Heya, Got chapter 2 done faster than I thought I would.
So fun news, I'm now writing these at work and school as my computer at home decided to literally blow up.
The power supply made a weird popping sound and died, so I replaced it but the damage was done, the motherboard will not let the machine stay on for longer than 68 seconds.
Fortunately I have come across a sum of money and will be buying a new one next week.
So I probably will not be working on chapter 3 until I get my machine up and running again, fyi may be a long post.
Until then however I have chapter 2 ready to go so, Enjoy.
As always Teen Titans characters do not belong to me, all the original charecters however do belong to me. Do not use w/o permission please.
Please review – enjoy.
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The Thin Grey Line
Chapter 2: The Goblin King
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The aid to the high judge ran through the halls of the White Palace his white and green robes flying behind him as he ran. In all his years in service to the judges he had never seen anything like what he had just witnessed, at least nothing like that done to a knight.
Flying around a corner the aid stopped in front of a door he knew well and pounded on it with his fist.
"Sir Thadius! Sir Thaddeus please wake thyself something has happened!" He cried at the closed door until finally the lock was thrown back and it opened to an aged, man.
"What is it Caius?" he asked sounding a little annoyed.
"Sir, forgive me for waking you at this hour, but something terrible has happened in the dungeon. I did not know whom else to find, you must come quickly!" The panicking aid said breathlessly, and something about the look in the aid's eye told Thadius that perhaps he should investigate this issue himself.
"Very well." He sighed, "But if this is not as important as you say I will have you in the stocks till dawn do you understand?"
"Yes sir." The aid bowed, "I promise it is important."
"Lead on then." Thadius said as he put on his overcoat to cover the robes he was sleeping in, if nothing else he was not going to leave his quarters indecent.
Following the aid by candlelight Judge Thadius and his aid Caius hurried through the halls and corridors of the palace until they came to the door that led to the dungeon, which he noted was unguarded. Descending the stone stairs down into the prison area the judge followed his aid and became more and more aware of the sent of blood. A smell that was confirmed when the aid stopped before the cell that he himself had banished Sir Thaylor to not yet two nights earlier.
"In there your grace." The aid pointed, not wanting to go farther.
Thadius had witnessed his own share of bloodshed and death in his day having once been a Knight of the White Palace before being called as a Judge of the lands. So when he stepped forward what he saw in the cell did not bother his own constitution. There the knight Thaylor lay mauled almost behind recognition by what he would assume was a sword. Blood was spattered and smeared over the whole floor and walls and the human corpse was laid in the middle of the mess making it the centerpiece of the whole sick ensemble. The whole thing was made to look like a guard had snapped and killed a knight; the judge supposed that if he were to take a headcount of the guards he would find that the guard who had been posed on the prisons this eve would turn up missing. And a search part would probably never find him leaving the murder of the knight a case that would always remain unsolved. To the judge the situation was all too familiar to one he had come across before that to this day, still haunted his dreams.
This was the work of a Demon.
"Call the guards, GO!" the judge shouted at his aid who jumped and hurried away.
Thadius knew that trying to find the demon that killed Thaylor would be pointless as if it was the creature he thought it was, it would probably simply kill the search party as well.
No this situation needed to be handled very carefully – he would see to the details himself.
When the guards arrived Thadius instructed them to take Thaylor's body to the medical wing of the palace but remain covered at all times. The Judge used his authority to declare that the Knight was murdered in his sleep by a jealous guard who had then fled the palace and fallen into corruption. He said that there would be a small search for the guard but because he fled into the forbidden portion of the forest the Knights and other guards would not be able to find him. Thadius also explicitly forbade any of the white knights from seeking vengeance for the killing stating that the guard who murdered Thaylor would meet his own end by demon kind anyway.
Thadius returned to his quarter's hours after morning now, tired and shaken. He did not want to bring the wrath of the demon that caused this to happen down on the white palace, lest everyone die. He knew though that his actions would probably be exactly what the demon would want to happen anyway, the creature would not be found unless it wanted to be. He was playing a dangerous game here trying to keep both his superiors and a demon happy, and silently the High Judge prayed that all would work itself out.
--
Beast Boy sat next to Raven's bed in the medical bay with his hand holding hers. The paramedics had come and gone and determined that Raven was just had a small puncture mark above her heart that was no more than a superficial wound and would heal, but was also in a coma. The changeling watched as her chest went up and down with each breath noting the differences in her appearance since the incident. Her hair was now jet black in color, and her skin was a pale ivory instead of the grey. While the paramedics were working on trying to wake Raven the changeling had also noticed her eyes were now a deep blue color instead of violet.
It was as if she was just a normal girl dressed in a super hero uniform.
Beast Boy's stomach growled at him then for the fifth time in the last three minutes, he had been sitting by Raven's side for the better part of a day and his high metabolism was beginning to catch up to him. He thought about getting something to eat for a few moments but decided he needed to stay here with Raven in case anything happened or she woke up – oh how he was pleading for her to wake up.
When whoever that jerk off knight was had chained all of them to the ground Beast Boy, like the other Titans, had been trapped in a position to witness everything that had transpired as it happened. He watched helplessly as Raven was beat up and stabbed in the heart by the night. He had assumed that she had died when he pulled the sword out for how lifelessly Raven fell to the ground and that unleashed something within him. He could no longer allow himself to be trapped while his friend was killed and The Beast was let out of its cage once again.
He had already talked with Cyborg about it, and the metal teen was running tests already too see if it was the chemical he was exposed to long ago that caused it or not but the changeling knew it wasn't the chemical. He had let it out intentionally when the power that the beast possessed called his name – the idea that he possessed a power that was equally as dangerous as that knight was scarred him. He had told Cyborg all of this, wanting to be honest with his friend but the metal teen still thought that the Beast was simply a chemical reaction still. Perhaps understanding this new power that was developing inside of him would take some time.
Why won't you wake up? The changeling thought, Ugh!
Shaking his head to reorganize his scattered thoughts Beast Boy realized that he had been sitting here listening to the steady drone of the heart monitor and listening got her breathing for about seventeen hours now. If he didn't take a break soon his friends were going to make him. Standing from the chair Beast Boy stretched his arms and legs – he really had been there a long time – before giving Raven one last squeeze of the hand and walking out of the room.
Don't go anywhere he thought.
Meanwhile in the common room Robin was glued to a PDA in his hand as it searched through every available database he could find about dimensional travel but wasn't coming up with anything that was going to help him figure out where that knight went. Cyborg had made available every type of instrument he had but nothing could detect anything useful. It was as if dimensional travel was reserved for users of magic.
Sighing in frustration Robin threw the PDA at the wall and headed for the exercise room to blow off some steam – he really wanted Raven to be okay right now.
"Should we go speak to friend Robin?" Starfire asked, looking a little afraid.
"Nah just let him cool down and he'll be fine." Cyborg said. He was playing a game on the T.V but wasn't really paying attention to it; his fingers simply followed practiced moves. Starfire sighed and went back to looking out the window feeling completely helpless. It was to this scene that Beast Boy walked into the common room with eyes that were bloodshot from crying and lack of sleep, he carefully took each step but was still dragging his feet a little bit.
"Dude you look horrible." Cyborg commented. "You alright?"
"Yeah." Beast Boy said realizing for the first time just how dry his throat was, "I just need a drink and some food."
"Good, I was wondering if you would ever eat again." Cyborg said light heartedly but Beast Boy did not respond as he was gulping down a glass of water.
"Has friend Raven stirred from the deep sleep yet?" Starfire asked hopefully.
"No Starfire…she hasn't moved." Beast Boy said sadly.
The Titans then fell into silence again as Beast Boy went about making some sort of tofu concoction for himself, only speaking to ask Starfire if he could sit at the table with her when his food was finished cooking. The red haired girl didn't speak though she merely nodded the affirmative and turned to look out the window again. It was then however that the PDA Robin had left on the floor began to beep incessantly, the screen flashing as it sounded an alarm of some kind.
Robin ran back into the room with a small light on his belt flashing as Cyborg picked up the PDA and his human eye widened when he read what the screen was saying.
"Incoming!" he shouted and dived behind the couch just before a loud popping sound came from the corner next to the T.V. and suddenly the room filled with brown smoke that smelled like a mixture of dirt and flowers. The Titans coughed until the fans in the vents cleared the air to reveal a small, strange looking creature standing where the smoke had originated.
The creature was about two feet tall with leathery greenish brown skin on its arms and face. Its small body was clothed in poorly made linins that looked like a combination of many different fabrics and colors to form the whole garment, and a red and white shawl was draped around its slightly hunched back. Its eyes seemed to glow a yellow color and were set somewhat bugged out of his flattened head, and a small domed metal hat moved slightly as the thing tilted its head.
"Missed the roof I did but this works too!" The creature declared in a somewhat screechy voice that made it sound like it was a chain smoker, "Maybe wrong my map is." The thing then took out a worn piece of parchment that had circles, squares, and triangles with arrows going in random directions on it and started tracing a path with one of his little fingers – that is until he heard the sound of Cyborg's sonic cannon charging up.
"Eek!" it screeched, "Hurt me not! I am friend! Come to help I do!" it said while holding its arms up.
"How exactly can you help us?!" Robin demanded, "We've had a pretty bad day."
"Know of your plight I do." The creature said, "Know of the Knight who hurt your friend. I think can help you help her!" The creature jumped around waving his arms still in surrender.
The Titans looked at each other and Robin nodded to Cyborg, who lowered his weapon a moment later.
"Talk." Robin said, "But you better hope that we like what you have to say."
"Yes yes! You will! I am Grelkkin, king of the Goodie Goblins Tribe in Calimstar." The goblin said with a bow, "Followed the path of the knight who came here I did – the knight that hurt your friend yes yes." Grelkkin then held out one hand and a small staff with a red jewel on top appeared in his hand with a poof!
"I'm Robin, and this is Starfire, Cyborg and Beast Bo-"
"You mean the armored man who is going to pay for hurting our friend?" Beast Boy interrupted through gritted teeth.
"yes yes but no no no!" The goblin waved his little hands, "Judge the knight you must not for information you are lacking! The White Knights are good people, very good! They spend their life keeping demon and devil spawn at bay in their world. But corrupt their leaders have become and fallen the knight that attacked your friend is, through he does not know he is under a demon's sway." The goblin said making hand gestures the whole time.
"So wait, your saying that the guy who attacked Raven, is actually a good guy who is making bad choices. And he comes from a whole group of people who are good people but have a bad leader?" Cyborg said trying to understand the cryptic talk of the goblin.
"Yes yes!" Grelkkin jumped up and down, "Where is the friend that was hurt? Help her I can!"
"Hold on!" Robin shouted before anyone else could speak, "You just show up out of nowhere and expect us to trust you enough to let you near our friend?"
"Yes yes!" Grelkkin said as if anything he said made sense.
"How about no." Beast Boy folded his arms.
"But help I can!" The goblin pleaded.
"Prove to us first that you mean know harm and you may see our friend." Starfire said, taking the words right out of Robin's mouth.
"Arg! Very well your way you have it." The goblin said, "Grelkkin show you what he speaks about."
With that the Goblin spun his gnarled little staff around and brought it down with the pointy end on the floor. The red jewel on top instantly came to life as the goblin chanted his spell.
"Griknin Graknin bending spleen, show these humans what I mean!" He said and the glowing red stone on top instantly shot light out in all directions, filling the room with images of what the goblin was talking about. The Titans saw a very large palace on top of a hill that was surrounded by a thick forest. The walls and byways were all white, accented with light blue pointed stone roofs. From the castle they saw a single road that led into the forest where a group of armored men, in the same armor Darius had worn riding into the forest. But abruptly the images began to shift to darker colors before the light faded altogether leaving the Titans in the room once more with a goblin.
"That is the world where Grelkkin is from." The goblin explained, "Cannot show more for even though Grelkkin is good goblin, the magic I use is borrowed from the White Knights. They not let goblins use very much of it."
"So what do you want with our friend?" Robin was still skeptical almost becoming overprotective of Raven.
"Is want help!" The goblin repeated.
"Follow me then." Beast Boy had seen enough and just wanted Raven to be okay, "follow me but if you do anything to hurt Raven I swear I'll rip your little head off." Beast Boy pointed a finger and began walking to the med bay with the Goblin nervously following. The other Titans were stunned for a moment by Beast Boy's statement – never had they heard the little green jokester be so dark.
"Is friend Beast Boy alright?" Starfire asked Robin quietly as they followed.
"I don't know but I hope so." Robin said honestly.
The Titans and the goblin walked all the way to the Med bay save for the elevator ride and on arriving Beast Boy found Raven exactly as he left her, unconscious on the bed.
Grelkkin's eyes widened when he saw her, as if he realized or could feel something the others could not.
"Oh, survived the Blade of Judgment she has." Grelkkin said as he padded up next to the bed and looked up at it a moment before hopping up onto the mattress next to Raven's head, Beast Boy kept a close eye on the goblin while he did this.
"Hmm…She is in a deep sleep yes yes…a very deep sleep." Grelkkin observed, "As Goblin King I have the power to heal yes yes I do! But powerful magic it takes to wake one from sleep such as this yes it does." The Goblin's expression changed then, "Very interesting yes…"
"What are the risks?" Beast Boy and Robin said at once then gave each other a look.
"Risk? To her? No no no! Risk to me! Spell harm her not just wake her from sleep, to me risk come from using too much magic. Must wake her anyway it is very important yes yes." Grelkkin seemed eager, "Broken this one's soul is. I must ask her question only she will know the answer to."
"I say go for it then." Cyborg said stepping forward, "But I'll monitor her vital signs the whole time."
"Fine fine Grelkkin only need quiet to work, very quiet yes yes." The Goblin said and the two food tall creature walked to the head of the bed and stood just beyond Ravens head. He then held his staff over her face and the red crystal began to glow softly, bathing Raven in its light. Grelkkin closed his little yellow eyes then in concentration as he worked the magic that would bring Raven back from the coma that held her. The effect of the spell Grelkkin cast was almost immediate, Ravens hear rate increased to normal and she moaned softly as she began to wake. Beast Boy rushed to her side and took one of her hands in his, ignoring the looks of surprise that Starfire and Robin gave him.
Raven moved her head a little before opening her newly blue eyes and looking strait up at a creature with yellow eyes that were glowing softly and sharp pointy little teeth that were in a grin.
"Hello!" The creature said.
WHACK!
Raven instinctively hit Grelkkin as hard as she could to get it away sending the tiny goblin strait up and through an air vent. Looking around she saw that her friends were around her, the only thing out of place seemed to have been the creature – maybe it was a nightmare?
"Hey Raven, how are you doing?" Cyborg asked gently, not wanting to get smacked as well.
Raven thought for a moment…how was she doing? She remembered the fight with the crazed armored man on the roof and that she had been stabbed. I was stabbed! Raven thought as she looked down at herself but found no stab wound or any wound at all other than a small bruise or two. What she did find was a pair of pale ivory colored legs that seemed to move when she had the thought to move them…also her hands were the same pale skinned color as the legs were.
"W-what happened to me?" Raven asked, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer – hey her voice seemed the same.
"Raven you were stabbed by that creep, we thought you were–" Beast Boy trailed off finding that he couldn't finish that sentence for some reason.
"The guy…he stabbed you with that sword of his and left you on the ground but…different." Robin said.
"What do you mean different." This time Raven knew she didn't want to know but asked anyway.
Cyborg looked around for a mirror knowing he wouldn't find one but did find a polished stainless steel tray that was used to carry various medical instruments; the bottom should be mirror enough. Grabbing the empty tray Cyborg walked over to his friend.
"Are you sure you're ready?" He asked.
"Why have a grown a second head?" Raven joked earning a half hearted laugh from Beast Boy, hey since when did she make jokes?
Cyborg held up the 'mirror' so Raven could see herself and what she saw shocked her to say the least. Raven's hair was now a jet black, her skin was a pale ivory color, and her eyes were deep blue it was as if…Raven stopped that thought in its tracks. But why then did she look like a normal person unless…unless the demon portion of her had been removed. Raven thought the words of her mantra – Azarath Metrion Zinthos – nothing happened. She tried two more times but with the same result which confirmed her fears that her powers had gone with her demon side as well. She was also suddenly acutely aware if what everyone else was feeling around her, Cyborg and Robin were radiating nervousness, as was Starfire but she had suppressed joy beneath that. Beast Boy was like a beacon of emotions the strongest of which was an emotion she couldn't identify, but it was warm and comforting. Wait if her powers were gone why was she still able to feel people's emotions? What was going on here?!
Overwhelmed, Raven did the only thing any normal nineteen year old girl would do when she felt like she had lost control of everything in her life.
She cried.
She also leaned into Beast Boy as she began to cry because of the warm comforting feeling that surrounded him. Raven just wanted to be held feeling for the first time in her life that nothing was in her control.
"AHH!"
CRASH!
Grelkkin tried to make his landing somewhat graceful but unfortunately goblins equate graceful with bouncing off the heart monitor, rolling up oneself in the blanket on the extra bed, and coming to a stop through a pile of clean metal pans, scattering them everywhere. The sudden movement and noise made Raven jump off the bed into Beast Boy sending both teens to the floor.
"Umm…are you alright?" Cyborg asked the goblin.
"Yes yes Goblins can take much punishment, big boned – often used as catapult ammunition." Grelkkin smiled as he noisily removed himself from the wreckage.
"What is that?" Raven said as Beast Boy stood and helped her up, keeping the changeling between her and the thing.
"That? I not that! I Grelkkin!" The Goblin piped.
"Its okay Raven, apparently there is such a thing as a good Goblin – he's here to help." Robin said.
"Yes, our small friend used magic to wake you from the coma." Starfire smiled.
"I was in a coma?" Raven blinked – why had no one told her this that was kind of important.
"Yes yes!" Grelkkin hopped back up on the bed in front of Raven and Beast Boy, "In deep sleep you were but the magic of the knights helped you. But very important thing Grelkkin must ask."
Raven looked the goblin over a moment before nodding for him to continue.
"You are a child of Azar are you not?" Grelkkin asked and Raven's eyes went wide. How would a goblin know she was from Azarath?
"y-yes?" She said heasitantly.
"Can you feel the feelings of people around you?" Grelkkin pressed and Raven nodded, each of the titans were surprised she could still feel what they felt.
"Oh very bad this is, very bad indeed." Grelkkin held his head in his little hands, "But I do not know the answer I need! I must travel back to my world to get a book! Yes yes this book I think of has the answer! I shall return soon!" Grelkkin shouted excitedly and waved his staff over his head.
"Uh oh." Cyborg said but it was too late as the goblin went POOF! and the med bay filled with a flowery smelling smoke. The Titans all ran out of the med bay coughing deciding to meet up in the common room to talk.
"Alright, Raven how are you feeling?" Robin asked once everyone was seated.
"I…don't know." Raven answered honestly, "I don't seem to have my powers to move objects or anything but…I can still feel all of your emotions…in fact I can feel everyones emotions stronger than I ever could before."
"Are you feeling anything?" Beast Boy asked sitting down next to her.
Raven had to think about that one for a moment, she had always been so used to just suppressing her emotions she wasn't too sure what they actually felt like. But the one thing she was sure of was that she was actually feeling them.
"I think so, I don't really know. Everything is just so different and I wish I at least knew what happened to me…I feel like a different person." Raven choked on the last part, why did she feel like crying again?
"Perhaps our little friend can provide an answer when he returns." Starfire offered trying to help Raven feel better, "This must be very traumatic to you, I shall make some guplorptar of courage to help you feel better."
"Uhh…that's okay Starfire I think Raven will be okay." Cyborg said.
"Nonesense! I shall make some guplorptar at once!" Starfire insisted and flew to the kitchen to begin preparing a meal that was more likely to eat you than you were to eat it.
"I…I don't know anything." Raven held her head, "I need some air."
With that Raven got up and ran to the roof access, Beast Boy rose to follow but was stopped by Robin who insisted that Raven get a little alone time as this was probably all very traumatic to her. Beast Boy thought a moment before relenting and letting Raven have some time alone.
--
Raven stood on the roof of the tower facing the sea and taking in the cool evening air to calm her frazzled nerves. It had taken a lot for her to just remove herself from that situation. Standing there she realized that nothing in her life was ever going to be the same. She had lost her main powers in a fight that ended with her in a coma, and she had almost no inherent abilities like robin did to make up for them which left her somewhat helpless in a fight.
No Raven you cant think like that. She told herself. Besides for some reason when her powers were taken away the empathic portion of her mind had remained perfectly intact, in fact it had gotten stronger. While she looked human on the outside Raven knew that she was half demon and half Azarathian. On Azar humans still looked like those on earth however the culture had delved into the psyche of the human mind, mastering Empathic, and limited telepathic and telekinetic abilities. But that was the only history she really knew about Azar, beyond that Raven had been shielded as a child because of her volatile powers. Stepping to the edge of the tower Raven became suddenly aware that she probably could not fly and stepped back a few paces. Instead she attempted to hover but found that sadly all that happened was she stood firmly on the ground…thinking about flying. It was then that a tear tickled down Raven's cheek.
"UGH!" Raven threw her hands up on the air and sat on the hard roof of the tower, curling her legs up to her chest so she could rest her head on her knees. What the heck was wrong with her emotions?! Before she had each emotion categorized as a separate entity which made feeling each in small amounts possible – like sipping water from different glasses on a table – but now it was as if someone had broken each glass mixed all the water together and then thrown the table into the ocean. She was finding that emotions were much more powerful things than she had initially believed making the effort of controlling them impossible because each emotion changed so quickly.
Perhaps this is what everyone else in the world went through their whole lives, learning to control and live with emotions while Raven was being forced to learn now that she was already an adult. This was probably some sick karma joke that the fates were playing on her – giving her friends and family only to change her completely later on. With a sob Raven moved form sitting to lying on her side and just cried. She couldn't keep it in any longer, all the confusion and fear of the unknown coming to a head as she let her emotions run their course.
So there Raven sat alone on the roof, crying silently when she felt yet another emotion, except this was different. She felt a warm sensation she couldn't identify but it seemed distant to her as if it wasn't her own emotion…that was it! It wasn't her own emotion Raven was feeling it was someone else's this particular one was Beast Boy and it was getting stronger.
He must be coming to check on her behind Robin's back, how sweet.
Raven though was still unable to stop her crying as she lay in a fetal position on the roof – besides of all the Titans Raven knew Beast Boy was not going to judge her for being weak. Soon enough the door to the top of the tower opened and shut and Beast Boy walked over, kneeling down next to her.
"Hey…" hey said, she could feel the uncertainty in his words as if he wasn't sure if he should be comforting her or not.
"Hey." Was all Raven said through a sniffle.
"Listen…I don't know if I'm the best person to say this but...you see I'm worried about you and I just want to make you feel better so…is there anything I can do?" Raven had to give him credit, Beast Boy stumbled through those words like he was trying to jump over great hurdles, and he was offering a shoulder to cry on which Raven desperately needed right now.
"Because you know if you want me to just go away I can do that too." Beast Boy hastily added, Raven could feel how nervous he was but she thought him offering to help make her feel better was very gentlemanly of him. Sitting up Raven scooted over until she was right next to Beast Boy and leaned her head against his shoulder, turning her body into his as she did. The changeling smiled and wrapped his arms around her holding her tight and rubbing her back as she cried everything out.
Beast Boy sighed as he held her, very happy that he could help a friend in need. Not only that but he had always sort of had a crush on Raven, having admitted that to himself long ago now. But he had always waited in the wings knowing that Raven was just not interested in him, or even if she was she couldn't let herself feel anything anyway leaving the changeling at kind of a dead end.
But now it seemed as though fate had dealt him an interesting hand as Raven lay in his embrace crying all of her fears and frustrations out he realized that she meant much more to him that he had initially let himself believe – heck he realized that when he thought he had lost her. He knew it was selfish of him to think that her losing her powers was a blessing in disguise and banished that thought away. Tightening his grip a little Beast Boy for now was content to just make her feel better, and see where things went.
Raven immediately began to calm down as she leaned into his embrace burying her head in his shoulder. She still wasn't sure what it was but Raven began to feel that warm comforting feeling from the changeling again and let it wash over her emotions, calming everything as it went. She had never intentionally be this close to anyone before unless there was special circumstances and losing ones powers seemed to classify as special circumstances in her book at least. That and the physical contact had a very calming affect on her, as though when she was this close to Beast Boy she could only hear his emotions instead of the millions of distant emotions from the city. He drowned everything out for her creating a blissful quiet that surrounded her mind. Eventually she stopped crying, but remained in his embrace
Then Raven had a thought, she didn't know if she would ever get her powers back, which meant she may have to resign from the team. But if someone could help her learn to feel and control her emotions again she would still be useful to the team as an Empath, after all knowing what someone is feeling can predict actions better than what someone is thinking.
"Beast Boy?" Raven said sitting up so they were no longer hugging but still close.
"What's up?" The changeling smiled.
"Can…Can I ask a favor?" Raven wasn't sure how exactly to word the question.
"Sure anything, what'cha need?" Beast Boy asked, Raven took a moment to read his emotions and found that he was sincere in his zeal to help her – here goes nothing I suppose.
"Can you…help me learn how to feel again?" Raven asked, "Because I don't know if I'll ever get my full powers back so I still want to be useful as an Empath so…"
"You think that you are useless?" Beast Boy was a bit surprised that she would think that about herself.
"Yeah…" Raven said shamefully, "I am useless the only thing I can do that's remotely special is tell you what Joe bob is feeling right now."
"I'd say that's pretty dang useful Raven." Beast Boy said, "Listen I'll help you learn how to feel again but we are going to figure out a way to get your powers back alright? I Promise you that."
Raven looked in his eyes the whole time he spoke, sensing very clearly how serious his promise was and that helped her relax.
"Okay." She said.
It was then that the mood was broken by a muffled boff! Followed by some muffled coughingand a moment later some flowery smelling smoke came out of the vents on the roof.
"Looks like that goblin king is back." Beast Boy observed, "Lets go back downstairs and see what's going on."
Raven nodded and the two stood up and headed back to the common room, Beast Boy's arm still around her shoulders.
--
In the common room Cyborg and Robin had been distracting themselves trying to figure out a way to track the movement of people between dimentions when out of nowhere there was a similar popping sound and the room was once again filled flowery smelling smoke.
Coughing until it cleared they saw the self proclaimed goblin king Grelkkin standing in the corner by the T.V. Proudly holding a book that was almost as big as he was.
"Found the answer to the child of Azar's change in appearance and loss of abilities I have!" He proclaimed. "Where is the child of Azar?"
"She has a name you know, its Raven." Robin said, "And not filling our home with smoke when you every time you appear would be great."
"Grelkkin cannot help what magic do." The little goblin shrugged, "Where is she?"
"Right here." Raven answered as she and Beast Boy walked into the common room from the roof access.
"good good! Grelkkin have much to tell you yes yes!" The goblin jumped up and down.
"Raven! You have returned just in time for my guplortar!" Starfire said holding up the biggest mixing bowl the titans owned, in it was a pick and blue stripped substance that was reminiscent of pudding gone horribly wrong…did it just move?
"Umm I think I'll pass thanks…" Raven said as she put Beast Boy between herself and the thing.
"But I made it just for you and…" Starfire didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as the guplortar jumped out of the bowl with large mouth and teeth ready to eat Beast Boy.
But then something extraordinary happened, from nowhere a greenish brown form intercepted the living food in mid air sending both to the ground. There was a struggle then between the goblin and the food as both tried to can the upper hand just before…CHOMP!...the goblin ate Starfire's dish in one bite.
"Tasty that was." Grelkkin commented as he picked his sharp little teeth.
The Titans stood mouths agape at what just happened but the goblin acted as though nothing had happened at all.
"Sit sit!" he demanded, "Much to tell you I have and not much time! Make more food later sit sit!"
The Titans all sat down, deciding it best not to mess with a creature that could eat Stafire's food and think it was tasty.
"Now then." Grelkkin said grabbing the large tome from the floor, "I…ehh…found this…mmpf…book I did…rrg!" he said while lifting the heavy book and dropping on the coffee table with a loud thump.
"In this tome it contains some of the lost histories of the Azar yes yes." Grelkkin said and looked at Raven, "something very important for your predicament as well indeed."
Opening the large volume the goblin king quickly flipped through many pages to a place he had apparently bookmarked with one of the ribbons from the books spine. He then flipped the book around and pointed to a specific paragraph about halfway down the page.
"Read there child of Azar." Grelkkin said and backed off so Raven could see the page.
She looked the words over; they were translated most likely into a language that she could make out as very old English, maybe even gothic English. The script was fancy but legible writing in black ink on the yellowish parchment, the book was indeed old.
"The soul of the Azar is a precious thing, binding not only the spirit to body, but emotion to soul as well. Thus each of the three is as important as the last – spirit – body – and emotion. This binding light allows one to feel what others feel, and know what resides in the hearts of both good, and evil being." Raven read, "Thus it shall be if the soul be separated from the body the emotion is separated with it, leaving the body a shell. And if the soul be torn asunder into two or more souls, then woe be onto the one whose soul remains asunder – for he shall surly die before a season has past."
The verse ended and Raven felt more confused about what she was supposed to be understanding from the verse than anything else. Souls torn asunder? What was that supposed to mean?
"Gather information from the verse you did?" Grelkkin asked.
"No…what does all that even mean?" Raven rubbed her temples.
"You, child of Azar, have a soul that has been split in half." The goblin king said.
Raven thought for a moment about what she read, be onto the one whose soul remains asunder – for he shall surly die before a season has past. That meant if her sould was split in half because of the blade of judgment then…
"Child of Azar…I looked in many books and scrolls to find out that because your soul is split in half, surly you will die in about six of your earth months." Grelkkin said, voicing what no one wanted to believe.
Raven was in shock, she was going to die in six months? She remembered suddenly what it felt like when she thought the sword was going to kill her before bringing back memories that were better left in the dark recesses of her mind. She remembered the feeling of knowing that she would never get to see her friends again, of knowing there was no way out and no way back.
Raven clutched her chest and began to hyperventilate at the thought of having to face all of that again. I can't do it she thought I cant go through that again, no no no! Beast Boy put a hand on Raven's back and told her everything was going to be okay, Grelkkin had said that there was a way to solve the problem so she could keep living but Raven was only vaguely aware of it.
She was however aware enough to know that something had been placed over her mouth and nose and she was breathing into it, in and out…in and out…in and out…slowing her down with each breath.
Soon Raven began to come back to her senses and realized that she was breathing into a paper bag, and that everyone was staring at her.
"Are you okay friend Raven?" Starfire asked.
"Yeah…I'm alright, what happened to me?" Raven asked batting away the paper bag.
"Raven…you had a panic attack." Beast Boy gently informed her.
"Need not panic on information I give you child of Azar, for I know of a way in which you may live." Grelkkin smiled a toothy grin.
"Alright, what is it?" Raven asked willing herself to quell the panic that threatened to rise in her again.
"Having been judged by the blade you cannot use your demon side any longer, it has been taken from you yes yes. But if you were to seek out the one carrying the blade and take it for yourself, the magic of the blade will allow you to contest the judgment that has been made and make yourself whole." The goblin king said.
"So…I have to find the knight that took that part of me and take it back?" Raven asked, it sounded too easy.
"Yes yes, but complications there are." Grelkkin said, of course there would be complications. "The one carrying the sword although fallen, is one of the top knights in the order. His skills in combat are second to only a few. Not only that no no, but even if you do acquire the blade you must prove to it that its judgment was wrong with the goodness in your heart and if you cannot do that, then the judgment stands."
"So even if we get the sword back there is no guarantee the sword will give Raven back her powers." Robin stated, making sure everyone understood.
"Yes yes! But there is one thing more that is important yes yes." Grelkkin leaned in, "Once the Blade of Judgment has been used, it cannot be used again until it is purified in the waters of the Judges Temple. The Temple is on the far side of my land yes yes and can only be accessed by foot and the journey is a long one, would take five of your earth months to reach from the white palace."
"You have got to be kidding me." Cyborg said, "You can't just use your magic to warp us somewhere in front of the knight?"
"No No! Grelkkin is bound by the laws of magic which the White Knights make, the Judges Temple has ancient powerfull magic protecting it and I not have the power to go near it! One of you will need be the child of Azar anyway only she can lawfully take the sword from the knight. Grelkkin not make this up!" The goblin said, "Only have enough power to take two of you I do."
"Alright…so you can only take two of us – one of whom will be Raven – and they will be starting a few days behind the Knight's path to some temple that they need to beat him to in order to take the sword so Raven can maybe get her power back?" Robin asked.
"Yes yes!" The goblin jumped up and down, "I not make the laws please no kill the messenger!"
"I'll go with her." Beast Boy said suddenly and all eyes went to him, "My shape shifting abilities will be more useful than any of your guy's powers in this situation – no offence – because if anything happens to supplies we bring like say to our food. I can hunt as an animal for more food much easier than any of you could."
"But you don't like meat." Cyborg pointed out.
"Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I won't eat it if there is nothing else available." Beast Boy stated, "Listen guys I know all of you want to help Raven as much as I do but let me do this – I know I can keep you safe Raven." He looked at her at the end of his little speech, pleading with his eyes for her approval.
"I say let Raven decide who she wants to come with her." Robin said and then it was all eyes on Raven.
The dark teen hated this she didn't want anyone to come with her this was her problem, and back when she was younger she may have fought for the right to do it herself. However being more mature in years she realized that not only could she not do this task herself, but the boy who had been there for her whenever she needed someone was offering his help. Alright Raven go through this logicly. She thought, Cyborg was out of the question because he would inevitably need to recharge himself, and may be unable to do so in the world they were going to. Starfire was just….no, she would be helpful but at the same time, no. Robin would probably be a good choice but Raven didn't feel comfortable at all asking him to go with her when Starfire couldn't come. So that left Beast Boy, the green changeling who offered to help before anyone else in the first place.
Raven locked eyes with Beast Boy and smiled a little at him, and nodded.
"It is decided then!" Grelkkin said joyously, "Gather things you will need then and we will leave at once yes yes. We will leave for Calimstar!"