Atara looked to see Veronica still in a fierce battle with Horvath who had the upper hand. He jabbed his cane towards her and Veronica slammed painfully into a tree. Atara dodged around the battle until she was directly behind Horvath. She charged up a plasma bolt and shot it. The plasma bolt hit Horvath directly in the back causing him to fall right into Veronica's own plasma bolt. Horvath was shot back a good twenty-feet and fell unconscious onto the ground. Veronica looked up at Atara who saw some blood oozing down her cheek from a nasty gash.
"Thanks," Veronica said.
Atara nodded and then turned to the reflector.
"We need to blast those down," Atara said, "I think if we hit it with a plasma bolt together than it should come down."
"Right," Veronica agreed.
Atara and Veronica turned and charged up two large plasma bolts then shot then at the reflector. The plasma bolts rushed to the reflector when it stopped in mid-air, spun around and then charge right back at Atara and Veronica.
"Scatter!" Atara shouted.
Both Veronica and Atara jumped as the bolts slammed into the ground creating a large crater.
"The reflector's must be specially shielded," Veronica said coming back.
Atara was about to say something, when a sudden figure flew past them and literally tackled Lakatora to the ground. Once out of trance, Lakatora's focus broke; and so did the Rising. The fiery lines exploded in mid-air and the black cloud exploded above, sending down small balls of fire. Atara looked closely to see Becky dodging fireballs while trying to run for her life while Lakatora screamed bloody murder at her. Dave then came out of nowhere and sent a column of plasma bolts to Lakatora who was too weak and too slow to defend herself.
"Boaz!" Lakatora screamed but no one answered.
"Boaz is dead," Atara said coming towards her enraged mother.
Lakatora looked at her daughter and then said, "He can't be!"
"He is."
Lakatora lunged for Atara but Veronica intercepted and an invisible force slammed Lakatora back. Lakatora landed limply on the ground as she howled with rage.
"Horvath!"
"He's defeated," Veronica said.
Lakatora sent a lightning burst towards Veronica but Balthazar dispersed it easily.
"Destro has left you."
Lakatora turned to see that she was surrounded. Lakatora tried to attack but the Rising had drained much of her energy and she was growing weaker and weaker.
"Give up Lakatora," Dave said.
Lakatora looked at him and sneered, "Don't act so tough, just because you defeated Morgana doesn't mean that you can defeat me."
Lakatora was ready to attack when she felt a searing pain push into her head and make her freeze in her tracks. Everyone turned to see Atara glare at her mother with no emotion.
"You are exactly like Morgana," Atara said quietly, "That is why you will be defeated. Morgana was over confident leading to her death, you are overconfident which will lead to your death."
Lakatora glared at her with pure hatred but Atara went on.
"Tommy didn't give you immortality out of love, he gave it to you thinking that you will take Morgana's place if she were ever to fail the Rising. You weren't suppose to be the one mother, it was I. I was the one who was suppose to be in the Pentacle, I was suppose to be the one who did the Rising and I was the one who was suppose to lead the world into darkness. Mordred and Boaz knew about it, the plan was already made when I was an infant but no one told you out of fear. Now you know."
Everything was soundless after Atara spoke, her face didn't falter her emotionless expression, nor did when she spoke. Everyone was watching what Atara was going to do next but she lowered her arm and so did the pain decrease in Lakatora's head.
"Go in peace mother," Atara said stepping to the side.
Balthazar, Dave, Veronica and Becky watched Atara in awe and shock, how she could just let her mother go like that. They didn't have a clue. Lakatora stood with shaky feet and then walked with her head down towards her daughter. A sudden hum of energy buzzed around them and before they knew what was happening, a large charged red orb grew in mid-air. Black lightning sizzled and crackled around it. Red and black wings folded over Lakatora to protect her as the orb got larger.
"Split up!" Balthazar shouted.
The orb suddenly exploded and the world seemed to slow down. Atara looked to see Dave protect Becky as they raced into the forest, as far away from the power as possible. Veronica and Balthazar ran together in the opposite direction and Atara ran forward and then turned. Atara knew that she was being a complete idiot but she knew what she had to do. She raced towards her mother despite Balthazar and Dave's shouts to run. Atara headed straight for Lakatora. Her skin started to disintegrate right off her arms and make its way to the bone, her clothes started to smoke and her eyes felt like they were melting from their sockets. Atara cast a shield over her but it broke almost instantly but Atara kept repeating her strategy. The more shields, the closer she was able to get to her mother without doing any major damage. Despite the many broken shields, Atara was about to do another when the Disintegrator spell stopped and Lakatora was standing the middle of the Pentacle, pale and clammy from the major spell she had just done. But before Lakatora couldn't react, her daughter reached forward and ripped the ruby dropped necklace from Lakatora's neck. Atara didn't look behind her to see Lakatora's shocked expression until she was a good few feet away.
"Give it back!" Lakatora shrieked, "GIVE IT BACK!"
Atara held up the ruby drop necklace and taunted Lakatora with it. Lakatora held out her hands to cast but realizing that with her castor, she is useless.
"Give me back my castor!"
"No."
Lakatora's face softened and she said, "Please sweetheart, you and I can live together. I can bring Tommy back and we can be a true family."
Atara looked at her mother and then shook her head and said, "Not happening."
Lakatora's face went back into pure rage, "Give it back you good for nothing child!"
Atara looked at her mother with expressionless eyes and then dropped the necklace to the ground.
"Go in peace," Atara said, she then smashed the necklace with the heel of her foot, "Without any magic."
Lakatora's face went completely ghost white pale and she stared at her broken castor, which laid in ruins in the dead grass. Lakatora looked up at Atara and then said: "Kill me."
Atara turned away from her mother.
"KILL ME!"
Atara ignored her and continued to walk on into the darkness.
A few weeks after the battle to stop the second Rising, Atara sat alone in Dave's secret lab contemplating on what happened a few weeks ago.
Am I really not love? she thought.
Atara shook her head and then got up. She grabbed a bag and stuffed a few clothes, some food, water bottles and medical supplies into the bag along with a bit of cash. Atara was thinking about leaving a note but then decided against it. As she was ready to leave a voice made her jump.
"Leaving?"
Atara turned to see Balthazar standing in the doorway out. He had a sad look on his face yet it seemed different, as if he had known she was going to do this all along.
"Yes," Atara said, "I am Balthazar."
Balthazar nodded and then looked at the ground.
"Horvath is still alive," he muttered, "He's still out there planning revenge."
There was silence between them.
"You didn't fail in anything Balthazar," Atara said reading his mind, "You took care of me when I was freed from the sarcophagus."
"Actually ten years after you were freed from the sarcophagus," Balthazar admitted.
Atara smiled, "You still took care of me, you still cared about me."
Balthazar nodded and Atara walked over and embraced him. Atara tried to fight back the tears but she felt two wet lines drip down her face.
"I'm going to miss you," Balthazar said.
"And I'm going to miss you," Atara replied into his trench coat.
They stepped apart and then stared at each other for a while.
"You keep in touch," Balthazar said.
"I will," Atara promised.
Balthazar side stepped and allowed Atara to pass. As Atara was ready to leave, Balthazar caught up to her and said: "Atara!"
Atara turned to see Balthazar, he took out a key and placed it in her hand.
"I found something you might want to take care of."
Atara took the key and immediately understood.
"Thanks."
Balthazar opened the door and Atara stepped out, leaving Dave's secret lab.
Atara walked down the street and came across a newsstand and saw a news headline that captured her attention: WOMAN'S BODY FOUND ON HIGHWAY.
Atara immediately knew who the body was and sighed in the fact that her mother had died. She purchased a copy and headed southward.
It took three hours for Atara to come across a building, it was old and rotting from the inside out. A construction sign was posted on the building but Atara sensed that no one was there. Atara ducked under the tape and walked up to the front and inserted the key into the lock. It turned with a faint click and Atara walked in whileplacing a shield around the building.
Inside, Atara walked down the old stone steps and down another set of wooden steps until she came to the basement. Atara held out her hand and a smooth ball of fire erupted in her hand and provided light. There before her was a sarcophagus. Not just any ordinary sarcophagus, a sarcophagus that held a girl prisoner for 1300 years. A sarcophagus that was her hiding place, her despair and her hell.
Atara moved her hand slowly over her name that was engraved into the sarcophagus. Atara Di Vantorica. Celtic markings were painted and engraved into the sarcophagus top and the gothic styling gave the sarcophagus an eerie look. Atara took out the newspaper and opened the sarcophagus lid. She saw the black markings and the faint scratch markings underneath the lid. Atara looked down at her nails and remembered the pain of trying to escape. Atara threw in the newspaper and then placed the fireball on the paper. It caught fire instantly and Atara closed the lid and stepped back. The fireball extinguished and Atara placed her hands out in front of her and concentrated. Heatwaves penetrated through the metal making it melt and allowing the flame to lick it up. A strong stench of metal rose up in Atara's nose but she continued on until flames shot out of different ends of the sarcophagus. Atara dug the key out of her pocket and chucked it into the flames as well.
Atara turned and headed up the steps as the flames danced not only on the sarcophagus, but also the building. She walked calmly out of the building as it caught fire quickly and soon billowed smoke from windows. Sirens could be heard in the distance, but Atara ignored them. She continued to walk away from the burning building, away from Balthazar, away from her past.
A/N: A many thanks to everyone who reviewed this story and favorited. Thanxs for all of your support. Spitfire47
