Rachel stayed at Metropolis Hospital, keeping a vigilant watch over her mother.
Her mother had been trapped in the Fairytale Queen's "Fairytale Kingdom" for some time. While her body had escaped physical harm, the severe drain on her mental energy had left her in a deep coma, which was why she was now in the hospital ward.
Rachel sat beside her mother, her attention divided between the steady rise and fall of her mother's chest and the black magic tome in her hands.
The book, which she had secretly taken from Adrian, fascinated her. Though Zatanna had taught her much about magic before, Rachel found herself drawn to this darker, more dangerous form. Perhaps her interest stemmed from the stories Adrian had shared about the ancient, forbidden powers he had studied, powers steeped in shadows and whispers of the unknown.
As she read, the door to the ward suddenly opened. Rachel looked up and saw her brother, Clark, whom she had not seen in months.
"Clark!" she exclaimed, her surprise giving way to relief.
Clark, looking slightly fatigued, smiled faintly at her. He walked over to their mother's bedside, studying her sleeping form.
"Is Mom okay?" he asked gently.
"She's fine. She woke up briefly to eat, then fell back asleep," Rachel replied.
Clark nodded, absorbing the information.
"Where have you been all this time, Clark? Why didn't you come back sooner?" Rachel asked, setting the book aside.
"I went somewhere I could think," Clark said softly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her face. "A lot has happened in such a short time. I needed to calm down… and it's not just me. Others needed a moment too."
Rachel frowned. "But why are you against Adrian?"
Clark's gaze softened. "I just don't want him to go down the wrong path. Ever since Father passed, Adrian's heart has changed. He has grown disillusioned with this world. When someone swings from one extreme to another, it's often a reflection of their inner struggle, and many of their actions aren't truly who they are."
Rachel shook her head, confused. "I don't understand."
Clark sighed and set his glasses aside. Seeing that Rachel did not press further, he dropped the subject.
He looked back at their mother and then spoke again. "I'm planning to take Mom out of Metropolis for a while. Rachel… do you want to come with me?"
Rachel's brow furrowed. "Why do we have to leave?" She could not see any danger that warranted their departure.
"Adrian needs time to reflect on his current choices. He's… not himself right now. For your safety, and Mom's, you must leave," Clark explained.
Rachel lowered her head, silent for a moment. Then, her eyes flashed with an intensity beyond her years.
"No," she said firmly. "I won't let you take Mom away."
Clark stared, surprised.
"You always say Adrian is wrong, but you're never right in how you decide for him. I don't understand what a wrong path truly is, but I know this: Adrian always puts his family first. If Father hadn't left, he wouldn't be the way he is now."
She paused, her voice rising with conviction.
"I remember Mom saying that when you, Clark, wore the red kryptonite ring, you lost yourself. It was Adrian who brought you back. So if you believe he's wrong, why not help him as he helped you, instead of running away, taking Mom and me away?"
Black energy began to gather in her hands, the aura around her pulsing like a living shadow.
"Or is it that you, Clark, have never truly considered anyone but yourself? Mom said Adrian is like a wounded fawn. No matter what happens, she won't abandon him, and neither will I. Even if the world falls, I won't."
Her voice resonated with a power that belied her age. "I won't let you take Mom away!"
The shadows around her surged, striking Clark with overwhelming force. He was knocked backward through the room, smashing into the wall and shattering glass.
Rachel's eyes had turned completely black, and a swirling mist of darkness rose around her, lifting her into the air.
With a roar, she burst from the ward, soaring like a raven across the city.
Clark struggled to react, but the shadows enveloped her lower half, forming a dark, flowing robe that trailed behind her like smoke.
Her fist shot forward with the force of a cannon. Clark barely managed to block the initial strike, grunting under the sudden assault.
Seeing that her energy projection had limited effect, Rachel's determination only intensified. She hovered, suspended in midair, and began to chant the arcane words she had read from Adrian's tome.
"Azarath," she intoned, her voice ringing with dark power.
The black mist around her thickened, growing wild, ready to engulf anything in its path.
Her eyes locked on Adrian's brother.
^_________^
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