Demiurge

chapter eight

Wanda's POV

"Argh!" I groaned, tossing a hex bolt at the mountain wall. I heard footsteps behind me and whirled around, my hands glowing scarlet as I glared at Batman. "Go away if you are just here to tell me that there has been no new development with Billy."

Bruce raised his hands in surrender. "I'm here to tell you we found the source of his...predicament."

I lowered my hands, placing them on my hips. "I'm listening. Who did this to Billy? Why wouldn't my magic work?"

"I'm not sure why your magic didn't work, but as for who did this to Billy, well, he did it to himself, Wanda." I scoffed, turning around to throw another hex bolt at the wall when Bruce caught my wrist in his hand. "I know it doesn't seem to make sense on the surface, but think about it. Billy was held captive and brainwashed for two years and when he returned his teammates were all angry with him, blaming him for his situation. He's in a fragile state, plus he is immensely powerful. Couple those together and you get disasters like these."

"Are you saying Billy did this subconsciously?" Bruce just quirked a brow and I nodded. "Can I see him? I think I know a way of getting him back."

"Of course, but you might have to fight Tim and Tommy first to see him."

I followed Bruce through the mountain, stopping outside Billy's medbay. I shooed Bruce away, entering by myself to see Tommy smirking at a blushing Tim, who was cradling his face. I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorway, watching as Tommy teased Tim for kissing his brother. Smiling to myself, I walked further into the room and clapped them both on the back.

"What's up, losers? You ready to save Billy?" They both practically jumped out of their skins, whirling around to face me. Tommy looked hopeful, gesturing for me to continue. I sat down at the foot of Billy's bed before I began talking. "I'm going to bring us into his mind and get him out that way."

"How do you know that will work?"

I shrugged. "It worked for me, why wouldn't it work for him?" They nodded in agreement and I grinned, standing up. "Okay, but we are going to need some equipment."

The three of us went wandering through the mountain until we came across Artemis, Wally, and Dick. Tim marched right up to them. "We need your help. We need to find the equipment we use for mind melding exercises."

"Why?"

"So we can go into Billy's mind and talk to him that way." I explained. "Just like what you did for me when I was in my comatose state all those years ago."

"You want to help Billy?" Artemis snarled. "Then leave him like that. It is safer for the universe."

"Is that how you felt about me, Artemis? Because we have the same power set, so that must make me a danger to the universe, too."

Artemis looked deflated. "Wanda, that's not what I-"

"It kind of is, Artemis." I snapped, feeling my energies rising within me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, calming myself down. "Anyways, we just need the equipment and someone to facilitate the mission."

Dick stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Wanda, you're going to need more than just the three of you. Let's get the team and-"

"No, Dick, it's okay. We can handle this." I smiled reassuringly. "But the more we stall the longer Billy is stuck like that. Come on, let's get a move on."

The six of us went back to Billy's med bay room after locating the equipment fairly quickly. Tommy, Tim, and I all took seats around Billy's bed as the other three attached the equipment to us. I felt a shiver run down my spine as Dick turned the machine on. He gave me a look but I waved him off.

"Are you sure-"

"Let's just bring Billy back safely."

"Okay. Operation Save The Demiurge commencing...now!"

I felt a shock go through my body as my eyelids felt heavy and my body went limp.

Billy's Mind

When my eyes opened, I was on the moon again with Tommy and Tim. I instantly looked for Thanos, but the purple giant was nowhere in sight. I breathed a sigh of relief, turning around and letting out a shocked screech when I saw a small child around five dressed in Billy's costume a dozen yards away, staring at me.

"It's not safe for you, Wanda. You need to leave." The kid spoke in a small voice, stepping a few steps back. "Not safe for them either."

"Billy? Is that-"

"Yes, Wanda. That's my brother." Tommy spoke shakily, his voice a whisper. He walked slowly towards young Billy, stopping when he was a yard or so away. "Billy, what do you mean its not safe?"

"He will find you. And he will hurt you." His voice dropped to a whisper as he lowered his gaze to the ground. "Like he did me."

"Who did? Who hurt you?" Tommy was doing a great job at keeping the anger out of his voice as he crouched next to his younger brother. Billy shook his head, hiding his face in his hands. Tommy cooed, gently peeling his hands away from his face. "Billy, its okay. You can tell us. Who did this to you?"

Billy shook his head again. "I can't say. But...I can show you!" Billy got an intense look of concentration on his face as he held his hands a few inches apart. Tim and I approached slowly as his hands began to glow.

We watched, fascinated, as the last few days with Billy back with us began to play like a movie in between this child's hands. That is, until we noticed something horrifying.

In every frame, Billy's shadow was distorted, not his own. It was the shape of someone familiar, someone who I am going to murder.

"Klarion." Tim whispered as we watched Billy writhe in agony as he froze over, seeing our suspicions come true when Billy spotted Klarion over our shoulders in my apartment complex.

The young Billy flinched. Tommy pulled him in for a hug, rubbing his fingers through his hair. "How did you become a child?"

"I believe I can answer that question." We all whirled around to face the owner of the voice, Klarion the Witch Boy himself. Young Billy shook himself out of Tommy's arms and made his way over to Klarion, trembling the whole time. Klarion grinned evilly, petting the top of Billy's head.

"What did you do to him? How are you here?" Tim growled, his fists clenched tightly by his side.

Klarion chuckled, making the young Billy wince in fear. "All I did, you see, was make the all powerful Demiurge my familiar, allowing me access to his powers."

Tim, Tommy, and I exchanged glances, our collective conscious sharing one thought.

Well, shit.