"The angels and the demons will do battle on the burning earth as the end of the world slowly falls to ash. Angels shall fight with the crest of the Titans as the demons bear the scars of the beasts, their masters leading them to eternal darkness as if it were the meaning of all joy. Blinded they are, as both sides fight to their bitter ends, yet with no success. Death shall ride on his horse and bear witness to the battle, but dare not join. In those days shall the angels seek him, and shall not find him; and they shall pray to die, but he shall flee from them. The demons shall bathe in the smoke of their torment as they ascend up forever and ever to the Promised Land; they conceive no concept of rest, be it day or night, for they worship the beasts and their image that refuse them such luxuries.
A sad, forlorn young woman falls to her knees, And upon her forehead bears a name written in the flesh, Mystery, Inferno the Great, daughter of Pain and Abominations of the world. She shall stand holding the scales of justice weighing the sins of the fallen, unbiased to the outcome as the love a mother has for one child over another. Olympus shall open its gates, and she will behold a white horse; and the man that sits upon him shall be known as Faithful and True. The ground will then split open as Malice and Agony ride a serpent to meet his enemy, his brother the horseman, as they attack to tip the scales in their favor.""
Raven's dream was always the same, the voice so vivid and the image so obscure through the eyes of the tortured soul. The child who inherited the sins of her father could not look away from the visions, no matter how hard she tried. The darkness nearly engulfed her into the void of despair which she had run from her entire life, her future and the future of this ugly yet beautiful world rested on the whisper of one word. This word though spoken by one and yet spoken only by another was either to help or haunt her for the rest of her life. The word of the highest meaning loved, hated ,and feared by all who can come close to understanding even the tiniest iota of the word which is the strongest of all spoken.
"Eternity."
As Raven spoke that word her room began to collapse in itself, the smoke from her incense and candles surrounded, encasing her in the scent of such magnificence it couldn't be described. She was both afraid and enchanted by the power taking hold of her, as it both suffocated her, and comforted her.
Raven awoke in a strange place; she stood on the stars as a cave formed around her feet. The stars merged and were then transformed into seven hooded figures sitting around a campfire. A tall, thin hooded man on the left stood up, and handed Raven a tarot card.
"Good evening magician. At last all of the cards have come together. Please, do not remove your new hood, not until you understand its meaning. Death, she is ready for the truth." He said to the center hooded figure.
"Thank you Justice. Magician, you have spoken the word, you are ready to join the deck. We are the selected few who have the required skills to stop the upcoming beasts from destroying life as we know it. The hood you are now wearing cannot be removed by anyone other than the wearer. This keeps those who wish to remain anonymous safe from team mates who would not understand them. Their names have been replaced with those of the Major Arcana to illustrate their role in saving the world from the coming onslaught. You may remove your hood if you have nothing to hide."
Raven paused and studied the group confused about what Death meant. However, she removed her hood and stood there for all to see. She spoke clearly and calmly.
"I have nothing to hide. I am Raven of Azarath, daughter of Arella and Teen Titan. I would like an explanation. The Tarot has twenty two Major Arcana, why is there only seven of you? Why am I here?"
A boy on the left of Justice stood up. He sighed as if he was frustrated with how little Raven knew. Raven had the feeling that he said this more times than he desired. The young man picked up Justice's deck of cards and threw them in the air, all but ten of the cards burst into flames. He picked up the Fool card and pointed at it as if to say that was his card.
"Man I'm tired of talking you newbies, first off, there are ten of us actually, not seven. You are the eighth. The other two we will have to rescue ourselves, they are trapped by two of the Beasts. The others will either be what we shall become or those who were wasted before us. You're here because little boy Death believes you will help stop the end of the world. He says you have great knowledge of one of the Beasts, the one known as Trigon. If you ask me, I'd say this is a load of crap. They'll say you have a choice whether or not to join or not but if you're like me then you're screwed. I was shanghaied by this bunch of radical self-righteous jerks who believe that the big bad devils are coming." Fool removed his hood uncaring about his identity and revealed himself as Red X.
Raven prepared to attack Red X but was stopped by an unknown force pulling her away. One of the figures stood up with his bow and arrow pointed at Red X.
Death stood up and removed his hood. "Hermit! Put Raven down now. Chariot, lower your weapon, Red X is all talk, no threat. I apologize Raven, but X doesn't know when to shut up. I am the one who has brought you here, I am Kid Eternity. Although X has a less then reputable history, he is not evil, just selfish. He should know by now that if we don't save the world, there won't be a thing for him to steal. However, he is the Fool so maybe if it won't sink in we'll have to bash the message in. I'm sure you already know who Chariot is at this point seeing as you have met him as well, but please do not reveal him. That choice must be his. At least you can find comfort that some of us are heroes. We need your help with Trigon and the others, will you help us?"
"Where am I? Who are you people?" Raven asked as she lowered stared in wonder at the group of strangers staring so intensely at her as if they could look inside her heart.
"You are in purgatory, a space in between spaces. It is a neutral ground that the beasts cannot yet enter. This is our base of operations. I am Tarot, otherwise known as Justice. My job is to foresee future events and select the Major Arcana." Tarot removed his hood to reveal a small young boy no older than thirteen with long dark red hair, striking green eyes and a face full of scars.
"Call me Devil, everyone else here does but I'm not so bad…despite what the doctors say, or what's left of them. I would reveal myself but the other me says that there isn't any fun in that, I love this game of twenty questions! I'm in charge of traps, explosives, you know, general feats of kickassery. I do a little home decorating on the side as well." Devil laughed hysterically as if it were unintentional but simply a nervous tic.
A small hooded girl with blond hair barely hanging out stood up and tried to speak, but her stammering was incoherent and she immediately sat down.
"That's Hanged Girl, she arrived just before you. She's wasn't this shy before you were here oddly enough. She is in charge of providing cover, creating safety barracks, and shaping the landscape to work in our favor." Tarot said as he rested his hand on Hanged Girl's shoulder comforting her.
"I'm Chariot, I'm in charge of projectile assaults, physical training of all team members, and I provide necessary equipment."
"I am Red X, or the Fool but you already know that. I'm in charge of directing stealth and reconnaissance missions, as well as planning guerilla tactics." Red X bowed to Raven as if to mock her and Devil laughed.
"Greetings sweet Raven, I am the Hermit. I am head mage, actually… now that you're here I guess I am co-head mage and I am mission leader when Kid Eternity is away. I hope we may become great friends." Hermit spoke so politely and elegantly with his British accent sounding dreamlike.
"And last but not least I am Kid Eternity. Leader of this group in charge of providing army support if the need arises. Welcome to the team. If you have any questions or concerns please let me know and we'll work something out. But first we need to know if you're with us or not. Without you we cannot hope to defeat your father or the other Beasts. " Kid Eternity said as he brushed away his light brown hair from his face and adjusted his circular "beatnik" sunglasses. He dressed more like a servant than a leader. His all white clothes and red sash reminded Raven of a waiter in a fancy restaurant.
"If you are going to defeat Trigon once and for all then I have no choice but to join you. What's our plan of action? What about the other two Arcana? Who are the other beasts other than Trigon?" Raven asked curiously as she studied her new team, unsure if they could be trusted.
"Our plan right now is to rescue the missing Arcana actually, they are known as Lover and Tower. We only know two of the beasts; the two Arcana will help us identify those who remain. The beasts that have been identified are Trigon, and the dragon Malchior." Kid Eternity looked at his team and answered Raven as he played with his sunglasses.
"What about my friends, the Teen Titans coul-"Raven was interrupted.
"Where we go, they cannot follow, for they are not of the Arcana and having them would shift to much power to one group. This would put the scenario of who is in charge, your leader Robin or Kid Eternity? In times like these we can't bicker amongst ourselves… we must only focus on the mission. Also Tarot managed to recruit you at a time that the Titans are most distracted."Hermit answered calmly.
"What's wrong with my friends? Are they in trouble?" Raven asked fearing the worst for her friends.
"They should be fine, they will have a little trouble with Slade but I predict that a wildcard shall shift the odds in their favor. Don't worry; I made sure to bring you here when they could still take care of themselves." Tarot pulled out another deck of Tarot cards from his pocket and laid them on the floor. Raven wasn't sure if he was looking into the future or playing solitaire.
"Why am I so important to you people? What's the point of the Major Arcana?" Raven asked trying not to sound to confused or frustrated.
"Those two questions are one and the same. You are important because you are a Arcana. We are a group who has been around for centuries who are selected to stop the actions of the four beasts. Every renaissance or Dark Age comes from the outcome of our mission. We are simply the next group to face the struggle. Right now if we don't hurry, I sense the destruction of this world." Tarot answered as he played with his cards.
"Why am I known as the Magician? Wouldn't Tarot or Hermit fit that category?"
"The title has nothing to do with ability. The name is a representation of your character and what part we play in this battle. Red X is the Fool because he is just starting his journey of self discovery. He is neither good nor evil yet. Chariot has up to this point lived a life of egocentrism, impulsivity, wealth, and pride. The Hanged Girl was a traitor who had tried to redeem herself through sacrifice but when she failed, she gave up. Devil lives her life purely on instinct, constantly entangled by vice and a slave to her desires. Hermit is a quiet soul searching for deeper meaning to his life and lives life through his philosophies. Kid Eternity plays the role of Death. As our leader it is up to him to end the cycle of the Beasts. I am Justice because of my intellect and my impartialness in viewing situations."
"Why am I the Magician then?"
"You are the Magician because you are practical, creative, determined, and always focused on what's important. Once you have your heart set on what you want, you will not stop until you get it. What you want coincides with what we want so that is why you are a perfect addition to our team." Hermit answered, his cold blue eyes penetrating through the hood and into Raven's heart with the deepest admiration.
"I sound like a complete jerk compared to you. You're lucky, doesn't sound like you have anything to regret." Chariot spoke bitterly stroking his fingers across his head; he forgot he could not touch his hair.
"Quit complaining Chariot. No one feels sorry for you, why do even keep your hood on anyway? Everyone knows who you are. There aren't many trick arrow using rich boys. You're such a joke. What hard life? You lived your life being trained by a legendary hero. What's the matter? Is it so hard living as a cheap imitation of Robin? Maybe those rumors in the newspaper are true, maybe you're just an addict now." Red X replied.
Chariot then struck X across the face with his bow, he put his boot to X's back and just as he was about to kick him in the stomach, two heavy muscled men appeared out of thin air and restrained him. As he struggled Red X got up and was about to hit Chariot with his bo staff but was stopped by Raven.
"Get a grip on yourself, Chariot! This isn't like you. Don't let him get to you, he does this to everyone. I'll tell those two to release you if you promise to behave. I'm not going to babysit you two!" Kid Eternity stood up strong and furious.
Chariot nodded his head signaling that he would back off and the muscle men released him.
"Eternity." Spoke Kid eternity and the men disappeared into thin air.
Devil laughed uncontrollably, this time obviously intentional. Her legs kicked in the air furiously. As she gasped for breath she failed to calm herself and she fell to the floor, apparently hyperventilating she then passed out. Tarot approached her checking her pulse. Just then, Devil sprang back up and shocked Tarot. The electricity surging through his body could be seen even from the distance Raven was standing from. She showed everyone her hand to real her joybuzzer. She then continued laughing.
"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself! I had to add to the chaos or I would have gone mad. He should be fine. It's mostly for show; he'll wake up in a couple of minutes. Besides that self-righteous red head had it coming for a while." Devil said laughing.
"We know it isn't fatal, you've already pulled that prank like five times already. Cut it out, I don't know how many more shocks he can take." Hanged Girl said quietly.
"Oh wow! You can talk after all! Quick Hanged Girl, do another trick. Roll over girl."
The earth shook violently, Hanged Girl panicked and collapsed hold her hands tightly to her head. Devil no longer laughed jokingly, she went back to her nervous laugh. The floor cracked slightly, and then grew deeper and wider. It he cracked lines started at Hanged Girl and ended ant Devil. Hanged Girl took a deep breath and then the earth stopped rumbling and the cracks were fixed.
"She hasn't used her powers in a long time. The nature of her abilities and her past can make things a bit…unstable. She'll get back to mastering her abilities in no time." Hermit said as he tried to calm Hanged Girl.
Raven just stared at her team dumbfounded. Was this what they really considered a team? The group of heroes destined to change the world was nothing but a group of dysfunctional children? She began to doubt that her decision to join them was a wise one but she knew that if there was a way to defeat her father, they would have the means to do so. She stared at Kid Eternity with confusion and awe. She hadn't noticed until now the glowing warm aura around him. Perhaps only she could see it, but Raven knew that there was something otherworldly around him. She had the feeling that he knew much of what happens after this life and the unseen mechanics of what reality is controlled by. She then knew that she would be safe wherever he would take her.
Kid Eternity looked at Raven and smiled. His smile was older than him; the look which had formed on his face was that of an old soul which then changed to a grin as that of a young child. He turned away and looked to the other members of his team.
"I think we have had enough action for one day. We should rest now. Raven, the girls' camp is to your left. We have a big day ahead of us and I need you all up at three o'clock sharp for morning exercise. I'll take guard duty tonight. Sweet dreams and try not kill each other." Kid Eternity sighed, and pointed Raven to the camp.
If this was the team's idea of camping, Raven was amazed. She assumed it would be a small tent because that was how it looked in the distance, but it was practically a small stone palace. The outside reminded her of a fusion of a pyramid with Celtic type knots stone carving in the bricks which were simply stacked on top of each other without the need of mortar. The roof had a small spire on top with runes etched into them which Raven could recognize a powerful defensive spells.
Inside there were three beds. Devil pointed Raven to her bed which had the title "Magician" carved on the stone wall which the bed was set against. Under her bed were books and scrolls of spells and curses as well as maps to ethereal planes. They were ancient, some of them perhaps even as old as Ancient Rome. She looked through the books with awe and wonder as magic lost over a millennia were now in reach.
"A gift from Hermit." Devil said as she jumped into her bed and set up her alarm clock which looked more like a miniature cuckoo clock with a timer on it.
Raven put her books away and went to bed. She didn't fall asleep for a while though, the day's events repeated in her head kept her awake for a few hours. As she finally rested her eyes and began to sleep she whispered quietly to herself.
"What have I gotten myself into?"
She then fell asleep and for the first time since her visions, she dreamed of peace. If she had known what was to become of her friends the Teen Titans, she may have felt differently.