SuperCorp Chronicles

Chapter 32

"Wait, what do you mean our father is dying?" Lena asked Zatanna, who sighed.

"Over the past few weeks, he's gotten really sick." Zatanna said.

"Do you think it's just old age?" Kara asked.

"No. No one gets this sick this fast. He's with Dr. Fate right now, who's trying to at least stabilize his condition, but it doesn't look good. But dad sent me here because he wanted to see you one last time before he passes away, especially since mom's already passed away." Zatanna said.

"Of course, I'll come. If Kara can too." Lena said, since she didn't want to go through this alone.

"Of course." Zatanna said, since she'd expected nothing less and she could tell that even though her sister's love was new, it was meant to last. And she knew their father would be thrilled about that.

"Rehtaf, ediug ym yenruoj hguorht S'etaf Yloh Hkna!" was the next thing Zatanna said as suddenly, a golden Egyptian Ankh appeared out of nowhere and sent all three of them to the same tower they'd seen in Zatanna's memories.

"You've returned." a new voice said and they turned to see Dr. Fate, or who Kara and Lena assumed to be Dr. Fate due to his voice, since the man was currently wearing a black suit and tie.

"Kara Danvers, Lena Luthor, meet Dr. Kent Nelson, aka, Doctor Fate." Zatanna said.

"I see you brought along the Kryptonian, along with your sister." Kent said.

"Lena refused to come here without her and since she barely knows either of us, I thought it would make her more comfortable." Zatanna said.

"Of course, I meant no disrespect. Lena, you look so much like your mother. I wish Sindella was still here to see you, but she's not. I am grateful that Zatanna convinced you to come here before it was too late for you to meet your father. Now come with me, our other guest has already arrived." Kent said as he led them into another room to reveal an old man lying on a bed with a young brunette woman by her side.

"Abby, our guests have arrived." Kent said as the woman got up.

"Abby, it's so good to see you again, even if it's under these circumstances." Zatanna said as she rushed forward to hug the other woman.

"Who is this?" Lena asked.

"Right, sorry. Lena, Kara, meet Abby Sawyer, my father's former student and protege. The only student he had that was better than her was me." Zatanna said smugly.

"It's nice to meet you both." Abby said, ignoring Zatanna's remark.

"It's nice to meet you too. Where are you from?" Kara asked.

"Star City and while there actually is something going on back there, but I couldn't refuse to come here when I got Kent's call. Zatara was like another father to me. He helped me learn to understand and control my abilities. And like Dr. Fate, I've been using all my magics to at least stabilize your father's condition, since we can't find any way to cure him." Abby said.

"Have you at least determined the cause?" Zatanna asked.

"Possibly." Kent said as he rejoined them, not holding a golden helmet in his arms.

"So, what's happening?" Lena asked.

"I believe that is the work of the Wizard." Kent said.

"How? Dad locked him away in another dimension years ago?" Zatanna said.

"I'm sorry what?" Lena asked.

"You really think mom and dad would've had another kid while that lunatic was on the loose. They had a hard enough time giving you up. I wasn't born until after dad put the Wizard away. They had one last huge battle about a year or so before I was born. From what mom told me, it was truly their worst battle ever, if it had gotten any larger, it might've torn the whole world apart. But before it got that far, requiring Superman to step in, even though he wouldn't have stood a chance, since magic is one of the few things that can hurt kryptonians on this planet, but dad managed to overpower the Wizard and using as much of his magic as he could, he sealed the Wizard away in a mystical prison dimension. It drained a good portion of his magic." Zatanna said.

"And his life force. But it appears that the Wizard managed to cast one last spell on Zatara before he was sealed away. A mystic plague that's been slowly killing him for years." Kent said.

"Why would he do that?" Lena asked as Zatara woke up suddenly.

"Because my life is all that keeps him imprisoned." Zatara said in a coughing fit.

"Dad, calm down." Zatanna said as she rushed to her father's side, as did Abby and Kent, though Lena and Kara kept their distance, since Lena still wasn't sure what to make of this man, even if he was her father.

"Zatanna, you've returned. But does that mean?" Zatara asked.

"Yes daddy, I found her and I brought her here." Zatanna said as she gestured for Lena to join them, which she did cautiously.

"My Lena." Zatara said weakly as he tried to reach up to her and Lena actually took his hand.

"I'm not sure what to call you, since we literally just met." Lena said, though she could feel the emotion hitting her.

"I don't care what you call me, but I am thrilled that we are finally together. Though I do wish it was under better circumstances." Zatara said as Lena actually placed her hand on her father's shoulder.

"I'm just grateful that I'm getting the chance to meet you, despite the circumstances." Lena said, tears coming to her eyes.

"Lena, I've missed you so much. I wish your mother had gotten the chance to see you again before she passed on. But I see so much of her in you. Not just physically." Zatara said and Lena felt him squeeze her hand.

"Zatanna." Zatara said as his younger daughter approached.

"Yes dad?" Zatanna asked.

"My life is all that has held back the Wizard's wrath. When I pass, he will be free and he will seek you and your sister out and there's no guarantee the protection Fate gave Lena will hold much longer. You must prepare her for the coming battle. Hopefully your combined magical power will be enough to end him once and for all." Zatara said.

"I don't know what you mean?" Zatanna asked.

"When your father sealed the Wizard away in his prison, he usd his own life force as the lock and key of that prison. When your father passes, the lock will break and the Wizard will be free." Kent explained.

"I'd hoped to at least keep Zard contained long enough for you and Lena to grow strong enough to defeat him for good, but it appears that I can no longer fight off the curse he plagued me with." Zatara said.

"It's extremely dark magic. Magic that not even a lord of order could counter. And Nabu and I have tried. He doesn't have much time left." Kent said sadly.

"But once he's gone, Zard will return?" Zatanna asked.

"Unfortunately yes. I cannot keep him at bay any longer. But I have faith that together, the two of you will be able to accomplish what I could not and defeat him once and for all." Zatara said as he began coughing and Abby quickly handed him a glass of water.

"Thank you. But Sindella, she calls to me. I've ignored it until now because I wanted to see Lena again. But now it's time for me to join her. I love you both so much. Kent, if you would?" Zatara asked his old friend and Kent nodded sadly as he donned the helmet of fate and turned into Dr. Fate.

"Goodbye old friend." Dr. Fate said as he summoned his Ankh spell and used it to release Zatara's soul to the afterlife, at which point, his body then dissolved, leaving only his jacket behind.

"Goodbye dad. I promise, I'll do everything I can to prepare Lena." Zatanna said as Lena just watched the golden dust that used to be her father float away while Kara placed her hand on Lena's shoulder, offering assurance that she was here, causing Lena to turn and hug her girlfriend tightly.