Beastboy stared at row after row of dark-clad cultists that surrounded our team in a circle, all of them in fighting position.

"Oh shoot."

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Undone

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No one moved, both sides watching the other carefully, looking for a weak spot, looking for the right time to jump in.

A low growl issued from Robin's throat. Challenge clear in his eyes, he glared at Brother Blood with clenched teeth.

"Our purpose is to protect Raven at all costs from that…Blood," Robin whispered, turning his head almost imperceptibly toward the team standing ready behind him. His eyes never left Brother Blood. "Be careful."

"Titans, GO!" he bellowed and with a loud cry, whacked the cultist in front of him in the head, leapfrogged over the dazed man, and using his shoulders as a springboard, kicked off towards Blood. I heard starbolts and sonic beams whiz by, accompanied by the feral roar of the Beast.

With my powers I grabbed the nearest cultist near me and used him like a bat to knock three others out. The whistle of metal soaring through air caught my attention, and I swept up a shield. Five throwing stars clattered harmlessly to the floor. They soon glowed black and was promptly thrown back to their owners. Four more fell at this attack.

While I was preoccupied with the aerial attacks, one threw a punch at my head from the left. Ducking quickly, I kicked him in the shins, only to be kicked in the small of my back by a different cultist. Snarling, I cried, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"

Splintered pieces left over from the broken crates suddenly came to life and hurled themselves splinter first into the mob of black. My fist encased in a sphere of energy, I flew up and aimed punches at every black-bandaged head I could see.

Something whizzed past me and I quickly moved to the side. Still, the dagger grazed my upper arm deep enough to draw blood. But I couldn't dwell on that for long. Eyes glowing, hands shimmering, I lifted bodies and rubble alike and tossed them like pieces of lettuce.

"Raven!"

Before I could look around, Beastboy had launched himself onto me and knocked me out of the air. We fell together in a disordered heap, nearly crashing headfirst into a wall. Moments later, a dart embedded itself into that very wall, right where my head had been, quivering.

I stood up first and helped Beastboy to his feet. "You owe me one," he smirked.

"No I don't," I responded, punching a cultist that got too close with a black power fist. "I saved you from Brother Blood's poisonous bite, remember?"

"Oh, right," he said lamely, blushing. In the form of a gorilla, he grabbed an attacker that had been running towards us and threw him into his friend. Both toppled over like bowling pins.

A ferocious attack by a pair of masked followers separated us. Just as I knocked down one, the other grabbed me from behind. His arm was about as thick as my head.

"Come quietly," he hissed, "and you may not be injured."

I tried to wriggle free, but the thick arms only tightened. I forced myself to concentrate. As his arm was encased in darkness edged with light I could feel his surprise. My hand slashed through the air, and the man's arm hung limp with a small pop. Sinking powerlessly to the floor, he clutched his dislocated shoulder. Though he pushed his arm back into the socket with a grunt right away, he soon fell to the ground once again. Starfire had hit him over the head with a large starbolt. She smiled fleetingly at me before she flew off again, green lasers erupting from her eyes and sweeping over everything below her.

I only had a second to return Starfire's smile with a nod before I went back to bashing people out of my way by toppling crates and energy punches. From behind me I could hear Robin's yells jumping about, marking the place where he was currently engaged. Robin's wordless monologue was occasionally punctuated by Starfire's roar or Cyborg's "Booyah!" Of Beastboy, there was no sound save a bit of growling here and a bit of stomping there.

There was a brief lull in the corner where I was fighting, and I used the chance to catch my breath before continuing. After a few deep breaths and hurried whispers of my mantra, I was ready. Just as I was about to bound back into the throng, someone grabbed me from behind and clapped a hand on my mouth, rendering my scream inaudible.

"Raven!" a familiar voice hissed into my ear, "It's me."

Robin was the one holding me tightly under cover of the shadows cast by the few remaining crates. I would have turned around to face him, but his grip remained strong, even though he knew now that I would not cry out.

"Raven, listen to me. Teleport to the Tower and enter the Safety Room. Don't argue. I don't have time for that. We'll all join you soon. I promise. We'll be right at your heels once you leave."

He released me and glanced back at me. Even in the wan light he looked fierce, but through our connection I could feel the strain he was covering up with a ferocious scowl. With a harsh whisper of "Go!" he ran back into the black-clad crowd with a battle cry. I should have gone right after he left me, but I remained standing in the dark, trembling with indecision. Robin's strained face loomed up in the darkness, while my mind's ear heard his hoarse request – "Go!" – and I knew I would go.

Although I doubted if I could make it all the way to the Tower in my current state (the cut on my arm was still bleeding and throbbing sharply with every heartbeat) I gathered up what strength I had and teleported. My aim was to get as near to the Tower as possible. For a second, I caught sight of Blood's deranged face stretching to emit an unholy screech in frustration, Robin preventing him from taking even one step towards me, before I shot through the roof.

The city flew past. When I reached the shore, I tumbled unceremoniously out of the air onto the sand. Every muscle ached. The cut throbbed dully now, and I knew this was cause for alarm. But my mind was in a vague haze and I couldn't think straight. Poison, my mind managed to surmise after long blank. I've been poisoned.

Then, for a split second, my mind was clear as darkness settled abruptly in it, as if part of me had been annihilated. Robin was in trouble. That meant that the rest of my friends were in trouble too. I staggered to my feet, ready to run there if my powers failed me. Drunkenly, I stumbled forth a few steps and was about to fall when someone caught me in his arms. He hoisted me up, carrying me bridal-style. That's when I saw his face, paler than life ought to be, paler even more than his usual pallor in the moonlight shining brightly upon his brow.

"I'm impressed, Raven." His silky voice coiled like a snake around my head, and I struggled weakly against it. Even with my efforts, I was slipping into unconsciousness. "That tranquilizer was supposed to work almost instantly. Yes," he murmured lustfully, dragging the s out in a snakelike fashion, "Yesss, you'll be the perfect bride for Brother Blood."

His foul breath was on my face before I knew it. All I could do was bare my teeth in a snarl. He threw back his head in a loud, raucous laugh.

"Don't worry, Raven dear, I won't do anything – yet."

His laugh was the last thing ringing in my ear before darkness finally closed over me.


EGAD I'm SO sorry!! I've been keeping people waiting for so long, on so many aspects...I'll try to be a better FF writer and update sooner. AttemptedFlight, my beta, I'm just putting this up because I haven't updated in a ghastly long time, and I don't think it's fair to keep readers waiting any longer. But please put in some constructive criticism if you think it's necessary, and I'll fix it.

Thank you for your patience, everyone!! Don't forget to review!

(Oh, and if there's any questions, please include it in your review, I realize a lot of places in this chapter might be confusing.)