Authors note: Hey guys and gals. This story is a twist of E. A. Poe's short story, 'The Pit and the Pendulum.' If you never read it i suggest you do then you might understand some of the references.
Robin opened his eyes and fear quickly wrapped around him like a vice grip. He was laying on a table his hands and feet shackled to each of the corners. Light only shone down on him, making the rest of the large room just that much darker. A loud scrapping noise drew his attention upwards. Above him slowly swung a pendulum. Robins eyes watched the motion of it, back and forth, and found it strangely soothing.
Beast boy was next to open his eyes. He rubbed his head and sat up only to find that both of his wrists were shackled and chained to the wall. He tried to switch forms but he found that he couldn't. He also found that a metal collar was tight on his neck and also chained to the wall. "Whats going on." He muttered before looking around. His eyes settling on the light in the farthest corner of the room.
Raven was the last to wake. She was missing her cape, belt, and anything else that could be deemed as useful. But, unlike the others, the swallowing darkness didn't seem to bother her. She dried to walk, to look around her surroundings but after a few steps she ran into something that felt like a burning wall. She kept herself from crying out in pain and looked to the ground. Just in front of her feet she notices a curved lien segment and what looked like runes, glowing red with heat. She hovered up till she felt the ceiling close and looked back down at the floor. It was a pentagram. A pentagram covered in holding runes. She swore under her breath and landed. There was no getting out of this mess.
Best boys eyes moved to lock onto the faint red light in the opposite corner. "Hello?" he called out. To his great relief he was met with two familiar voices. One mono-toned as hell and the other masculine. Both called back his name, "Beast boy!?" "Robin! Raven! I'm so happy you're here. Are you guys okay?" Raven acknowledged that she was indeed physically okay but was held in some type of demonic holding chamber and robin explained his situation. Raven started to tell a story to robin called 'The Pit and the Pendulum.' by Edgar Allan Poe. Beast boy didn't find it relevant until she talked about how the man was tied to a slab under a pendulum and slowly pent insane while he waited to die. Beast boy came to the conclusion that whoever did this to them was mental.
As if on cue the lights came on in the room and they were finally able to see the room in whole. Dried blood and bones littered the floor. Raven looked at the chained up beast boy and locked eyes with him before looking to the door that was opening. "Well, Well, Well, look who finally woke up. I thought i was never going to have my fun with you." "Slade." Robin hissed. It was no surprise to anyone. "What have you done with the others?" Slade didn't reply, that silence was enough. Slade walked over to robins side, "Join me little bird. Spread your wings." He purred. Robin spat at Slades mask and hissed, "Never." Slade smiled behind said mask, "I'm going to make a deal with you Robin. Join me and by my little toy," He said as he palmed the other crotch, "And I'll let your friends go. But should you refuse... well, I'll kill all of you. You don't have to answer now. But a heads up would be that you only have an hour until that little toy up there," He said motioning to the pendulum above them, "Slices through your heart."
Slade walked away from Robin and pulled a hand gun out of his belt. He took aim at beast boy and held the trigger. Beast boy yelped in response but couldn't do anything to pull the dart out of his chest. Next Slade took aim and raven and put a similar dart in her chest. It was only moments before the tranquilizer took effect and both were out could. droids came in and freed the sleeping teens before dragging them from the room. Slade followed close behind only stopping to look back at robin. "The choice is yours, you have one hour my pretty bird." And with that slade was gone and all was dark once more.