Doctor Fate created by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman.

Issue Number Two
"Eating the Flesh" Part II of III

The Tower of Fate - Salem, MA

Sophie McPhee sipped her hot chocolate and fought to keep her hands from shaking. The effort failed miserably and she sloshed a bit of the warm liquid onto the table top. "Sorry," she murmured, giving the woman across from her a weak smile.

For her part, Inza Nelson just ignored the faux pas. She felt sympathy for the young college student, thrust into this bizarre conflict between the forces of Chaos and Order. She could well remember her own confusion when Kent had begun to share with her the true depth of this war, one that spanned multiple spheres of reality. Order, through champions such as Dr. Fate, had always managed to hold their enternal enemies at bay....

Until now.

Now, Order had surrendered Earth to the depredations of Chaos, in anticipation of the Kali Yuga -- a period of time in which Chaos would rule supreme. The Lords of Order knew that the age following the Kali Yuga would belong solely to them, making them wish to hasten mankind's fall into chaos -- in anticipation of Order's own eventual dominion.

And young Sophie McPhee was right smack dab in the center of it all. "So what are you majoring in, Sophie?" Inza asked, hoping that a bit of small talk could calm the girl's nerves. The Phantom Stranger had brought Sophie here, to help protect her from any further attacks by the likes of Kestrel.

"History. I thought about doing the English major thing, but I hate reading fiction." She looked around, at the almost-normal kitchen and sighed. This Tower, with no windows or doors, seemed so in keeping with the bizarre nature of the last few hours. But here, with Inza, it was easy to forget that she had just finished beating the tar out of a supervillain. "So... Do you and your husband live here? With what's-his-name -- Hector?"

"No. For the past few years, Kent and I have existed in a another dimension located inside Dr. Fate's medallion."

Sophie nodded, pursing her lips. "Oh. Of course. Another dimension. Next time I go apartment hunting, I'll look into that." She ran a hand through her brown hair and closed her eyes. "Is there anybody around here who's normal?"

"Not to upset you, but it could be argued that you're not normal anymore, either."

Sophie looked up into Inza's face, which was filled with concern -- but also a sternness that surprised Sophie. "Come again?"

"When Hector sent out his call for help, it could only be heard by those of a mystical nature. You were the closest."

"I don't have any mystical nature," Sophie exclaimed. "I'm just another screwed-up member of Generation Y. I don't know what I want to do with my life. I barely pay my rent. And I happen to think that reality television is going to be the death of our culture. But I can't cast magic. No way. No how."

"You put on Fate's helmet. You used his powers."

"Grrr," Sophie replied. She stood up and paced back and forth. "I want to go home. You guys know all about that helmet, right? One of you can use it. Just send me back home -- all the way to Orlando. I want my mom."

"Sophie... I've done my time as Dr. Fate."

That brought the girl up short. She looked at Inza with newfound respect -- and no small amount of awe. "Really? Then you know what it's like...."

Inza stood as well, moving closer to Sophie until she could take the younger girl's hands in her own. "Yes. It was so terrifying... but exciting, too. Like the biggest roller coaster in the world...."

"Or having really good sex with a guy for the first time," Sophie whispered, eyes wide.

Inza felt her cheeks flush a bit. "Well, I suppose... But it was never that sexual for me." She couldn't hide her curiosity, leaning forward. "It turned you on?"

"Sort of." Sophie shrugged. "But how did you get rid of it... the whole Dr. Fate thing?"

"It's a long story -- and one better suited for another time," Inza replied, looking towards the kitchen doorway. Kent had moved into view, with the Phantom Stranger close behind. Kent's face was drawn tight with worry, but Inza could see a fire in his eyes -- the kind he used to get before he'd slip on the golden helmet and go to face who-knows-what. "What's wrong, darling?"

"The Stranger and I have finally gotten the Orb of Fate going. It's been showing us exactly what happened to Hector."

Sophie stepped towards him, setting her mug of hot chocolate down on the table as she passed. "Great! You guys know how to get him back? I'm more than ready to let him take over from here...."

Kent hesitated before answering. "I think it's best if you and Inza come with me. Once you've witnessed what we have, you'll know just how bad this really is."

Sophie's shoulders drooped. "You mean it gets worse?"

"Much," he replied. "And if we don't move quickly from here, it's only going to degenerate from here."

Hector Hall had been reading in the Tower's library when the Orb had begun its steady pulsing, drawing his gaze from the tattered brown pages of the open manuscript. He'd been reading about nothing in particular, mainly trying in vain to lose himself in something besides thoughts of Lyta. 

Lyta, the beautiful woman who'd won his heart and who had consented to be his in marriage... only to disappear during the long period when Hector was waiting to be reborn. 

Hector rose, moving towards the Orb and studying himself in its reflection. His white hair and beard made him look much older than he really was, but he retained a handsomeness that marked him as someone easily capable of commanding attentions. But it was eyes that were most intriguing -- a piercing blue, with a depth to them that spoke of things greater than mere mortal concepts: death, life, rebirth.

Placing a gloved hand on the surface of the Orb, Hector had whispered "Show me what's wrong."

In response to his words, the Orb's light began to dim. Within the surface of the glass sphere, images began to appear -- strange, amorphous shapes that twisted and turned with no discernible pattern. 

Hector felt his heart began to hammer in his chest. Those shapes... they were Lords of Order! But the beings which seemed to be meeting with them were darker and slightly more twisted -- like something out of an H.P. Lovecraft story. Floating tendrils of smoke and light, with sharp teeth that glinted with evil intent....

The language that was spoken was unknown to all but the eldest of mages -- and even Hector found their tongue unfamiliar. He summoned the Golden Helmet of Nabu, reaching out a hand to pluck it out of the air as it answered his call. Sliding the helmet over his head, Hector felt the familiar presence of Nabu. 

Almost instantly, the words being spoken were clear to him. Nabu recognized them as the Old Speech, not used on Earth since the days of Prince Khufu.

The Kali Yuga is here.

Yes, we have seen the signs. There can be no doubt on this occasion -- And we are ready to cede control of Earth to you.

The Lords of Chaos fluttered about madly, obviously gleeful over this turn of events. You will not change your minds, as you did before?

We once believed that the Kali Yuga had come, when it had not. As a result, we were forced to revise our strategies. But now... Now, there is no doubt. The world is awash in Chaos and there is little we can do to stop it. This is your age. And ours still awaits.

And what of your agents?

The beings known as Hawk and Dove are no more at present... and Fate has been independent of us for some time. Do with them as thou wilt.

The Lords of Chaos cackled -- a strange, unearthly sound that froze the blood in Hector's veins. Then let our trap be sprung....

The Orb grew dark, leaving Hector to wonder at the strange scene that he'd just witnessed. He could see, through the hazy memories that he shared with Nabu, that the Lords of Order had abandoned humanity once before, when they though the Kali Yuga had come. In that case, they had been proven to be mistaken -- and, at length, both sides had renewed thheir war with the other. But now... if the Lords were right, then all of Earth was in  grave danger.

He turned, thinking about contacting his teammates in the Justice Society but was brought up short by Nabu's ageless voice in his head. "Beware, Hector Hall. The Lords  of Chaos spoke of a trap...."

Hector felt a strange silence descend over the room, almost in perfect time with Nabu's warning. Before Dr. Fate could prep any sort of defensive spell, he felt himself drawn upwards, his feet leaving the floor. He struggled against this invisible force, but found that it had struck too suddenly -- and with far too much power -- for him to resist.

Resigning himself to being spirited away to some unknown destination, Fate instead focused on what he would do once he arrived. A number of spells came to mind, each capable of repelling any number of foes, but....

And then, he noticed it.

Even as he passed through the roof of the Tower like a wraith, he was lost in thought. "Nabu?" he whispered.

There was no response. The feel of the being's mind was gone as well, leaving Hector alone in the golden helmet for one of the few times in his current existence.

Fate felt himself drop suddenly, into a world of darkness and despair.

Shadowy figures moved all about, their green and black bodies barely visible in the gloom. Hector saw one of them leap forward, all teeth and claws. Its hairy little body was fat and slimy, but Dr. Fate felt no fear upon seeing it. Even without Nabu at his side, he was more than capable of defeating an army of these beings. 

An eldritch blast, generated through a large ankh that appeared over his gloved hands, shot forth from Dr. Fate. The magical blow sent the demon exploding backwards, back into the darkness. Fate heard a small frenzy of activity result, as the demon's brothers jumped upon him and feasted. 

And then, one by one, they came for Hector.

Dr. Fate dispatched them with vigor, using almost every spell he could imagine. But they came in such numbers that they began to break through his defenses, sinking their teeth into his flesh and ripping out warm meat.

At last, Fate fell back onto his knees, panting. The demons were mostly in pieces by now, but there were more than enough left to overwhelm him. Hector could feel the Chaos all around him and he knew that any attempt to leave this place -- wherever and whatever it was -- would probably be in vain. But maybe I could send a signal... a piece of me... to find someone to help. The world has to be warned.

Fate gripped his wounded left arm with the hand from his right and channeled as much magic as he could spare into it. Then he gave it a good pull, detaching it from his body. Instead of blood, magical goo spurted in great waves from the wound. 

"Looking to end the pain yourself, Fate? I commend you. So few of my old patients had the bravery to do that. They preferred to drape themselves across my couch for hours upon hours, wasting their time and mine with problems that would never be solved. Save by death, of course."

Hector looked up, feeling a growing warmth throughout his body. He felt strangely calm and wanted badly to sleep. "Who said that?"

A figure stepped into view, cloaked in a distorted version of Hector's own Dr. Fate uniform. Where Fate's attire was blue and gold, this newcomer wore black and gold -- with a blood red half-helmet that resembled Kent Nelson's occasional headpiece from the 1940s. "That would be me," the man purred. A few of the demons had come forward in his wake and they now curled against his legs, rubbing against him like loving pets. "Once upon a time, I was a somewhat sadistic psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum. But then Typhon opened my eyes to the true power of Chaos... and I ceased being Dr. Benjamin Stoner, and became the Anti-Fate."

Hector swallowed, drawing enough strength to stand once more. "You should have learned your lesson, Stoner. The Lords of Chaos will betray you. You're nothing but a pawn to them...."

The Anti-Fate grinned. "A very powerful pawn, thank you very much. And I'm on the winning side this time -- as Nabu can attest." The villain reached into his cloak, drawing forth a tiny, wiggling worm-thing that glowed yellow and red. Hector recognized it at once -- the true essence of a Lord of Order. The true essence of Nabu. 

Hector sent away the severed limb, willing it to find someone, anyone. The spell was not as strong as he would have liked and it was quite possible the arm would land somewhere where it wouldn't be discovered at all -- but a slim chance was better than none. He kept his left shoulder hidden beneath his cloak, hiding the fact that his arm was missing. "Don't do this, Stoner... Somewhere inside you is still the man who wanted to help people. The one who--"

The Anti-Fate's laugh brought Hector's word to a halt. "Help people? I was a psychiatrist, Hector. My business was to screw with people's heads! So spare me the platitudes, please." He raised the small form of Nabu upwards and bared his teeth. "Chaos is going to devour this world. We will feast on the blood and the flesh of mankind. And when we are done, we will spit out the bones."

"No!" Hector yelled, summoning forth a magic burst. He fired it, but the Anti-Fate blocked it easily... and let Nabu drop into his mouth. Stoner bit down with a hard chomp, chewing slowly. 

Dr. Fate staggered back. He could feel... something. A horrible emptiness in his soul, that welled up to an almost unbearable level. Nabu couldn't be dead... He couldn't be. Surely the Anti-Fate wasn't that powerful....

And then Benjamin Stoner looked at Hector and said "Destroy him."

The demons swarmed forward, in even greater numbers than before -- and devoured the man named Hector Hall.

The Tower of Fate - Salem, MA

"Holy crap..." Sophie whispered. She turned away from the Orb, closing her eyes tightly. None of this could be real -- it couldn't be! She was going to wake up anytime now, still snuggled up warm and safe in her apartment. The worst thing that could happen to her would be failing her next exam and having to move back home, to tell her mom that she had right all along and that Sophie couldn't cut it in the big city.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Sophie opened her eyes to see Kent Nelson watching her carefully. He looked a little bit like Robert Redford from The Natural-- an older guy than she usually liked, but still damned sexy. "Yeah... It's just terrible what happened to Hector. And then he was eaten by Kestrel back in my apartment...."

"There's still a chance his spirit yet lives," the Phantom Stranger intoned. Garbed in his dark suit, he blended into the shadows of the room like they were a second home. "But we lack the time to look for him. The Chaos Energy that blankets this planet is churning anew -- If we hope to strike before the Anti-Fate's forces are entrenched on this planet, we must do so now."

"Attack?" Sophie asked, skepticism radiating from her. "Did you see what happened to Hector? I can't compete with that -- I'm a total newbie at this."

"You won't be alone," Inza prompted. "We'll be with you."

"You guys gonna pack some heat and back me up?"

Kent shook his head. "Inza and I will be in mental contact with you. We've both spent time in that helmet of yours, so we have a natural connection to it. We'll be able to help you formulate spells and give you some battle-ready advice."

Sophie let out a long, slow breath. "Can't we just call Superman or something? You guys probably have his private number or something, right?"

Kent gave her a harder stare, one that conveyed his growing impatience with her. "Look, Sophie, I know this is bizarre. But you're the one who found Hector's remains. You're the one who answered the call. You wouldn't have done that if there wasn't a spark of something great inside you. This is your time. Don't blow it. Besides -- heroes like Superman aren't cut out for this. They're very susceptible to magic."

Sophie looked away, gazing over at the gleaming yellow helmet, which rested on a pedestal near the Orb of Nabu. She walked over slowly and lifted it in her hands, feeling its weight and power. Growing up, she'd loved playing games of pretend with her cousins. She'd never wanted to be a princess or anything appropriately girly like that. She'd wanted to be Han Solo or Superman or Joan of Arc. She'd wanted to be a hero. 

And now that the opportunity stared her square in the face, she felt weak in the knees. "What if I screw up?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. "What if I freeze up?"

Inza's hands touched her shoulders, squeezing them lightly. "You won't...."

Sophie blinked away a few tears, embarrassed at her emotions. She felt like a little girl, frightened of her first day at school. Sniffling, she nodded and said "Okay. But if it all falls apart, I'm blaming you guys for talking me into this."

Raising the helmet over her head with shaking hands, Sophie slowly slid it down over her eyes. When it had completely enveloped her, a large glowing ankh appeared about her body, accompanied by a flash of yellow light. When the glow faded, Sophie was floating several feet off the floor, with a soft breeze causing her golden cloak to ripple behind her. "Where are we going?" she asked, her voice at once both her own and something alien and ancient.

The Phantom Stranger waved a hand through the air, causing the molecules to ripple and change form. An image of a grand city appeared before them, one with tall skyscrapers and easily recognizable landmarks. "Here -- in the gleaming symbol of mankind's progress Metropolis."

Hector Hall's consciousness floated in a void, composed entirely of orange and gold. Pain flashed through him, inexplicably causing non-existent joints and muscles to throb in agony. He would have cried out, but he had no voice.

And then, to his nonexistent ears, did come the flapping of wings. He rotated his consciousness to the side, where he beheld two birds -- one a fiery red Hawk and the other a soft, white Dove. The birds flew together in a ballet that alternately appeared to be an act of war and an act of sublime lovemaking. Their songs, discordant separately, blended together in a lilting tune that silenced the pain within Hector. 

A shimmering body formed about Hector's mental identity, perfectly mimicking his natural form. The birds each landed on an outstretched arm and the Dove -- so pure! -- stared into his eyes with its own.

"Hector," a voice whispered. That it came from the Dove was hardly surprising to him -- not here, not now. This place, wherever it was, was a magical one. "Look for me in Greece. Do you understand?"

Hector felt a momentary sense of confusion. That voice... Could it be? "Lyta....?"

"Come with me, Hector. Come with me... Please."

"Lyta, I'd... I'd follow you anywhere." 

He meant it, too. With every fiber of his being.

He didn't even notice when the Hawk began to tear at his consciousness, worming its way inside....

Metropolis

Dr. Fate soared low over Metropolis, trying to stop the pounding of her heart. She could feel both Inza and Kent inside her head, though they'd assured her that they would hear only what she directly projected to them. She hoped that was true -- because otherwise, they had to be laughing their asses off. A hero? Her?

Sophie's thoughts alternated between disbelief and absolute terror... but there were bouts of excitement and pleasure, as well. Flying was... well, incredible. She wished she could do it forever, but she also knew that down below waited the creature who had destroyed Hector Hall.

Making sure her defensive spells were in place, she lowered herself down to the snow-covered ground. Chaos energy was everywhere and she could feel it, making her hair stand on end and her throat clench up with dryness. The Stranger had not accompanied her, claiming that he was off to locate Hector's missing consciousness. That was fine with Sophie, because she was more than eager to turn over the helmet to Hector.

This is the place, right? she asked, looking around her at the cramped buildings and empty streets. The Chaos energy was strongest here, where the Anti-Fate was massing his power. Like in Washington, there seemed to be something in the air that kept bystanders away. Not like I blame them, Sophie added. I sure as hell don't wanna be here.

Laughter made her stop in her tracks. Around the corner up ahead, a stream of demons and monsters rolled and tumbled into her path. They were small things, composed of dried skin, bits of hair and teeth. Lots of teeth. And at their center, floating in their midst, was the Anti-Fate. 

The villain's mouth opened wide in a horrifying parody of a smile. "So. They send children to face me. Are the Nelsons that frightened? Do they cling to life to such a degree that they would send a child to die, rather than confront me directly?"

Don't let him rattle you, Sophie. He's powerful but he can be beaten. Just attack hard and fast, like we taught you.

Sophie clenched her fists, listening to the Nelsons. A moment of doubt hit her though -- what if she was just some pawn? Sent out to die when the Nelsons could have done this job far better than she? 

The thoughts made her angry. Mystic energy swirled about her and she barely resisted the urge to fling aside all reason and join with the Anti-Fate. She wanted to shout "Screw the world! I have the power and I plan to make the most of it...."

But she hesitated, her head growing dizzy. When her vision cleared, the demons were closer to her, chomping and drooling. "You tried to take me over," she murmured. "Well, you can keep your grubby little jedi mind-tricks to yourself, scumbag." Dr. Fate cast a powerful hex, one that caused the ground to rumble in response. The earth split open and fire leapt forth in great pillars of flame. Many of the demons tumbled down into the netherworlds, taken from the field of battle. Growing more confidently, she pointed a finger at the Anti-Fate and warned. "You're next."

The Anti-Fate laughed loudly. "You're good. Better than I thought. But I know you're no fighter. I can smell it." He moved forward, his demonic children nipping at his heels. "You see, I've always been good at judging people, at finding their weak points and exploiting them. And I'm especially proud of when I find the openly strong people... the ones that others look up to... degrading them is all the more fulfilling."

Dr. Fate heard movement behind her and she whirled about to see a brief blue blur... and then her world exploded in pain and agony. She hurtled backwards through the air, crashing hard against the side of a building. Inza and Kent were screaming in her head, pleading with her to rise again, but she felt all broken inside.

Heavy footsteps crunched through the snow towards and when she looked up, it was into the face of a true hero. A man who had adorned her walls in posters and photographs, clipped out of teen magazines. His face was twisted in a mask of pure rage and hot energy trailed from his eyes. Behind him, the Anti-Fate grinned.

"No... Not you," she moaned.

If Superman cared one whit for her horror, he did not show it. Instead, he raised both fists high into the air, ready to bring them down once more.

His mighty blow never hit her, however. A mystic shield surrounded her, more than equal to the task of stopping even the Man of Steel. Sophie's hand, outstretched, shook with exertion. An ankh surrounded her fingers, glowing brightly. "I'm sorry to do this, Superman. But if you're so defenseless against magic that you'd let a loser like that take you down, I think a little lady by the name of Dr. Fate should be able to hold her own." With a flick of her wrist, she sent him flying away, into the midst of the demons.

The Anti-Fate watched her unsteadily rise to her feet. "Maybe you'll be a challenge after all, little girl. Let's begin, shall we?" Magic swirled around his hands and he launched an assault of epic proportions. Lightning flared all the way to the darkening sky and the forces of chaos spread throughout Metropolis, inciting some to rape, others to pillage, still more to commit more personal sins... But almost all were touched in some dark, unfathomable way.

When the smoke and the fire cleared away, Dr. Fate remained standing... and the Anti-Fate felt the first faint stirrings of fear....

TO BE CONCLUDED