Denial

In the star scape, a golden helmet turns, eternal. Until it stops and the eyes glow an even brighter gold than the color of the helmet.

New Orleans; July 27th; 21:57 CDT

Trumpet music plays in the background as an old man walks down the street. Carrying a cane but not using it. He stops before a door on his left. MADAM XANADU the main golden oval sign reads and eye in the center. Three small square signs with red font read TAROTS READ > LOVED ONES CONTACTED > FATES FORETOLD. He pulls out a golden pocket watch. Looking at the woman on the inside of the cover. He closes it and walks inside.

As he does a woman steps through the bead-guarded doorway. Her skin and hair dark, but her green eyes are accented by the three blue jewels on her forehead. “Bonsoir, monsieur.” (Good evening, sir) she greets. “How can Madame Xanadu be of service?” he French accent rather mild. (so, cc says Madame with an e, and so do the scripts on Wiki, I never really bothered to question it until I read the signs on the door and realized there isn’t an e there. I’m not entirely sure which one’s right. Part of me wants to believe the cc and scripts, considering this is the same TV show that spelled Whizzies at least three different ways.) “Ah, there is someone to whom you wish to speak.” she stops about the distance of the table to her right apart from the man. “Your wife, mai non (perhaps {well, the literal translation is but no, but it’s similar enough and it kind of makes more sense})?”

The man’s hand clenches tightly around the watch. “Yes, my Inza.”

Xanadu sits down. “Then madam will make contact if fate be kind.”

The man sighs as he sits down as well. “But he so rarely is.”

“Ahem.” She clears her throat, then holds out her hand.

The man reaches into his jacket, pulling out a roll of bills. (guys, chill, it’s a roll of ones. Had to slow the thing down a ton, but it’s a roll of ones.) “Oh, of course,” he says, placing them in her hand. She slips them down her shirt with no hesitation and closes her eyes.

The ball in the center glows pure white and her hair is blown back. The light above sways and creaks, the table shakes ever so slightly, and the curtains blow with the wind. The man watches as the table rises. Then the candles blow out.

“Oh, my darling. How I’ve missed you.” Madam Xanadu says, though her voice is slightly higher than her own. Her eyes snap open, glowing white as well. “I’m so lonely here and cold.”

The man bursts out into laughter. “Th-that’s the best you could do?”

Everything clatters to their original places.

“Imbecile! You have broken the spell.” Xanadu snaps as her eyes open once more. “Your wife is forever lost.”

“Th-that supposed to be my wife?” he questions mocking. Letting out a single chuckle before he continues. “Heck, my little Spitfire would’ve kicked my can for throwin’ away good money on you.”

“No refunds for non-believers,” Xanadu replies hastily as she stands up out of her chair and crosses her arms. (this reaction can seem a little strange for those that don’t understand the culture she comes from, it confused me the first time I saw it until I asked my uncle- a tarot card read himself- why someone would do that. The answer is simple, some people like to try and hustle their money back from Readers. By standing up she’s giving herself more time to run away and call for help, or take him down before he can get at her. Plus keeping the table between them means he’d have to jump it or go around it.)

“I think we both know you’re the non-believer, Madame. A wind machine.” he gestures widely with his hand to where a wind machine is hidden from sight behind the curtains near the ceiling. “Tire jacks under the table.” he lifts the long table cover to show it off, then sits up straight. “A shame, too. You have the perfect aura for the work, and nothing would’ve pleased me more than to be reunited with my bride.” he opens his golden pocket watch, looking down at the picture in longing.

A hand is placed on the back of the man’s jacket and then on his left lapel. Turning he’s stunned to find Abra Kadabra grabbing him. “You will be with her soon enough.” he promises through his thick accent, holding the older man off the ground. He smirks and all the old man can do is looked stunned before they disappear in a flash of blue-white light.

Madame Xanadu gasps in shock, finally her flight reflexes kick in and she runs back through her bead blocked doorway.

Behind her turned back the cane the old man had glows gold, floating on its own before it too disappears, but in a golden flash.

Mount Justice; August 19th, 19:39 EDT

“Initiate- Combat Training.” the computerized voice says as Kaldur and Superboy slowly work their way from the opposite sides of the circle towards each other. “3.” the two begin to circle each other. “2.” they’re now maintaining about ten feet of distance from each other. “1.”

Both charge, Superboy goes in for a right hook punch that Aqualad ducks under, retaliating with a left-right one-two combo. Both of which Superboy blocks, though Kaldur jumps and goes for a hook kick, that Superboy both ducks under and raises his hands for. As Kaldur lands he goes for another right hook that Kaldur dives back into a back handspring, landing in a crouch.

Artemis and M’gann watch on. “Kaldur's uh, nice, don't you think?” (Google wants Kaldor, and guess what, that’s what the cc has… I’m officially disappointed.) Artemis asks, glancing at M’gann to ensure that she’s the only one listening before she continues. “ Handsome. Commanding. You should totally ask him out.”

“He's like a big brother to me.” she denies light-heartedly. “But you know who would make the cutest couple? You and Wally.” she teases, looking over her shoulder at the ginger currently noisily enjoying his burrito. “You're so full of passion and he's so full of-uh-of…”

“It.” Artemis finishes with conviction, though their combined laughing afterward proves that she is mocking him.

Kaldur and Superboy charge each other, with his bigger build Superboy (Conner, fuck you!) gets his arms on the Atlantean’s shoulder blades, before getting his boot behind Aqualad’s barefoot and throwing him over his shoulder and a good fifteen feet away, on his rear.

Aqualad lets out a stunned cry as he feels his feet leave the ground.

“Fail > Aqualad.” the computerized voice calls out, as his stats appear near the fallen Atlantean’s shoulder.

Superboy stands up straighter, brushing off his hands. “Black Canary taught me that.”

Red Tornado drops out of a hole in the ceiling. Gaining everyone’s attention. As Superboy helps Kaldur to his feet.

“Do you have a mission for us?” Wally asks, speeding in front of Red Tornado.

“Mission assignments are the Batman’s responsibility.” Tornado responds.

“Yeah. Well, the Batman is with the Robin, doing the Dynamic Duo thing in Gotham,” Wally responds, tauntingly emulation Tornado’s speech pattern. “but you’re heading somewhere, right?” at this point all of the Team members were slowly moving in. “Hot date or a-a missión.”

“If we can be of help...” Kaldur speaks up, counteracting Wally’s general rudeness with very polite and formal speech.

Tornado looks the Team over for a moment. Then he turns and calls up the holoscreens. “This is Kent Nelson, a friend. He is 106 years old.”

“Guy doesn’t look a day over ninety.” Wally comments in Artemis’ direction. M’gann steps up on his left, immediately drawing the ginger’s attention away from the archer.

“And he has been missing for twenty-three days.” Tornado continues, either not hearing Wally or ignoring him. “Kent was a charter member of the Justice Society,” the image on the holoscreen changes to cover Kent’s face with a golden helmet and his clothes turn royal blue with a gold belt, breastplate, gauntlets, boots and cape the precursor to your mentor’s Justice League.” with that Kent’s picture became Doctor Fate’s.

“Of course.” Kaldur realizes, sounding annoyed with himself. “Nelson was Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme. He was Doctor Fate.”

“Pfft.” Wally snorted. “More like Doctor Fake, guy knows a little advanced science and Dumbledore's it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes.” he whispers to Artemis.

Tornado turns to the Team again. “Kent may just be on one of his… walkabouts, but he is caretaker to the Helmet of Fate.” Tornado continues, (I like to think he only hears what his hardware deemed necessary, therefore he didn’t hear Wally.) “The source of the Doctor’s mystic might, and it unwise to leave such power unguarded.”

“He’s like the great sorcerer-priests and priestesses of Mars, I would be honored to help find him.” M’gann speaks up, everyone pays her attention, knowing that it isn’t often she would bring up her life on their sister planet. Much less her religion.

Wally’s hand shoots up instantly. “Me too.” Everyone turns in, surprised. (and this is where I want to kill you, Wally.) “So honored, I can barely stand it.” Wally continues, suddenly sounding sheepish as he realizes all attention was focused on him. Behind him, Artemis glares. “Magic rocks.” throwing in a Rock and Roll hand gesture. The blonde rolls her eyes and she crosses her arms.

“Take this, it is the key to the Tower of Fate.” Tornado says, offering up an old brass key. Aqualad takes it from his waiting hand.

“What are the chances we both so admire the mystic arts?” Wally questions M’gann. She gives him a small smile but nothing more.

Inside the Bioship, M’gann at the helm, Artemis directly in front of her, Wally to Artemis’ right, with Kaldur and Superboy (in that order) on her left. “So, Wally,” Artemis begins, an already mocking tone in her words. “when did you realize your honest affinity for sorcery?”

“Well, I-I don’t like to brag,” Wally stumbles over his words, but his attention is fully out of the corner of his eye right at M’gann. “but, uh before I became Kid Flash, I seriously considered become a wizard myself.” seeing that he has M’gann’s attention he puts his hands behind his head and visibly relaxes.

Artemis rolls her eyes, and Kaldur looks away from KF.

“We’ve reached Tornado’s coordinates, but-” M’gann starts, as she brings the bioship down in the street.

Salem; August 19th; 20:22 EDT

The bioship is fully camouflaged as it makes its descent. On the right side of the road is an open field, but on the left, there is an old theater that looks shutdown, and a red brick building that with its lights on seemingly has people inside.

“Nothing’s there.” Superboy finishes.

“Take us down.” Aqualad commands. Outside the bioship is a mangey orange cat with deep red markings around its body. Though its face has similar black marking and red eyes that seem to observe the hidden bioship before it hops off the box it was on and trot inside the theater.

“Grant us access to the tower, and I promise an end to your suffering.” a man’s voice- the same man who was in New Orleans- bargains. “Continue to refuse and-” he cuts himself off as something zaps.

Causing another man, who sounds older, to cry out in pain.

The cat jumps on a teens lap as he laughs from the front row of the seating. Instantly he begins petting the cat, causing it to purr and meow. His face is pale, his hair is dark and styled in a way that almost seems to give him horns, but his eyes are old and angry. The cat begins to babble at him. “Shush, Teekl!” he reprimands. “I’m watching the show.”

Up on the stage, tied in ropes and sitting in a chair, panting from pain is Kent Nelson. The same man that was in New Orleans standing before him holding a magic wand. “Enjoy it…” Kent begins, though forced to take a breath due to the assumed torture he’s been receiving since New Orleans. “while you can.” he finishes. Then looks up with determination in his eyes, knowing he has their attention. “Soon enough, my friends will come to help me.” the Hispanic with the long ponytail walks behind his chair, raising his wand as the end sparks blue. Touching it to Kent Nelson’s back to zap him once more.

Teekl the cat hisses as the teen stands up. Clapping and shouting. “Encore! Encore!” before laughing in sick joy. (again, if you knew DC prior to watching this show you’d that he’s Klarion, but I distinctly remember having no clue who he was and this is how I saw the episode)

The cat meows once more. “What?” he questions, annoyed.

The cat hisses then meows once more. Almost as if he understood her his eyes soften. “Oh.”

Wally skids to a stop in the middle of the field they parked the bioship next to. “Nothing.” he says, looking to Artemis. “This isn’t simple camouflage.”

The whole team looks to the ginger speedster, but Artemis is smug when she responds. “What do you think, adaptive micro-opto-electronics combined phase shifting?”

“Absolutely…” Wally starts, but as M’gann appears in his line of sight the slight smile drops from his face. “Not. Clearly mystic powers are at work here.” though the way he looks at M’gann is too obvious to be missed as well as his reason for changing his answer. The way his voice nearly cracks doesn’t help his case.

Artemis glares, while Superboy and Aqualad look skeptical.

Unnoticed behind the teens, the four occupants of the theater appear. Though Teekl in the boy’s arms and Kent Nelson’s hands are bound. The boy looks rather smugly at the man with the wand. “Hey, Abra Kadabra, are you using adaptive micro-opto-electronics combined with phase shifting?”

“Yes.” Abra Kadabra begrudgingly responds.

Crickets chirp as the Team stares at the open field.

Kaldur looks to the key in his hand. “A test of faith.” he repeats, looking to the handle on the key where it says ‘INSERT’. He walks between Artemis and Superboy. “Stand behind me.” he commands. Stepping up so he is more than three steps ahead of the closest team member. Raising the key, it disappears and sounds as though it clicks into a lock. Turning his hand the tumblers thud to the unlocked position. As this happens a massive stone tower comes into sight.

Much to Artemis’ and Wally’s surprise. Though Superboy and Miss M seem rather calm about it.

Kaldur keeps a hand on the key, pushing the ornate wooden door inwards. The Team following him in without a command. The door slams shut, but the key remains in the door.

“Uh, where’d the door go?” Superboy asks, confused and the entire team looks around the blank four walls. Until a gold-tinted projection of Kent Nelson appears.

“Greetings.” the projection of Kent’s magic power begin to speak. “You have entered with a key, but the Tower does not recognize you. State your purpose and intent.”

Wally looks back at M’gann before smiling. “We are true believers, here to find Doctor Fate.” he said with an overdramatic smile.

Kent looks at him sadly, then fades from view. Wally’s face falls until he hears the sound of the floor creaking loudly. Looking down just in time to see the whole segment give out from underneath the Team. Dropping all six of them towards the magma at the bottom.

Superboy is falling the fastest but changes his course to get to one of the walls, while M’gann grabs Wally bringing the two of them closer as well. While Artemis pulls out a small crossbow, turning on her back to shoot higher into the rock, then swing to grab Kaldur as both of them plant their feet solidly on the wall.

Superboy claws at the rock. His grip slowing him down, but not stopping him even as he digs the balls of his feet into the rock. Finally, he slows, but not before his feet and ankles fall into the lava. He screams in pain but pulls his unharmed feet out of the lava. “Those were my favorite boots,” he said annoyed, breathing heavily. “This Kent better be worth it.”

Outside the theater, Kent Nelson, Abra Kadabra, the kid, and his cat come into view. Just as Abra Kadabra pushes Kent forward harshly. As Kent gets within feet of the door, the cross with the top of infinity- the symbol of Doctor Fate- appears on the door and it unlocks itself to reveal a staircase within. The teen smiles mischievously.

All three enter the tower and once again, the door slams shut behind them. Only this time it disappears from the outside too.

Inside the Tower, Kent looks to Kadabra. “The Tower may not appreciate trespassers.”

Kadabra raises his wand. “Mute.” he commands.

Choking Kent a collar appears around his neck a red light glowing in the center.

Kadabra places his hand on Kent’s shoulder and they all walk forward, the wall dividing to let them in. Stopping at living room when Inza's portrait hangs over a large fireplace.

Kent’s magical projection appears in the center of the rug. “Hello, Kent.” he greets. “How unlike you to bring guests to the Tower, especially one with such potent mystic power.”

Kadabra raises a hand and places it on Kent’s shoulder as the collar speaks for Kent. “My friends come to help me.” it’s mechanical and wrung out, but definitely Kent’s voice. Silently the man glares heavily at Kadabra.

Kent’s projection smiles and the wall opens once more. Revealing stairs that run in all directions, regardless of gravity.

Kadabra smiles smugly, as all three begin up the stairs does the wall close behind them.

M’gann and Wally are slowly falling, slowing and speeding up as M’gann power wanes and waxes. “Having trouble… maintaining altitude…” she wipes sweat from her brow. “Ugh, I’m so hot.”

“You sure are.” he says not even thinking.

“Wally!” Artemis both gasps at and reprimands him.

“Hey, inches above sizzling death, I’m entitled to speak my mind!” he snaps back.

Kaldur also wipes the sweat off his brow. “My physiology and M’gann’s are susceptible to heat, we must climb out quickly.”

“Hello, Megan.” M’gann said through gasps. “We never… truly answered the question.” She turned her head slightly. “Red Tornado… sent us… to see if… Mr. Nelson and the Helmet… were safe.”

A panel slides shut underneath Superboy’s feet, calmly he steps on the panel. Wally falls, landing on his butt while M’gann falls next to him on her knees. Artemis and Kaldur belay down to the panel.

“This platform.” Kaldur realizes, touching it with both his hands. “It should be red hot, but it cool to the touch.”

“Don’t worry Megalicious, I gotcha.” Wally says, helping the green girl to her feet.

Artemis blows a gasket. “Enough!” she shoved Wally into the wall. “Your little "impress M’gann at all cost" game nearly got us all barbecued.”

Wally glared at the blonde half Vietnamese before him. “When did this become my fault?”

“When you lied to that whatever-it-was and called yourself a true believer.” Artemis snaps, Superboy and M’gann looking to the redhead from behind her.

Once again all the attention in the room was on Wally.

“Wally?” M’gann questions, stunned. “You don’t believe?”

Wally glares at Artemis before speaking out in exacerbation. “Fine. Fine! I lied about believing in Magic! But magic’s the real lie, it’s all a major load!”

“Wally, I studied for a year at the Conservatory of Sorcery in Atlantis.” Kaldur prompts his hand still on the floor. “The Mystic Mages created the skin icons that power my Water-bearers.” now he looking at Wally.

“Dude, you ever hear of Bioelectricity?” he asks, seeming annoyed, but not demeaning. Then he opens his mouth again, this time set on being sarcastic. “Hey, in primitive cultures, fire was once considered magic too. Today, it’s all a bunch of tricks.”

“You’re pretty closed minded for a guy who can break the sound barrier in his sneakers.” Artemis spoke up.

“That’s science.” Wally speaks simply. “I recreated the Flash’s experiment, and here I am!” he says with a sarcastic hand gesture of grandeur. “Everything can be explained by science.”

Kaldur smirks. “Let us test that theory.” then grabs an unseen handle.

“Wait, the back draft from the lava will roast us alive!” Wally protests, but Kaldur opens it anyway.

The door opens, however, with a snow flurry. Accompanied by gusting winds and an expansive tundra-space beyond.

“It’s snow!” M’gann cried cheerfully.

Artemis looks up at Wally’s angry face with a smirk. “Do you ever get tired of being wrong?” his frown deepens.

The Team jumps through, but what was originally a downward jump spun so the gateway was now floating in mid air from their point of view. Until it disappears in a golden flash. Wally turns away from where he was watching it, to find the whole Team looking at him.

“Well?” Artemis asks, a confident look on her face.

“Every hear of string theory?” he questions sarcastically. “We’re in a pocket dimension.”

“Ugh.” Artemis growls angered by Wally’s absolute lack of faith. (despite the fact that she thought it was total bull at first too.)

“What’s that?” M’gann questions. What she’s looking at is Kent Nelson’s cane floating above the snow.

“Ooo, maybe it’s Kent’s magic wand.” Wally says sarcastically. Speeding over so he grabs it at the same time Artemis does.

“I got it.” they synchronize. Then it begins to glow gold. “Huh?” they both question in shock. “I can’t let go!” before being pulled upwards by the cane and disappearing in a flash of gold.

The three remaining exchange a worried look.

The teen, Abra Kadabra, and Kent walking along a staircase that looks like it’s upside down.

“Are we there yet?” the teen drawls, his cat lying behind his neck. “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”

Kadabra grabs Nelson’s shoulder, bring all three to a stop. “Tell us how to find the helmet.” he demands, clearly becoming aggravated.

Kent glares, but can’t say anything due to the collar around his neck. In a second Kadabra removes it, throwing it over his shoulder with a smug look. “Can't.” Kent says, though his voice is hoarse he’s smiling. “Having too much fun.”

Kadabra’s face contorts in anger, then electrocutes Kent, knocking him to the ground. “Still having fun?”

The teen chuckles. “I am! Zap 'im again!” another idea comes to his mind as his fist meets his open right hand. “Or dump him off the side, and watch him splat!”

Kadabra raises his ‘wand’ again. Zapping Kent.

The teen laughs once, enjoying the pain before him. Until his cat meows and grabs his attention. “Ah, yes, yes.” he seems to agree with the cat. “I suppose we might still need him.” though he looks back at the pain Kadabra is causing Kent with vicious glee.

Superboy, M’gann, and Kaldur walk through the snow in almost silence. Until M’gann finally speaks up. “I don't understand Wally. It's almost like he needs to believe the impossible can't happen.”

Kaldur approaches it calmly, having known Wally for a few years means he can understand how he thinks. At least a little bit. “Wally uses his understanding of science to control what he cannot comprehend. Acknowledging magic would relinquish the last vestige of that control.” (for those that don’t know a vestige is a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists. And, yeah, I had no clue what that meant either.)

M’gann looks away from Kaldur thinking about what he said. Until something creaks and thuds in the distance.

Turning towards the sound the three find a doorway sitting on top of a nearby ridge with a few steps leading up to it. They exchange no words as they head towards it.

On a nearby platform to where the teen is watching Kadabra torture Kent, Artemis and Wally come into existence. Neither lets go of the cane as they move from lying on their sides to kneeling on one knee. Kent sees them instantly.

Once Wally’s looking in the right direction he recognizes Kadabra. “Abra Kadabra.” he growls.

Kent relaxes and gains a slight smile. “Well, would you look at that.”

The cane glows in Artemis and Wally’s grip, in response, Kent’s whole body glows the same gold. Kadabra and the teen barely glance at the teen-heroes as Kent begins to float and fly past them. Grabbing the cane with both hands immediately lets Wally and Artemis let go it as Kent’s bonds come undone.

“In here.” Kent says, standing up and using his cane to create an elevator in the wall. All three rush in.

“No! No! No!” the teen working with Kadabra shouts angrily. “I want that helmet!” he raises his hands, red magic gathering as the door to the elevator begins to shut. “I want it! I want it! I want it!” the red lightning only hitting after the doors are fully shut.

Elevator music plays in the background as the number shown increases. Both teens look to Nelson, unsure who should say something first.

“I’m Kent Nelson. By the way.” Kent finally speaks up.

“No duh.” Wally mumbles. Only to be hit by an elbow to the chest by Artemis. “Ow!” he hisses in pain.

“I’m Artemis.” she tells him. “Miss Manners here, is Wally.”

Kent smiles. “Well, Artemis, we’re up against an opponent that with tremendous mystic power.”

“Abra Kadabra?” Wally questions rhetorically then scoffs with an eye roll. “Flash proved that he uses futuristic technology to simulate magic.” he says directly at Kent. “Guy’s all show and no biz.”

“Right you are.” Kent agrees.

Much to Artemis’ shock. As Wally smiles proudly, looking at her shocked expression with a little too much pride. “He is?” she asks, stunned.

“Abra is a charlatan.” Kent admits. (as a younger kid who watched this when it first aired I assumed charlatan was a fancy way to say, faker, doing this now I realize I never actually looked up what it meant. Turns out, yeah, that’s pretty much what it is.)  “but Klarion, the Witch Boy, kid with the cat, he’s an actual Lord of Chaos, the ultimate enemy of a Lord of Order like Doctor Fate.”

“Right.” Wally drawls. “You're a Lord of Order.” though he sounds hesitant and confused.

“Oh, no. Not me.” Kent says with a smile. “I'm just an old coot Fate used to put on. Until my wife Inza convinced me there was more to life.” he opens his watch and looks down at her picture. “Ah, she was a real pistol, that Inza.” then snapping it shut and getting back on track. “Anywho, Klarion's after the helmet. If he gets his sticky little mitts on it, he'll turn the planet into his own personal playground of pandemonium.”

The elevator dings, and the doors open. The three walk out, seeing a giant golden tower-bell hanging on the platform before them. Following Kent, Artemis and Wally ascend the stairs.

Behind them, on the ceiling, a door opens, Superboy and Kaldur falling to the floor hard enough to hurt, while M’gann levitates downward.

As Artemis runs to the three of them, Kent turns to Wally. “Friends of yours?”

Electricity zaps in the background. A blue bolt just missing the two of them. On a perpendicular platform are Klarion and Kadabra.

“Friends of yours?!” Wally asks back with equally as much sarcasm as Kent, before grabbing him and getting him out of the way of Kadabra’s next shot. Artemis, Kaldur, Superboy, and M’gann are all forced to dodge it as well.

Kent and Wally crouch near the bell, until Kent stands, raising his cane, and hitting the bell.

As the bell tolls, it gains both Klarion and Kadabra’s attention. Keeping Teekl in his arms Klarion takes off into the air, as Kent and Wally walk into the bell. Klarion following them in without any hesitation.

Wally and Kent appear on the roof of the tower, floating just above their heads. Is the golden helmet. As Kent reaches for the helmet, he’s hit by a bolt of Klarion’s magic.

“Mr. Nelson.” Wally gasps, grabbing Kent to stop him, due to the force of Klarion’s shot.

Kent stands, despite the fact that he has to groan through the pain, before raising his cane as begins to cast a spell. (which I’m not even gonna try because I don’t even know what it’s supposed to mean, or, what language it’s in.) At the end of the spell, he slams his cane down on the ground, creating a golden shield around the helmet, Wally, and himself. Just in time to block another one of Klarion’s shots as well.

“No!” Klarion shouts in anguish.

“No bad for a former "Doctor Fake," eh, Kid?” Kent’s voice has weakened significantly, and as he finishes he loses his balance and falls into Wally’s arms as his cane falls to the side. “The bubble’ll give you just enough time-” he gasps for a breath. “to do what you need to do.”

Wally’s eyes go wide. “I have no idea what I need to do.”

Kent opens his watch, looking up at Wally. “Have faith in what you can't explain. Believe in what you can no longer deny.” with that Kent falls limp in his arms, his watch falling out of his hand as it hits the floor.

Wally can only look upon the scene, stunned.

Klarion continues to assault the bubble with as much magic as he can.

“28. 29. 30.” Wally counts the chest compressions. “Come on. Come on.” he begs Kent.

Klarion begins firing shots with each hand, throwing them almost like baseballs, which is enough to take Wally’s attention away from Kent. “I want that helmet and I want it now!” he growls.

Through the bubble, Wally can hear him, looking up to the helmet, then down to Kent. “Wally, we’re in trouble.” M’gann’s voice cuts through telepathically

Within the tower, Kaldur and Superboy are trapped in electrical cages. While Miss Martian keeps one hand out to deflect shots telekinetically, and Artemis shoots at Kadabra. “Tell Kent we need Doctor Fate.” she continues.

Wally watches from M’gann’s perspective as Artemis’ shot is deflected by Kadabra and she too is trapped in an electrical cage. Unable to do anything as one heads right for M’gann.

The jolt snaps the connection between Wally and M’gann. Bringing his mind back to the rooftop with a gasp.

Gritting his teeth Klarion pauses, then forms a magic circle around his feet. Gathering power between his hands until they expand to create two red hands that instantly shoot out and manage to get a grip on the shield surrounding the helmet, Wally, and Kent.

The claws sinking in as Kent’s cane begins to burn. When the cane runs out, the shield will break.

The claws screech against the shield, ignoring it Wally looks down at Kent. “A test of faith.” he agrees.

Standing he takes the helmet in his hands. Though, Klarion grabs his attention before he can put it on. “Hey, dumb kid. You put that on, you may never get it off!” he warns as he rips the shield apart.

Wally raises the helmet, as Klarion gathers more magic, shooting it at Wally. However, he puts the helmet on before it can hit him. Though the magic does absorb him.

Wally blinks as he’s suddenly assaulted with a total lack of anything resembling where he just was. “Ok. Ok. No problem.” Wally mumbles to himself, despite the echo that just said that. “I’m not here. I’m just delusional.”

“Still don’t believe?” Kent’s voice asks with a chuckle. “Seriously, Kid, how’d you get so bullheaded in 15 short years.”

Wally turns to the source, shocked to see Kent standing before him. “But- but- you’re- you’re-”

“Yep,” Kent knows what he’s trying to say. “but don’t feel bad. Soon as this little brouhaha is over, my spirit will ascend, and I’ll be reunited with my beloved Inza.”

“O-oh. Ok.” wally stutters out. “Wait, but does that mean that I’m-!”

Kent sighs good-naturedly, cutting him off. “You’re alive,” Kent places a hand on Wally’s shoulder, but seeing him flinch away he removes it. “but your soul no longer controls your body. See, we’re inside the helmet. You put it on, and my soul got sucked in, probably because I spent so many years serving its master.”

“Master?” Wally questions, confused.

“Nabu, the real Doctor Fate, one of them Lord of Order I told you about.” Kent explains, placing his hand on Wally’s shoulder again. “He’s the guy controlling your body now.” Kent pats his shoulder lightly “Wanna watch?” as he removes his hand and gestures into the black.

Wally’s green eyes show from under the helmet, as his hand is held out. The zapping of Klarion’s spells is heard, but Nabu makes no move to avoid them. “Give it up, Nabu! Order went out of style in the 20th century.” Klarion shouts, still throwing magic, but they all hit a projection of Doctor Fate’s cross that acts as a shield.

Nabu holds out both hands. “This battle is pointless.” when Doctor Fate speaks, Nabu and Wally’s voices overlap. Contrasting and grating against each other. “You sought to take the helmet before it gained a host. But you are too late.”

“SHUT IT, YOU OLD FART!” Klarion snaps, drawing two large stone columns from the tower, and moving them so they slam against Doctor Fate’s sides. Only for his symbol to show on the outside of the rock before it blows to pieces.

“Brat.” Doctor Fate snarls, before launching a golden wave at Klarion. Who barely blocks, but Teekl runs away from. (I laugh, the cc says ‘recites spell’) The spell causes Klarion to dissipate, as he does, Doctor Fate releases his hold on the spell and begins to descend back to the tower roof.

Behind his turned back Klarion comes back from black fragments. Shooting Doctor Fate in the back with red lightning

Inside the helmet Wally cries out in pain, falling to his knees. Looking to Kent angry, but mostly confused. “What gives?”

“Well, it is your body.” Kent states.

“Then let me control it.” Wally argues. “With Fate’s powers and my speed-”

“Sorry, Kid, doesn’t work that way.” Kent says. “But you can see why I haven’t put on the helmet in 65 years.”

“And if Fate loses this fight” Wally questions, his eyes going wide.

Kent’s face turns somber. “You see Inza before I do.”

Wally’s eyes widen and his mouth drops open.

Klarion launches a red magic dragon at Fate’s downed form, forcing the magician to jump out of the way. As it comes back around he puts up a shield. Only to get hit in the back by Klarion. Knocking him to the other side of the roof.

As Fate gets his hands under him Klarion changes the flames in his hands to red dots that hang in the air. Before he uses finger guns to have them start shooting at Doctor Fate.

The Lord of Order barely has time to get a shield up. Though each shot cracks the shield. Until it shatters, knocking Fate even further back. Though he rolls to his feet to dodge more red fire. Taking off into the air to continue to avoid the red fire Klarion is spewing.

Grinning devilishly, Klarion raises a hand, creating red columns that Fate dodges. Until right before Klarion he gets hit by one. Knocking him to the ground where the helmet hits with a clang.

“You’re out of practice, Nabu, and that pathetic host body,” his fingernails shink against each other as if they were made of metal. “zero affinity for the mystic arts.” Klarion raises his hands, thunderclaps in the sky, as a full storm brews over the tower. Red lightning raining down.

Just in time Fate gets a barrier up, though the energy that comes off is rainbow rather than gold or red.

“Ooo, rainbow power.” Klarion taunts.

Teekl meows.

“I am paying attention, you stupid cat.” he snaps back.

Teekl mews again, her hackles rising as her body arches.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m winning.” Klarion emphasizes.

Fate’s eyes narrow, a golden light booms from his chest, knocking him free and creating a yellow flame on the roof. “It is difficult for a Lord of Order or Chaos to maintain a presence on the physical plane.” as the smoke clears Fate stands tall, in the center of the ring of yellow fire, cape billowing behind him.

Angered to be compared to a Lord of Order, Klarion’s whole form changes, dropping any resemblance to a normal human. As he erupts in a red fire that covers him and Teekl, before launching fire at Fate with a screech.

“I am bound to the helmet and use a human host.” Fate continues, dodging all of Klarion’s attacks. Seeing a pause he unleashes his own, which Klarion barely blocks with stone from the tower. “But that is not your way.”

Klarion drops the shield, his face contorted to look even more animalistic, and his eyes glowing red. “You’re babbling, Nabu.” his hands gathering red flames again.

“Am I?” Fate questions, drawing his hands to his chest. Where a yellow beam shoots out.

Klarion raises a shield quickly, looking away because he knows it’s not strong enough. However, the beam misses him entirely. Teekl’s hackles rise as she hisses, and yelps at the impact that sends her flying.

“Teekl!” Klarion shouts, rising to his feet and turning to Fate. “I can’t believe you assault a defenseless pussycat.”

“We both know that creature is no cat, Witch Boy,” Wally’s green eyes narrow in accusation. “And without your familiar,” the yellow flames that surrounded Teekl fade out as she warily stands to her feet. The yellow flame now gathered in Fate’s hands. “you have no anchor in this reality.” proving it, Klarion fades from sight in staggering increments.

“Bully! Killjoy! Geezer!” Fate raises his hands, shooting another beam, this time at Klarion. “Holy carp!” (yep, carp, not crap. I noticed that almost right away.) the Witch Boy yelps before jumping into a red/black portal. Another forming above Teekl, where he drops out and picks her up in his arms. “We're out of here!” both of them fully dissolving into black and red outlined wisps that take off toward the sky.

Leaving Fate standing taller on top of the tower.

Inside the tower, all the other members of the Team are crying out in pain from Kadabra’s cages. As he raises his wand once more, Fate’s symbol shows up behind him as he is stripped to his underwear and of his wand. “Wha?” he questions, gasping as Superboy stands up.

“Shows over.” the Kryptonian snarls, punching Abra Kadabra in the face. Knocking him down and out.

“Yes!That's how we kick it on the earthly plane!” Wally cheers, still within the helmet. Then glances at Kent. “Uhh, it-it's over, right? Why isn't Nabu taking off the Helmet?”

“Because the Earth needs Doctor Fate.” Nabu speaks up, an image of the helmet appearing behind Wally and Kent. “I will not release this body.”

“He can’t do that!” Wally objects. Then looks to Kent. “Can he do that?”

“Can, but shouldn’t.” Kent says angrily. “This is not the right candidate. The kid’s soul belongs to the world of science, not sorcery.”

“True.” Nabu agrees, but his tone is dark. “But I do not appreciate being permanently hidden away, useless, and isolated for decades at a time.” no one can say anything. “Chaos must not be allowed to reign.” he snaps.

“That won’t happen again, the boy’ll take the helmet and make sure you’re put to good use.” Kent speaks for Wally.

“Yeah. I swear.” Wally agrees, smiling brightly.

“And in the meantime, I’ll stick around, keep you company.” Kent says, a touch of sadness in his voice.

Wally turns to Kent instantly, horrified. “Wait. What happened to you ascending? Seeing Inza?” his voice saddening as he asks each question.

“So you believe now, eh?” Kent taunts. “Don't sweat it, Kid. I'll spend a few millennia here, then see Inza.” he flips open his watch to look down at her picture once more. His own voice going said. “That's the great thing about eternity. It's eternal.”

“The bargain is acceptable.” Nabu says darkly.

“Some free advice before you go. Find your own little Spitfire,” Kent begins to fade away. “one who won’t let you get away with nothin’, for example, that-” and is cut off before he can hear the end of it. As the helmet finally comes off.

Looking around Wally finds himself still on the roof, walking over to Kent he sets the helmet down and places the watch back in his hand. Closing his fingers around it. Then looking down at the man he couldn’t save. Blaming himself.

Mount Justice; August 20th, 3:04 EDT

Wally walks up to a shelf, where all his souvenirs are proudly displayed. Setting the helmet beside Cheshire’s mask. Wally stands proudly before it.

Artemis clears her throat. “You never said what happened to you when you put on the helmet.”

Wally’s face falls, looking downright bored and uncaring. “Energy from the thing rewrote my brain’s Beta Waves. I was Bio-scripted into becoming Doctor Fate for a few minutes.” he shrugs. “No big.”

“Wait, you're still claiming there's no such thing as magic?” Artemis asks, shocked. Then scoffs. “If that's how you feel, why keep it at all?”

Wally looks to it, then to her, giving a half smile. “Souvenir.”

“Geek!” she insults, storming out of the room.

“Find your own little spitfire, one who won't let you get away with nothin’.” Kent’s voice echoes inside Wally’s head. The redhead frowns at the words, but as he sees M’gann walk by he smiles widely.

“Hello, Megan. Guess who bought us two tickets to a magic show.” he says following her down the hall.