Thread: Empire - City of Magic (Black_Out and darkest_fate)

Why didn't we move? It was a quest i on that Zatanna Zatara had asked her father for years as they lived in Empire City, a city once so grand and majestic in some far flung past that outdated all its mortal residences. Why here? Why not go somewhere else? Somewhere... brighter... better . The young, or, well, younger Zatanna had questioned that herself, living under her magician father, watching as he worked with various superhero organizations to try and restore crime and order. Their family had that mystic spark, that ability to tap into the arcane forces that secretly drove this world. And it was because of that ability that they often stated. The city needed a Zatara present, it needed someone to watch the arcane pathways and trace the magics and simply to keep the city save. Because it's our home . Had also so frequently been the answer. Apparently the family had lived in this cesspool long enough that the roots went deep. Zatanna was fairly certain there were other reasons, reasons that she didn't want to think about. Like what happened to her mother. Or how her father had so many nemeses here. Thoughts like that which made her smile, even now. Magic had wrapped her presence edih em morf gniyrp seye, having been one of the first spells that Zatanna had mastered. Slight shame, since she knew she looked good . Tight black jeans hung low enough on her hips to just start showing hipbones. A loose black belt with silver studs hung around her, more for apparent decoration though she'd learned that having a few potential tricks on hand never hurt hence the chain she'd looped around a belt loop. A span of lightly defined abs showed before a white corset-style crop-top. Long fishnet gloves covered most of her arms, leaving her fingers free to work. The deep raven hair had been swept back from her sharp blue eyes, kept in place by a simple headband. A loose dark coat hung over it all, holding off the worst of Empire's shitty weather. The girl had mastered several spells that would all be useful in weaponizing much of her outfit, her lips practically moving in practice for them. Her first real mission. She'd hit eighteen barely a week ago, that age of maturity, the age where she was allowed to go out on her own and start policing the streets. As with so many, she'd side-kicked first, going with her father, Giovanni Zatara. And she'd been really fucking good at it quicker at improvising spells than her father, though he argued she tended toward flashy and a little slapdash. She didn't disagree she just thought that worked best, particularly when dealing with these sorts. and she'd heard about this for some time. There were several sites she suspected, but this one had the most.... unusual circumstances around it. Too much dark buildup, too many missing people. Her father thought it slightly beneath his notice, which just made Zatanna all the more determined to prove him otherwise. Wohs em taht hcihw si neddih, she whispered, summoning just a hint of magic. Her eyes flashed with arcane purpose, letting her begin tracing markings. The cult had left their trail upon the walls of the tunnel through which Zatanna walked. She stepped carefully, angling her heeled boots so as to not disturb or fall. She could see their hints, their signs, and she was beginning to discern their purpose. But she couldn't quite shake a feeling that surely they wouldn't leave such an area unguarded. That would just give her proof... but where is it?