Return to The City Of Scars

Purgatory

Joker snarled at Duela before he turned to her henchmen. He and Harley were back to back as they stood behind the couch, Ethan and Brianna were sleeping drunkenly beside them. Joker glanced at Harley with a grin, "You ready, baby?" Harley returned his grin, "Born ready, puddin'."

Harley shot at the henchmen, taking them out easily. J was beside her firing more shots to fight off the men. Harley snarled as her gun jammed, throwing it aside she let out a yell and attacked one of the henchmen.

Joker grinned watching her fight out of the corner of his eyes. She hadn't lost her touch after all these years.

Duela watched the fight and suddenly turned to Charlie. "Use the bracelet!" She hissed, Charlie looked confused, "But- but Queen Duela! I don't know how to use it!" Duela hissed, "Just imagine what you want and focus on that. I want you to use your power to control the prince and princess." Charlie nodded and took a deep breath, stepping forward the young apprentice extended her hand, focusing on the two drunken heirs. The yellow diamond in the bracelet began to glow, and Charlie felt the power going up her arm, into her soul and then her mind. A yellow light balled in the palm of her hand, before it shot at the twins, striking them with force that woke them from their drunken haze. And woke the two demons that lived within them.

Enchantress

Incubus

The twins eyes flew open. Brianna could feel the odd sensation creeping along her face. When she looked at her brother she saw the right side of his face had what almost looked like black veins or vines turning his skin to charcoal. "Brianna?" He whimpered, Brianna shook her head, "Fight it." She whispered. Ethan looked at her, his face corrupting even more, "I can't." Brianna heard the wicked laughter in her head, Yes! Yes! Finally! Brianna felt faint, and her vision faded until she felt like she was floating. Floating in black nothingness.

J and Harley were busy fighting and didn't notice Charlie's blast until it was too late. Harley turned to see the twins gripping their faces, Ethan looked up at her and Harley felt a twinge of fear coursing through her as she looked upon her son's face. His face was being corrupted by a mess of black veins or vines creeping across his face. "Mommy..." He his whispered in fear. Harley could only watch as her son turned into a demon. She grabbed J's arm, drawing his attention. The fighting ceased when all eyes were on the two heirs. Duela gave a wicked grin, gripping the balcony railing before she looked to Charlie, "Control them now! You've gotten their demon form to emerge! Take the next step!" Charlie looked terrified, a yellow glow around her hands, "I- I don't know how!" She cried. Duela walked over and put a hand on the girl's shoulder, for a moment, the wicked queen's eyes were soft and kind. "You can." She murmured. Charlie whimpered before she concentrated as hard as she could.

The Enchantress awoke, grinning wickedly. Finally. At long last she was in control. She looked to the boy, Incubus was taking over the child's mind, body and soul. Enchantress grinned, looking at Duela and Charlie. Charlie. The child wore the bracelet that held a small section of her power. The girl was struggling to control her, her palm was outstretched and a yellowish gold light was in her hand. The Enchantress let out a wicked laugh, "Do you really think that you can control me?" She challenged, her voice demonic. Charlie shuddered, focusing harder. Incubus laughed, "They must be fools. It may have been some time since we walked this earth, but we are not weak." The two demons laughed, and it chilled the souls of everyone in the room.

Brianna opened her eyes. Black. Everything was black. She looked around, "Ethan!" She called. Nothing. Taking a cautious step forward, she walked through the blackness. She could here voices, that of her parents, Duela, and... no. Why was she hearing the voice that had been in her head outside of her head? "...think you can control me?..." Brianna looked around, she needed to escape. She couldn't be here. "Ethan!" She yelled again. Instead of silence, her call was met. "Brianna?!" Brianna watched her brother slowly begin to emerge from the blackness. The twins ran into each others arms, both of them shaking in fear. "Where are we?" Ethan whispered, his voice shaking. Brianna shook her head, frowning as she looked around, trying to find something, anything that might get them out of this purgatory. "I don't know," The older twin answered, "But nowhere good." They stood, holding hands as they walked through the darkness of their purgatory hell.

Charlie cried out in pain, looking to her mentor desperately, "I can't do it!" She cried. Duela shook her head, "No! You can do it! Keep trying!" She ordered, her voice fighting to remain steady. Charlie could feel her mind breaking, her soul blackening, it was excruciating. The two demons laughed, "Try all you want little girl," Incubus drawled, "You'll never be able to take both of us with that puny bracelet!" Enchantress had a grin on her face, watching the weakening girl's attempts to fight back against the dark magic that she now possessed. Harley watched J begin to move forward towards the two and suddenly pulled him back roughly, and pulled him along with her as she backed away. They didn't stand a chance. She wasn't going to kill her own children. J shot her a look, "Did you know?" He asked. Harley shook her head, "No. I was suspicious, but no. I didn't know for sure. Not til now." J growled, "So what do we do?" Harley shook her head, "Nothing." She said softly, "There isn't anything we can do. Maybe they'll fight back somehow."

Back in the purgatory, Ethan and Brianna were walking through the darkness. Brianna stopped suddenly, "This is hopeless." She said, "We're never getting out of here." Ethan stopped, turning to her. "We can only watch as those things take our bodies and destroy everything we love." Ethan watched silently as tears fled his sister's eyes. She was right. They could only watch helplessly as the people they loved were destroyed. Ethan walked over and embraced her. "We'll be okay." He promised. "We have each other." Brianna chuckled weakly and hugged him back. "Yeah, yeah we do."

The Enchantress heard the brother and sister and hissed in annoyance. They'd return to their bodies soon enough. The twins bodies were infants compared to the demonic gods. Their souls were bound, if the twins died, Incubus and Enchantress would follow not long after. The Enchantress could already feel her host weakening. SHe had no doubt that Incubus could also feel Ethan weakening.

Duela was shaking now. This should have worked. But she'd underestimated them. Just as she had so many times before. She growled stalking over to grab Griggs, the man was half dead, but nonetheless Duela still needed him alive. She barked to her apprentice, "Bounce us out of here! Forget them! We'll do this another time!" Charlie nodded and cried out as she broke the hold she had on the twins. Staggering, she hurried to her mentor, holding tightly onto her and Griggs before the three of them disappeared. The remaining henchmen that were alive, ran, breaking out the glass windows and falling to their deaths. They would remain loyal to Duela until their deaths, and they all knew of the Joker's interrogation methods. And even if they survived that, Duela would surely make them wish that they hadn't.