DC Database
Register
Advertisement

"The Amber of the Moment, Part Four: Dark Reunion": One half of the Justice League Dark has narrowly escaped destruction at the end of the world by sailing into the void. With what little magic she had, Nightmare Nurse created a ship fo

Quote1 Life is a mystery, after all -- frustratingly, wonderfully unfathomable -- and the House has always embodied' that idea. Maybe that's why I've felt so at home with her. Quote2
Zatanna

Justice League Dark #38 is an issue of the series Justice League Dark (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 2015. It was published on January 28, 2015.

Synopsis for "The Amber of the Moment, Part Four: Dark Reunion"

One half of the Justice League Dark has narrowly escaped destruction at the end of the world by sailing into the void. With what little magic she had, Nightmare Nurse created a ship for them to use, but now, having sailed for some time, her magic is weakening. If her enchantment fails, they will all be absorbed into nothingness. Suddenly, Swamp Thing discovers a sensation, as if the full consciousness of The Green has been amplified a million fold. It speaks to him, promising help, and he urges the others to let the powerful green vines wrap around them and carry them from their fading ship. In a moment, they all feel a great warmth in their hearts, but it is soon followed by darkness.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Now, Madame Xanadu has just watched the love of her life die before her eyes, having at last had a sense of what it means to be a part of time. Her companions return to her, warning that something broke through the barrier near what is called The Beyond - and it is coming their way. Within moments, an apparently sentient wave crests over the citadel, and Xanadu casts an enchantment to protect them from it - knowing well enough that the absence of time in this realm means her spell won't work as it should. Unexpectedly, the roots of a nearby tree rip up from the ground and encircle themselves around Xanadu and her companions - all except Makaria, who is native to this place. Makaria is washed away, but the others are saved.

Zatanna, meanwhile, discovered a tree which she believes is the seat of all magic for this world, and she has entered a communion with it in the hopes of finding an ally and some sense of hope so that she and her friends could get home. Fortunately, she has found that, in the spirit of the World Tree. The tree explains that it has trapped her within it in order to learn more about her. The tree learns what Zatanna knows and agrees to help her find her friends and get home. To do that, though, it thrusts a sharp root through her chest.

She regains consciousness with the Nightmare Nurse leaning over her, along with all of the others she had been separated from, together again at last. Unfortunately, previous experience has taught her to doubt such positive turns of events, and she attempts to dispel the illusion with magic. She is surprised, though, when her magic does nothing to send them away. The tree must have succeeded. While her companions feel they've only been gone for days, Zatanna has experienced years, millennia even, of torturous loneliness and illusions. This place they are in is the clearly the Earth in its youngest days, when magic was strongest - and it keeps taunting her with ghosts of the things she desires.

The magic in this place is so strong that they can each just think of the things they most desire, and they will occur. Andrew Bennett could be reunited with his beloved Mary Seward. Frankenstein could see what it is to be a real human. Madame Xanadu could throw off the shackles of immortality and die at last. But even with all of their dreams coming true, it would eventually dawn upon each of them that the dreams are just dreams and illusions. This paradise is truly a hell on earth. Before Zatanna can turn her magic on the others, Black Orchid wrestles her to the ground and warns that it is unfair to treat them this way. Her pain doesn't matter more than theirs.

The World Tree interrupts to warn that they must save creation as soon as possible. Swamp Thing recognizes the tree as the consciousness he felt in the void, and identifies it as the root of the Green. The tree responds that the entire universe grows from seeds planted by it - but it begs him not to worship it, but to help it. The tree releases seed pods from its branches, and from them sprout the branches and wood to rebuild before everyone's eyes the House of Mystery. Happy to be reunited with the House, the Justice League Dark make their way inside.

Despite their happiness to be away, Madame Xanadu worries that Zatanna's mental state is weakened, and given her bond with the House, they are in danger. Deadman warns them to keep silent, as they have reached their destination - the Heart of Chronos. This is the source of all time in all universes - and there are ruptures everywhere, apparently caused by creatures attacking it. Still full up with magic from the World Tree, Zatanna attempts to heal the ruptures and destroy the creatures herself. Despite the concerns of her friends, Zatanna feels she has nothing to lose, ever since the romance she shared with John Constantine was wiped from his memory.

Unfortunately, her magic backfires, and the ruptures appear to be worsening.

Appearing in "The Amber of the Moment, Part Four: Dark Reunion"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • World Tree

Villains:

  • Time Gremlins (First appearance)
  • Pralaya (Behind the scenes)

Other Characters:

Locations:

Concepts:

Items:


Vehicles:






See Also


Links and References

Advertisement