I Reap Souls In DC

Chapter 20: Make Arrangements.



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(General P.O.V)

"Zatara, you interfere with matters concerning the safety of the world. Stand aside."

Fate ordered, restrained by blue glowing chains.

"Not until you tell me why you're doing this."

Zatara narrowed his eyes. He waved the wand clutched in a white gloved grip with exceptional grace.

"Answer me, before I tighten the chains to the point you can't breathe, let alone speak."

The eyes behind the helmet of fate flashed golden. With a flex of mystical aura, the blue chain links snapped apart into numerous pieces.

"Did you really think that that would hold me?"

Fate questioned, looming over Zatara.

"No."

The resident Justice League magician smirked.

"I was stalling for time. And now I can complete the banishment spell."

He stepped forward pointing the tip of his wand towards Fate.

"!htreE rehtoM fo seiretsyM what ekovnI I:!noislupxE niosnemiD "

(I invoke the spirit of Mother Earth!: Dimension Expulsion!)

The whole atmosphere changed. There was the brief sound of animal calls, the roaring winds across Stony peaks, a freezing chill from the north, the scent of rosemary, rain, soil and wood sap permeated the air. It filled every crevice of the destroyed hall. Zatara had evoked the power of the Parliaments to banish a Lord of Order from the very earth itself.

A large awning dark portal appeared behind Dr.Fate.

"No! You bastard!"

Nabu roared, the portal glowing completely yellow on the other side. Zatara could feel gazes on him as entities with Magicka he could not comprehend studied him, judged him.

"You can't do...this!"

Fate spread his hands out, manifesting dozens of golden chains from his limbs. The chains were tipped with blades that pierced through the brick walls and tore in, helping him combat the suction from the portal.

Fate looked up.

"You are making a mistake."

Nabu growled in a gruff tone.

Zatara held his wand loftily.

"Perhaps if it were another time, you could have done something to stop me from sending you back to where you came from, but you're unlucky. I am backed by the planet."

He aimed his palm, holding it flat towards Fate, a small smile on his face.

"kcik esroH" (Horse Kick)

An impact struck the helmet, causing Fate's head to swing back at the force. Zatara knew that the helmet was very durable, so any of the impact would not be transferred to the host. (Hopefully) The helmet slipped off Kent's head, the rest of his uniform streaking away to reveal a brown suit cladding his unconscious form.

The helmet of Fate entered the portal along with the last of the black uniform burning away into pure energy. Zatara was there to hold up Kent before he could land.

"I got you."

He said softly, running a diagnosis spell on him.

Zatara sighed in relief, sagging on his thighs.

"Good. Nothing's broken."

He patted Kent on the hand.

"Just rest old man, everything is fine now."

His gaze swept out at Kent's home.

Zatara sighed in pity at the state of the tower. He had stayed a few nights here, some years back. It was still salvageable. There was little that magic couldn't do. And that little was mostly because of the consequences.

Magic took. It wasn't a free power. There were repercussions and very real danger.

He stood up. There was still the matter of addressing what exactly was going on before his mind begun to drift off, the exertion from casting a high order spell making itself known. Zatara was not as young as he had been.

"Now then, would the two of you..."

Zatara stopped after turning around.

His eyes slowly but surely widened.

There was someone right infront of him. Head bowed down, silver hair hiding the upper part of his face. The whole chamber was dead silent.

Raven blinked her eyes while in the dark. As if hiding in it. It was almost comforting.

"There's so much...hate."

She whispered, wrapping her arms around her body and shivering. Her powers as an empath allowed her to see past the physical, into the emotional and mental side.

The hate within Davian was incredible. It dislodged her own half forgotten memories. Raven could remember that night. The night she first dreamt of her father. There was a shroud of malice all over Azarath. She woke up sweating and frantic.

This was like that time. But the source of it was Davian.

"Mpmh."

Zatara heard the figure infront of him snort.

"So...this is...freedom?"

He craned his neck, bones popping ominously. The voice sounded deep and gravelly smooth. Zatara stumbled back, as if rousing from a deep sleep.

"What are you?"

He gulped, wand lighting up at the tip, a serious look on his moustached face.

"She asked the same thing."

Davian raised his head, revealing a wide grin over a face with a bony mask covering the top side of the face. His eyes were slit like a cat's, glowing purple.

The thick liquid was conjoining both the upper and lower side, flowing to cover it. The bony material kept dripping to the ground in large drops. Then it would go up in purple flames.

"Yeah well, I can't exactly blame her now can I?"

Zatara looked into the dark, wand still vigilantly aimed Davian's way.

"Hello my dear, are you alright?"

There was no answer. Zatara turned to Davian, studying him some more. He noticed that his left hand was holding a sheath. It was immaculately carved onto. With symbols he couldn't quite focus on. There wasn't any doubt in his mind that it wasn't normal. Something caught his attention. A question. Where was the sword meant for the sheath?

"Looking for...this?" The voice that came out of Davian asked, holding up a normal looking Longsword. Zatara blinked.

"Not really impressed, I see."

Davian lowered his hand.

"That's the point."

A small breeze seemed to pass by Zatara. The Top Hat on his head slightly fell to one side. A part of the right side of the rim was sliced off.

Zatara turned with growing trepidation to his back. Then he frowned in both fear and anger. There was a rumble as stone gave way, falling onto the debris on the ground.

A scar formed in the walls of the tower, exposing the real world. The scar was long, almost 10 meters. That piece of it was entirely shaved off. It revealed skyscrapers cresting over the night sky filled with stars. Zatara was instantly on guard. Davian had done that...somehow.

That attack...he hadn't seen him even wave the sword.

"Yes. That's the expression! The awe, the fear when they first see me in action."

The voice from Davian stated, lifting the sword to aim it Zatara's way, mimicking Zatara's own action with the wand.

"The real him would never hurt the tower."

Raven stated from the dark with resolve. The emotions she was feeling from the monster inside Davian had almost overwhelmed her. However knowing that Davian was counting on her was enough. She was going to fight and knock some sense into him.

"We need to get Davian back."

She floated to Zatara's side, orbs of black energy covering her fists.

"What is your name, my dear?"

Zatara asked in return.

"Raven."

She answered, her eyes illuminated under the hood.

"And that's Davian?"

Zatara guessed, pointing his chin towards the young man.

"It's not. Think of Jekyll and Hyde. He's Hyde."

Raven told him.

"I see." Zatara sighed.

"We can't fight here then. Kent is sleeping and I do not want to hurt your friend if he is really not in control."

"So what?!"

Raven yelled, her eyes flashing red, slightly alarming Zatara.

"We just let him go?! Scott free?!"

She yelled, her face warping. Another pair of eyes seemed to appear over her normal eyes.

"Calm down."

Zatara said in what he hoped was a gentle tone.

"Hahaha."

Davian laughed.

"Why are you fighting it Raven? Just let the darkness take over. I can already tell you're tired of keeping all of it hidden away."

"What and become a sell out like you?"

She shot back, squeezing her palms onto her face.

"Ouch."

Davian muttered.

"That hurt."

In another instance, Davian was in the middle of both of them, moving faster than they could react. He held the sword in his hand over Zatara's neck while his left hand was placed next to Raven's neck, a clawed finger held up in the air. The tip of it seemed to be holding onto something.

Raven gulped, she could feel the ultra thin wire/thread around her neck, undetectable to the normal eye.

"What does your empathy say? Am I going to kill you?"

The voice inside Davian questioned, exceptionally polite and jovial.

Raven's mouth dried. She could feel he wouldn't hesitate to kill either of them. Death had never seemed so real before. He would do it before shield could finish her chant. The purple eyes gazing down at her seemed impassive to anything.

"Please..."

Raven pleaded. Her anger washed out of her. She had faced her father's numerous attempts to get her to join his side but this was the only time where she felt like losing her life was only one wrong move away. So she backed down, momentarily letting go of her pride and arrogance.

"Smart."

Davian leaned and whispered in her ear.

There was silence. Even Zatara could barely say anything. There was a heaviness around the young man. It made his knees shake, his back seat and his skin shiver. His aura felt very real.

This close to him and Zatara found it hard to clearly think let alone speak. He was about to cast a spell when the danger disappeared.

Davian withdrew his weapons and turned to survey their surroundings. He whistled.

"I would not want to be the one who cleans this up."

He took a step forward, his body suddenly stumbling on the third step. The heaviness holding Zatara in place disappeared and the magician begun to take in mouthfuls of air.

"Freedom... wasn't too bad. But I like it in the Cemetery. I'm just going to go...back..."

Davian's body shuddered before it fell, like a puppet without strings.

The air of terror disappeared and Raven immediately ran forward.

"Davian! Davian! Can you hear me?"

Zatara calmed down, running a palm down his face.

"Zatara to Console."

He tapped his ear, walking closer to the scar inside the tower, looking around at the debris. There were shattered glass, torn cloth, burnt art and so much more.

"Zatara, I read you loud."

A gruff voice responded.

"Batman, just the guy I wanted to talk to. I need you to make some arrangements. I have a few...persons of interest accompanying me."

Zatara replied, sitting on a block of concrete while watching Raven fuss over Davian's sleeping form.

"Copied and out."

Batman agreed and Zatara clicked off as well. This wasn't how the day was supposed to go. He was supposed to read his daughter a bed time story and kiss her goodnight.

Dealing with inter dimensional entities was never in the plans.

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I been playing The Weeknd's Album, 103.5 Dawn F.M back to back man. This dude is a genius.


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