Zatanna
Hell
Etrigan was drawing closer to the Darkness. She could feel the struggle as she sat on the hill, holding her hands out and projecting her power around him. Now that her mind had calmed, she wanted to do more...wanted to fight. Anger had replaced her fear, driven by Etrigan's rage as he moved.
"He's getting close now," she said. "Expect to move soon."
"Just say the word, Zee. I have my eye on a great demon body to possess." Boston was hovering near her as Swamp Thing and Spectre kept their eyes on the surrounding area. As soon as the demons allied with the Darkness knew Etrigan was near, they would come looking for them. Her window to get them clear before they were ripped apart would be brief.
"Get closer. The other demons are joining him now. When they attack, we move." The demon group moved into a tight formation as they walked. "Edih meht lla."
"What do you see, Zatanna?" Spectre asked, standing behind her and just outside of her circle.
"Aaaaanything I want, Jim-boy. Get yourself some real magic and you might know how it feels." Confidence certainly wasn't an issue anymore. Now that she had tapped back into her magic, she was riding a high like she'd never felt before.
Spectre let out an annoyed sigh. "Zatanna..."
"Fine, fine. I spy with my little eye...demons moving toward a big mass of Darkness. Feel enlightened now? If there's something you need to know, you'll know it. Otherwise, let me focus."
"What is our job when we get there?" Swamp Thing was standing to her left now, still looking out over the landscape for trouble.
"You reasoned with it last time, Alec. It bought us some time before it wound up here. I just don't think you can change the nature of good and evil...light and dark. One will always seek to destroy the other." Spectre had fallen the last time, despite his power. Only Alec had managed to walk through the Darkness unharmed.
"So we destroy Darkness for good?"
"No. That would destroy the balance of everything. There has to be both. That's why our efforts failed the last time. It isn't about winning."
"So, what are we even doing?" Boston asked.
"We weaken it."
"Even the odds," Zatanna muttered.
"Exactly," Spectre said. "Restore balance and let life decide the rest."
"They're slowing. He's halting his troops. Be ready." She saw Etrigan turn back toward them and raise his sword.
"Demons now again we rise
our friends are here to give us guise,
but now the shield must fade away
and all of us will fight this day."
With a final deep breath, Zatanna let her magic withdraw and return to her. The Darkness suddenly moved to face the band of demon warriors.
"They're on their own now," she said, feeling a twinge of guilt for using them as cannon fodder. As her magic retreated, a low, groaning sound began to build around them.
"We're being hunted," Spectre said. "Zatanna, we need to move."
"Ekat su tfola." Alec and Spectre floated beside her as Boston flew off to claim his demon. "Edih su."
"We need to move in behind it. Alec, are you up for another chat with the being?" Swamp Thing nodded in response. "Okay, that should slow its destruction. Zatanna, you and I will attempt to weaken it. We'll get one shot at this."
Weakening spell. Sure. Definitely have one of those.
A loud growl came from below them from one of the larger demons, who was looking up at them and...waving?
"Hey, looking good, Boston. You're still not getting that kiss, though." The demon flipped her off and headed toward the battle. He was at least one person she didn't have to worry about protecting; if one demon died, he'd move on to the next. Death has its advantages. Spectre headed off toward the far end of the fighting, presumably where they would make their stand. Zatanna kept them levitating as they moved, still averting her eyes from looking directly toward the Darkness. The closer they got, the louder the sounds of destruction became. Without her connection to Etrigan, she had no idea how the battle was going, or if he was even still alive.
"Retaw." She cupped her hands in a desperate attempt to trap some moisture. Each time she tried, she would manage two or three drops before the rest faded into steam in the blazing, dry heat. I'm going to die here.
"Here." Swamp thing reached up and snapped a root from his back and handed it to her.
"Here what?" The root was cool to the touch as she held it in her hand.
"Eat it before it fades."
"Eat it? Ew, no." She held it back out to him.
"I'd take him up on it, Zatanna," Spectre said. "Unless you want to die of thirst and hunger."
Looking at the root, she reluctantly bit into it. This is taking the whole vegetarian thing a bit far. To her surprise, it tasted more or less like celery...and a little like dirt. Most importantly, it managed to help slake her aching thirst.
"Thanks, Alec." They continued onward until they saw the fresh path of destruction. "We must be getting close. We're still hidden for now, but if you want me to use my full strength to try to neutralize this thing, I'll have to drop the shield and put us back on the ground." She didn't want to tell them, but the power she had taken back from the beasts was starting to fade as they moved closer. It didn't matter at this point. They were rolling with what they had, no matter what; it would have to be enough.
"We'll get as close as we can. Alec, you'll cut off and confront it. Zatanna, keep us hidden until we're ready to start casting. Do you have a spell in mind?"
"I think so. Jim?" She looked at him as she nervously wrung her hands. "What if it's not enough?"
"Then I guess we'll die knowing we did all we could."
It wasn't a comforting answer, but it was an honest one. They all knew the odds. She gave him a grim nod and followed onward.
Bruce
Watchtower
June had barred him from returning to Shadowcrest.
"No Justice League, no Wonder Woman, no Martians and especially no you," she said as she pushed him back out of the front door when he dropped off more food and water.
"You can't kick me out, June, this isn't your home."
"And it isn't yours, either. If you want these magicians to help, you can't be here. They already watched you break John Constantine's jaw. Not that he didn't deserve it, but it didn't really endear you to the others. Stay out. Don't hang around outside or inside or they'll know. If anything happens, I'll call you."
Bruce stood on the front porch after she shut the door in his face. It had been a week since they'd lost contact with Zatanna and, despite June's assurances that she was still alive, he'd started losing hope. Is this Enchantress? Is she just taking over Zee's life? He tried to fight the thoughts. If that were true, then she really was gone; he couldn't let himself think it. Every night was spent on patrol trying to keep himself occupied. His primary focus had been the serial killer. He dove into the evidence and crime scene with a renewed fervor. I can control this.
Selina had finally texted him enough that he relented and called her.
"He's a dock worker."
"You don't know that."
"I do. It's all anyone on campus is talking about," she said. "You would know that if you were paying attention."
"I am paying attention. I'm paying attention to evidence not coed talk."
"But the boots..."
"Are worn by thousands of workers in a dozen different professions. Look, I can't talk. If you hear something concrete, let me know." He hung up the phone. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate her efforts, but chasing down presumptions wasn't going to get them any closer to finding whoever killed the young women. He kept focusing on their similarities: height, build, eye color, hair color...they could have all been sisters. Thankfully, word of that had quickly gotten around campus and no one was walking alone. Gordon was upping his patrols in the area and campus security was making regular rounds. There was only so much that could be done when you're looking for one person in millions.
Just one wrong move. It was all he needed to find a killer. One print...one hair...one drop of blood and he would have him. He checked his phone...nothing from June. Shit.
"Barb, I'm joining you on patrol. I'll get Clark to cover watch."
"Whatever you say, boss." She knew arguing wasn't going to help.
He'd updated the League on what was going on with Zatanna, but insisted they keep their distance. There had been more than one argument on the topic, but he had Diana and J'onn on his side. They knew as well as he did that this was outside of League territory...just like Zee had said. All they could do was wait.
I hate waiting.
Zatanna
Hell
Swamp Thing had vanished into the surface of the Darkness. Zatanna and Spectre were coming up behind the massive being, ready to do whatever they could to stop it. There was a lump in her throat the size of a boulder as they approached.
"We can do this," Spectre said, squeezing her shoulder. "Just focus."
She nodded and held out her hands. "Nekaew eht ssenkrad. Erotser ecnalab ot eht esrevinu. Thgil dna kard ni yrtemmys."
Spectre moved behind her and threw his hands out on either side of her head, enhancing the power that was building. "God, grant me power. Grant me vengeance. No more let Darkness threaten Your Light!"
The power forced them backward as they attempted to hold their ground. When the spell hit, the Darkness let out a rattling, grinding sound as it slowed to a halt. Zatanna continued to avert her gaze, terrified to look directly at it.
"This isn't working," she murmured as it began to turn. "It's coming for us."
"Stay focused, Zatanna. This is the only play we have."
She tried. With all her strength she tried, but their power wasn't enough. It was still turning, trying to find them.
"Jim, this is it. We're about to die."
"I know," he said quietly, still holding his hands out and trying to keep the spell going.
She closed her eyes and waited for the pain to start. Her mind went back to the first fight...watching her father burn alive as she held his hand. We failed. We lost.
"Hold on," a voice said from behind them. Opening her eyes, she turned to see Dr. Fate and The Phantom Stranger approaching. Flanking them on both sides, they mirrored their pose and strengthened the spell. "We're not losing this time," Fate said.
"Fashionably late, Kent," Zatanna said, feeling a sudden rush of hope. The grinding sound coming from the Darkness turned into a groan and then a hiss.
"It's working. It's fading," Spectre shouted over the sound. "Just hold on!"
It was almost turned now, getting closer to finding them and ending their efforts. Suddenly, she felt another force with them: an outside force.
"Even more fashionably late, John." She smiled as she felt her rag-tag team of magicians reach out and encircle them; shielding them against the rage of the Darkness. "You're outnumbered, you bastard. Time to even the fucking odds."
Stepping forward, she summoned the last bit of her strength, staring directly at the massive being as it tried to reach out and destroy her.
"Siht si revo."
Constantine
Shadowcrest
"You've gotta let me in. You can't do this alone, June." John had been on the porch pleading with his enemies/allies for half an hour. "Come on, it's bloody cold out here!"
She opened the door with a huff. "I'm not alone. I have four other really terrible people in here helping me. Why invite in a fifth?"
"Oh, come on love...I'm nothing like that lot. Let me in so we can end this." Sighing and rolling her eyes, she let him pass. He entered the parlor to find the no-so-merry band of magicians glaring at him. "Ah, right. All my favorite people. Shall we?"
"We're here because we have to be, Constantine," Zor said with a cold stare. "We'll get the bitch out and we'll leave. Don't get in our way." The house creaked and the air became colder.
"Might want to mind your words there, Zach," John said, looking around nervously at the house. "If you want to get out of here alive, that is."
"You think I'm afraid of the bitch's house?" The walls began to rattle and a frigid wind blew around the parlor. Zor took a step back and sat down on the floor quietly.
"That's more like it. It's alright, SC. We're gonna get your girl back." He took his own place on the floor, holding his hands out to join with the others. "Let's get this right."
Zatanna
Hell
"He's out! Alec is out!" Phantom Stranger yelled behind her. "Don't let go! Not yet!"
"Not until we finish this!" Zatanna dropped to one knee, her power stores starting to fade. Over the yelling, another sound started to emerge from the Darkness. The hissing twisted into a series of cracking noises. The black surface of the being began to shift and change as it moved closer. Every muscle in her body wanted to run in the opposite direction. It's coming for us.
"It's working! It's working, just hold on!" She could hear Fate's voice as a distant hum over the cracking and scraping coming from their foe. As it drew closer, she could feel the heat rising inside of her.
Burning. I'm burning. She closed her eyes and readied herself for the onslaught of pain. Instead, she heard a massive booming sound and a rush of air threw her backward...backward...upward...away...away from everyone and everything.
Constantine
Shadowcrest
"They did it! They bloody well did it!" John jumped up from the shocked group as they looked around in confusion.
"They killed the Darkness?" Effron asked.
"Nah, mate, they were never trying to. But they damn sure put it in its place."
"I don't understand," June said.
"Of course you don't. Your lot helped create this problem. You think evil just grows on its own? Mankind's been feeding it for ages. Took a fuckin' walking plant, a demon, a dead guy, and a witch to stop it."
"No, I don't understand...where's Zatanna?"
"I lost her energy when Constantine broke the circle," Tsaritsa said, giving him a cold glare.
"Now wait a minute..."
"You goddamn bumbling fool. I told you we shouldn't have let him in, Enchantress," Brother Night said.
"Don't fucking call me that!" June was suddenly up and pissed.
"Hey, hey! Just calm down! Let's nobody say that name again, alright," John held his hands up to June, who was breathing quickly as she stared at Night.
"I'll rip your flesh from your bones," she hissed.
"Blimey. Look, June. We'll sit down and we'll find Zee, okay? Just like we said we would. Everything's alright. Just...don't say that name and everyone's flesh can stay on their bones. I mean, Eldon's not got much to work with, anyway." Slowly, June sat down, still trying to keep control. "That's right. Okay, let's see if we can rip Zee back from Hell so we can end this little party."
Zatanna
Still in Hell
Thirsty. Can't think. Fear. Death. Walk. Get up and walk.
She was lost. The explosion had thrown her so far across Hell's landscape that she couldn't see the Darkness anymore. She couldn't see anything but death, and she was alone. Death. Thirsty.
"Retaw." The drops faded as they touched her tongue. "Fuck! Retaw! Revir! Niatnuof! Fuck fuck fuck!"
Nothing worked. Food turned to dust as soon as she conjured it. Water dissipated into hot steam. She tried to walk forward...wherever forward was. She was walking toward nothing. Endless, deafening, blinding nothing. Flying made no difference, just giving her a higher view of nothing. The air was even more stifling as she rose, so she went back to the ground and walked more.
"Dnif em," she whispered to no one. No one was left to hear her. The power she had felt from the others was gone. She couldn't feel anything other than heat and pain. The landing from her impromptu flight had knocked her out cold; she didn't know how long she was out, but her head was still pounding and her clothes were in tatters. It made her landing on the pavement after the Gotham bombing seem like a gentle fall onto a mountain of pillows. Every time she tried to heal, it would burn her skin. She was broken, inside and out, but she kept walking. It was the only thing left she could do to know she wasn't dead. The thoughts began to return...the voices...the fear, the doubt, and the self-loathing.
- "Failure"
"I know"
- "Whore"
"I know"
- "Child"
"I know"
- "Fool"
"I know I know I fucking know!"
She stopped and put her hands over her ears, but it didn't block out the sound. It wasn't coming from anywhere but her own mind.
Walk, Zatanna. Just walk.
Stumbling, staggering, tripping, floundering. She fell to her knees.
I can't.
- "Weak"
"I know"
- "You deserve this"
"I know"
- "Fraud"
"I know"
Turning her head, she saw a group of writhing, screaming souls paying for their sins. She squeezed her eyes shut and put her head on the ground.
I can't.
- "Did you think they cared?"
"No"
- "Did you think he loved you?"
"No"
- "Did you think you'd been forgiven?"
"No"
- "Did you think you'd escape?"
"No"
Everything was starting to fade. Thirsty. She rose again, shuffling forward. The others...they had to be there somewhere.
"Are they trying to find me?"
- "No"
"Do they know I'm still alive?"
- "No"
"Can I find them?"
- "No"
Her stomach growled in earnest. Taking Swamp Thing's root didn't seem like such a bad thing anymore. She yearned for anything to wet her tongue. A drop...half a drop...anything.
- "You're dying"
"I know"
- "You should die"
"I know"
- "You deserve to die"
"I know"
The last time she died, it had been peaceful – a welcome embrace from a loving friend there to end her suffering. She had wanted it and ran toward it before she had been pulled back to Earth.
"Was that a lie?"
- "Yes"
"Is this where I belong?"
- "Yessss"
"Is this what I deserve?"
- "Yesssssss"
Again, she faltered and fell to the ground, scraping her knees for the hundredth time. The hissing sound of the words in her head continued as she curled up on the hot ground and closed her eyes.
- "Zatanna?"
"Not real"
- "It's Bruce."
"Not real"
- "You left me."
"Not real"
- "I'm glad."
"Not real"
- "I never cared."
"Not real"
- "Did you think I loved you?"
"Not real"
There were new sounds now. Snarling. Howling. Demons. They were coming for her. Hunting her again. She started to crawl, leaving a trail of blood from her knees and hands scraping along the dry ground.
"They'll find me."
- "Yes"
"They'll kill me."
- "Yessss"
"I'll die alone."
- "Yessssss"
The sounds of the demons grew louder. From the corner of her eye, she saw one break from the group and head toward her. It found me.
- "Give up"
"I promised"
- "Give up"
"I can't"
- "Give up"
"I said I'd fight"
The demon was close now. She could hear it snarling as it approached...see its outline as it towered over her. It was at least twice as large as Etrigan. All it would need to do is press its foot against her neck to end it. Death. It reached its massive hand down and wrapped it around her body. All it would need to do is squeeze. Death. Instead, it began to run, carrying her away into nothingness.
Bruce
Batcave
He watched the monitor as the drone hovered. His eyes were stinging from staring at the screens. A day and a half. They'd been in Shadowcrest for a day and a half with no one coming out and no call from June. Their heat signatures were still there in the parlor...unmoving for hours as they held hands.
Find her.
"Bruce?" Selina's voice came from behind him.
"What is it, Selina? I'm busy."
"Looks riveting," she said, walking up and standing behind him. "I need you to help me get some information on a guy."
"What guy?" He kept his eyes on the screen as he listened.
"A guy I've been following home from the docks. I think he might be the guy."
"Why?" He turned to face her now.
"Because he walks past campus every day at the same time the girls have been taken. He lives alone and never talks to anyone. The last girl he took? I wasn't following him that night."
"You're reaching. I know you want to find this guy, but I can't just pry into someone's business based on a wild hunch." He turned back to the screens.
"It's better than anything you're trying! Just run his plates and get me a name. I'll do the rest."
He sighed and shook his head. Better to get her what she wants now or she'll just keep asking. "Fine. What's the plate?"
"HYT-512." She grabbed a pen from his desk as he typed the plate into the system. When the name popped onto the screen, she wrote it on her hand and tossed the pen back onto the table. "I'll call you when I have something."
"If you find something, take it to Gordon. Keep it legal, Selina. We can't arrest a guy based on..."
"Yeah, yeah," she cut him off. "Just be ready when I call, Batman." She headed back up the stairs as he returned to his monitoring. No one had moved on the screen.
Fucking find her.
Zatanna
Hell
The demon was still running and she was still alive. She had made several feeble attempts to escape, but her captor would just snarl at her and continue onward. The nothingness never ended. Mile after mile passed upside down as she hung in the beast's clasp.
- "You're dead"
"Not yet"
- "You died"
"Not yet"
- "Just die"
"Not yet"
The demon snarled at her again, so she closed her eyes and stopped talking to herself. All the noises in this place and my voice is what pisses you off? She felt her mind slipping away as they covered more nothing. When she felt them start to slow, she opened her eyes and tried to focus. A rush of fear hit her as she focused on what looked like a large, unending cavern ahead of them. She braced herself, expecting to be thrown into the depths, left to plunge for eternity. Instead, the demon came to a stop, looking left and right before turning around and setting her carefully on the ground. No death. She rolled onto her back and looked up at the massive beast as it...waved?
"Bost…?" Her voice choked off in her dry throat. Boston? Okay, now I'll kiss you.
With another wave, he ran off behind her. No. Don't leave me here.
- "He left you"
"Shut up"
- "He doesn't care"
"Shut up"
- "Die"
"Shut the ever-loving fuck up!"
"Zatanna? Someone get her up. We have to get her out of here." Dr. Fate came into her view, cape tattered and helmet scratched and dirty. She felt something cool and wet touch her lips.
"Eat it," Alec said. There was no hesitation this time as she bit into the root, desperate for anything to relieve her aching thirst. He picked her up and put her on his back again. She pressed her face against him, letting his coolness ease the burning of her skin. If she had tears to cry, she would have. Instead, she just clung to his neck as the rest of the group converged.
"That's everyone," Phantom Stranger said. "Now let's find a way out of here."
"How did you guys even get in? We had Etrigan leading the way," Boston had ditched his demon host and was floating above the group.
"We followed the power Spectre and Zatanna were emitting. We don't have that kind of target to get back."
"Where is Etrigan, anyway?"
"I lost him when I entered the Darkness," Alec said, handing Zatanna another root.
"I'm not sure we can get out unless we find him...if he's even alive," Fate said, much to her dismay. She didn't want to spend another minute in Hell.
"I can search," she choked out in a raspy voice.
"You're too weak," Spectre said.
"Be weaker...if we don't get out. Alec...down." He turned to look at Spectre, who slowly nodded at him. Grabbing her arm, he lowered her back onto the hot ground.
- "You can't"
"Oh, shut up"
- "You're too weak"
"Shuuuuuut up!"
"Uh...Zee? Who are you talking to?"
"Don't even ask, Boston," she muttered, sitting down and eating the rest of the root. "Okay. Dnif Nagirte." The spell burned her again, but she fought it. You're not keeping me here. A dim light shot off into the distance. She dropped her hands again as the burning eased. "Follow..." Alec scooped her back up and the group quickly headed in the direction of her light. She faded in and out of consciousness, trying not to talk back to the voices in her head.
"Weak, failure, fool, witch, slut, unlovable, disposable, delusional…"
"Can someone talk? Sing? Something?" She muttered into Swamp Thing's back.
"Man, she's really losing it. We need to get her out of here," Boston said.
"Hell's no place for the living," Alec replied.
"That's a really shitty song, Al." Her mind started to fade away again. They were approaching another hoard of snarling demons.
"Hey, Etrigan! You're alive! We need your help to get home." Deadman flew off toward the crowd as the rest hung back. "Zee's starting to look like she actually belongs here." Mean.
"We must go back the way we came
the path through Hell is still the same"
He walked to the group, bloodied and wounded, but alive. I've never been so glad to hear rhyming in my life. Pointing off into the vast expanse of nothing, he led them forward. Walking...more walking.
- "Just die"
"No"
- "You're going to die"
"I said no"
- "Your friends are weak"
"They're here"
- "Your friends don't care"
"They're here"
"Zee, you've really gotta stop that, you're freaking me out," Boston hovered in front of her face, looking at her like she was crazy. She felt crazy.
"That's what you get for not singing." Alec shoved another root in front of her face in a "shut it, woman" gesture that she didn't mind too much. She ate and stayed quiet as they moved ahead.
"The path we need is just ahead
a path that's littered with the dead.
If we're to see the end today
we must avert our eyes away."
All over it. She turned her face into Alec's shoulder and hung on. Their pace quickened and she could hear the others panting as they moved until they hit a point that caused a sudden dropping feeling in her stomach.
"Okay, we've crossed over into our dimension," Fate said. "Now what?"
"Now we go home, right?" Boston moved ahead of them as Zatanna peeked out to make sure it was safe.
"Zatanna, are you strong enough?"
- "Weak"
"No"
"I told her I would help her get back if she lived. She's alive," Alec said, setting her on the ground.
"Just about..." she said, fighting to keep herself upright.
"Hang on, something's happening," Phantom Stranger said. "I can't even believe it."
"What now?" Dr. Fate took a defensive stance.
"No, feel it. Can't you feel them?"
The others looked around in confusion as he held his arms out. A soft glow started to rise around them until she finally felt it...her rag tag team of magicians.
"I'll be damned. They kept their oath," she said, holding her hands out. "Ekat em ot meht. Ekat em emoh." Alec walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, steadying her as she fought to use the last of her power. She reached out and took hold of the strength coming from Shadowcrest. "Ekat em emoh!"
It burned. It tried to hold her there.
- "Stay"
"No"
- "Die"
"No"
- "You deserve to die"
"NO!"
The hatred finally lost its grip, and she was suddenly moving...falling...diving...tumbling...head over heels...straight out of Hell.
To be continued…
I hope the formatting makes sense on this. It looked way better in Word! Anyway, all the Zee torment is leading somewhere overall, promise. ;)