"Where is Zatanna?" Fate asks, suddenly noticing the woman's absence. A scream is heard from one of the alleys.
"Down there!" Numbra says before running off, swiftly followed by the others. Finding Numbra cornering a man dressed like a stage magician trying to wave him off with a walking stick from a pile trash. Zatanna is curled up in ball leaning against one of the walls, muttering to herself.
"Zatanna?" Philipus asks as she puts a hand on the woman's shoulder.
"His eyes! it's not his eyes! There's something wrong with them!" Zatanna howls without looking at them.
"Easy Zatanna." Raven says as she takes away the woman's panic gradually, letting her slow her breathing. "Who is that?" She asks.
"It's not, it can't be." Zatanna says while she begins shaking.
"Her father." Batman whispers to Raven.
"I say, will you get this uncouth best away from me?" The man asks, is it when they look at him they know what Zatanna meant, his eyes are completely black.
"No need to be rude, I consider myself quite civilized." Numbra says before swiping at the man's legs, getting him to back up to the wall.
"Hmm, this is unusual, incubi only take forms meant to seduce." Fate says. "I know that that is not how Zatanna see's her father. Why have you taken his form?" Fate asks the false magician, letting a glowing orb surround his right hand.
"And drop the facade." Raven adds.
"Come now." Numbra ads as well. The creature sighs, before its features change to a male version of the succubi they had seen, only that he is only wearing a very small set of underwear, has curly blond hair and green eyes.
"I recognized the connection, between her and the man whose form I took." The incubus says while keeping himself plastered to the wall.
"You've met Giovanni Zatara?" Batman asks as Zatanna looks up.
"Oh, I see him quite frequently." The creature replies obviously enjoying the emotions on display.
"Where?!" Zatanna shouts as she gets to her feet and scrambles up the trash pile to grab the creatures hair. "Where is he?!" She demands as she twists her grip.
"Easy, I can take you to him." He winces.
"Hmm, he's speaking the truth." Raven notes, sensing no deceit from the creature.
"Really?" Zatanna asks, apparently ignoring Raven. "Well, lets get going then!" She says before pushing it down the trash pile.
"Follow me." The incubus says before heading back to the road they had abandoned, the living mages, besides Zatanna, making up the back group.
"Am I the only one who thinks this is a bit strange?" Jinx whispers.
"No." Philipus agrees.
"I fear Zatanna may risk having her heart re-broken." Fate whispers.
"The incubus seems almost happy about this, but if he is really down here?" Raven asks.
"Yes, she deserves that chance, but I fear for the results if it turns bad." Fate continues
They continue to cross the road they left and head down another alley and onto the road on the other side before turning to head down this road to enter a small park of black trees and bushes a little walk down towards the outer wall. On the way the incubus is almost jumped by a group of three pyres, but they are lead off by Raven, who can sense the unease grow in Zatanna, it practically evaporates when they enter a small clearing.
"No….No…It can't be…" Zatanna says in disbelief at the sight before her, in the center is a large super ellipse made of polished amber; inside is a man trapped standing as if he was caught in the blast of a fierce wind. It is the same the same man the incubus imitated; Giovanni Zatara. Zatanna slowly stumbles towards the prison before sinking to her knees before it. "No..." She sobs as she puts her hands on it. "It's not fair…it's not fair!" She screams before breaking down in tears, the others remain where they are.
However much Raven didn't think this would have come out well, getting her father back would have helped elevate the massive trauma Zatanna is already dealing with. Now she is resigned to lower her head and pull her hood further down. Her own thoughts distract her from the scene before her.
"Zee, I'm so sorry." Bruce says sincerely as he puts a hand on her shoulder, Zatanna almost throws herself at him, only to pass through his form and ends up on the ground where she curls up. Seeing this Raven is the first to react and promptly changes her shape into that of Batman's and steps up behind him.
"She needs you." She whispers to him, he only nods and disappears into her. Assuming control, he goes down on his knees and lets Zatanna lean on him; again she instantly clings to him.
"I will miss him too." Bruce says quietly, remembering the time when he was much younger and learned from Giovanni under another name and befriending his young daughter. The rest of the League, Fate, Jinx and Philipus respectfully keep quiet.
Behind them, the incubus quietly backs away getting a good few meters before he turns and promptly bumps into Etrigan, who is standing with his arms crossed over his broad chest. Between the incubus and the League, Numbra quietly walks out of the bushes.
"And where be thee off to temptator?" Etrigan asks quietly in demonspeak, the incubus, unaware of the lion-demon behind him looks at Etrigan for a quick second before replying.
"Come quick, we must inform your brother of the demon-witch's vulnerability!" It says. "He will surely be able to lift the enchantment you must surely be under."
"Thy are truly uneducated." Etrigan scoffs. "Who is responsible for the fate of the man?" He asks nodding at Giovanni.
"Why, your fabled brother of course, rumor has it he was caught peeking at his lordship's private chambers." The demon whispers, looking sly. "Now come, we must go."
"Fool, I have been promised my accursed brothers head for my part in this. Go and let him know that." The incubus looks at Etrigan in surprise for several seconds before its sprints out of the park, Etrigan waits for ten seconds. "He's yours." He says to Numbra who just licks his lips as his mane burst into flame.
"You are too kind." He replies before running off in pursuit, Etrigan counts inwardly, reaching 17 before a muted roar followed by a scream that is abruptly cut off.
"Is… is there anything we can do?" Zatanna asks with a strained voice as Bruce helps her up after regaining herself.
"This is his body, there is little to be done I am afraid." Fate says.
"Could we get him out of that?" Jinx asks, Zatanna think over it for a few seconds before nodding.
"innavoiG arataZ, eb eerf." She says and the amber slowly begins to disappear, leaving the body to fall to the ground.
"I can store him till we get back." Raven says as Bruce exits her and she takes her own form.
"Wait, look." Philipus says as she notes a cloudy blue aura surround the body before it rises from the chest.
A voice rises from the aura. "Zatanna, is that you my child?"
"D… daddy?" Zatanna asks as fresh tears begin to form in her eyes as she slowly sits down in front of the mist. "Is… is it really you?"
"Ohh… I am afraid it is my child." The mist says with a heavy voice.
"But… why are you here?" Zatanna asks.
"My own foolishness, I'm afraid my dear. I am sorry I had to leave you when I did, but I had to. Through many events, I infiltrated this place to discover why its Mistress so effortlessly leaves this world. Alas, I met a power much greater than my own…"
"Myrrdin." Etrigan grumbles.
"Yes, that is his real name, the true ruler of Talazzarr." The ghost agrees.
"Why is he like that, when we are like this?" Shayera whispers to Fate.
"I am fortifying your forms." Raven replies, overhearing her.
"Raven, could you?" Zatanna asks as she also hears it.
"Of course." Raven says before walking over and lightly touches the mist with a blue glowing hand before retreating, the mist swirls for a few seconds before taking the image of the stately magician who looks down at his reformed ghostly body before getting up.
"Ah, a soulmage, very rare." He says recognizing the energy used before noticing the others. "Oh, how rude of me, Giovanni Zatara, at your service." He says before bowing at the group. "Kent I know of course, a pity we meet again under such circumstances." He continues as he notices Dr. Fate.
"Better than not meeting at all, old friend." Fate replies.
"And I see 'John Smith' had made something of himself." Giovanni continues as he sends a smirk at Batman. "Or perhaps they know you under a different name? But what is the meaning of your appearance?"
"Long story short, a guy called Lex Luthor got hold of the Spectre's powers and off'ed them, currently we are trying to put them back together." Jinx explains, inwardly Raven smirks, only she could have explained it that fast and crude.
"Ah, a mighty spell will be needed for such an event; I will wish you much luck with its casting when the time comes."
"But dad, you could come back as well!" Zatanna almost jumps into the air at the realization, Giovanni look at his child with a first surprised then the sad expression as he shakes his head at her.
"Alas I cannot leave this place." He sighs at her. "A living that ends their life in hell is doomed to remain regardless of deeds. I see your friend shelters many souls within her own, but my own presence would bind her to this place as well." He says noticing the water running down Zatanna's cheeks. "Cry not for me my child, I feel no pain and my life was full. And now an old man's wish has come true; a last opportunity to speak to you again before I leave, I doubt you can linger in this place before discovery." He says looking at the others.
"It is true, we cannot stay forever but…" Fate begins.
"You will have the time you want." Raven says before looking to the skies, one of the massive Trigonian Guards drop from the sky and lands admits the trees, knocking several over. It is not as big as Tharkmar, this one is only four times the height of a man and carries a mace on its back with a head resembling a large skull. It bows as Raven walks over to it. "She stays safe, she has the privacy she wants and you will provide transportation if she wishes it." Raven instructs.
"As you command." The huge demon replies without meeting her gaze before standing up and begins scanning the area for threats. Giovanni looks amazed at the exchange, but covers it up quickly as Raven turns to face him.
"If you want to, I can take your remains, so that you may have proper burial." The old mage smiles sadly at her.
"I would like that, at least so that my daughter may have a place to remember me at." He says, Raven nods and her cloak creeps forwards, expanding itself as it covers Giovanni's body for a second before retracting leaving nothing behind. "Now then, since I very much doubt we will meet again John Smith, I can only say that I still regret you did not pursue a career as a magician." He says as he walks over to shake Bruce's hand, something the spirits can do.
"I was an honor learning from you." Bruce replies. "But your teaching has been put to good use many times over."
"As I hoped it would." Giovanni replies with a knowing smile before turning to Fate. "Kent, give my love to your lovely wife when you see her again and I hope your own studies will prove successful."
"In time they will." Fate agrees.
"While I do not know you by name, I wish you luck in returning to the living and luck in life beyond." Goivanni says to the others, who merely nod at him. "Now Zee, we have much to talk about." He says as he turns to face his daughter, who nods at him.
"Go find us a place." She replies as the others begin filing out of the park, quickly she grabs onto Raven shoulder, halting the empath. "A quick word." She says quietly as Raven turns her head. "Should I tell him, about what's happened to me?" Raven turns away again before replying.
"Another time and place, I would have said no, but this may be the only chance you have. But I am not sure if you should." She sighs. "When you are ready, that one will bring you to the rest of us. We will be looking for the dragon." Zatanna just nods at her before turning back to see her father sitting patiently on a bench.
"I guess we are better off not knowing what you have been doing?" Shayera notes as Numbra rejoins them, emerging from an alley with his muzzle and fore paws covered in blood.
"Alas it's been too long since I've had incubus." The lion replies with an amused tone before licking his lips, Wally shudders at the images in his head.
"You look good with my hat." Giovanni notes with a slight smirk. "How is the magician business these days?"
"Oh, same as it was." Zatanna replies offhandedly, she is still debating on how to tell him. "Amuse the audience for five nights in a row before having to deal with hoodlums the two next."
"Well, that was how your mother and I lived, till you came along that is. So is it still with a veiled identity?"
"No, I chose to do this without a mask, unlike 'Mr. Smith'." Zatanna replies with a smirk. "And I proved to be the go-to person for matters magical in the Justice League, heard about them?"
"Oh I have, it's a brilliant, but dangerous idea to gather so much power under a single banner, no matter the intentions. So is Kent not a part of it?"
"He is, but he is less involved in it and has a habit of skipping dimensions without telling."
"Ah still does that." Giovanni replies with a smile remembering his own troubles with contacting Kent. "You spoke in past tense just before?" Zatanna smiles sadly, he always was that good with words.
"I've hit a rough patch lately." She admits. "Started with a mistake I made a several years ago; we had this girl asking for help showing up in the League's office in Metropolis, Bruce and I, along with three others received her. When she entered, I felt like standing in front of an oven, the readings I got from her were so evil and full of malice that I urged the others to subdue her before she had even spoken. She disappeared the instant the others moved, I held it up a proof of guilt. Later she reappeared in a city the League was banned from entering, Bruce's orders."
"His words seem to carry a lot of weight?" Giovanni replies.
"Oh, they do, there's just something about him that automatically makes everyone in the League defer to him, and that includes Superman and Wonder Woman. Anyways, I didn't understand why he ordered us to stay away, so I kept watch on her. I learned later that Bruce had the ban set up because of his break with his…adoptive son, who had moved to the same city, Bruce had met with the girl after the rest of us jumped her and sent her after him. Seven years later, and I still had nothing to throw at Bruce to lift the ban, on the contrary, she kept proving to be the opposite of what I thought she was, she was even believed dead for a year after fighting off a dragon. Two and a half months ago, a new face began terrorizing Gotham. Bruce sent me to find this thing since he had a strong reason to believe it had magical capabilities. Two days or so later, he called off the search for no real reason, but I continued looking. Eventually I found it overseeing a smuggling operation and I got caught off guard and was flattened by it. I believed it must have been controlling Bruce and those around him, because he visited me in the hospital and delivered 'the bat speech' to me, basically telling me I had that one coming. So I began entertaining the idea that he was being controlled to let a thing like that rampage across Gotham, so I called in the League. We caught it too, proved to be the same girl we chased off years ago, only she had grown. I was chastised, severely, because I had insisted on my theory… No that's not right, I lied to them, I told them I was certain that Bruce and the others were being controlled, basically I was using the League as a missile. I didn't want to admit I was wrong then, I was angry and I even went as far as picking a fight with her afterwards and threw the first punch." Zatanna pauses as she looks at the ground at the memory.
"But why did you?"
She takes a deep breath before answering. "I was scared of her. I guess it had become a rush to me that the League asked me for advice more often than Dr. Fate, that I was seen as the better magician. I was scared that she would replace me, mostly as the go-to mage for Bruce who has warmed to her faster than I've seen him do to anyone. Of course when I started a fight with a spell that could have killed her, the rest of the League found out why… and promptly handed me my walking papers. In the span of a few days, a simple search had me thrown from my own pedestal. You know how I am with my own image."
"I do." Giovanni admits, Zatanna is a perfectionist with it comes to her shows, her reputation and her looks, he feared sometimes that she was borderline obsessive. "How bad did it go?"
"Very, I was depressed, I cancelled shows out of fear of ridicule. I was sure that girl was telling everyone about my fall of grace and didn't want to face it if anyone in the crowd pointed it out. Worst of all, I… I began drinking." As she speaks the last part, she tries to shrink herself in hopes of easing the anger she is sure will come. She looks sideways as nothing comes from her father, looking up she sees his arm circling her back, but she can't feel it, he just shakes his head at her.
"When your mother passed away, I thought I had lost everything, she was my world. And I too felt the pull of the bottle, but there was one thing that kept me from it; you." He says with a warm smile. "I am a little disappointed in you, but as you know life is full of ups and downs, and if nothing else, losing your connection to the League was just a blow to your ego."
"No, I felt like I had lost Bruce's friendship, since he was the one that threw me out. It hurt him to do it, I could tell, but he does what is right when he is dressed up." She sighs. "It gets worse." Giovanni looks surprised and stops his circling arm. "The same nut that took control of the Spectre, he also had other plans; controlling or enslaving a large number of superheroes and criminals. In my drunken stupor, I didn't even fight them off when they came for me." She says before taking off the top hat and lifts her hair, revealing the still present chip. "All of us who were either too dangerous or too free-spirited got this and some kind of treatment that turned us into brainless zombies." She says, leaning back again. "I was barely aware, until recently, when I was on my feet during that time. When I had the clear memories brought back to me, I… I found out they had me kill, torture and..." She trails off while looking off into the darkness of the park. "…they raped me…"
"WHAT?!" Giovanni yells in fury, unintentionally causing Zatanna to crumble physically and emotionally. "WHO?! HOW COULD THEY?! HOW DARE THEY?!" He doesn't see it in his fury, but with each shout, Zatanna crumbles more and more feeling like it was all her own fault.
"I'm sorry daddy." She sobs as she pulls her knees up to her face and hides her face, Giovanni's next line of angry words are caught in his throat and promptly swallowed as he gets down on his knees in front of her.
"No, no, no Zee, it's not your fault, please don't cry anymore, I'm sorry for yelling." He says, getting her to look up and they meet eyes as she swallows trying to stop her own tears. "That's my girl." She coughs a chuckle and a sob at the same time at this, he always said that when she was little. "Now tell me, has this…"
"No, thank god, it didn't." She sighs heavily, it had been a small blessing to her. "I just have these images of people, doing…"
"Don't mention them." He cuts off. "Just tell me those animals are behind bars."
"They are." She continues. "It was her, that girl that led me there. It was her who helped me get out. I don't know how, but she ended up on the inside as well along with Wonder Woman, but she broke free and led the League to the rest of us. Unfortunately I can say I met her in my zombie state and she knows where to hit me."
"Well, she got you out, that's the most important part." He says encouragingly. "But who is this girl you have so far refused to name?"
"The one in the cloak." She replies, he raises an eyebrow.
"The soulmage?"
"Uh-hu." She nods, like she is gradually introducing a new friend from school. "Her name is Raven." Giovanni looks thoughtfully to the side.
"Raven… it is as if I have heard that name before? But could it be someone else?"
"Possibly, she's Trigons daughter, she's the one tearing up this place."
"That's Trigon's Gem?!" He asks out loud, more to himself than her. "She's got a bad prophecy waiting for her, Trigon is supposed to come to Earth through her." He says quickly.
"Already happened." Zatanna says quickly. "And yes, from what I have been told, she did bring him, but she also killed him and apparently also completely subdued the part of herself that was him. And now she is working more than anyone to restore the rest of the League." He looks at her for a few seconds before getting up and sits down next to her again.
"We received portents once that a time would come when Trigon the Terrible would walk the Earth, but it was many years ago, alas it was so vague that we couldn't properly prepare for it. And now I hear, it came true, but you must know. What is she like, if Trigon is gone?"
"I think Wonder Woman would be a better source to ask than me." Zatanna admits. "But from what I have seen, she is not anything like what I would have expected of a child of Trigon. The best way I can describe her is…muted, somehow. Like if she was to stand still, no one would notice she was there, but, she seems very much like Bruce if she starts moving, there just nothing that seems to stop her." Giovanni sighs.
"Has she ever displayed any of her father's tendencies since that time?"
"Not that I know of, and it did annoy me that she didn't, but I have heard that she turned pretty brutal with the criminals in Jump City."
"You better keep an eye on her Zee, if she has beaten Trigon, there is practically no telling how powerful she is. Tell me, do you have any… countermeasures?"
"I am sure Bruce has, but from what I have been told and seen, she is very timid about the power's she has, acts as if she would rather be without them."
"Could it be an act?" He asks.
"Possibly, but if she is, she is good. None of the League seems to notice it. Even her… minions seem to refer to her as human rather than demon."
"Because she is, human." A deep rumbling voice from above reminds the two that they have a guardian, as they look up they see it has not moved and his still scanning the area. "The thing that we would bow instantly to out of heritage, has been utterly been consumed by her other half. Where Lord Trigon would have the human consumed, Queen Raven's human nature has gained dominance over her legacy."
"And how do we know you aren't lying?" Giovanni asks.
"I would have relished the opportunity to rend her limb from limb had she not so easily defeated the greatest of us." The thing replies.
"Thrakmar the Bloodied, they called him." Zatanna says. "Bigger than that one, and Raven hardly broke sweat on him."
"Hmm, I see, but still, be careful." Giovanni says. "But let's discuss something else, how are you, besides these unfortunate months?"
"Oh I am good, really I am." Zatanna adds when he looks at her questioningly. "Got calls left and right for me to pull the old rabbit out of the hat, well hopefully I still have when I feel up to it again."
"So, there's not a special someone yet?" He asks with a coy smile.
"Dad!" Zatanna pouts feeling slightly offended.
"What? I was hoping to have grandchildren one day, even if I never get to see them." He admits.
"Well, there's no one at the moment. Bruce and Wonder Woman have been dancing around each other for years, and I can't get between that. But I hope that one day there will be one for me." She admits.
"Ah that's good, I was beginning to fear you only had magic and work on your mind."
"So, what about you, where did you go all these years?" She asks. "Do you even have any idea how long I have been looking?" He looks slightly hurt as she says the last part.
"I am afraid I do not have a perception of time anymore?" He admits.
"You've been gone for 22 years." She replies flatly. "Why did you go?"
He sighs before talking. "I felt I had to, you were all grown up despite your age and you seemed so happy at Rose and Richard's. Your mother and I shared so many adventures together and with you all grown up I thought I was ready to begin reliving those days again. I travelled the Earth and other planes, helping where I could. Oh, don't worry, I kept myself appraised about you when I could and I am very proud of what you have done with yourself and I had begun entertaining the thought of returning to you before I got caught here."
"But why couldn't I find you? Why didn't you at least write?"
"I merely cast a spells that allowed me to hide from you, but only you. I couldn't bear losing you like I did your mother." He admits, Zatanna remembers the night well, when he came home to her one night like a zombie and quietly told her that her mother was in a better place now before hugging her tightly. "But our greatest spell still lasts." He says. "You." He continues to stroke her chin and looks her in the eyes. "If only your mother could see you now." He says wishfully.
"Maybe she can?" Zatanna replies.
"I would hope so, but I know that I will never see her." He sighs.
"We could reanimate you?" She suggests playfully.
"Urg, I have seen enough zombies." He replies. "No, my time amongst the living is over and as a mortal I have to go at a point." He says before working up the courage to ask the next thing. "Zee there is one last thing I would ask of you."
"What?"
"Consign my soul to the Abyss, I do not wish to end as the unfortunates that make up this towers bricks." He replies.
"But that would…"
"Undo me? Yes, it will. But it is better than staying here to suffer." He says. "I am sorry I must ask you this." Zatanna looks at the ground before getting up.
"You are asking me to kill you."
"Yes, in a sense." He agrees while remaining seated.
"I can't lose you again." She say as fresh tears make their way down her cheeks. "I just can't."
"You can't save me Zee, it is too late." He says as he gets up. "You know this."
"But…"
"Please, do it, for me." He says.
"I can't." She says and turns away. "A part of you is Raven right now and I can't send a part of her away like that."
"Then I will relinquish it." He says. "But not before I give you this." He says and gives her a gentle hug, at first she is a little surprised that he actually feels solid, but she thinks no more of it before turning around and hug him back, putting her head into this shoulder, still weeping. They remain like this for several minutes before she finally relaxes. "Are you ready?"
"I am." She says as they pull apart, still holding hands as he dissolves into mist again.
"I love you Zee. Farewell."
"I love you too dad." She says before letting go and picks up her hat and puts it on. "ngisnoc eht luos fo innavoiG arataZ ot eht yssybA!" Giovanni emits a final sigh as the spell takes hold and his misty form fades from view, leaving Zatanna staring at the now empty park for a few moments before she turns to the towering demon, still scanning the area. "Take me to Raven." She says in a completely emotionless voice, inwardly she is raging against the fates that had dealt her this hand and someone was going to pay dearly.
Authors Notes: For those who will ask why Raven cant just take Giovanni with her; in DC's version of Hell there is a rule called the Unspoken Principium, a great secret no one can actually speak of. But the perception of everyone who doesn't know this secret is that if you die in Hell or end there after your passing, then you are stuck there. That said some might be employing the Unspoken Principium even if they dont realize it. Perhaps you can guess what it is? :)