Zatanna conducted a training exercise for her students, having them trap a group of Trogowogs she released. Zatanna had the idea to have her students and herself share the role of host of Doctor Fate, thus freeing her father from having to be the permanent host.
Shortly after, Zatanna and her students all sensed a wave of mystic energy, but had no idea what caused it. Zatanna took her students to Madame Xanadu's parlor.[6]
After Madame Xanadu explained some of her backstory to the students, she told them she knew about the mystic pulse and was able to give them the last known location of its cause, and created a portal to send them there.
Zatanna and her students went through the portal, and emerged at Fine Jewelry. Klarion arrived shortly after and attacked the group. Klarion created clones of himself and they began to strangle Zatanna and her students, but a strange sound called Klarion, forcing him to leave before killing the group.[6]
The group recovered after the battle with Klarion. The Stranger appeared and explained that Klarion is facing a battle with another Chaos Lord. Zatanna was incredulous at the suggestion they should help Klarion, thinking that chaos fighting chaos is a good thing. The Stranger sent her to the battle to gain perspective. The students wanted to help Zatanna, so the Stranger took them away.[8]
They arrived in the sanctum sanctorum of Jason Blood. The Stranger convinced Blood to transform into Etrigan. The Stranger then sent Etrigan to the battle.[8]
They arrived in the sitting room of the Tower of Fate. Doctor Fate arrived and demanded Zatanna and her students leave. Zatanna refused. Zatanna wanted to have Fate confront Child, allowing her students to strike from the shadows. Fate was dubious about her students' ability, so decided to test them. He teleported them away and summoned portals that allowed he and Zatanna to watch their progress.
The trio all passed their tests and were returned to the sitting room, but Fate still had no intention of intervening. They were interrupted by a doorbell. They watched through one of Fate's portals as Klarion pleaded for help at the front door, only to be confronted by Child and Flaw. Flaw killed Teekl with ease, causing Klarion to leave the mortal plane. Fate, Zatanna and the students looked on in shock.[9]
Child attacked the Tower, easily destroying it. Zatanna cast a spell of protection just in time to prevent Fate, the students or herself from taking any serious harm. Mary woke first and, unable to use the disrupted ley lines, drew power from the other students and used it in a failed attack against Child. Child then left to continue her mission. Khalid and Traci were upset with Mary for taking their power, but she argued she was the only one able to try to stop Child before she moved on, perhaps to Traci or Khalid's home towns. Mary promised not to do it again without permission.
Zatanna got Fate to concede that Child needed dealing with and that he might possibly need help. He created a portal for them to pursue Child.[10]
They emerged in Sydney, to find the city devastated by a volcano at the base of a pillar of fire. Child had been and gone. The group debated staying and helping, but Fate and a suddenly there Stranger argued that they needed to prioritize stopping Child. The Stranger had already summoned others to help the disasters created by Child. Zatanna reluctantly agreed, and the group set off through another portal.[10]
The group arrived in Agra to find another pillar and a blizzard freezing the city. No one was yet there to help, prompting Traci to want to stay, but Zatanna insisted they stick with the plan and move on in pursuit of Child.[10]
The group arrived at the North Pole, but found no pillar; they had finally caught up with Child. Zatanna and her students pooled all their power into Fate, who unleashed an almighty attack on Child, to no effect. Child summoned a pillar of fire, easily disrupting the heroes' efforts, then trapped Fate in a fist of ice, before leaving. A school bus then teleported in.[10]
Klarion, who had possessed the school bus to anchor himself to the mortal plane, attracted the attention of the heroes, as Fate freed himself. Zatanna got Fate to, reluctantly, agree to help Klarion, and the group boarded the bus.
As the bus flew through time and space, Klarion insisted he needed a new familiar before they could do anything else.[5]
They arrived at the Old Salem Animal Shelter. Zatanna and her students brought out several cats to Klarion, but he eventually chose a stray from off the street as his new familiar, allowing him to take human form once more. The group then went on to fight Child.
Fate, Zatanna, Klarion and the Sentinels emerged at the ruins of the Tower of Fate. Zatanna immediately cast a glamour to make her and her students invisible, before Fate conjured a summoning circle. Child and Flaw appeared, and soon attacked Fate and Klarion, who initially had no trouble deflecting her attacks. Child used Fate and Klarion's attacks to power a pillar of fire, but Mary drew power from it, distracting Child. This left her open to an attack from Khalid, splitting her body into four parts, but she easily overcame it and revealed Zatanna and the students, before knocking them down with an energy blast.
Suddenly Child's pillar went out; she had lost the backing of the other Lords of Chaos. She was still a great threat, however, and summoned fire rain, which Zatanna blocked with a magic shield. Child ordered Flaw to kill the mortals as she dealt with Fate and Klarion. With Zatanna maintaining the shield, it was up to Mary to hold off Flaw, but she required more power, and began to draw it from her companions and everything else around her. Flaw threw a rock and knocked Mary out, but before he could do more, Leroy helped Traci notice Flaw's flaw, and Traci targeted it with her bad luck power, destroying him and banishing Child from the mortal plane. Klarion quickly departed, and the others all congratulated Traci. Fate admitted the students had impressed him, and Zatanna agreed they had showed great potential.[5]
Zatanna finished explaining her plan to have rotating hosts for Doctor Fate to Khalid and Traci, before turning to talk to Mary. Mary was very upset not to be included in the plan, viewing it as a punishment. Fate was drawn to the argument, forcing Zatanna to explain her proposal to him. Fate was open to the idea, but Mary was furious. Zatanna offered to work with her more, but Mary demanded to be sent home. Afterward, Nabu agreed to the proposal, but Zatara did not. He removed the helmet so Zatara could argue, but Zatanna convinced him to agree. Khalid then took Zatanna aside to ask some questions, then Zatanna reminded Traci that she was under no obligation, but could make her choices. Traci agreed to the plan. Khalid took the helmet and became Doctor Fate, allowing Zatanna and Zatara time together and Traci the chance to discuss the matter with her father.[5]
Doctor Fate, hosted by Zatanna, gathered a number of magic users at the bell of the Tower of Fate, including Khalid and Traci. They attempted a ritual to find Superboy's spirit, but failed.[11]
