Post by C_Miller on Jan 24, 2012 18:25:16 GMT -5
New School pt. 4
The moon hung overhead, illuminating Ligur’s chamber. Zatanna was being held down by the rock constructs that Ligur had created to keep her still while he attended to her father who was still unconscious on the rock slab in the middle of the room. Ligur with his blood red skin began pacing back and forth through the chamber.
“I wonder what I’ll do with my new found power first?” Ligur contemplated out loud. Zatanna was struggling trying to break free. “I’ll start with this god forsaken realm and my father, then move on to Earth.” Zatanna mumbled something but the stone hand was still as tight as it could be around her mouth. “Oh don’t you worry, you’ll be there to see it all. After I take your abilities, I have other plans for you.” Ligur ran his fingers down Zatanna’s leg with a sleazy grin. “Come now, we must prepare!” Two grayish looking trolls slipped out of the shadows fand walked over to where John Zatara was being prepped for the ritual. They were short and pudgy, they teeth looked like they could pierce anything.
One of the creepy looking trolls emerged from a back room carrying a tablet which seemed to glow as the moonlight hit it.
“The Tablet of Verro.” Ligur said taking the tablet from his small hairy troll servant. “You wouldn’t believe how many people I had to kill for this.” Zatanna could sense in his voice that he had enjoyed it. “Soon I’ll have the power of two Zataras flowing through this tablet and I’ll be unstoppable.” Ligur said placing the tablet onto an alter as the moon was slowly getting into position.
Zatanna’s heart was breaking, watching as they prepped her father. She needed to do something or needed some kind of miracle to get out of this. Stranger had been sucked into some kind of black hole and her dad was out of it. She had to think of something to get out, but she was beginning to lose hope.
Just above Zatara’s head, a small black vortex appeared out of thin air. It began to grow in size every few seconds. Zatanna couldn’t tell if it was Ligur’s doing or if it was something else. She tried to shake loose from the grips of the stone constructs but seemed to get tighter with every move she made. Finally Zatanna saw a white glove appear and reach out touching John Zatara’s head. Zatanna could see a white light emanating from the gloved hand. She recognized that had, it was the Phantom Stranger; but how was he able to reopen the black hole, she wondered. Ligur smug face changed to anger when he saw the black hole had been reopened.
“STOP HIM!” Ligur shouted to his minions as they jumped up onto the slab of rock Zatara was laying on and into the portal knocking the Stranger back in, sealing it off.
“I don’t know what he just did, but start the ritual now!” Ligur stormed back over to the tablet and began preparing. The moon was almost in position. Zatanna still helpless wondered what Stranger had done; he could have at least freed her. Ligur appeared at the alter with the tablet standing at the feet of Zatara. He began chanting some language Zatanna had never heard before. She watched as a pentagram began etching itself into Ligur’s chest. Zatanna couldn’t bear to watch, but out of the corner of her eye she saw her father’s eye’s open. With a loud shout, a burst of energy filled the room knocking Ligur back and knocking the tablet to the ground.
Zatanna’s eyes lit up and watched the pulse of white energy cascaded over her disintegrating the rock hands. She jumped to her feet as quick as she could and watched as her father stood up on the rock slab with his hands glowing with mystical energy.
“NO!” Ligur shouted. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” He turned his attention to Zatanna. “It’s because of you this all happened.” He began to charge at Zatanna.
“You will not touch her.” Zatara’s voice echoed throughout the chamber. He raised his hand and another pulse of energy shot from it and into Ligur, knocking him through a wall.
“Dad!” Zatanna rushed over to hug her father. She had forgotten what it was like to be in his arms; she had missed it.
“I see you’ve learned a few things about me?” He said with a playful smile.
“I don’t think this is the best time for a family meeting.” Zatanna said as Ligur pushed the rubble off of him and stood his ground.
“Well isn’t this just nice. Father and daughter together again. A shame you’ll both die together.” Ligur snapped his fingers again and the whole room began to tremble. A giant Golem appeared inside the chamber. Its hulking body stood over 12 feet tall and its eyes were a blood red color. It began walking towards them; with every step it took the entire chamber shook. “Make it quick.” Ligur’s arrogance was apparent. Zatara began chanting as mystical beams of light shot from his hands at the Golem. As the beams hit the Golem, they seemed to just absorb into its massive body. Both Zatanna and her father had a look of disbelief on their faces as it had no effect.
“Um dad....Any ideas?” She asked as they back peddled and marveled at the giant rock Golem
.
“Not in the least.” Zatara noticed the tablet had been knocked from Ligur’s hand when he had blasted him and lying beside the slab of rock in the middle of the room. “I’ll deal with this, you grab the tablet.”
Zatanna didn’t want to leave her father’s side, but when she looked into his eyes she just seemed to be put at ease as if everything was going to be alright.
“Ok.” She said as the massive Golem had just about cornered the,. She figured if magic didn’t have any effect, she could at least slow it down. “Seniv elgnat teef.” Vines began cracking through the bottom of the floor and tangling themselves around the Golem’s feet slowing down enough for Zatanna to slip by. As the Golem struggled to break free of the vines, her father kept trying to come up with a way to get rid of the Golem but nothing seemed to be working.
Ligur was watching from the distance when he noticed Zatanna was going after the tablet, which he had completely forgotten about. He was too focused on recharging himself since creating the Golem drained a lot of his power. The tablet was his only way to transfer was going to be able to work and he needed to get to it before her. They both made a dash and reached the tablet at the same time. Both pulling at it like magnetic opposites.
Zatara was still dodging the Golem’s wild swings and tangling it with more and more vines. Zatara watched as the Golem seemed to get angry and angrier. It made a deafening roar and busted through the vines throwing a quick back hand into Zatara throwing him clear across the room. Zatanna heard a loud thud and turned back to see her dad up against the wall slumped over. The Golem turned his attention back to Zatanna and began making its way over to help its master.
“DAD!” Rage began to bubble up inside of her.
Zatanna closed her eyes and “Skrowerif edolpxe.” A small firework ignited into the air in between her and Ligur and let off a bright explosion. A blinding light filled the room blinding Ligur causing him to stagger backwards and let go of the tablet. Zatanna felt he had let go and kicked him in the stomach, putting everything she could into it and knocking him over the slab of rock in the middle of the room.
She could sense the Golem getting closer and closer and as she turned around she saw the Golem swinging his giant rocky fist at her. Zatanna understood what people say about seeing their life flash before their eyes just before they die. She could see both her parents on Christmas morning and the joy of opening presents, she saw the nights she would sit with her mother would and watch movies as they did each other’s hair. She began flashing on every great thing she had ever experienced until she felt a calm come over her as she awaited the punch.
Before the punch connected she instinctively held up the tablet to take the brunt of the blow. The tablet shattered into small pieces that sent a jolt of pure magical energy through the room and the Golem dissolving him into thin air. Zatanna opened one eye and looked around cautiously to see what had happened to the Golem.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting that.” She chuckled nervously. Zatanna heard Ligur stumble to his feet.
“What have you done? You are going to pay for this you little wench.” Ligur’s energy was still drained, but it was still enough for one of his palms flare up with a small fireball.
“I don’t think so.” Zatara walked up behind his daughter with his white dress shirt ruffled and put his hand on her shoulder. “You won’t dare touch my daughter. “ Ligur huffed as the fireball slowly extinguished knowing he couldn’t take both of them.
“Don’t think this is the last time you’ll see me. I’ll be a constant thorn in your side until I will get what I want…Just ask your mother.” He said with a disturbing smile. Zatanna’s face turned pale at the thought he had something to do with her mother. Smoke began billowing up beneath him as he faded away into the smoke as it drifted through the skylight.
“What did he mean by that?” Zatanna asked since she hadn’t seen her mother in almost fifteen years. Zatara just reached out and pulled his daughter close and hugged her.
“Nothing you have to worry about.” He placed his chin on top of her head and stroked her hair with a concerned look on his face. “Let’s get out of here.”
--
Zatanna sat in her room in Shadowcrest looking at the picture of her and her dad. She was glad to have him back, but wasn’t sure what the future would hold. Ligur was still out there and has some connection to her mother. The door to her room slowly opened.
“You still up?” Her father’s voice was still soothing after all this time.
“Yeah I’m just still trying to process what all happened today. “ She said placing the picture back on her night stand.
“When I get back we’ll talk about everything…Deal?” Zatanna was confused.
“Leave? You just came back.”
“I know… Phantom Stranger found some kind of disturbance in Paris that he needs help with.” Zatanna was disappointed but knew he was helping saving lives. “It shouldn’t take too long.” He leaned over and kissed Zatanna on the forehead. “I’ll see you when I get back.” He said as he closed the door behind him.
Zatanna laid down in the bed and curled up with her nice warm blankets. She was glad her dad was back and glad to be going back to her normal life tomorrow until she realized she had an exam the next morning. She let out a slight moan and closed her eyes. She knew this had everything, but knew she’d be ready for it.
The moon hung overhead, illuminating Ligur’s chamber. Zatanna was being held down by the rock constructs that Ligur had created to keep her still while he attended to her father who was still unconscious on the rock slab in the middle of the room. Ligur with his blood red skin began pacing back and forth through the chamber.
“I wonder what I’ll do with my new found power first?” Ligur contemplated out loud. Zatanna was struggling trying to break free. “I’ll start with this god forsaken realm and my father, then move on to Earth.” Zatanna mumbled something but the stone hand was still as tight as it could be around her mouth. “Oh don’t you worry, you’ll be there to see it all. After I take your abilities, I have other plans for you.” Ligur ran his fingers down Zatanna’s leg with a sleazy grin. “Come now, we must prepare!” Two grayish looking trolls slipped out of the shadows fand walked over to where John Zatara was being prepped for the ritual. They were short and pudgy, they teeth looked like they could pierce anything.
One of the creepy looking trolls emerged from a back room carrying a tablet which seemed to glow as the moonlight hit it.
“The Tablet of Verro.” Ligur said taking the tablet from his small hairy troll servant. “You wouldn’t believe how many people I had to kill for this.” Zatanna could sense in his voice that he had enjoyed it. “Soon I’ll have the power of two Zataras flowing through this tablet and I’ll be unstoppable.” Ligur said placing the tablet onto an alter as the moon was slowly getting into position.
Zatanna’s heart was breaking, watching as they prepped her father. She needed to do something or needed some kind of miracle to get out of this. Stranger had been sucked into some kind of black hole and her dad was out of it. She had to think of something to get out, but she was beginning to lose hope.
Just above Zatara’s head, a small black vortex appeared out of thin air. It began to grow in size every few seconds. Zatanna couldn’t tell if it was Ligur’s doing or if it was something else. She tried to shake loose from the grips of the stone constructs but seemed to get tighter with every move she made. Finally Zatanna saw a white glove appear and reach out touching John Zatara’s head. Zatanna could see a white light emanating from the gloved hand. She recognized that had, it was the Phantom Stranger; but how was he able to reopen the black hole, she wondered. Ligur smug face changed to anger when he saw the black hole had been reopened.
“STOP HIM!” Ligur shouted to his minions as they jumped up onto the slab of rock Zatara was laying on and into the portal knocking the Stranger back in, sealing it off.
“I don’t know what he just did, but start the ritual now!” Ligur stormed back over to the tablet and began preparing. The moon was almost in position. Zatanna still helpless wondered what Stranger had done; he could have at least freed her. Ligur appeared at the alter with the tablet standing at the feet of Zatara. He began chanting some language Zatanna had never heard before. She watched as a pentagram began etching itself into Ligur’s chest. Zatanna couldn’t bear to watch, but out of the corner of her eye she saw her father’s eye’s open. With a loud shout, a burst of energy filled the room knocking Ligur back and knocking the tablet to the ground.
Zatanna’s eyes lit up and watched the pulse of white energy cascaded over her disintegrating the rock hands. She jumped to her feet as quick as she could and watched as her father stood up on the rock slab with his hands glowing with mystical energy.
“NO!” Ligur shouted. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” He turned his attention to Zatanna. “It’s because of you this all happened.” He began to charge at Zatanna.
“You will not touch her.” Zatara’s voice echoed throughout the chamber. He raised his hand and another pulse of energy shot from it and into Ligur, knocking him through a wall.
“Dad!” Zatanna rushed over to hug her father. She had forgotten what it was like to be in his arms; she had missed it.
“I see you’ve learned a few things about me?” He said with a playful smile.
“I don’t think this is the best time for a family meeting.” Zatanna said as Ligur pushed the rubble off of him and stood his ground.
“Well isn’t this just nice. Father and daughter together again. A shame you’ll both die together.” Ligur snapped his fingers again and the whole room began to tremble. A giant Golem appeared inside the chamber. Its hulking body stood over 12 feet tall and its eyes were a blood red color. It began walking towards them; with every step it took the entire chamber shook. “Make it quick.” Ligur’s arrogance was apparent. Zatara began chanting as mystical beams of light shot from his hands at the Golem. As the beams hit the Golem, they seemed to just absorb into its massive body. Both Zatanna and her father had a look of disbelief on their faces as it had no effect.
“Um dad....Any ideas?” She asked as they back peddled and marveled at the giant rock Golem
.
“Not in the least.” Zatara noticed the tablet had been knocked from Ligur’s hand when he had blasted him and lying beside the slab of rock in the middle of the room. “I’ll deal with this, you grab the tablet.”
Zatanna didn’t want to leave her father’s side, but when she looked into his eyes she just seemed to be put at ease as if everything was going to be alright.
“Ok.” She said as the massive Golem had just about cornered the,. She figured if magic didn’t have any effect, she could at least slow it down. “Seniv elgnat teef.” Vines began cracking through the bottom of the floor and tangling themselves around the Golem’s feet slowing down enough for Zatanna to slip by. As the Golem struggled to break free of the vines, her father kept trying to come up with a way to get rid of the Golem but nothing seemed to be working.
Ligur was watching from the distance when he noticed Zatanna was going after the tablet, which he had completely forgotten about. He was too focused on recharging himself since creating the Golem drained a lot of his power. The tablet was his only way to transfer was going to be able to work and he needed to get to it before her. They both made a dash and reached the tablet at the same time. Both pulling at it like magnetic opposites.
Zatara was still dodging the Golem’s wild swings and tangling it with more and more vines. Zatara watched as the Golem seemed to get angry and angrier. It made a deafening roar and busted through the vines throwing a quick back hand into Zatara throwing him clear across the room. Zatanna heard a loud thud and turned back to see her dad up against the wall slumped over. The Golem turned his attention back to Zatanna and began making its way over to help its master.
“DAD!” Rage began to bubble up inside of her.
Zatanna closed her eyes and “Skrowerif edolpxe.” A small firework ignited into the air in between her and Ligur and let off a bright explosion. A blinding light filled the room blinding Ligur causing him to stagger backwards and let go of the tablet. Zatanna felt he had let go and kicked him in the stomach, putting everything she could into it and knocking him over the slab of rock in the middle of the room.
She could sense the Golem getting closer and closer and as she turned around she saw the Golem swinging his giant rocky fist at her. Zatanna understood what people say about seeing their life flash before their eyes just before they die. She could see both her parents on Christmas morning and the joy of opening presents, she saw the nights she would sit with her mother would and watch movies as they did each other’s hair. She began flashing on every great thing she had ever experienced until she felt a calm come over her as she awaited the punch.
Before the punch connected she instinctively held up the tablet to take the brunt of the blow. The tablet shattered into small pieces that sent a jolt of pure magical energy through the room and the Golem dissolving him into thin air. Zatanna opened one eye and looked around cautiously to see what had happened to the Golem.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting that.” She chuckled nervously. Zatanna heard Ligur stumble to his feet.
“What have you done? You are going to pay for this you little wench.” Ligur’s energy was still drained, but it was still enough for one of his palms flare up with a small fireball.
“I don’t think so.” Zatara walked up behind his daughter with his white dress shirt ruffled and put his hand on her shoulder. “You won’t dare touch my daughter. “ Ligur huffed as the fireball slowly extinguished knowing he couldn’t take both of them.
“Don’t think this is the last time you’ll see me. I’ll be a constant thorn in your side until I will get what I want…Just ask your mother.” He said with a disturbing smile. Zatanna’s face turned pale at the thought he had something to do with her mother. Smoke began billowing up beneath him as he faded away into the smoke as it drifted through the skylight.
“What did he mean by that?” Zatanna asked since she hadn’t seen her mother in almost fifteen years. Zatara just reached out and pulled his daughter close and hugged her.
“Nothing you have to worry about.” He placed his chin on top of her head and stroked her hair with a concerned look on his face. “Let’s get out of here.”
--
Zatanna sat in her room in Shadowcrest looking at the picture of her and her dad. She was glad to have him back, but wasn’t sure what the future would hold. Ligur was still out there and has some connection to her mother. The door to her room slowly opened.
“You still up?” Her father’s voice was still soothing after all this time.
“Yeah I’m just still trying to process what all happened today. “ She said placing the picture back on her night stand.
“When I get back we’ll talk about everything…Deal?” Zatanna was confused.
“Leave? You just came back.”
“I know… Phantom Stranger found some kind of disturbance in Paris that he needs help with.” Zatanna was disappointed but knew he was helping saving lives. “It shouldn’t take too long.” He leaned over and kissed Zatanna on the forehead. “I’ll see you when I get back.” He said as he closed the door behind him.
Zatanna laid down in the bed and curled up with her nice warm blankets. She was glad her dad was back and glad to be going back to her normal life tomorrow until she realized she had an exam the next morning. She let out a slight moan and closed her eyes. She knew this had everything, but knew she’d be ready for it.
