Tower of Fate

Chewing out the old man wasn't the smartest thing I've done, but then again leaving magical items and substances in his various 'charlatan' magic shops wasn't exactly an intelligent thing to do either, but going to a man who has forgotten more magic than I've learnt and telling him he made a boneheaded error was just plain dumb of me.

Still, I chucked him the book where I re-trapped the Queen of Fables in and explained what happened.

Turns out petrified dragon blood was a good agent in blocking out runes. Bitching him out at leaving that shit laying around led me to my current predicament.

But honestly, with the way the League treat Kaldur and his team, the shitty errors and judgement, and now Kent and leaving items like dragon blood laying around unguarded other than a few precautionary spells that even the likes of Harley could avoid, I was starting to think that the supposed experienced heroes were going senile or something.

"You too, huh?" The absolute bombshell asked me, even if I wasn't even remotely interested in her, I could see the hype, Zatanna's eyes were incredibly striking, and they bled her emotions as a clear indication of what she was feeling, and right now she was clearly tickled.

"Yep. I may or may not have accused him of losing his marbles."

She winced with a snort, "Oh, he is no doubt about it, but he's…"

"Doctor Fate's a petty bitch." I finished.

"Then perhaps it would do both well, not to speak of me as if I'm not here." I could hear the wry smile on his face as I watched him from behind. He stood over a glyph he just finished creating, as he fully stood up let out a groan and mumbled something about his back and old age.

"Umm, what are we going to do, sir?" The being who looked like she was in her mid-twenties asked. She may have the body of an adult woman, but just the way she held herself and acted, screamed child. Somewhere around pre-teens, it was a stark contrast to the young teenage blonde next to her.

Said blonde was taking long and loud deep breaths, as her fingers nervously gripped at her staff.

Stargirl and Ms Marvel… Captain Marvel? Marvel Girl? Mary!

Stargirl and Mary.

Mine and Zatanna's charges for this day.

"So, is everyone clear on what's going to happen?" Kent asked Zatanna and I, but the younger girls answered first, with an indigent no between them both.

"Is it too late to apologise?" Zatanna asked.

"Eat a fat one." I grumbled under my breath, which only caused the supposed doctor to smile in amusement.

"Why man?" Zatanna swatted my arm with the back of her hand.

"He's not feeling merciful." I didn't need to tap into my demon-esqu form to feel his vindication right now.

"Nope." Kent motioned for us to join the young girls, "No I'm not, so if you'd both join the girls."

"Doctor Fate, what's gonna happen?" Stargirl stared down at the glyph with a hint of worry as her fingers twitched around her staff yet again.

Kent's face took a melancholy expression.

This wasn't the Justice League and their clown actions against the Team, throwing them to the sharks as they had.

The girls were young, kids even compared to the Team, Stargirl was about fourteen and Mary was Batson's twin, so she was even younger.

It was cute to be honest.

Their fears were almost adorable.

Yet when this was all over, and they confronted these childlike fears… they'd have to deal with the BS of being a hero of this universe… Don't glomp the kids, don't glomp the kids, don't glomp the kids.

"You're going to deal with all manners of spooky's," Zatanna said with a wry smile.

"And we're here to back you." Because the old man thought this through, or word got back to him about my quote-on-quote tantrum.

I moved to stand next to Stargirl only for Kent to nod towards Mary. I glared at the man, the girl was clearly uncomfortable with my very being, not that I blamed her, but it seemed that Kent didn't want her to fear me, or perhaps he at the very least wanted her to be exposed enough to half-demons to be able to be near one without losing her mantle.

Mary let out a deep sigh, but she kept her eyes forward.

Zatanna gave me a nod which I returned, and an understanding passed between us.

We may have bitched about this, but we both understood the importance of this, they were sweet kids that didn't need to be thrown into the big wide world just yet, and if we could ease them into it, all the better.

"Don't worry, we are here."

Kent beams at me, with an unreadable expression on his face, all the while Zatanna lets out a snort as I look bewildered at the old man.

What the hell is that about?

The blinding light died, and Mary and I were no longer in the tower, or so it seemed.

Mary rubbed her eyes, "Argh, where are we?"

I couldn't help myself, "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

Her older face scrunches up in confusion, "Is that a reference to something," I could hear the unsaid 'old man' in her voice.

"Steady, that movie came out in 1939," I warned her with a pointed finger.

"Is that when you were bornnnnnnn?" Her smirk screamed sassy child.

Why do I have a feeling that Pam is feeling a bit vindicated right now?

"It's a classic and-" A scream echoed out in the forest around us.

"What was that?" Mary tensed and she shuffled closer to me.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Looks like whatever Kent had in mind to help you and Stargirl." Walking towards the screaming was the most likely chance we were walking towards what Kent had in mind.

"Help us?"

"Well, this is designed to help you and Stargirl get control of your fear."

"But I don't get why," She whined, "I mean we're superheroes, we'd fight supervillains."

My head drooped, "Mary, supervillains are people that you shouldn't take lightly." The image of Pam came to mind, "Sure there are some who are misunderstood," Harley Quinn also appeared loath to my mind, "people who got screwed and was forced into the life in a misguided sort of sense," Then the Joker, "and then there are some who are just plain monsters. Some who will make you wish they just killed you." Jason and Babs and the hell they were put through… "You know you don't have to do this, right?"

"Kent said-"

"Not this, as in whatever Kent has in store for you." Cutting her off with a hint of heat to my voice, because fuck the person who suggested that Billy or Mary become protectors, they were just kids, "I mean this," I flicked the knuckle of my index finger on her Shazam symbol, "You don't need to be a hero, super or not. You could just be Mary."

The earnest smile on her face showed the kid in her more than anything, "What about if Mary is a superhero?" She even put both her hands on her hips as she puffed out her chest.

"I don't doubt it." I hoped she didn't pick up the smile on my face was more melancholic than amused.

"Where are we anyway?" Mary asked suddenly as we walked towards the only light we could make out in this dark forest, "I know Kent said something about childish fears but a forest?"

"Looks like a summer camp." I shrugged, the only ones I've seen are usually in movies. Well, one prominent movie series, stalking a camp full of councillors who were all breaking the rules of surviving a horror film.

Hells I was waiting for a creepy chanting to set the atmosphere, but I was disappointed when I heard a twig snapping without an iconic soundtrack.

"Sup," I greeted the tall man in the hockey mask and bloodied machete.

"What the heck!" Mary asked as she took in the sight of the famous horror movie villain, she then tried to walk closer to me again.

Though I warded her off by facing her by turning to my side, "Marvel. You gotta deal with this."

She's seen Friday the 13th movies but not the Wizard of Oz?

I withheld the urge to roll my eyes.

As Jason walked toward us in a menacing manner, Mary took a deep breath and with a raised fist rushed towards the absolute juggernaut and frankly BS villain.

Whether be it a training exercise designed by Kent, or the fact that Jason was 'human' and Mary was packing the power of multiple gods. When her fist connected with the tall man, he went flying into a tree, barks of wood shattered as he landed.

"That was easy," Mary mumbled as she looked at the downed man.

"Yeah," I drawled as I watched Jason stand up with a confused shake of his head, "You've never had a chance to let loose and stop holding back, have you?" The Shazam's were a powerful lot, but I don't know how they matched up to Kryptonians. Then again, I don't know how the Kryptonians of here matched up with their comic book counterparts. Moving frecken planets or being able to shatter them with one punch…

"Umm, Freak. What should I do?" Mary asked bringing me back to the moment. I shook off my thoughts about truly broken folk dressed in blue and red and saw the hulking man approach yet again.

"Go ham on him." I shrugged, seeing no reason for her to hold back, "Put everything into one attack, and by doing so learn what your absolute limit is."

Mary nodded and got into a poor boxers' stance, of course she had never had a reason to truly learn how to fight and was doing everything off the cuff or imitating everything she'd seen, though wasn't she also working off the knowledge and experiences from those who bestowed their power.

Eh, food for thought later.

Watching Jason's body go splat was interesting and thankfully reassuring. Interesting because it also reminded me that Billy and Mary had the biggest threat potential to me than most other beings, right above Amazonians.

Sure, the likes of Kryptonians and speedsters could KO me with one hit, but I could also do it vice-a-versa. With the aid of my magic, and delving into ice spells, I was shoring means to slowing down the overpowered folk but grossly incompetent like KF and Flash. Grossly incompetent was closer to KF than Flash, Barry Allen was a beast when needed be.

Just improving my magic was already increasing my chances of taking down the likes of Connor or Superman.

When it came to the two types of hero's if I fought them, it would be something akin to a couple of glass cannons going at it, but the Shazams couldn't be exploited with magic, well not magic that Kent was teaching me, and Raven's teachings were about fine control opposed. I should probably look up Mazikeen, and see if she's willing to teach me more than control.

"Woah." Mary breathed out, "I was expecting more blood."

"Kent's probably pushing the PG rating as opposed to delving into R."

"Make sense." Mary's eyes narrowed as she looked over my shoulder.

Facing the possible threat behind me, I spotted a derelict stoned well.

"Well, well, well." I couldn't help myself, and Mary looked like she was in a mix of wanting to hurt me and then herself because she cracked a smile.

A pale, clammy hand appeared from the well, it was bloodied as the nails seemed to be ground to the nubs.

"Ah come on." Mary whined with fear.

"Why are you watching these movies! Who's letting you watch 'em?"

Mary shook her head as she let out a fearful squeak as the ghostly girl's head appeared from the well, a curtain of black hair hiding her face, a stained white gown covering her bony body could be spotted as the girl hastily climbed out of the well.

She flickered towards us, her movements were janky and almost unpleasant to a human degree, setting a cold edge to my spine, maybe that was something I could replicate to cause villains and thugs to be uneasy when I wanted to pressure and intimidate them.

Mary rushed forward with a cocked fist, but just as she was about to make contact with the girl, Mary's body was flung back, all the while the ghostly figure cracked a smile, never once moving her arms up.

Telekinesis if I had to guess.

Backpedalling I caught Mary's speeding body with a grunt. Setting her to the ground all the while giving her a blank stare, but it seemed like the young girl was letting her fear get the better of her as she seemed to go into panic mode yet again.

"What do we do?" She looked back at the slowly ambling girl.

"Mary."

"We can't touch her, we can't beat her."

"Mary."

"This is bad, real bad."

"Mary!" I slammed my foot forward and spread my fingers out and grabbed the face of the nensha as she was now in touching distance, the ghost lashed out, both telekinetically and physically, "You knock it off." I chided the being as still held struggling nensha, before turning to Mary, "Mary," I repeated and this time she nodded at me with wide eyes, "Take a breath."

The look she gave me, sceamed as if I was nuts, but when I didn't communicate any further other than giving her a pointed stare, she took a deep breath and exhaled.

"First, you are so much stronger than you know, and it's not just about your punching ability. You have magic, don't be afraid to use it." I bet if Kent was listening in right now, he was probably busting his gut at the irony of me of all people saying that to someone else, "and second, you're not alone, if you ever need it, people like Zee, Kent, and Billy will help if you ask for it. Plus, you don't need to worry right now, because I am here." I may have grinned a bit like a loon, as those words left my mouth, but I set myself up and I had to take the shot when presented.

Still, it seemed like it had some effect, as Mary went fearful to red faced… Yeah, I'm not touching that with a ten-foot barge pole.

The nensha tried to claw at the wrist of the hand that was still gripping her face, "Ah you bitch." I loosened my hold on her and kicked her in the chest, throwing her back a few feet.

"How can you touch her?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Probably a demon thing, or Kent's magic is still at play." My instincts pointed at Kent, but you could never be too sure in places like this, "Have you ever used your lightning-based attacks?" I hoped I was inquiring about something almost intuitive for the girl.

Mary nodded her head with an unsure air about her, "But I've…"

"Don't worry about holding back." She gave me a shocked look, "I could guess where you were going, I mean everything is pointing at you only getting the bare basics on controlling and mitigating your strength, which is dumb considering you need to know your peak before thinking of controlling yourself to a finer degree."

'People in glass houses.' Why did the voice in my head sound like Kent?

"Shut up Kent!" Mary looked at me once again like I was going crazy, but I ignored it and motioned for the once again ambling creepy ghost girl, "Go ham on her."

A blue light blinded the surrounding area, and the bang to be deafening was to be anticipated, what I wasn't expecting was the sounds of glass cracking.

When my vision cleared, I noticed we weren't in the forest anymore, but a white void-like place, however, we weren't there for long as the walls of the void cracked and then shattered revealing the room of the tower where we were last in.

Zatanna and Stargirl were also back, and they seemed confused, I'm guessing they were forcibly pulled out of the spell.

"What happened?" The showgirl magician asked.

Pointing a thumb at Mary, I coughed.

The youngest let out a squeak, "You said go ham."

"I'm not saying you did anything wrong," I said in reply to her defensive tone, "If that was your max output as of right now, then that's good to know." She overpowered Kent's spell, whatever it was be it illusion spell work or a small dimension bubble, someone with Mary's level of experience shouldn't have been able to destroy it at that level.

Kent's an older gentleman but... Nah he's fine and that's not denial talking.

"You're lacking in experience, Mary, but power like that is a game changer." I placed a hand on her shoulder, and she let out another quiet squeak, "This job doesn't need to be a sprint. Take it easy and learn while you can afford it."

Kent said nothing this entire time, he just looked at me with an unreadable smile.

"Why don't you compare notes with Stargirl?" Mary gave me a nod and walked towards the slightly older girl and talked amongst themselves.

Kent just hummed to himself with that same smile that was setting me on edge.

"So, I got Jason and a Ring ghost, you?"

"Ghostface and Krueger." She said with a wince, "Stargirl did well against Ghostface, but she panicked when Krueger appeared."

"Near enough the same for Mary," I shrugged my shoulders, "but I managed to convince her to let loose, and well you saw the result."

Zatanna let out a snort, "Yeah, the girl is powerful." She then swatted my stomach, "Good thing you brought it out of her. I can see why your Kent's protégé."

"Yeah totally… The fuck!?" Since when am I his protégé? I'm an idiot, too much of one to be considered for that role, "Fucking old man, you really are going senile!" I chased after what I now recognised as a fleeing old man.

A/N - Published 2024/01/23

Yo, thanks for the support shown to this story.

Bit of a wacky one, but at the same time bit of a sowing the seeds of possibly storylines of where I can take this. *Cough* Justice League Dark *Cough*