When The Dead Speak

[Doctor Fate]

Contrary to popular belief, death wasn't the end. It was a gateway to infinite possibilities on the other side. Many times now, Kent had conversed with the dead to get information and, once, seek consolation from his father. Until that moment, he had been convinced that it was his fault that he died. There was something very satisfying about hearing from his dad's own mouth that he wasn't the cause.

And now, death was present in Kent's life once again. A woman had come to his house, seeking his help. Kent could tell she was a widow. All the marks were there. Dressed completely in black, face covered by a veil, and she was even clutching a damp and crumpled tissue. If Kent didn't know any better, he'd have said that this widow had come straight from a funeral.

So, he invited her in, offering her his condolences, and Inza made her some of that marvelous herbal tea that she used to make Kent, before they were married.

"Now then, Miss, um..." This was embarrasing. He hadn't even asked her name.

"Atkinson. Emily Atkinson." she said, sniffing slightly. Kent hoped that wasn't a sniff of indignance.

"Miss Atkinson, you say your deceased husband appeared to you. How, exactly? Was it in a dream or while you were awake?"

"I was awake." Atkinson nodded. "I was making breakfast."

"What time?" Kent spoke slowly and took his time asking the questions. He could tell that rushing things would only make Atkinson worse.

"Around 10 AM. I was listening to the radio."

"10 AM, on the...12th, was it?" Atkinson's nod confirmed Kent's theory. "That's all that I need to know. Thank you, Miss Atkinson. Inza, if you could show our guest out. I'll start the research."

Keeping her kindly smile on, Inza led the widow out of their living room, and Kent slowly walked upstairs. He always kept his most valued magical treasure upstairs. Where the prying eyes of the public couldn't find it. Unless they had X-ray vision. Which was incredibly unlikely.

The Helmet of Nabu lay propped against a navy blue bowling bag. Kent usually kept it in there whenever he travelled. It actually annoyed the sorcerer stored inside it. Kent picked up the helmet. Already he could hear the whispers of futures come and gone inside his head. It was a wonder he didn't go mad. And he was very thankful that he hadn't. Kent didn't like to brag, but any lesser mind would have snapped after a mere minute of wearing the helmet.

As he had done so many times, he slipped the helmet on over his head. It was such a familiar feeling, that it felt like a glove. At once, thousands upon millions of visions poured into Kent's mind. The futures of every living soul on this plane of existence, except his. Some were dark and full of hatred and evil, while others filled Kent with an indomitable feeling of hope. At the same time, the iconic blue and gold costume of Doctor Fate materialised over his own clothes in a flash of golden light, visible from the window of his house.

[Doctor Fate]

"Nabu, I need to know what happens on 10AM, August 12th, in the physical plane calendar." Kent said, addressing nothing in particular. The shape of the sorcerer whose helmet Kent now possessed stepped forward out of nothing.

"This is a time when the dimensional barrier is weak. Weaker than it normally is." Nabu said. "The tide is low, and the moon is not yet full. Things can slip through from one dimension to another. The ghosts you are seeing are an after-effect of something much bigger entering this plane."

"What could be so big, it would make a hole big enough for ghosts to escape through?" Kent wondered.

"Have you not seen it through the helmet's visions?" Nabu asked, and a rush of new visions flashed before Kent's eyes. All he saw was a gigantic writhing mass of rotting brown tentacles. Hundreds of people fleeing before whatever it was, but not all escaped it's grasp. Many were caught and dropped intoa large, multi-fanged mouth, and most importantly, where it was.

"I must stop this beast before it continues to do any damage to our plane of existence." Kent said, with a hint of determination in his voice.

"Then go. And know that the Lords of Order watch over you." Nabu's silhouette disappeared.

"Inza, darling." Kent called down the stairs. "There's been a spot of trouble in the Chinatown district. I'll have to head out."

"Shall I put on some tea?" his wife called back up.

"And cast the wards, if you wouldn't mind." A giant glowing golden ankh shape appeared in midair, and engulfed the entire form of Kent, until he completely vanished from the room.
--------------------

Meanwhile, in Metropolis' Chinatown District...

It had literally appeared out of nowhere, and it was devouring any humans unfortunate enough to be caught in its tentacles. It was so preoccupied with feasting, it didn't notice the large ankh shape appear right in front of it, closely followed by Doctor Fate.

"In the name of the Lords of Order, I command you to stop!" Fate shouted, his voice magically magnified so that even an Eldritch Abomination would be able to hear it, and notice him. It didn't work, and the monster continued to attack the fleeing crowd.

"So be it." Kent said, thrusting his palm at the monster's eye. The shape of an Ankh, the signature of Nabu, glowed for a second, but was eclipsed by a rush of golden energy, that struck the monster right in the eye. A monstrous roar went up that could be heard for miles around as the abomination put a tentacle over its eye.

"Leave this plane." Kent said again. "Return to the shadows, spawn of Chaos." What he did next was far more astounding than a bolt of magic. He drew back his hand, gathering as much magic as he could muster into his palm, and threw it at the abomination. It missed, but that was part of the plan. The bolt stopped behind the abomination, and expanded into a great portal, leading to nothing but a fiery pit, filled with similar creatures. A great wind began to blow through Chinatown, strong enough to lift the abomination off the ground and send it flying towards the portal. Enough to send it inside. The portal closed once this was done.

Kent vanished into the Ankh shape again, reappearing in his bedroom. Removing the helmet and setting it by the bowling bag, he was drawn into a hug by Inza.

The Lord of Order had triumphed again.