"I'm a little disappointed that you didn't bring more of your friends to try to stop me." jeered Brother Night, his red eyes gleaming with malice. He sported a wide, creepy grin that stretched across his blue-gray mask of face, rotted and weathered from the decades of unnatural life Night had lived.
Without the nightmare fuel for a face that he had, Brother Night could've been mistaken for an older man, a businessman. He wore a dark black and purple pinstripe suit, adorned with a tiny skull at the top of his violet tie, alongside his streaks of white on the sides of his receding black hair. But no one would mistake him for these things, not as long as he had his zombie-like features, freakish smile, and dotted red pupils that glowed out of the darkness of his pitch black "eyes".
"You're one to talk, Peck. Yortsed kcep dleihs!" cried out Zatanna, a bright blue jet of light from her wand, which struck Night's field of dark magic that surrounded him...and to her chagrin, did absolutely nothing. Nevertheless, she continued, "Since when have you been the type to work on your own? No demons to protect you tonight? Where's Romathi, Ember, or Teddy?"
"I don't need them!" growled Night, blasting a purple-and-black blast of darkness at Zatanna, which she narrowly avoided. "I've recently gained a new friend who's bringing a new age of dark magic and demons into this world, and now I've become so much stronger! Let me show you-- Καταστρέψτε την ασπίδα Zatanna!!!"
Suddenly, a new blast of energy emitted from Night's palm--this time shimmering bright green. It cut through Zatanna's blue shield like it was nothing, and Zatanna was only just able to avoid being hit by the full force of the dark energy beam before being knocked to the ground.
"Zatanna!" cried out Kory, leaving her battle with Night's undead forces to help the fallen magician. They'd found Brother Night at Mount Diablo, where Kory and M'gann were more than ready to take on the small army he'd summoned using his necromancy. Kory had been blasting zombie after zombie away while M'gann shapeshifted into a winged serpent and demolished the rest.
"Oh, yeah, he's definitely gotten stronger." grumbled Zatanna as Kory helped her to her feet, even affectionately placing her top hat back on, "I'm fine Kor-" She locked eyes with Night once again. "Your new friend--or should I say your new boss--where is he?"
Brother Night's eyes briefly flickered with annoyance. "Nice try, Zatanna, but I won't give away my new ally's identity that easily. All you need to know about them is that we both understood the importance of keeping our immortality--even at the cost of our souls."
"Your soul?" Zatanna sneered, gritting her teeth, "You mean all the souls of the innocents that you've been sacrificing here for decades to save your own ass?!?"
"Of course I did those things to save myself!" hissed Night, stepping closer now. "You wouldn't understand of course, you Homo-Magi and your natural longevity--but I refuse to give into death! I do what must be done to survive...which is especially annoying since I know your friends are the reason Kobra failed to meet with me- But it doesn't matter! The leak of dark magic has empowered me almost as well as a dozen mortal souls!"
Noticing Zatanna's skeptical glare, Night continued. "Don't believe me, hm? Fine. I'll prove it-" with a wave of a hand his shadowy shield faded into mist. "Hit me with everything you've got, Ms. Zatara..."
"Hsinab kcep ot rehtona noisnemid!" shouted Zatanna, unwilling to wait another moment to strike at the seemingly defenseless charlatan. But to her surprise, her bright gold blast of magic did nothing when it struck Night, merely reflecting off his dark aura.
Night blinked a few times. "That's it? How disappointing...how well. TURN HER SKIN INTO- AGH!" Kory flew into him, rapidly pummeling the immortal cultist into a near-stupor. "GET OFF ME!"
The Tamaranean Princess was blown back by a flash of purple light from Night's glowing fists, but before he could regain his sadistic smile, he grabbed hold of his head in frustration.
"Get out of my head, alien!" Night roared as M'gann drew closer, her eyes bright green as her telepathic powers attempted to pierce into his mind. But Night's mind was quick to resist her mental attack, his own red pupils flashing purple to combat it. M'gann was quickly repelled from him, letting out a yelp as the sorcerer lashed out at her with a wave of darkness.
"My mind is more than secure enough against your telepathy." boasted Brother Night, his eyes fading back to its usual red, "So you'll get no secrets from me...but I did learn something about you, Martian...κάψτε τον εξωγήινο!"
A jet of flame emitted from his outstretched palms, surrounding M'gann in a circle of fire. Before she could get engulfed, Kory managed to shoot Night with a star bolt, extinguishing his magical inferno.
What's the plan?!? M'gann telepathically exclaimed to Zatanna and Kory. Having a telepath was the best way to communicate with the team without the villain overhearing them. I could barely breach his mind, it was like trying to stick my hand in a fire!
And I cannot even slow him down, lamented Kory as she continued to bombard Night with her starbolts, Zatanna, is there any way we could overwhelm this Brother Night with a simultaneous attack?
I don't think so, his defenses are too strong. sighed Zatanna, her mind racing to find a solution. None of my spells are doing anything with his new power boost. His mind seems to be his only weak spot, and even then my magic and M'gann's telepathy barely fazed him. We need someone as powerful as him, like Doctor Fate, or--
"Having secret conversations with your minds?" crooned Night in an irritatingly condescending tone, "It doesn't matter what you come up with, it won't stop me, or what's coming. But I'm a generous man--and as your friends have cost me my sacrifices, it'd only be fitting if the three of you surrender your souls to me willingly in exchange. I'm sure whatever demon I'm making an offering to be merciful. Otherwise, I may need to destroy your body and mind first. How's that sound?" His face stretched in a hideous smug smile.
But before Zatanna could let out some kind of verbal defiance to Night's offer, M'gann interrupted her.
That's it! Why don't we attack his mind and control it at once?
Zatanna gave M'gann a worried look, But how do we stop him if that works?
M'gann smiled as she told Zatanna her idea. Brother Night's dead eyes flared in purple malice enmity as he slowly drew near with a confident stride. "Really, it's quite rude to keep me waiting. So what's it going to be?"
"Lortnoc rehtorb thgin dnim!"
NOW!
