There are some moments in life when it hits you just how bad the world really is. From the first time evil touches your childhood, to when your heart is broken, sometimes you wonder why the bad things linger longer than the good. This was one of those moments. When humanity was called into question.
"Oh my god Klarion," Zatanna murmured. "All those people. You just went and killed all those innocent people."
He scoffed. "I didn't just go and kill them. I played with them first."
He'd killed so many innocents without blinking an eye, just so that he'd have souls for when he found use for them. Zatanna's hand flew to her mouth upon sudden realization. "The soulwell... you're not just using it to increase your own power; you're going to create a weapon!"
Klarion bent to scoop up his familiar, and slowly stroked Teekl's fur. "Aw, you saw that too. Now I really can't let you leave. And I was going to have so much fun with you and your playmates." Klarion sighed at the inconvenience.
Zatanna, however, was much more concerned with the vial suspended from Teekl's collar. It had always been there, she realized. But before now she'd never known, or even thought to wonder, what it really was.
The vial appeared to be a reddish color, but in truth it was actually transparent. Its contents, however, were the exact shade of blood. Which was also the same color as Klarion's chaos powers.
She had to get her hands on the vial. But Klarion would easily stop her before she could get to it. And his familiar wouldn't exactly be a trouble-free obstacle either.
"You know," she said slyly, "your idea of a weapon could work. Some people need a little more chaos in their life." She took a few steps towards him, leaving only a sliver of distance. "I could help you, once my magic comes back. Our powers combined could accomplish more than you'd think," she cajoled.
Klarion closed the gap between them. "What game are you playing, my pet?"
Zatanna's eyes darted to Klarion's lips, and back up to his eyes. It was his move. Klarion smirked and fitted his mouth to hers. He twined his fingers through her hair, and Zatanna ran a hand up his chest. Teekl rested on his shoulder.
Her hand brushed Teekl's fur as she groped blindly for his collar. A moment later, her hand was gripping the vial. She yanked the vial from the cat's collar and Teekl mewed loudly. Klarion broke away from Zatanna. She stumbled backwards, and held the vial tauntingly over the soulwell.
"No, no, no!" Klarion cried, his face flushed from anger.
"Release all the souls you've trapped and give me your word that you will return me to my dimension."
Oaths were not quite the same for magic users as they were for mortals, or even meta humans. When they swore to do something, they were held to their promise by a binding sort of magic.
"Stupid girl. You don't even know what that vial is."
"I know it's powerful." Zatanna held the ampoule precariously between her index and middle finger. "Make the oath now or I drop it into the soulwell."
"In that vial is chaos in its purest form. The embodiment of destruction." Klarion kept his voice level, but it was obvious that patience was not something he regularly practiced.
"I thought you were pure chaos."
Klarion smirked. "Mmm chaos personified, yes. But this... this is different."
Zatanna could tell that Klarion was stalling, but that was exactly what she wanted him to do. For all she knew, the contents of the vial could cause irreparable damage to the spirit's psyches. If she could keep him talking, she might be able to find out exactly what his plans were.
"If you drop that into the well it'll consume all the little spirits. They'll reign destruction on everything and there won't be anyway to control them."
"But we're in your subconscious," Zatanna said slowly, "so the only damage they could really do is to your mind. Why would you even risk that? Why would you leave the vial with your cat, and bring it here?"
Klarion narrowed his eyes into slits. Dumb baby magician. Did she peg him as a fool? The vial was safest with Teekl. And he had to bring it here. It was one of the three things he needed to create his weapon. The energy from the harvested souls. The chaos contained vial. And the key. Which thanks to the magician, he also didn't have.
"Must you make everything I do your business?"
Zatanna opened her mouth to respond, when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Klarion's familiar darted though the air, raking his claws across her skin and tearing part of her outfit.
In her shock, the vial slipped from her fingertips. She made a move to grab it, but her hand wrapped around empty air. There was nothing more Zatanna could do than watch it fall down the well.
He heaved an old box of books into his daughter's room. "Here are some spell books you can use to, uh, start your training."
A look of awe took over Zatanna's features. She'd done simple spells even as a young child, but with her eleventh birthday just around the corner, she could finally start her official training in the magical arts.
Giovanni gave a melancholy smile as she began to leaf through the crinkled pages of one the books.
"I-I am so proud of you Tanna." She looked up at his face. His blue eyes crinkled the way they did when he was smiling, but she sensed that underneath his happy expression were layers of guilt and sadness.
"I love you dad." She was almost a teenager. She couldn't get overly emotional over things. Regardless of this, tears pricked at her eyes. "I'll practice spells every day. I'll become just as good as you... and mom." In her head she added, 'I evig uoy ym drow.'
"I know you will." Giovanni planted a kiss on her forehead and exited the room. Zatanna turned back to her spellbooks. Most of them had simple, unembellished covers. Yet her eyes were for some reason drawn to a small black book outlined with gold. It was sandwiched between "Hexes and Curses: Volume One" and "Reading Runes".
She unearthed the dust covered book and opened it to a random page. For a moment it appeared to be blank, but faded images slowly formed where white space had been seconds before. After a moment the photos brightened and she could see them clearly. "It's a photo album," she murmured excitedly. But not just any photo album; it was an album of her parents.
One photo captured Sindella and Giovanni mid-laugh with a carnival as the background. Another showed them at the circus. A caption appeared underneath the first photo. I love you John.
Zatanna sobbed into her pillow as she continued to stare at the photos. After a minute or two, the photos on the page flashed and new ones appeared. The album was enchanted, but it wasn't just a collection of photos; it was a link to Sindella's strongest memories. Zatanna spent the rest of the evening looking at the different pages, until she finally made it to the end. The top of the last page showed an ultrasound, and beneath it was a letter.
Though I have not yet laid eyes on my daughter, I love her more than would seem possible. I do not wish to worry John, but this pregnancy is sapping me of all my strength, energy, and even magic. With said power running through both mine and John's veins, I can guarantee that my sweet daughter will not have an easy life. She will one day surpass both of us in the field of enchantments, and I have faith that she will go on to be one of the greatest magicians of this era.
A while back I visited a distant friend of mine, Madame Xanadu. She does not believe in the supernatural, but unknowingly possesses the true gift of sight. When I asked her for my fortune, she went into a trance-like state, and told me that my daughter would one day control immense power. Because of this, many evils will try to turn her. Xanadu also predicted that one day evil would succeed and manage to establish a connection with her.
But I know in the end she will be good. Yes, she is destined for a hero's life. One that is always tied to tragedy. But as long as she knows much she is loved, the purity of her heart will outweigh any despair she faces in life. I have known for a while, I fear in my heart I have always known, that I will not survive this pregnancy. But I will fight for my daughter and she will live.
I love you my dear husband, Giovanni Zatara. And my precious daughter, Zatanna Zatara.
P.S. if you're reading this Zatanna, this book now belongs to you. It's enchanted, and the picture's change to the owner's memories. I love you baby xoxo
-Mom
As the vial dropped, time seemed to stand still. "No!" Klarion yelled, and with a snap of his fingers, the ampoule flew back out of the well and into his grasp.
"You do have magic!" Zatanna exclaimed in surprise.
"Well, would you look at that." Teekl purred at his master's feet. "It's rather strange that my magic's only working now. I felt practically mortal until our kiss, baby magician."
His words caused Zatanna to think back to a time, years ago, when she'd read her mother's letter. 'Many evils will try to turn me,' Zatanna recited in her head, 'but one day a connection will be established.'
Could it be that she was somehow connected to Klarion?
'You're forgetting I can still hear you thoughts.' Klarion's mock sing-song voice echoed in Zatanna's mind.
Without warning, Zatanna cried "laiv esaeler flesrouy morf s'noiralk dloh dna rettahs!"
Zatanna's spell worked, but perhaps a bit too well. The vial flew from Klarion's clutches and shattered, its crimson contents flying in all directions. Zatanna raised her arm to shield her face, and several droplets landed on her. Her skin sizzled and holes burned in her flesh from where the chaos had touched her. In the back of her mind she could hear someone screaming. Loud, torturous screams. It took Zatanna a few moments to realize that the one screaming was her.
