Holder of the Magi
By: Z. Brite
A figure walked into a room on silent feet, translucent white cloth sways around ebony skin as the woman walked to the center of the room, touches lit up as she passes them and stood in front of a large crystal basin filled to the brim with silver like water. Touching the center of it with a single dark finger ripples formed to sooth down to give image of a ash pale babe, babbling as she was taken away from her mother never would the two meet again.
"Child born of darkness, her path unclear. Fates cut her string and still she stands clear."
Another figure walked into the room, silent as the woman he walked to the crystal basin and stood opposite of the woman. He lifted he a golden hand that seemed to shine and waved it over the silver water, tailing behind him ebony cloth. The image changed to that of a young woman clad in white, long amethyst hair trailing down to her waist, waving about her from her power, as she stood in front of fiend of great crimson malevolence.
"A path set out, created alone, she will be the next to throne."
The image in the basin changed once again to of an empty throne, made of ivory stone, shaded in the sighing branches of a ebony willow tree all placed on a hill of luminous white sand.
"Mortal ties will die, as the child takes the stand, guardian to the magi, she will live once died."
Chapter 1
…Titian Tower…
"Raven, don't kill him," Beast Boy whimpered as he stared down at the rushing water below that crashed against the rocks that surrounded the T-Tower, he never noticed it before but those rocks were really pointy… really, really pointy. "Put the Beast Boy down Raven."
Robin walked slowly towards Raven who was floating in the air, she held her right arm extended in front of her and floating upside down in a cocoon of her dark magic was Beast Boy trapped inside, hovering opposite of a shattered window above a potentially scene for his murder.
"I am sure whatever it was he did he didn't mean to do it," Robin and the others had gone out grocery shopping, Raven had stayed behind just in case of an emergency and Beast Boy had stayed because he had yet to wake up at that point in time, "now please put Beast Boy down." Robin saw the malicious smirk that crossed her face and hastened to add, "Inside the tower, Raven!"
"He deserves to die Robin!" Raven hissed as she tightened her hold on the green nuisance a bit and then let her magic some to hear him scream as he thought he was about to fall.
"RAVEN!" Raven growled and tightened her hold on, but she didn't remove him from the floating cocoon of doom. "RAVEN!"
"He either dies, I castrate him, Robin!"
A sudden choking sound came from across the room, neither Robin, Raven, or Beast Boy paid attention to the Half machined man as he chocked on the popcorn he was eating.
"Friend Cyborg, what is the 'Cast-rate', which Friend Raven speaks of?" Starfire was floating next to Cyborg watching along with him the drama that was folding out before her. By now she was use to this sort of behavior from her friends and in fact had come to expect it of them. She knew that Friend Raven will do no real harm to Friend Beast Boy as she knew that Friend Raven will not 'Cast-rate' him either.
Cyborg started to choke again for a whole other reason, his face turning bright red, "Err, you know what Star, why don't you wait to ask Robin that question, I'm sure he can explain it better then I could."
Starfire nodded her head in seriousness, "As you wish Friend Cyborg." And turned to look back at the scene in front of them.
Beast Boy had paled to a sickly green color at the mention of Raven castrating him, whimpering he held himself in a fetal position and placed his hands in a protective cup over his family jewels.
"Raven, just put him down, in the tower, and we'll talk about this, OK?" Robin snuck a little closer to her in hopes of saving his shape-shifting friend, he did not know what the hell Beast Boy did to anger her, but the moment he found he was sure he was going to regret not letting her kill him later. Robin shifted his gaze from the demoness sorceress whose eyes were tainted a slight pink, a sign that she was truly pissed, to the cowering changeling. He almost felt sorry for him…almost. "Please Raven, for me?"
Growling Raven flung the green colored changeling into the tower knocking him into several very sharp very heavy objects and one bag of groceries, Robin sighed in relief, "Thank you Raven."
"Oh, I didn't do it for you; I did it so the little green smurf would return what he took from me!" Raven was towering over Beast Boy, who was trembling in a little ball of fear behind Cyborg, who in tern wasn't moving a muscle. Her ebony magic swirled around her giving her the look a of Demon God, "RETURN THEM!"
With a high pitched 'eep' Beast Boy exposed his hand from behind Cyborg, exposing a ball of small scraps of multi-colored clothing, growling Raven snatched them from his hand and melted in a portal of her magic. Confused the rest of the team looked to wear Raven had disappeared, seeing a scrap of white cloth lying forgotten by Raven on the floor Starfire flew down to pick it up and examined it.
"Friend Beast Boy?"
Beast Boy stuck his head out from behind Cyborg an egg slide down the side of his face, "Yea, Star?"
Star turned around and showed everyone what Raven had forgotten, Beast Boy paled, Cyborg's mouth dropped open in shock and Robins right eye started to twitch, "Why do you have the clothing of thong that is Ravens?"
"Hehe, I… was… going to see if I can seal them on E-Bay." Beast Boy squeaked and then cowered under the stared he received from the rest of the Titians.
"I should have let her castrate you."
Chapter 2
…Titian tower…
Two children where walking down the sidewalks of Jump City, the crowds moved around them, never noticing the little ebony child nor the golden boy. They held each others hands so as to not be separated.
It was surprising that no one noticed the two little beings; for the dark child's eyes were pure white as if she was blind and the golden child wore no shoes as he walked. The two continued there way down the side walk not once being noticed.
Chapter 3
"Ah, come on Raven you hafta forgive me sometime!"
Raven tilted her head to the side as if she was listing to something, "Star, do you hear something, because I can't hear anything right now."
Starfire giggled as she watched Friend Raven antagonize Friend Beast Boy, it had been going on now for well over a week. "No Friend Raven," Star shock her head earnestly, but blew it by giggling, "I hear nothing, why may I ask that you asked?"
Beast Boy gasped in shock and held his hands to his chest as he looked at Star in shock, "Starfire!"
Raven shrugged as she made her way back into the common room holding her newly acquired cup of tea between her hands, "No reason, must be the wind."
Robin snorted as he watched Beast Boy follow Raven around, begging for forgiveness. This has been going on for sometime now, he knows he should stop it soon but…smirking he turned back to the computer to finish catching up on typing some files about some of the criminals that had captured in the past.
"Raven," Beast Boy was kneeling in front of a sitting Raven, whom was sipping her tea and looking like a queen as she stared down at him, "Please, please forgive me!"
"Hmmmm…" sipping her tea she looked down at him, "no."
Beast Boy face faulted, "Ahhh!"
Robin laughed at the two of them, "Oh, and what do you see that is so funny, oh dear fearless leader of ours?"
"Don't you think that you have tortured him enough Raven?" Robin continued to type without turning around, he could hear Starfire humming in the background and he could smell her cooking.
"Ok, I'll forgive him."
Beast Boy looked at her with hope in his eyes making them shine, "Really?!"
"No." Raven flicked her wrist and beast Boy went sailing across the room to collide into the wall next to Robin.
BWEEP! BWEEP! BWEEP! BWEEP! BWEEP! BWEEP!
The common room lit up red as the alarm went off, Raven abandoned her tea, Star left her cooking, Cyborg came charging into the room with grease streaked across her face and body, and Beast Boy…Beast Boy was lying on the floor unconscious.
"Robin, man where's the trouble?!" Robin typed in a few short commands.
"It's the HIVE again; it looks like they have some new recruits, and their tearing up Jump City Downtown."
"Well what are we waiting for," Cyborg turned and ran towards the doors, "let's go!"
Raven disappeared in a portal of her magic while Starfire flew out the window and Robin followed Cyborg. Beast Boy continued to lay unconscious on the floor.
Chapter 5
The two children watched as the Titians arrived; they sat opposite of where the battle was taking place, across at a café sipping chocolate milk, the only thing the owner would give them without parent consult.
"She will do well." The small ebony child nodded to her companion.
"Still, she must learn much, but the time given is short."
The golden child nodded and sighed, "More chocolate milk dears?"
The two of the held there empty cups up to the shop keep, "Yes, please!"
Chapter 6
…Jump City Downtown…
"Raven duck!" Raven dodged an oncoming gas tank that was thrown her way, weaving in-between the random objects thrown at her she made her way the criminal. The Boy was dressed in all white, ironic for a criminal, every once in a while an object would appear in front of him only to be hit by his companion who wore a red mini skirt and a black shirt. The Boy kept on teleporting objects and the girl kept on hitting them toward Raven.
Phasing through a few and dodging the other objects Raven made her way to the two, her eyes lit white with her power and her hands outlined in black magic.
"Azarath, Metrion, Ainthos!" The two were wrapped in the black bands of her power and repetitively knocked into one another until they were both unconscious.
"Raven! A little help here!"
Cyborg and Starfire were battling a man whom seemed to possess a large amount of strength and arms, they were doing fine. Robin however, Raven snickered, Robin, despite his tendency to become very serious and obsessive, had a big heart and so when he was faces with two twin girls, that seemed no bigger then a couple of seven years old, he held back and tried to not hurt them. And so he was now covered in drawings and pictures while being tied to a pole.
"Stop laughing and help me!"
"Hehe, whatever you say…Boy Blunder."
"Raven!"
"Hehe, Azarath, Metrion, Ainthos!" The two little girls were wrapped in Ravens magic and disposed of with the rest of the caught criminals. As the police took them away in special cuffs to drain their powers Starfire tore the bindings off of Robin as Raven walked over to the T-car.
"Defeated by a couple of elementary kids, Robin I'm shocked at you!"
"Shut up, and we never speak of this again." Robin got onto his r-cycle and as he revved the engine Raven leant out of the window and pointed to his forehead where a giant pink daisy was painted. "I don't know Robin, I happen to think that the color pink goes very well with your costume."
Cyborg laughed as Raven chuckled at Robin who speeded away on his cycle.
"I do not understand Friends, are pink daises a bad thing?"
Chapter 7
"Her power is immense." The two watched as the person in question made herself a cup of tea…without moving from the couch, "If she is a bit slothful."
The golden child placed his hands onto the window and hummed a verse under his breath, unseen light traveled from his hands to the Demon child that sat sipping tea as she read a book.
She didn't even see let alone feel as the light entered her, spreading inside her and for but a second made her glow. "The first step has been taken. And the next?"
The ebony child tilted her head to look at her companion, "Fate has a way of dealing with things, and it will come when it will come."
The golden child nodded, "Agreed…shall we go and get some chocolate milk?"
"Yes!"
Chapter 8
…Titians Tower, the kitchen…
"Ok, now slowly add the sugar in as you mix the mixture."
"Friend Raven may I also add in the mustered?"
"…For now lets stick with the sugar Star."
The only two girls in the Titian tower where both learning how to cook, Starfire because she wished to know how to prepare Earth dishes and Raven…well she just wanted hers to be edible.
The two of them where trying to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies, Raven was reading the direction while Starfire was mixing them together…this was there forth attempt at cooking.
"Alright "Once batter is fully mixed together, shape parts of dough into 1 ½ inch balls and place them onto the cookie sheet"…Star what are cookie sheets?"
Star looked thoughtful for a moment, "I do not recall Friend Raven? Perhaps they are similar to regular sheets?"
Raven shrugged, "Maybe, do you think we should try it?"
"Oh yes, Friend Raven lets us do try. Wait as I fetch the sheets to use as cookie sheets!"
One minute she was there the next she wasn't, Raven blinked as she stared at the door entry and then at the bowl of cookie dough they had made together, "Might as well see if the dough tastes ok."
Walking over to the counter Raven stood in front of the bowl, she looked left, no one was there she looked right and no one was there.
Cautiously she placed a finger into the bowl of batter, scooped some up and tasted it, "Hmmm, not too bad. Better take another just to be sure."
…15 minutes later…
"Friend Raven I have retrieved the sheets that will soon be the cookie sheets and I-AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Raven came running in, "What Star, what is it?!"
"Friend Raven," Starfire was holding the bowl that previously held the dough the two of them worked on, staring at Raven with large wet eyes "the dough, someone has eaten the dough of cookies that you and I had made!"
Raven patted Starfire on the shoulder as she took the bowl away from her, "Its ok Starfire, we'll make some more."
"NO!" Starfire's eyes lit up with her power as did her hands, "Who ever stole I dough of cookies must pay!"
Raven sighed, sacrifices must be made, "Now that I think about it, Beast Boy was talking about something that he had just eaten that tasted sweet and yummy."
"Beast Boy ate our dough?"
Raven shrugged, "It would appear so."
"Then he must pay!" Star flew out of the kitchen with her eyes aflame with rage, seconds later Beast Boys screams can be heard.
"You bulagerfouge, you will pay for what you had done!"
"Starfire, I don't know what you are talking about! Stop that! Stop! NooOOO! AAaaaaHhhhhhhhh!"
Raven sighed, "Sacrifices had to be made."
She stuck her finger in the bowl and scrapped off some of the last remaining dough and stuck it in her mouth, "Hmmmm."
Chapter 9
"The time at hand is near, the magi will choose whom it whishes to bare."
"Only through her last breath, may she take the throne, the magi will guide her to own."
Chapter 10
…Titian Tower, the garage…
"We can rebuild her, she will be faster, stronger, even more weapons on her then before."
Cyborg held out his hand, "Screwdriver."
"Screwdriver."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Hammer."
"Hammer."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"How's she doing doctor?"
"We're almost home free nurse just one more- oh no! Where losing her nurse! We need to do the transfer now, if not she's lost to us forever!"
"I understand!"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Careful…careful, yes! Yes! Muwhahahaha, she's alive!"
Raven smiled as she held the keys out to Cyborg, "Congratulations, you are now the proud owner of a new updated T-car."
Cyborg turned his back toward and sniffed and in a weak creaking voice, "Thank you, I couldn't have done it with out it Rav."
"…Are you crying?"
"No of course not…I just have something in my eye."
"…Suuuure."
Chapter 11
…Titian Tower, the roof…
It was a Mexican hat stand off, this time it was to the death. Velvet stared into white as black faced off white, one move and it would be all over…but for whom?
An ashen hand twitched the person opposite showed no sign that he noticed, a quick move and, "Checkmate."
"You cheated!" Robin pointed an accusing finger at her.
"Face it Boy Blunder, I…am…better…then…you."
"Never!"
Snorting Raven placed the piece back into the box, "You know the terms of our agreement, I expect you to abide by them."
…The next day…
"Friend Robin…why are you wearing the made of French outfit made for the female and why are you making of the tea? I know how greatly you dislike of the tea."
"Starfire?"
"Yes, Friend Robin?"
"Not now."
Chapter 12
"The time has come."
Chapter 13
…Warehouse…
No one noticed, they were all too busy it wasn't one person's fault, heck it wasn't it the criminals fault, it was an accident.
Robin had been fighting Jinx for a change, Beast Boy and Star where fighting Gizmo, so no one noticed, no one noticed as Mammoth picked up an object that was spear like, no noticed as he flung it through the air at the sorceress he was fighting, no one noticed as the weapon pierced her through the chest because she was too busy making sure that her friends were alright, no one noticed, no one noticed until it was too late.
"Friend Raven? Please Friend, you will wake up now? Wake up Friend Raven. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up!"
"Dude Raven, like stop playing around, I mean this isn't funny…please?"
"Come one Sunshine, you have to wake up, I mean hey who's going to help me with my-our baby?"
"Raven."
… … … "We can save her."
Chapter 14
Robin stood in a fighting stance in front of…he extended his pole and stared at the two strangers in the shadows of the warehouse. "Who are? Come out so I we can see you!"
Robin could feel as the other stood up and feel into there fighting stances around…
"We can save her." Two figures walked out of the shadows and stood in front of them, it was just two children. But not normal children, one seemed to be gleaming a bright light, while the other looked to be blind and to hold a deep darkness in her.
"What do you want?"
The Blind one pointed to… Robin shuddered, "To save her."
"…Can you really save Friend Raven?"
Robin turned to face Starfire, "Starfire no –"
"No Robin! If…if they say they can save her, please let them try. Please!"
Robin was more startled at the fact she didn't addresses him as Friend then anything else. He looked at Cyborg and Beast Boy, he could see it in there eyes, they wanted to let them try.
Turning back toward the children he glared at them, "So god help me, if you try anything, and I mean anything, I don't care of the consequences I will kill you."
The ebony child nodded, "As you wish."
The golden child let go of the ebony child's hand let her walk to the dieing sorceress, the Titians moved out of the way so she can approach. Kneeling at her side she traces her hands over her face and continued down her neck until she came to the wound in her chest, sighing she held her hands over the wound and a black light escaped her and ran into the dieing Raven.
The Titians gasped, a light emitted form there comrade, they watched as the wound in her chest healed, then they watched as her hair grew longer and she started to change. Her skin lost it ashen color to be replaced with a milk pale complexion, her eyes tilted, her hair was still violet but now had highlights of black in it. She was different. They watched as she gasped for air, screamed and then fell silent.
"It is done."
Starfire too a step towards her fallen comrade now healed, tears falling down her face, "Friend Raven?" with her hands outstretched she made to touch her when in a flash of light she was gone.
"Where is she!? What have you done!?"
"She is no longer yours. She now belongs to the magi."
"What the hell do you mean?!"
The Titians watched as the blind ebony child walked back to the golden child. In a whirlwind of light, they transformed themselves in front of them; no longer did two children stand there but full-grown adults whose powers pressed against them. These were being whom you did not mess with.
"You are the Keepers of the Magi," Starfire dropped to her knees in front of them her eyes staring at them in awe and fear, "you are but mythology on my planet."
"Star?"
Starfire turned back to her friends with tears and sorrow embedded in her eyes, "You do not wish to battle these being leader Robin, they hold more power then anyone you know, they have been known to destroy whole worlds with just a single thought, please don't engage combat I beg of you."
"Little Star, leader to whole planet, you are correct we are the Keeper of the Magi, and it is to my discomfort that you friend now belongs to it." The golden man placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her head to look at him.
"Please, tell me why you have taken my not blood Sister Raven?"
Robin had already lowered his bo- staff, Cyborg was kneeling on the floor in daze, his little sister was gone, and Beast Boy, a deep fury was festering inside him.
"Your friend was fated for this the minute she took breath out of her mothers' womb. The Fates had originally planned for her to die at birth, but she lived so they changed it so when the prophecy came she was to perish then, instead she reverted to her child self and brought back thinks to you. Do you know it is impossible to destroy a Demon Lord without being either one yourself or a greater being? Your dear friend Raven was neither, she was something more. She sealed her fate when she destroyed her sire; she is now the holder of the magi."
"Can you," Cyborg stood up, "can you please just give her back to us, let her be the keeper of the magi here, with us?"
The blind ebony woman looked at him, if possible sympathy seemed to fill her pure white eyes, "No, even if we were able to do so it would be pointless, she won't remember you. Once the magi claimed her for itself, it took away her earth bond mind. She won't ever know from this point in her life."
"NO!"
Everyone looked at Beast Boy; he had his hand balled up into fist his nails digging so deep into his skin blood dripped from them and onto the ground, the red blood clashed with his green skin. "She was my friend, my sister, she was…my family. GIVE HER BACK!"
"We cannot."
"Please, just give her back."
"I am sorry, but that is not in our power, only the holder of the magi can do such a thing and as of know she dose not even know you exist."
Silence.
Dead silence, Starfire cried silent tears as she watched the being she once thought myths disappear as her best friend, her sister by all but blood did.
"Come on Titians lets go home."
Epilogue
…3 years later, Titian Tower…
DING! DING! DING!
Robin was at the computer typing away, his mind focused on one thing.
DING! DING! DING!
Starfire was sitting at the window looking out at the city, her eyes still filled with remorse.
DING! DING! DING!
Beast Boy was lying on the ground near the couch looking up at the ceiling not really thinking about anything if he could help it.
DING! DING! DING!
Cyborg was on the couch reading one of the many books that his little sister loved to read before she disappeared.
DING! DING! DING!
Robin spoke without turning around, keeping up his speed as he typed, "Would someone please get the door it's getting on my nerves."
Cyborg flipped a page in the book, "Not I, said the cat."
Beast Boy smiled from where he was lying, "Not I, said the cow."
"Well I'm not going to do it; I have to finish this report for Batman."
"I will do it I Friend Robin." Standing up from her seat near the window Starfire flew down the hall and to the door, and opened it. "How may I help-" and gasped.
"Hi, I will like to join the Titians; I heard there was room for one more."
"Friend Raven."
FIN
A/N: Ok, I know I should finish my other story first but this one just popped up in my head and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. Now you have to review it and tell me what you think.