The silhouette of some multi-jointed creature came into sharper focus, its razor-sharp bones grinding in a way that set teeth on edge.
"Damn it! How's it moving so fast—"
"Farmer, get behind me! I'll protect you!"
The girl rushed forward to shield Lock, her lips moving as she chanted a backward spell: "Banish!"
But…
"Uh…"
Her throat bobbed. "I might need a different spell."
The expected banishment didn't work—in fact, it seemed to enrage the creature. Its twisted body swayed, its uneven compound eyes locking onto them.
"Roar!"
The monster lunged like a foul wind, its claws slicing through the air with an ear-piercing screech. Worse still…
The girl could clearly see its jagged fangs, inches from her throat, as it pounced.
At the critical moment—
"Star Platinum! The World!"
The world turned gray.
And then—
Buzz!
Color and sound flooded back like a dam bursting.
"Huh?!"
The girl snapped out of her daze, stunned to find the terrifying creature pinned against the wall. It thrashed uselessly, its twisted limbs scraping the wall with a grating noise, but it couldn't budge the invisible force holding it.
Its body even started to mist, as if trying to dissolve into fog to escape.
But…
A flash of gold flickered in Zatanna's eyes.
Magic?
Yes—a surge of golden magic was locking the creature in place!
And that unassuming farmer? He stood casually, arms crossed, leaning against the opposite wall.
His gaze, shadowed under his hat's brim, cut through the dimness and landed precisely on the girl's pale face. He tilted his chin slightly, his voice calm and unwavering: "Keep going."
"You—you just…"
The sheer otherworldly power hit her harder than facing the monster itself.
Her lips trembled, but her professionalism kicked in, steadying her. She quickly chanted again: "Banish!"
Buzz!
A faint golden glow sparked on her magic wand.
The creature let out a pained screech, thin wisps of black smoke rising from its body. But it kept struggling, even more frantically.
The invisible force seemed to tighten its grip.
Crack!
The wall groaned under the immense pressure.
Wiping sweat from her brow, the girl gritted her teeth, focusing all her energy. She shouted again, her voice sharper and infused with stronger magic: "Banish!"
The wand's golden light flared brightly.
The beast shrieked, its body fading like a pencil sketch erased, until the last wisp of black mist evaporated, leaving only faint white fog in the alley.
The girl slumped against the wall, exhausted.
That was terrifying.
Good thing this guy was here…
She looked up at the mysterious farmer, still in his arm-crossed pose, seemingly unbothered by the vanished creature.
He lowered his head slightly, rubbing the scruffy stubble on his chin thoughtfully. The shadow of his hat hid his eyes, but his sharp jawline and steady demeanor…
"Hey!"
"What are you staring at?"
The lingering fog in the alley made Lock wrinkle his nose.
"Answer me," he said, brushing off nonexistent dust from his clothes. "What was that thing? Why was it in my fields?"
"Uh…"
"Okay, okay, but first, let me introduce myself." The girl stepped back, giving an exaggerated curtsy. "I'm Zatanna Zatara, professional magician—and, uh, part-time sorceress?"
"…"
"Answer my question, Miss Magician."
Lock's tone was impatient.
Seeing his stern expression, Zatanna gave an awkward laugh, scratching the back of her head.
"Well…" Her eyes darted. "I was practicing magic and accidentally opened a spatial rift…"
"Accidentally?"
Lock's voice sharpened.
"Sorry, sorry!"
"It was just a tiny mistake," she said, waving her hands, her ponytail bouncing. "I didn't expect it to turn into mist and slip out! By the time I tracked it with my magic senses to your farm, it was about to pounce on you."
The alley's temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.
Lock, arms crossed and leaning against the wall, felt his fists clench.
"I teleported you here to keep you safe," Zatanna rushed to add. "The book says these creatures lock onto their prey and chase across dimensions, so I wasn't worried it'd vanish."
"And now?" Lock frowned at the spot where the creature disappeared.
"Don't worry!"
Zatanna patted her chest, her pendant jangling. "I sent it back to its home dimension. It shouldn't come back…" Her confident tone faltered. "…Probably."
Can't you say that with more conviction so I can trust you?!
Lock's mouth twitched.
He recalled her earlier fumble with the wrong spell and her pale face when the beast lunged. If this was the future Supreme Sorceress, he might've relaxed.
But this sixteen-year-old girl…
Moonlight reflected off a puddle in the alley, mirroring Lock's skeptical face.
"I'm really a magician," Zatanna said, sniffing in the night breeze. "I'm only sixteen, but I'm a legit heir to a magical bloodline."
She pulled a tattered parchment book from her jacket's inner pocket.
"Look, this is The Bestiary of Magical Creatures. It clearly lists the banishment method."
"I followed the spell protocol to the letter."
A magical bloodline? Sure, he believed that.
But Lock glanced at the book, its pages flipping on their own, then at the girl's dust-covered coat.
A proper magician? Yeah, right.
Lock sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Alright, fine, Miss Proper Magician. Can you send me back now? I've got a half-grown kid and a hungry baby waiting at home."
"Baby?"
The word sparked something in Zatanna. She leaned in close, her emerald eyes glinting with curiosity under the moonlight, her face so near her nose almost brushed Lock's chin.
"I remember now!" Her eyes widened. "You're him! The magic baby's dad!"
"Magic baby?"
Ignoring her excited chatter, Lock's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What's that supposed to mean, Miss Magician?"
"Sorry, sorry!"
Zatanna stepped back, waving her hands, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Magic infant! I meant magic infant!"
"Hahaha…"
She tried to cover her slip with a nervous laugh, pointing at herself. "During my show tonight, I noticed that little baby's magic aura—it was like a lighthouse!"
"By the way, Mr. Farmer," she added, "how cool is it that a magician and a sorceress are the same person?"
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