Forbidden - Klarion x OC

Chapter 8 - Zatanna

"Vance!" Black Canary exclaimed, giving Vance a huge bone-crushing hug.

"Hey Dinah.." Vance said, smiling at her mentor.

"Are you alright? Are you injured? Did that Witch Boy hurt you?" Black Canary questioned, worry and concern could be heard in her voice.

Vance rolled her eyes. "Jesus, calm down alright? I'm not hurt, I promise." Vance assured.

"Check under her shirt! She's bleeding the life out of herself!" Dick commented from a few metres away.

"Shut up Robin! Stop being such a dick!" Vance exclaimed, grinning from her own lame joke. Dick faked being offended.

Black Canary checked Vance. Luckily, it was a small wound and could be healed in no time. Meanwhile, Wally had questions for Doctor Fate.

"Aren't you going to stop him?" Wally questioned Nabu, referring to Klarion.

"To what end? Klarion is chaos personified. He cannot be contained." Nabu replied.

"We won, right?" Conner asked the team.

"Yes.. but at a cost." Kaldur said, turning to look at Nabu.

"Fate!" Zatara called. Nabu turned to face his host's father. "Great Nabu... Release my daughter." Zatara begged.

"No." Nabu answered coldly. Zatara's eyes widened in worry.

"Witness the havoc wrought in these hours, the world needs Doctor Fate. And the girl's natural affinity for the mystic arts makes her the perfect candidate." Nabu declared.

Artemis frowned. "You can't do that!"

"She has her own life to live!" Dick added.

"Kent would never allow you-" Wally argued, pointing at Nabu.

"Kent Nelson did object strenuously." Nabu interrupted. "So I release his spirit to the afterlife. He is gone."

Wally's face fell as his eyes widened in shock.

Silence fell over everyone.

"Take me instead." Zatara offered after a minute of pondering. "My skills are already at their peak. My body is physically stronger, better able to withstand the strain of your power."

"All true.." Nabu mused."But if I remove the helmet, what guarantee have I you will don it?" Doctor Fate asked.

"My word.." Zatara replied.

"Zatara wait! You can't.." Artemis asserted. "If you put on the helmet, what will happen to Zatanna...?"

Zatara thought about this for a moment. But he chose to ignore Artemis. Zatara spoke an incantation, giving his word to Nabu.

Doctor Fate acknowledged this and flew down to the ground and removed his helmet.

Zatanna opened her eyes and her face lit up when she saw her father. "Dad!" She exclaimed, hugging her father.

"Zatanna..." Zatara said fondly."Remember..." He whispered, looking into his daughter's eyes. "I love you.."

He turned to face Zatanna's teammates and the three other Justice Leaguers. "Take care of my girl..."

"You have my word." Batman said.

"No no no.. Please! This was my fault! Dad don't!" Zatanna cried, "Dad!"

But Zatanna had already put on the helmet, wearing Doctor Fate's suit.

Nabu turned to look at the four sorcerers, Wotan, Blackbriar Thorn, Felix Faust and Wizard, who were tied up and knocked out.

"Leave these to Fate." Nabu said. Suddenly there was a bright light that engulfed Nabu and the four sorcerers.

And just like that, Zatara was gone.

"No..." Zatanna whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes.

She fell to her knees as she hid her face behind her hands. Her teammates came rushing to her side. The three other girls hugged her as Zatanna continued to sob.

"This is all my fault..."

***

Back at Mount Justice...

Wally stood in his souvenir room, looking at the empty spot where Doctor Fate's helmet used to be. Wally then looked at the empty milk bottle he had in his hand and placed it where the helmet was before.

"My room's right next door if you need anything." M'gann said as she, Artemis, Vance and Dick helped Zatanna to place her things in her new room.

"Thanks.. I- Uh.. Could use a little alone time, okay?" Zatanna mumbled, avoiding eye contact with her friends.

"Of course.." Artemis replied as she exchanged glances with Vance who looked at Zatanna with pity and sadness in her eyes.

Once the three girls and Dick left Zatanna to her own company, Vance couldn't help but voice out what she thought.

"I'm worried about Zatanna.." Vance whispered loud enough for the other three to hear.

"Aren't we all?" Artemis replied.

"It's going to be hard for her to adjust. So we gotta be here for her." M'gann said.

Dick agreed. "Yeah.. After all, it's the least we can do.."

Vance looked away from their friends and stared into space. Because even among all the chaos that had just happened in a day, her guts told her that something did not feel right. Something was off.

***

Klarion cackled. "Happy?" He asked through the screen.

"Yes my friend.. Your distraction, though maybe extreme.. was tres effective.." The Brain praised.

"Amid your trademarked chaos.." The Brain said as Sportsmaster and his partner came into the room, carrying a seemingly important briefcase. "No one will notice the absence of our prize..."

"And in time, we will bring it into the light."