Chapter 50

Zatanna Zatara had a long night last night. She woke up, half-asleep, only to jolt awake and come face to face with someone who she had not seen in years.

"Greta?" Zatanna asked.

Zatanna rubbed her eyes, to try and clear the cobwebs. She was not seeing things in a half delirious state, rather seeing Greta Hayes, Secret, now older than the first time she met the girl, practically an older teenager, when hovering against her.

Greta leaned closer towards Zatanna. Something about this seemed unsettling to Zatanna.

"So, some kind of secret, again?" Zatanna asked. "Right?"

"She's watching,' Greta whispered.

Instantly, all of the hairs on the back of Zatanna's neck stood up. A flash of light, followed by a portal ripping open. A large, ugly demon came into the room and dove at Zatanna, trying to grab onto her.

Now wide awake, Zatanna launched herself into action and moved for duck and cover.

"Yfidilos!" Zatanna yelled.

The bed sheets which had been ripped off of the bed turned into large stone wall. The demo smashed through the stone and sent it flying into thousands of tiny little fragments. Charging Zatanna, the demon grabbed ahold of her, almost squeezing Zatanna hard by the neck.

She released his attack. A terrified Greta watched as Zatanna repelled some of the beast's attacks. The contents of her room had been set on fire.

A blast of light erupted through the room, and Harry arrived, bringing down a magical attack down upon the creature. The creature stepped back, only to see Doctor Fate appear in the room. She reflected the demon back into the room.

"What is that thing?" Zatanna asked.

"One of the guardians of Limbo," Doctor Fate said. "The imbalance allowed it to slip through, it must be brought back."

"Right, good idea."

Joan Constantine appeared in Zatanna's room. The magic user spread her arms and muttered some incantation to trap the demon. A portal on the ground opened up.

"Back to Limbo to you, you foul beast!" Constantine yelled.

Doctor Fate gave a little boost and the creature had been sealed back into the portal.

"Right, we do have a problem here, with the imbalance," Constantine said. "More of them are going to come, although the real question is, why did they come after you?"

"I don't know," Zatanna said.

"Maybe something you old man did, or maybe your mum?" Constantine asked.

Zatanna blinked, and supposed it was a possibility. She did not know much about her mother, although she was out of Zatanna's life since she was very young. She took in a deep breath and Greta, remaining there, and Harry looking around the room.

Oh yes, something very unsettling about this room, as the magic users could tell just by inhaling the magic in the air.

In the next room, Harry paced. He turned to Greta, who took in a deep breath.

"I just barely got away from a bad place," Greta said in a quiet voice. "The demonic entities, they want my...gift...my secret..where I can go between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead, if I please. He learned from….Billy….about me...and now they're after me."

"Billy, Harm, your brother?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Greta agreed. "His name is Belasco….."

"Oh, Belasco, you've really got into now haven't you?" Constantine mused. "A right bastard of a demon, likes little girls a bit too much. He entices them and uses them...in ways which would give you nightmares, as a way to enhance his power. Of course, if he only sacrifices them, they would be so lucky, because the few he keeps around to satisfy his urges…."

The door opened up and John Zatara arrived, looking a bit ragged. White hair, a long beard, and looking like he aged about fifty years in the last three, since the time he arrived.

"Dad?" Zatanna asked.

"Hello, Zatanna," John said with a weakened voice.

"You're...you're not well, you…."

"I traveled the world to try and reverse it, but I've found nothing," John said. "My body is going and in a matter of days, my mind along with it, and I may not have much longer than that, before I expire. I wanted to say goodbye, and say how proud I am of you."

It had been the moment Zatanna dreaded for a few years. But not one she looked forward to.

"Is there anything anyone can do?" Zatanna asked.

"Afraid not," Constantine said. "Old Giovanni...well the bastard isn't as fluid as I was, in the same situation. The strength of his magic is the only thing which kept him along for so long, because others weren't so lucky, thanks to that misguided girl's attack."

"Well, Constantine, thought you seemed familiar," Zatara said. "And I guess the rumors are true, you are….."

"Biologically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually female, mate," Constantine interjected. "Although, as you might see, I'm still no lady, even with the gender realignment. In fact, I can be a right cunt. Fortunately, it's to these demons."

"So, is there any reason why you're here?" Zatara asked. "You don't…."

"We think old Belasco is making another play to extend Limbo to the world of mortals," Constantine said.

"Belasco," Zatara quietly said.

Something about Zatara's mood darkened when the demon's name had been brought up. Almost like if they had encountered each other before, and it had been nothing to live to.

"Doctor Fate, Hadrian, and myself are obviously going to head there and deal with the problem" Constantine said.

"And I will as well," Zatanna said.

She looked at her father, who surprised Zatanna by not putting up any argument.

"I won't stop you, but I will caution you to be careful," Zatara said. "And besides, it will be unwise to condemn you for the same thing that I'm going to be doing, because I'm going to head to Limbo alongside you...scores have to be settled….and I still have enough life in me for one last mission to save the world from hell."

Zatanna and Harry looked nervously.

"Right, time to prepare," Harry said. "I need something from my room, Zee could you help me?"

"Okay," Zatanna said.

Zatanna and Harry arrived in Harry's room, for Harry to grab a few things. Seconds passed before Zatanna finally spoke up.

"Okay, I'll be the one to address the elephant in my room," Zatanna said. "You know, about Dad, and the death wish he seems to have."

"When he sets his mind to something, I doubt there's anything that you can do to stop him," Harry said. "And he could no longer be with the League, and you have to feel that it's eating him up inside."

"That doesn't mean he shuld go on a mission that will get him killed," Zatanna said.

Harry was sensitive enough to Zatanna's concerns not to bring up the fact Zatara was already on the edge of death, his magic decaying, alongside his mind and body. Harry snapped together a gauntlet which would pack enough of a charge for him.

"I can't guarantee you nothing will happen," Harry said. "But, we have Constantine and we got Doctor Fate here and…"

Greta floated into the room. She had a funny expression on her face and Harry and Zatanna stared at her.

"Greta?" Zatanna asked.

Greta said nothing, crinkling up her nose.

"You want to try," Zatanna said. "Because, you're the only one she ever says more than two words to."

"Greta, what's going on?" Harry asked. "Is another portal opening?"

"You should stay away from Limbo," Greta said in a voice very different from her own.

Zatanna blinked and she could not believe it.

"Mom?" Zatanna asked.

"Zee…."

"She spoke in my mother's voice, I know I haven't heard it in years, but it has to be her," Zatanna said. "There's a chance, she still lives…."

"It could be a demon, trying to play with your emotions," Harry warned her.

A real possibility, but Zatanna clung desperately onto any kind of hope she could.

"And what if it isn't, what if it's her?" Zatanna asked. "Dad seemed to take Belasco personally...what if he's the reason why Mom disappeared all of those years ago?"

"You heard, Constantine, Belasco has an obsession for young girls, and your mother, was very much a woman," Harry said.

Naturally, Zatanna just shrugged off Harry's words. Harry packed a few more things together. Stubborn attitudes had been a common trait in the Zatara family, by the looks of things.

"Greta, are you back?"

"Was I gone?" Greta asked.

"So you don't know who used your body as a conduit?" Harry pressed on.

"I didn't know...someone used me," Greta said with fear creeping in her usually soft and even voice. "That means...the barriers are coming down."

That never could be good, especially with magic.

The moment Zatanna and Harry had been ready to leave, they had another visitor. Nora Darhk, popping up and oh boy, Constantine's eyes narrowed the second she locked onto Nora's.

"Why is it, when they're seedy magical goings on, someone with the last name Darhk is bound to be involved?" Constantine asked.

"Well, Constantine, you look different than the last time we met," Nora said. "New haircut?"

Nora decided to come over and greet Harry with a brief, but passionate kiss. Which caused Constantine to frown.

"Was that really necessary?" Constantine asked.

"No, just fun to see the look on your face," Nora said. "But...we have...a bit of an issue."

"Yes, the issue is you took chaos energies which you can't hold on your own," Doctor Fate said.

"Yes, I know, and it's getting worse," Nora said. "Once, Trigon held my leash, he could help me temper the energies. But over the past couple of years, it had been harder to do so. And I've tried to do so and things have worked, for a short time, but I fear...this latest…."

"I'll cut to the chase," Constantine said. "This latest dimensional break is because you were arrogant enough to think you could control powers beyond your comprehension. The apple doesn't far from the tree there, like daughter, like Daddy. But, you'd think you would learn because your father's arrogance ended up with you being Trigon's bitch. And now you're going to bring down the walls…."

"I'm trying to correct it," Nora said. "Of course, unlike some people in this room, I don't get little girls sent to Hell."

Oh, the temperature in the room just dropped a few degrees.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand, witch," Constantine said.

Oh boy, tension, and not the good kind.

"Joan, could I speak to you, for just one second?" Harry asked.

Constantine broke away from the conversation and joined to Harry.

"Sorry, but that entire family gets me riled up," Constantine said.

"Yeah, but Nora's turned over a new leaf and she wants to do better," Harry said. "I trust…."

One hand rose up to silence Harry mid sentence.

"Look, luv, if you want to stick your dick in crazy, that's your body, your life, your choices," Constantine bluntly said. "But…."

"You feel it," Doctor Fate said. "If her magic breaks down, order will no longer be order, without chaos properly channeled to set it. Of course, there's a chance that her sanity will break down before her body does. No one mortal vessel could hold that kind of power for too long. Klarion was only able to hold it because he embraced the sanity which chaos brought."

"Yeah, and because he was quite frankly nuttier than Squirrel diarrhea.," Constantine said.

"And either you let me come alongside you to Limbo, or I'll go myself,' Nora said. "And if Belasco captures me, and uses the power of chaos to destroy the barriers, then you will only have yourself to blame."

"Fine,' Constantine said. "Everyone stand back."

Zatara joined him and Zatanna looked at him. She had no time to talk to her father about the real reason why he wanted to head into Limbo.

"You should have told me," Harry murmured to Nora.

"Sorry, I have a really bad habit about not wanting to get others involved with my problems, and you have more than enough to deal with," Nora said.

"You remind me of someone I used to know," Harry said. "And that's not a compliment."

Nora just tightened her grip around Harry's arm. She had not told him about another thing, but the timing just did not seem to be right for that one either.

A portal opened up and the entire party, Zatanna, Zatara, Doctor Fate, Constantine, Secret, Harry, and Nora vanished with a pop.

They arrived. No trouble, but just an unsettling feeling.

"I have something to tell you," Nora whispered. "Trigon, he sent a friend of mine here when I was younger...to get me to comply with him."

"I figured this was a bit more personal than your powers breaking down," Harry said. "You knew where she was this whole time, didn't you? And you've been free from Trigon for almost two and a half years?"

"Yes, I know I should have gone after her," Nora said. "But, it's a lot longer in here, then it is out there."

Magic could be odd with the passage of time. Nora stood forward and they walked.

"So, I can feel it, the cracks in the realm, and they're only getting deeper," Constantine said.

'Yes, the barriers governing order and chaos are there,' Doctor Fate said. "But, you, Eleanor Darhk, have the power to correct Fate's imbalance, but it will only be a measure. Until you find someone who could hold the burden, then you will…."

"I'll help you,' Harry said.

"I will as well," Zatanna said.

"No, I've got it, I can do it,' Nora said. "She's closer, too close in fact."

"She's around the corner," Greta said.

Nora did not think she was that close. She nervously twitched and Harry helped her.

They stepped around the corner. Zatara and Zatanna both gasped when they came across a familiar face. Blonde and kneeling against some rune stones which crackled with energy when she held them. The strain on her face had been obviously, but she had been suspended in time, having not aged.

"Sindella?" Zatara asked.

"Mom?" Zatanna asked. "It was...you…."

Sindella appeared to be unable to speak at the present moment. Harry heard whispers, and something rattling from behind the rune stones which she held back with all of her magical might.

"We have to find a way to free her," Zatanna said. "She's in pain."

"Your mother made this choice a long time ago, Zatanna," Zatara said. "Because, she wanted to protect the world from a demonic invasion which would threaten everyone, especially you."

"You never told me this!"

Zatara flinched ever so slightly at his daughter's words.

"She asked me not to, you were better off to believe she died in an accident," Zatara said. "Of course, smart girl you are, you never believed it."

A hiss echoed out of the stones and sparks of magic filtered into the room. Nora pressed her fingers against it.

"Yep, whatever she's holding back, it's leaking through," Nora said.

"You shouldn't have come," Sindella breathed. "I warned you to stay away."

"Mom, we should...we should get you out of it," Zatanna said. "Constantine, please tell me there's a way….."

"Not without opening a Pandora's box and releasing demons into the world," Constantine said. "I'm sorry, Zatanna, but there's just….."

"Nora!"

Oh Nora turned around to see a tall, attractive blonde haired woman dressed in black appearing. She wielded a sword.

"Illyana," Nora muttered. "I'm so….."

Nora flew back down to the ground and Illyana almost hit her as hard as possible. The darkness surrounding her almost choked Nora out. She had been tainted, Nora knew the aura anywhere. Belasco had chosen her, groomed her for the purpose of leading his legions into the world.

Harry and Zatanna knocked Illyana away from Nora. She recovered instantly from the high impact blast of magic, not a scratch on her.

"You will pay for what you've done," Illyana said. "All of you will pay."

A barrier blocked Constantine, Zatara, and Doctor Fate. Illyana engaged Harry, Nora, and Zatanna in battle, and she was extremely powerful with the three of them struggling to keep at arm's length from some very deadly spells.

Just when Nora thought she banished all of the demons from her life, a very personal demon came back to smite her.