Her communicator buzzed.
"Rae? Sorry to bother you, but could you please join us in the Ops room? We need you here."
She sighed. Robin wouldn't be interrupting her if it wasn't really important. She rose from her lotus stance and clasped the cloak around her shoulders, leaving her room.
As she was approaching the Ops room, Starfire zoomed past her, both hands covering her mouth. There was a greenish tinge to her face and it was unusually pale. Her distress radiated from her in sickening waves. To feel such an emotion from the normally happy, bubbly, joyful alien confused Raven, leaving an aftertaste of anger in her mouth.
What did this to her? If it was one of Beast Boy's pranks, I swear I'll…
She considered for a moment going after Starfire. She was in obvious need of comfort. She wrenched herself from it, forcing her mind back on track. Robin sounded serious.
She floated into the Ops room. The first thing she noticed was Cyborg standing close to the door, his face also pale, his eye squeezed shut. She felt him fighting to control his anger and revulsion.
What in the Nine Hells is going on?
Robin's voice startled her.
"Rae, good you're here. I need you to look at this" he said, his voice tense. He bent over the console to touch a few buttons.
"It's surveillance footage from a security camera. Fair warning, it's… unnerving."
She looked at the main monitor. She saw Beltheniel facing the muggers, transforming himself. She saw the butchery, the blood spurting, a few drops splashing on the camera lens. But it was the expression of bestial joy in Beltheniel's demonic face that made her bile rise.
Fighting the nausea, she said "We have to find it. We have to find it and destroy it."
Beast Boy was scowling. He was handling it a lot better than the others, but she could still feel his disgust, together with an undercurrent of cold rage.
"I dunno, dude. Sometimes when I turn into a predator, I get… urges. But this is just sick. Rae's right."
Robin nodded slowly, his emotions held steady in an iron grip.
"We do not kill. We often put ourselves into danger just to avoid placing the lives of our opponents in jeopardy. But this is not just a villain. This… thing… must be destroyed."
Raven closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down. "It's decided, then. I'll go check on Starfire. It affected her."
"I'll do it" said Robin. "I need you to think of the best way to rid the world of that demon."
"I'll be in my room" she said and flitted out.
A few minutes later she was back in her room, getting ready to resume her meditation, when she heard a soft knocking on her door.
Puzzled, she opened the door to see a very serious Beast Boy looking at her.
"Hi Rae. May I come in?"
She lifted her eyebrow. She could sense a maelstrom of conflicting emotions whirling in him. She stepped back, letting him in.
He walked in and turned to her, but he couldn't meet her eyes.
"I came to… to say I'm sorry."
Her eyebrow arched up again. "What for?"
"For everything!" he blurted out. "I was an asshole all this time!"
He finally lifted his eyes and met her gaze. "Until today I had no idea what you had to face every day of your life" he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I mean, yeah, I knew, you being Trigon's… you know. But I had no idea. Not until today. When I saw that video, I realized…"
He swallowed, trying to force the words through his constricting throat.
"I think I finally understand. I think I am starting to see now what you have to go through to keep it from consuming you. And I only made it worse for you all these years."
He paused again, took a deep breath and continued.
"I thought you were rude, cranky, unfeeling. I once even called you a… a creep." He kept his eyes on hers with an obvious effort. "I am sorry, Raven. I just wish… If I'd known it before, I wouldn't have hurt you like I did."
His gaze dropped down to the floor again, his eyes brimming with tears. "Please forgive me" he whispered.
She stepped closer and hugged him, allowing his head to fall on her shoulder.
"It's all right, Garfield. You couldn't have known."
"I should have" he said, his voice breaking up.
She pushed him gently away, kissing his forehead. He looked into her eyes. "I'll leave you now. Thank you for… for putting up with me all this time."
She touched his face and nodded. He turned around and walked to the door. As he was about to leave, she called out.
"Beast Boy?"
He turned around, looking at her.
"No more stankball around me."
His face split in a huge grin. "No problem, momma!"
He slipped out. The door started closing, but suddenly a green hand stopped it. Half of his face appeared, the other half hidden behind the closing door.
"How 'bout extreme stankball?"
She smiled. "Very well, but only if I get to referee."
He flashed her another grin and was gone.
Beltheniel was on his bed, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.
I enjoyed it. It was almost like… with Sue.
He shook his head. No, not like that. I mean yes, while it was happening… I lost myself in the rage, just like I had lost myself in love. Both consuming, both satisfying, both pleasuring me incredibly.
He rubbed his suddenly burning eyes.
And yet, it did not bring peace. It only brought a craving for more. Like a drug. I wanted to keep killing, maiming, biting and slashing. I wanted to destroy everything, until there was nothing left to destroy.
The train of thought ran through his head, shaking his soul.
And what then? When we destroy everything, what then? Will we fall on each other, until only one remains, the strongest, most ruthless one? Will he turn then upon himself, devouring himself like Ouroboros, until nothing remains but primeval Chaos?
Will that Chaos bring forth a new world? Are we, then, the ultimate creators of everything?
He squeezed his eyes shut. Even if it was true, that future was denied to him. But for now, his decision was made.
I will not give in to it. Ever again.
He rose from his bed, turned on the laptop and waited until it initialized. He started the astrology software and inputted the geographic coordinates for Jump City. Selecting an animation to represent the next seven days, he watched as the symbols of the planets and constellations slowly rotated.
The night after next, then.
He stopped the animation and studied the screen. Satisfied, he made a printout to have at hand.
He stretched, realizing he was tense. He should do something about it. He grinned. I know just the thing.
He left the room and went to Sue's apartment.
She opened the door and her eyes shone upon seeing him. He smiled and took her in his arms.
"Missed me?" he said gently as she embraced him tightly.
She didn't answer, except to tighten her embrace. They walked to the living room and sat on the couch, still holding each other.
He touched her soul. It was fluttering, full of joy because of his presence, but also anxious and slightly apprehensive. He looked at her,
"What is it, Sue? You're afraid of something."
She buried her face deeper into his chest, silent. He stroked her hair.
"Come on, you can tell me."
"I'm afraid of me. I'm afraid of you. I was thinking about you all night. I can't get you out of my mind. I never felt like this before. What have you done to me?"
A sensation of almost physical pain went through his chest. "Sue…"
"I'm behaving like a schoolgirl crushing badly" she said, her head still buried in his chest, her voice muffled.
He sighed. His power touched her soul again, trying to bring it comfort and calm. He was clumsy, used to ripping souls from mortal bodies, bringing them pain and terror, not calm and peacefulness. He suddenly felt the urge to tighten his grip on her soul, to wrench it out screaming and possess it while she was still alive; the ultimate act of rape.
Rage at himself rose, rage for even feeling the urge. But as much as the rage was directed to the demonic part of him, it actually strengthened it. His power thickened, the tendril soothing her soul wrapped around it, darkening, becoming almost visible. Like a drowning man grasping for a straw, he clutched at her love, realizing in a flash that it was his only chance.
Peace washed over him, his power returning to its ethereal consistency. He held her closer, his hands shaking. He took a deep breath.
She lifted her head and looked at him. "I'm sorry. I felt you tense up when I told you. You must think I'm…"
"Hush. It has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with me."
Allowing herself to be calmed by his words, she lowered her head on his chest again.
"Sue?"
"Mmhmm?"
"I'm sorry. I just lied to you. It does have to do with you. You also make me feel… strange. I've never felt like this before. I've never known I could feel like this before."
She said nothing, just burrowed closer to him. He lowered his head and breathed deeply the scent of her hair. It made him dizzy. His hands cupped her face, lifting it towards him. He kissed her. Time stopped having meaning.
They lay on the couch, the narrow space making them snuggle close to each other, arms and legs entwined. Neither of them complained about it.
Peace. It brings me peace, it brings me joy, it makes me… happy. She makes me happy. Is this what I'm looking for? Or is it just an unwelcome distraction from my quest?
He shook his head slightly. Unwelcome it is not.
He looked at her. If I ever give in to the rage… The thought of hurting her made him feel ill.
But there are many ways of hurting. She doesn't know me. If she knew what I was, would she still…?
A small shudder passed through him. He had to know, but he dared not reveal himself.
Maybe there was a way. A slow, gradual way.
He projected part of his power into her soul. Again amazed at how alive, vibrant and joyful she was, he started working on her own power slowly, carefully, releasing the entanglements that kept it hidden, forgotten and ignored. Remove a strand of skepticism here, snip a thread of fear of the unknown there. It was a small change, but her power reacted, budding like a flower, feeling him and turning towards him.
Her power is strong. I must not hurry. She still does not know how to use or interpret it.
He would continue tomorrow, and the day after that, and after that, too. It would take several days to unchain her power fully. In the meantime, he had to prepare her so she knew what to expect. But he could leave that for tomorrow. Right now he would enjoy her nearness.
He woke up, sensing a dark shadow passing over him. Something was looking for him. Something hostile.
His first thought was that he was putting her in danger. He got up from bed and started dressing. She stretched, propped herself on an elbow and looked at him.
"Leaving again?"
"I'm sorry, Sue, I have to. I'll be back soon."
She frowned. "You are hiding things from me. I don't like it. It… scares me."
He looked at her, wondering if she simply felt it or if her power was already manifesting itself. He sighed.
"I can't tell you now, Sue. I will, I promise. Give me a few days."
"When will you come back?"
"Tonight, I hope."
She got up from bed, walked over to him, embraced him and kissed him.
"I will wait."
He kissed her back and left.
He walked down the streets, his power extending around him, sensing, probing. Whatever it was that was looking for him wasn't friendly. He had to find out what it was and deal with it.
He caught an echo of the shadow. It was far away, but unmistakable. There was no point in delaying it. His power rose, sending the message.
I am here.
The shadow sensed him and approached. He waited.
They were soon in front of him, all five of them. They advanced warily towards him. He kept himself in a non-threatening posture, but this time he felt that it may not keep them from attacking. A sliver of fear pierced his mind, feeding his anger. He pushed it away, not wishing to give in to rage.
"I have no quarrel with you. I do not wish to fight you" he said.
"We have a quarrel with you" the leader of the group said.
Beltheniel was puzzled. "Why? Have I done anything to you? If I did, I apologize."
"You are a demon! A destroyer, a killer! We saw what you did in that alley!"
A strange feeling crept over Beltheniel, darkening his face.
"I'm… sorry. Those mort – those men were trying to kill me. I got angry and I let my rage control me. I… I think I shouldn't have done that."
"It's a bit too late, don't you think?" the leader said, falling into combat stance. "Titans! Go –"
"Hold!" Raven exclaimed. Everybody froze. She floated down to stand before him.
"You are ashamed?"
"I'm… not sure."
Her eyes narrowed. She stepped closer, studying him.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she said, a bubble of transparent black enclosing them, muffling all external sound. He winced again at the mention of Azarath. He realized that she created the black dome not to keep him in; it was to keep the others out. He wondered what she was up to.
Suddenly, her arm shot up in an arc and her hand slapped his face, hard.
"You pathetic excuse for a demon! Ashamed?"
He looked at her incredulously. She swiped him again, this time with a backhand, both his cheeks stinging now. She may have looked small and fragile, but she had the strength of a coiled steel spring in her. Anger flashed in him, but he gripped it in an iron fist.
"Who created you? Did an imp shit you out and forgot to wipe his ass?" she said contemptuously as she slapped him again.
His anger was threatening to turn into rage. "Don't do that!" he growled,
"Or what? Are you going to stink me away? You weak, cowardly, insignificant waste of demonflesh!"
His fury started boiling, his transformation began. He willed it back with an effort, just as she slapped him again.
"What is it? Afraid of a human? Or is it my demon half that is making you whimper in fear?" Her eyes were burning red now.
His fingers formed into claws and then split into fingers again. His teeth grew, then collapsed back. Scales appeared and disappeared over his skin. Only his third eye opened fully and stayed that way, watching her.
She grabbed his jacket, pulling him down. "On your knees. On your knees before me!" she commanded.
He resisted her pull weakly, too concentrated in controlling his rage. He must not give in. He could not give in. He fell to his knees. Kneeling before a human! It made his rage boil up. He desperately tried to remember Sue's face, tried to picture to himself the colors of her soul. His grip on his fury tightened again. His body was convulsing, still changing into demonic form and back into human.
"Grovel!" she hissed. "Grovel before me! Abase yourself to a mortal!"
It was more than he could bear. His fury exploded, his transformation suddenly full in a split second. He towered over her, arms extended, claws convulsing. She stared at him with contempt.
He bellowed and his arm flashed down to slash at her. He stopped it an inch away from her face.
He transformed back into his human form, his rage suddenly forgotten.
"I will not do it" he whispered.
She stared at him for a moment, then dismissed the black dome around them with a wave of her hand. Her friends surged forward, then stopped, realizing she was not in danger.
"I will not do it!" he shouted at her and the others, turned and started walking away.
"Wait!" she called to him. He stopped, without turning. He felt her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I had to be sure."
He turned and looked into her eyes. Extending a part of his power, he studied her soul. She flinched at the touch, but did nothing to avoid it.
"You were testing me" he said, incredulous.
"Yes. It had to be done. I'm sorry."
"Why?"
"You made a Choice. That is unusual enough. And I felt that you were ashamed. That is unheard of. But I had to know if it was really a part of you or you were just making it up."
"You felt?"
"I am an empath."
"You can feel me?"
"Yes. Speaking of which, would it be too much to ask you to stop groping me?"
He felt heat rise in his face. He realized he was blushing, a strangely human reaction. He retrieved the tendril of power that was probing her soul back into himself.
"Sorry, I…"
"Forget it. Why are you here?"
"I… made a Choice."
"I know that!" she snapped impatiently.
He sighed. "It's a long story."
"Then give me the short version."
He snorted. "Almost a millennium of anguish and questioning and you want a 'short version'?"
She stared at him, silent, waiting, not bothering to answer.
He looked down. "I didn't belong with my brethren."
"Why?"
He gritted his teeth, forcing the words from his mouth.
"Because I am weak."
"I see."
"Do you?"
"You forget who you're talking to."
"I forget nothing!" he shouted at her. "Were you raised in Hell? No, I can feel the taint of the monks of Az – of that holy place on you!" He looked down at her, shaking his head. "You couldn't comprehend. You have seen Hell. You have been there. I can sense it in your soul. But you haven't lived there."
"You said you wanted answers" she told him coldly. She wasn't hostile any more, but she was far from being friendly.
"I… need to know who I am. Where do I belong. Why am I here."
"Just that? Only what the finest minds have been pondering for millennia? What made you think I have the answers?"
"I saw it in you. You faced it, and you won. You defined yourself by your will, not by what you were made to be."
"So did you, just a few minutes ago."
He opened his mouth, shut it. He was struck speechless.
"Did you think it was that easy? Find someone that can give you the magic answer? Solve it all with a few words?"
"I… I don't know. I think… I think I did."
"It doesn't work that way."
"So how does it work? Why won't you help me?" he shouted at her, frustrated.
"Because I can't!" she shouted back.
He closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. "There must be something…"
She sighed. "What I can tell you will not help."
"I still want to hear it."
"You have made a Choice. What you do, now and in the future, will decide your ultimate fate. But you will still have to choose every hour of every day. You will wake every morning asking yourself if today will be the day when your choices fail or when your will falters. And you will wonder if the consequences will hurt those you love most. It will follow you, day in and day out. You will never be able to relax, you will always fear to bring your guard down. That is the life you chose. That is the life I chose. Because the alternative was unthinkable."
His shoulders slumped. He realized she was right. She looked at him, a flash of compassion appearing for a moment in her expressionless eyes.
"There are ways to deal with it" she said, putting again a hand on his shoulder, to be able to feel him better. "You can find friendship, love, affection. It will help, but it will also make it more difficult."
Her lips curled into a small smile. "I can see you already found some of it. Keep it. Nourish it. It will be hard, but it will give you strength and hope. That is the best that you can do."
She squeezed his shoulder in sympathy and turned to go.
"You were wrong" he told her. "It does help."
She smiled and joined her friends.
"Raven?"
"What is it?"
"You have done much for me. If you ever need something, you know how to reach me."
"I know, Beltheniel."
Sue woke up, feeling Bel softly breathing beside her. She placed her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, remembering. When he returned a few hours ago there was a smile on his face and happiness in his eyes. She had felt a small pang of jealousy, because the only time his eyes were happy was right after they made love. It took only a few minutes for them to turn introspective again, as if a curtain fell behind them, hiding him from the world. She had reached for him hungrily, like she always did, but he gently soothed her wound-up nerves until she relaxed. They made love slowly, languidly at first. As her breath quickened, her body reacting to his touches and kisses, she began to realize that this time it was different. He was not as masterful as before, taking her body and controlling it until release washed over them both. This time he was much more… involved. His caresses were as skillful as before, but his touches almost sparked with energy aching to flow from him into her, his soul wanting to mingle with hers, craving for the two of them to become one, not only in body but in mind and soul.
She softly caressed him, being careful not to wake him up. The desire to look deep into him rose in her; to gaze into his secretive mind and hidden soul. He was hers, she knew that now. But she needed to know who he was, she wanted to share his secrets, to be a part of him.
Something in her reacted to her wish. A part of her mind floated out, searching for him, even though she could see him in the gloom, hear his soft breathing, feel the warmth of his body. And yet that part of her mind groped around, unseeing, unfeeling. She concentrated on it, puzzled, and tried to give it directions, but it did not work. She tried to open herself to the new feeling, pouring into it what she felt for him.
That did work. Her new sense felt her emotions and found the source, identifying it, then connected immediately to him, exposing him fully, her mind suddenly flooded with his pain, anguish, darkness and hatred.
She gasped, jerking back and almost falling from the bed. Her new sense was riveted on him unmercifully, peeling back layers of rage and viciousness, revealing the dark beast within. A terrified whimper rose in her throat. He woke with a start, raising himself in the bed, looking at her with deep concern.
She backed from him until she reached the wall, terrified. She tried to scream, but only a soft moan escaped her constricted throat. He got off the bed and approached her. She huddled in the corner of the room, fear radiating from her. She felt that her own fear was deepening the darkness in him, feeding his beast, making it grow ever more menacing.
He knelt beside her, lifted his hand to touch her face. She jerked her head to try and avoid his touch, but his fingers brushed her cheek, leaving burning spots on her face.
"Sue…" he whispered. "Please. Do not be afraid."
She whimpered, trying to hide, burrow into the wall, disappear.
"Please. At least, try to see all of me, not only the darkness" he whispered softly as he tried to touch her again.
His words slowly reached her mind. She forced herself to focus on him, now aware of a soft, red light behind the blackness. As she noticed it, it started glowing brighter, slowly pushing away the darkness and fear. She could now see his love, his concern, his fear. Her muscles, cramped with terror, started relaxing; her ragged breath became quieter, her throat finally allowed her to whisper a question.
"Bel?"
"Shhh. Yes, it's me. You have seen me."
"It was dark…"
He put his arms around her. She flinched again at his touch, but soon relaxed as she felt his familiar, soothing scent and heard the sound of his heart drumming desperately in his chest.
"I know. I will tell you everything. But first you need to calm down, relax."
He scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed, putting her gently on it. She studied him through her newfound sense, noting the interplay between darkness and light, love and hate, rage and peace.
Shudders still shook her body as he sat on the bed, watching her. She looked at him, confused.
"What was that? Did I… What did I do?"
"You are a medium" he told her. "You have the power to sense others and connect with them, no matter who, what or where they are."
She struggled to understand. "You mean I can… talk to the dead?"
He smiled. "That is only part of it. You are the perfect communicator. You can see and connect to anyone or anything. Nothing can be hidden from you. Nothing can escape you. That is why you could see me as I really am."
"I don't know what you are. I saw darkness, and hatred, and fury. But I also saw light and love, compassion and care. I… I don't know what to think."
"Then don't think. Just feel."
"I… I'm scared" she whispered. "Scared of this. Scared of you."
The anguish and regret darkened the light in him. He got up.
"I'm sorry, Sue. I never wanted to hurt you. I'll leave you."
"No!" she shouted, jumping from the bed and clutching at him. "Don't!"
Surprised, he embraced her as her head buried itself in his chest, her body shaking, her arms grasping at him.
"Never leave me. Never. Please."
"Shhhh. All right. It's all right. I won't. Shhhh."
He comforted her until her shaking subsided. She held on grimly, like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood.
The next several hours were spent talking about her newfound power and about his real nature.
"Your power reacted to me. But it wouldn't do it on itself. You had to feel an attraction first, before it would wake."
"Great. So you're telling me I'm attracted to demons?"
"More like attracted to good looking, dark haired guys" he said with a crooked smile on his face.
She smiled back, then sighed. "I still don't understand why you came here" she said.
He rubbed his forehead. "I'll try to explain in human terms. Imagine that all that matters in the world is raw power. The more you have it, the more you are respected and feared. And it is the only thing that matters. There is no love, no compassion, no mercy."
She shuddered at his words. "It sounds awful."
"Words can't describe it. I was doubly cursed. My powers are weak and I have a good mind. Demons do not usually think much, they just live for the moment, enjoying the chaos and destruction and needing or wanting little else beyond that. Weak as I was, I was always on the receiving end, and my mind started asking itself questions. What is the point? Is there anything else beyond it? Why was I here? Was I just made as a toy for other demons to torture and play with?"
He sighed, went on. "But the questioning itself was just the beginning. I started looking for answers. I studied, read, travelled. I visited the mortal realm, learned much about your kin. I visited other realms, also – I even went to Heaven" he said with a wry smile.
"Needless to say, the first few times I was summarily banished. I kept trying until I met an angel that was intrigued enough to listen to me. He was not able to help me; as much as he understood me and wanted to help, I was a demon, and I belonged there even less than I did in Hell."
He frowned. "But he reminded me that I had a Choice. I did not want to make it at first, but there was no other way. I finally decided and appeared in your realm, now fully mortal, limited in the span of my years to a normal, human existence."
Her hand squeezed his, trying to comfort him. He smiled at her, allowing her love and concern to wash over him, soothing his spirit.
"It was amazing that very quickly I ran into a person that was able to help me. Her name is Raven."
She gave a small start. "Raven? The sorceress of the Titans?"
"She is a sorceress, that is true. Who are the Titans?"
She giggled. "You are obviously not from these parts. They are a group of meta-humans – superheroes. They fight evil in whatever shape it appears. They saved this city several times from all sorts of threats. They are always in the news."
"That explains why they wanted to kill me" he said darkly.
She frowned. "They are superheroes. They do not kill."
He shook his head. "It's a question of scale. For them I was an agent of destruction, a dangerous and unpredictable force of Chaos. I had killed two criminals that tried to kill me. I allowed my rage to control me. I butchered them, ripped them to shreds. They saw it and drew their conclusions."
"And yet you are gentle and loving. There is a light shining in you, driving away the darkness. Maybe that is what attracted me to you in the first place."
"Sue, whenever I look to your soul, I see it sparkling in colors, like a rainbow of loving and joy. It was a revelation to me. I realized I wished to be like you. But I never will" he finished grimly.
"Darkness only makes the light shine that much stronger" she whispered to him, putting her arms around him.
Wrong. It is the strongest light that casts the darkest shadows.
They both looked up, startled. Four slits opened on the wall, red hellfire burning in them. Fear gripped them.
I must thank you, weak one, for releasing her power. She will be useful to me.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his body slowly transforming, reacting to the unspoken threat. His third eye opened and looked into the four eyes glaring balefully at them. Realization hit him like a physical blow. He fell to his knees, his posture submissive, his gaze on the floor.
"My Lord Trigon…"
Do not speak to me. The only reason you still exist is because you served my purpose and released her powers. Now I can use them to enter this world through her. Now I can have what has been denied to me. Now I can have revenge.
"Lord Trigon, please, spare her…"
A ghostly, disembodied red hand appeared and swatted him aside to crash against the wall and slump down, barely conscious.
Do not presume, weak one. I will use her, and I will crush you. There is nothing you can do.
"NO!" he screamed. "I will not let you!"
Pain shot through him, pain such as he never knew in the thousand years of his tortured existence. It filled his body, overflew his mind, ripped his soul apart. He slumped down on the floor again, screaming.
But his will was still his. He got to his knees, started crawling towards Sue, who was whimpering in paralyzed terror. The sight of her caused an even greater pain to rip through him. He took hold of the agony permeating his body and soul, ignited it into rage and sent it all out in a massive blast at the four eyes. It hit them and winked out, as if it was no more than a puff of smoke.
Terrible laughter tore into his mind.
I almost felt that. Who would think that a weakling like you could muster so much power? It must be that disgusting feeling that mortals call… love.
He lunged at the eyes, his claws raking them, passing through them. He sent blast after blast into them, with the same results. All his attacks were as ineffective as throwing a glass of water at a burning house, trying to douse the flames.
Despair gripped him. His mind worked furiously, looking for a way to save Sue.
I tire of you. I will deal with you quickly, but I must first do what I came here to do. Watch as I possess her. Watch as I rip her soul out of her body. Watch as I make it mine. Watch and despair.
"NO!" he screamed, despair and anguish overwhelming him. He renewed his attacks, but he could not even touch the malignant eyes.
The disembodied hand took hold of Sue, dragging her closer to the eyes. Suddenly, all emotions were washed away from him, leaving his mind crystal clear. He knew what he had to do.
He closed his eyes, leaving the third one opened and staring at Sue with it. He called out her name, wishing with all the love he held for her to reach her. It burned through her terror and daze. She turned her head and looked at him.
The eye in his forehead darkened, the pupil expanding. Sue felt it drinking her. Pain shot through her, but gentleness flowed from him, soothing her. She gave in to the feeling, pushing aside the pain.
His eye closed. "You cannot have her now" he whispered.
The red hand gripped him.
You have made a big mistake, weakling. I will show you just how big.
The hand squeezed. His breath was forced from his body, but he knew that was just the beginning. Blood was forced from his body into his head by the clutching red fingers. He felt the bone in his left forearm snap.
He whimpered, losing what little breath remained in him. His ribs caved in, puncturing his lungs like knives. His spine shattered in several places, but somehow the nerves still transferred the pain from his mangled body, up his spine and into his brain.
Blood poured from his ears, nose and eyes, deafening and blinding him.
No. You will not die that easy. I will see to it.
The hand squeezed him even more, squashing his muscles and pulverizing his bones. But his soul was still joined to his body and he was denied the oblivion of death, or even unconsciousness.
The agony was endless. Everything disappeared except for the pain. Time had no meaning. He had no body, the pain came from everywhere. Until it suddenly all stopped.
He fell to the floor in human form, his body healed, but the shadow of the pain still very much alive in his mind. His third eye looked into the four eyes on the wall.
You have taken away my tool, so I will have to use you instead. It may be even more entertaining than what I first planned.
Four beams of red light lanced from the four eyes and focused on the eye in his forehead. Red agony burst in his head, obliterating everything else. The eyes on the wall blinked and vanished.
I am in you now. I will find her, use her and destroy her. And then I will start on you.
He passed out.
He awoke, pain still throbbing in his head. It brought the memories back. He rose, groaning, and staggered to where Sue was laying prone on the floor. Her breathing was shallow, her heartbeat weak. The body will not last much without the soul. He needed help.
Dismissing the pain, he concentrated all his anguish and despair and launched his silent wail for help. He silently screamed Raven's name time and again, willing all his emotions into his plea.
A black portal opened in the middle of the room and she stepped through.
"Stop that! You're making my head hurt!"
He stopped his calling, relief washing over him. She looked around, walked over to Sue with a concerned look on her face. Her hands started to glow with a white light as she placed them over Sue's prone body. She scowled, rising to her feet, turning to him.
"Did you do this?" she asked, a dangerous note in her voice.
"Yes, but I… I had to."
She walked over to him, grabbed his hair and pulled his face up, forcing him to look into her eyes. They were blazing white.
"Explain yourself before I destroy every hint of you ever existing" she hissed at him.
"It was… Trigon."
She released her hold, taking a few steps back, her eyes filling with fear.
"No…" she whispered.
"We must take her somewhere where she will be safe" he said, trying to get up and forcing the pain and anguish back. "I need to find a way to reverse it."
Her eyes returned to their normal, expressionless look.
"Pick her up and follow me" she said, as she chanted her mantra and opened a portal. They stepped through it and into the infirmary at the Titan's Tower.
Raven busied herself connecting Sue to the medical monitors and inserting IV drips into her arm. Beltheniel realized this will keep her alive a bit longer – it would keep her from dehydrating and supply her with the basic needs of her body. He still only had a few days left before the body, bereft of soul, gave up.
He clenched his fists as the thoughts went through his mind, his emotions eliciting a quick frown from Raven. She finished what she was doing and pressed a stud on the clasp of her cloak.
"Cyborg, can you come to the infirmary, please? I have a situation."
"What is it?" the voice on the other side answered, the concern obvious even through the modulation of the speaker.
"Just come here, please."
"On my way!"
Less than a minute later he showed up. His eyes – both the human and the implant – quickly appraised the situation, looking at Sue's prone body, then at Beltheniel and finally at Raven. The unspoken question hung in the air.
"She is physically fine" Raven explained, "but she will be deteriorating steadily. I expect trouble to start in a couple of days. Keep an eye on her and make sure she gets what she needs, OK?"
"Will do. Anything you want to tell me?"
"Not right now."
Cyborg rolled his eyes. "I don't know why I even bother asking" he grumbled.
A rare smile lit her face. She put her hand over his metallic paw. "Because you care" she said quietly.
The smile left her face and her eyes returned to her normal, calm and expressionless look.
"We'll be in my room if you need us. Let us know the moment something changes in her state."
Cyborg nodded and watched them leave the infirmary.
Author's note:
The plot thickens. So far I've managed to keep it the way I envisioned it first, but as usual with me several things have changed from my original concept. We'll see if and how it affects the story. The good thing is that sometimes even I don't have a clear idea what's going to happen :-)
In any case, I hope that you like the story so far. please do leave a review, they are important and help me improve my style. Thanks for reading!