Chapter 28: Zatara’s Rage

It was night time and Sora's apartment was deathly quiet, more quiet than usual.

He had given Zatanna an ultimatum a few hours earlier to which she had requested some time to think about it.

She currently occupied the living room, sitting on the couch with a solemn face and her eyes unfocused.

The book she normally had opened couldn't grab her attention. Nothing filled her mind except for the choice that was in front of her.

Meanwhile, Sora busied himself in his study by drawing seals. He was preparing for the inevitable confrontation that was about to happen.

A seal tag that was in a protective display case on the table shone lowly for a while before slowly pulsing dully.

'It's almost time.' He thought as he increased his drawing speed, finishing the current tag he was working on.

*BOOM!*

The moment he finished it, the apartment building shook heavily. Without wasting any time, he blurred into the now dark living room where he was met with two other faces.

A middle-aged man with green eyes and prominent black mustache. He wore three layers of clothing, which consists of a white shirt with a red bow-tie attached, over which there is a yellow vest, which is finally topped by a black blazer.

He was Giovanni Zatara.

The other person was someone everyone who had a brain would figure out from the first glance. The pointed black ears and the logo on his chest gave his identity away.

The four people stood opposite each other in a standoff for a full minute, Zatanna standing a few feet behind Sora and Zatara in front of Batman.

"Release my daughter!" Zatara roared, not able to hold himself anymore.

"At what point did I kidnap your daughter?" Sora retorted, carefully choosing his words.

"When you took her from our home and brought her here! Do you know how long I've been searching for her!?" The adult magician screamed at Sora who displayed an impassive face.

"Do you think your disguise will fool me? I don't know how you managed to do it but you will pay for taking her!" Zatara declared, raising his hand towards Sora as lightning shot out of it.

"Ughhh!!!"

The bolt of lightning struck Sora in the chest causing him to grunt in pain. Unexpectedly, the lightning seemed to bend as it curved around his body, binding his body.

"Dad stop! Stop this!" Zatanna yelled out, watching Sora writhe in pain as he struggled to remain standing.

The lightning ceased it's shocking effect, now feeling like normal binds. He stopped more out of shock of her voice than pity.

"My baby girl! You're safe now." He said before taking a step towards her only for her to take one back. Batman simply watched everything unfold from behind Zatara.

"Zatanna…my ba-" He tried to say but Zatanna interrupted him.

"Let him go." She said softly but it was still heard.

"W-what I-I don't understand! He t-"

"Let him go, now." She interrupted again, firmly this time around.

He looked taken aback by his daughter's attitude. Before he could even consider whether to let him go, he felt his body go still.

He tries moving it but to no avail. He wanted to turn to Batman but he had a feeling he was also experiencing the same thing.

'I can feel magic…or whatever this is…holding us in place. Wher-' Just when he wanted to make sense of things, the bound Sora burst into a puddle of water, leaving the floor wet.

"Be careful where you aim that thing. You might actually hit someone." A voice from behind them said from the corner of the living room.

More specifically, the corner behind Batman whose eyes glanced there briefly.

"You think you can attack me in my own home? Don't joke with me." He said as he stepped out of the shadows that somehow hid his form.

The force holding both adults to the floor didn't let up one bit as the boy walked towards them.

"Is this how the great Zatara treats an innocent civilian?" He asked, now standing in front of them.

"Don't try to act innocent. You kidnapped my daughter and hid her-"

"He didn't kidnap me." Zatanna's clear voice cut through Zatara's rant. With their bodies unable to move, the eyes of the two adults turned to the girl.

"I was the one who ran away, he had nothing to do with that. In fact, he saved me." She said, her voice growing more confident.

"You're out of your mind. We're going home where we will discuss the issue of your blatant disobedience and disregard for my authority." Zatara said before chanting inaudibly.

The sound of glass shattering was heard as he and Batman regained control of their bodies.

"As for you, I will make sure you never lay a hand on my daughter again." He said towards Sora.

"I don't think so." Zatanna said firmly as her eyes narrowed, moving to stand beside Sora who smirked.

"Come." He said with a mocking smirk that infuriated the mature magician.

As if his words were a signal, Zatara's fingers shot out a bolt of lightning at Sora. Before it could reach him, it lost its static nature, falling to the floor like a puddle of liquid.

Sora's eyes glanced behind him to see Zatanna's hand stretched out and her eyes narrowed in concentration.

'It seems she has made her choice. Zatara, had you waited even a day longer, you might have successfully convinced her to go with you but you were too impatient.' He thought.

With a flick of his wrist, a tag was sent flying to Zatara. The man held up his hand, freezing it in mid air but it was already too late.

The tag shone out a blinding light, temporarily cutting off Zatara's sight. He immediately erected a shield bubble around himself.

By the time he regained his sight, he was met with Sora in front of him, the back of his knuckles digging into stomach as he lost control of his shield and was sent out.

Sora had used the flash as a diversion before diving in close right as he brought up his shield, trapping them both inside it.

He looked at the man who got up in an angry daze, already chanting. The building began to shake as a golden light slowly appeared in front of Zatara.

Just being this close to the magic, Sora felt something dangerous from it that made his hair stand in ends. He discreetly took out a tag from his inventory, ready to be used.

Before anything more could happen, Batman who had been observing from the beginning put his hand on Zatara's shoulder, fixing him with a hard look.

"Calm down." His gravely voice said with authority.

The man looked conflicted as his gaze flickered from Batman to Sora. Under the compulsion from the look, he seized his chant, ending the spell.

What neither of them noticed was the glow in Sora's eyes that receded as the spell was cancelled.

"You're too emotional right now. You need to calm down before you'll do anything you'll regret." Batman said solemnly.

"What do yo-" Zatara started before widening his eyes as he made eye contact with his daughter.

The look of shock and fear in her eyes, both directed at him and at his actions. She removed her eyes from his as he stretched out his hands towards her.

More apparent was the stance she was in, she was ready to fight him. His heart broke from such a scene. His hand dropped to his side almost lifelessly.

"Now let's sort this out, calmly." The dark knight said, emphasizing on the last word.