Knock, knock, knock.
Adrian was still examining the key to Kara's spaceship when the sound came at the door.
Even without using his x ray vision, he already knew who it was. Rachel's footsteps were unmistakable.
"Come in, the door is not locked."
The door opened slowly. Rachel stepped inside with careful movements, wearing a light yellow dress with a cartoon pattern. She looked around first, then walked toward him like she was trying not to disturb the air itself.
Adrian glanced at her.
"I can already see you, Rachel. You do not need to walk like you are sneaking through enemy territory."
Rachel stuck out her tongue, a little embarrassed. "I just did not want to disturb your rest, big brother."
"I usually sleep late. It is only ten. You should be the one in bed."
He placed the key on the table, then gently pulled her closer by the hand so she stood beside him.
"You only look like that when you are hiding something. What did you do this time?"
Rachel immediately shook her head. "Nothing."
Then she puffed her cheeks. "I just came to check if you were hurt. I can heal injuries and even take away pain, remember?"
She spoke proudly, as if presenting a skill.
"When you fought that monster earlier, I thought you might have been injured without noticing."
She placed her hands over his.
"I can feel it. The damage, and something else too. Pain, emotions, things like that. It is like something alive inside you."
A dark energy slowly seeped from her body.
It wrapped around Adrian's hands, then flowed into him.
A cool sensation spread through his body, like something heavy being washed away from the inside.
Adrian exhaled slightly.
Rachel opened her eyes. "It worked, right?"
"You are absorbing negative emotions," Adrian said, studying her carefully. "How far can you sense them?"
"Not far yet," she admitted. "Only strong emotions. Happiness, sadness, fear."
"I see."
He paused.
"This ability is still developing. It is not just Trigon's power, is it?"
Rachel scratched her head. "I do not think so. At least, I do not feel anything like him when I use it."
That name alone made Adrian's expression slightly sharper, but he stayed composed.
Rachel suddenly brightened. "Also, I can push this energy into other people. They see what they fear most. Spiders, snakes, anything scary."
She hesitated. "I have not tested it yet."
"Do not test it," Adrian said immediately. "You might kill someone without meaning to."
Rachel nodded quickly. "Okay, okay. I was just curious."
She lowered her voice. "I just wanted to tell you first. At school, I have to pretend I am normal. I even have to lie to Sophia about everything. It is tiring."
She looked down. "I do not really fit in. I do not care about the things they talk about, but I still have to act like I do."
Her voice softened.
"Maybe school is not for me, big brother."
She looked up again. "Can I stop going?"
"No," Adrian replied without hesitation.
Rachel blinked.
"If you stop school, what then? Hanging around Bart Allen and Jenna every day?"
Her expression froze.
"If that happens, you will become worse than them in a week."
He turned away and picked up his coffee cup.
The bitter taste grounded him.
Rachel watched him quietly, then spoke again.
"There is something else."
Adrian did not turn. "Go on."
"Your magic books," she said carefully. "The ones on your shelf… they are gone. And the book that sealed the Fairy Queen is also gone."
Adrian slowly set his cup down.
"Do not tell me you took them."
"I did not!" Rachel said quickly, waving her hands. "I swear I did not!"
Adrian looked at her for a moment.
Then he turned away again. "Then let us say you had nothing to do with it."
Rachel frowned. "What does that even mean?"
Adrian ignored the question.
He leaned slightly against the table. "Magic is not simple, Rachel. The kind you are learning comes from two sources. Trigon's bloodline, and Zatanna's teachings."
He turned serious.
"Magic always has a price. Always. You need to understand what you are dealing with before it consumes you."
Rachel nodded slowly. "I understand."
"No, you do not fully understand yet," Adrian said.
His gaze drifted toward her room through the wall, seeing the hidden books inside her drawer.
He did not expose her.
Instead, he continued.
"Every power has a cost. Magic is no exception."
Rachel hesitated. "Brother… your magic is strong too, right?"
"I do not use magic," Adrian said.
Rachel tilted her head. "But Zatanna said most magic does not work on you. Some even call you a Magician's Bane."
Adrian gave a faint expressionless look.
"That is not magic. That is something else."
He reached into the drawer and pulled out a strange sheet of paper.
Stars moved across it like a living sky.
"This was not created by me," he said. "It is something I obtained."
Rachel leaned closer.
Adrian focused.
"The beginning of magic was not chaos. It was creation."
The paper shifted.
A vast cosmic image appeared.
A massive female figure floated in space, surrounded by light.
"This is the Trinity Goddess."
Rachel stared in silence.
"She was the first consciousness born from magic itself," Adrian continued. "She created a barrier between our universe and the Dark Multiverse. Then she granted magic to humanity."
The image shifted again.
Civilizations rose. Gods appeared.
"All gods originate from her influence."
Rachel listened closely, leaning slightly into him without realizing it.
Adrian continued.
"She eventually accepted Hades from Greek mythology and became part of Olympus."
The scene changed.
Then it darkened.
"She was betrayed."
Rachel's eyes widened slightly as the vision showed her imprisonment.
Adrian's voice stayed steady.
"Those she empowered feared her. They sealed her away."
Rachel whispered, "What happened after that?"
Adrian paused briefly.
"Her grief turned into hatred."
The image changed again.
Darkness spread across the cosmos.
"She broke the barrier between universes and introduced darker forms of magic into reality."
Rachel's grip tightened slightly on his arm as she watched.
"She became Hecate."
A pause.
"She divided her power into five vessels."
Rachel blinked. "Who were they?"
Adrian replied calmly.
"Manitou Dawn, Witchfire, Black Orchid, Circe."
Then he added.
"And Wonder Woman."
Rachel immediately sat up. "Diana?!"
Adrian nodded.
Rachel looked stunned. "That does not make sense…"
"It does," Adrian said. "Magic does not care about appearances."
He continued explaining the origin of modern magic, the balance between realms, and the existence of darker forces tied to the Multiverse.
Rachel listened quietly, absorbing everything.
When he finished, she was silent for a long moment.
Then she asked softly.
"Brother… what is your connection to her?"
Adrian did not look at her immediately.
"We met once. That is all."
Rachel stared at him, unsure if she believed it.
Then suddenly, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek quickly.
"Thank you, big brother."
Her face turned red immediately after.
"You know I am not good at acting normal. You still help me, even knowing everything. I like magic, but I am scared of it too. But if I use it to protect family, then maybe it is not something bad."
She clenched her fist slightly.
"I will become stronger. Stronger than Zatanna. Stronger than anyone."
Her eyes softened.
"And I will break whatever curse you have, brother."
Adrian looked at her for a moment.
Then he lightly tapped her head.
"Go to sleep."
Rachel smiled faintly.
And left the room.