Artemis cleared her throat. "So, uh... I assume everything went okay? You know, with..."
"Kent Nelson's body is in the League's possession. Funeral arrangements are already being made."
"Good. That's good."
There was something poetic about two young warriors quietly commiserating over a battle both won and lost, in the early hours of morning before the sun had even risen. It was as she was going over the events of the day in her head that Ski'Lira had realized she'd forgotten something.
"I... wanted to thank you, personally." Ski'Lira began, earning a slightly startled look from Artemis.
"Me?" Pointing at herself, Artemis was blinking at her in confusion.
"Yes, you. I wanted to thank you for yelling at Wally and getting him to cease his inane flirting."
Confusion melted into genuine amusement, "There's no need to thank me for that, I was more than happy to do it. Though I am surprised you didn't first, considering how much you were hounding me during the mission with Dr. Roquette."
"I... was a little worried I might have gotten carried away and caused grievous bodily harm. That, and you were much faster on the draw." Her brow furrowed in thought. "It's always so much easier to reign him in when Robin's around, but... it seems like you've got a penchant for keeping him in check."
"Thanks, I guess. But trust me, it is not a job I want full time."
"I don't think anyone would. I'm sure even Robin has his limits."
The two shared a laugh at that.
"For the record..." Artemis spoke up again, shifting her tone to something more sincere. "We all sort of had a talk with Wally while you were gone, and he seemed... I think he realized how badly he was behaving."
"That's... good to hear. Though I will still be giving him a lecture later, and I can guarantee he will not enjoy it."
Tea finally cooled enough for her human palate to remain unmarred, Artemis finally took a sip of her tea, shoulders relaxing as she did so. "Hey, I know we haven't really gotten the chance to talk much, but uh... there was a question I wanted to ask you."
Swiveling on the stool, Ski'Lira propped her jaw up with a fist, elbow perched on the counter to show she was listening.
"I sort of wanted to know how you got into all this? The hero business, you know.
"I hope you're not expecting some inspirational story," Ski'Lira said. She took a moment to formulate her thoughts. "As you are aware, my parents are Hawkman and Hawkwoman. I didn't move here until I was nine, as I was raised on Thanagar by my Da'my Maye and Da'my Tildi, my mother's half-sister and her wife. My people begin combat training young, something of a necessity to properly ingrain control in all things, physical, mental, and emotional. I was well-versed in physical combat and battle strategy already. After Batman chose Robin as his protégé and Roy became Green Arrow's sidekick... It was a logical progression, more than anything else.
"Wait, so you became a hero... because you were told to?"
"Not told, asked. My parents asked if it was something I wanted to try, and I said yes." She corrected. "And it is not a decision I regret."
There was an unreadable look in the blonde's eyes. "But, you were still forced to train in the first place?" Her words came out slightly strangled, but Ski'Lira remained polite and didn't comment on the undercurrent of distress.
Instead, she let out a noncommittal hum. "Yes and no. Remember, I am not human. I do not have the same wants or needs that you humans do. For a Thanagarian, fighting is a part of us. In here," she pressed a hand to her chest. "And in here." She tapped her forehead. "Untrained Thanagarians do not tend to last long. Even those that have sworn to the lives of artists, scientists, and musicians, they all know how to fight and how to win."
Artemis merely winced, as she was once more reminded of Ski'Lira's less than terrestrial origin.
"While we are being honest..." Ski'Lira began slowly. "I was the one to report your presence at Gotham High School during the battle with A.M.A.Z.O." Quick as a viper, she slid her hand underneath Artemis' mug a split second before the blonde released it in her shock. Snagging it from her hands entirely, Ski'Lira safely deposited it onto the countertop.
"You... But..." Artemis spluttered. "Did you tell the others?"
"No, it was not my place. I only told Batman and Green Arrow. I just thought you'd like to know."
"So, then you know that I'm not-"
"Arrow's niece?" Ski'Lira smirked. "Of course you're not. That man has been fighting to get me to call him Uncle Ollie for years. He and Hal Jordan have been in an on running 'Best Uncle' contest since I was nine. Hal is winning, by the way. The cover's good enough to fool anyone who isn't me or Robin, but that's only because we know your mentor personally."
"What do you plan to do about it, then?"
Freezing in place, Ski'Lira pulled the mug away from her face from where she'd been about to take another drink. "Do? What would I do?"
"I... I don't know? Something?"
"Just because I know part of the truth doesn't mean that I care about where you actually came from."
Mouth snapping shut with a quiet click, the archer was thoroughly stunned into silence for a solid minute or so. "You just... don't care? At all?"
"No. Consider it another quirk of Thanagarian culture."
Artemis blew out a long breath, the steadily mounting tension leaving her shoulders as she did so. She made to finish her tea, only to wrinkle her nose in distaste as she realized it had gone cold during the course of the conversation. Ski'Lira, on the other hand, had no such qualms and drained her mug in one last go.
"Still not tired?"
Artemis huffed with frustration. "Not at all. This 'Sleepy Time Tea' did nothing."
"… Up for a spar?"
"You're on."