Teen Titans; These New Years; New Generations- Part Two; Chapter Nine: Midday Of Solice; Supercharged! Caught Inside The Burning Blaze. Remodeled Agendas Of An A- Class Demon.

The arc heats up with a bait and hook ; one awaiting Aiden's fulfilment as a new 'chosen ' . Roku has arisen from thedepths to reclaim his old rival's body- in order to pursue a greater goal now into the stratosphere! Ami has been caught by the dragon devil ,who knows too much by the ten-year old's father's memories. Aiden has gone into a shut down process after stabbing 'Anya ' to send her away, to save Ava's mortal body from becoming the dopple's real one.

Kori has little to express while her husband is no longer in reach- now that Ava has returned by her Eternal born abilities to recover, the priestess Reia's last and only born will have to gather the family's allies. Chris and Lisa will reappear by Aria's command. The spirit of a wolf clan leader of the snowy barrens , also protects Christopher from losing to this new enemy. Dick's boss will not forget being trapped inside a magical jail cell. There is no way to break it's spell without an equally powerful being to rip the crystal walls away.

Aria has still kept busy, yet Bao Shi is within the walls of another realm. Min or JinMae as her catty self, has chosen to aid the new heroes with Gregory's permission. Of course, her ability to see the illusion known as reality..is not a laughable trick. All eyes are on our heroes to halt the dragon's attempts to corrupt where he now stands. Between rifts leadimg into another time will the children guided by a childish group of guard dfog deity, well as a terrific destiny prevail? Find out in the conclusion of ...part two!

With a topple of shelves and areas left yet to investigate, Shoji's guess had been as short as Koriandar's unmatched super strength. Chairs were shuffled away from the sided of rooms to check for any such wear. Takahara was sweating by the time the furniture had been reset. With a swipe of his dark, plastered brow , the cat shook his head . The need for a cool drink in the California summer heat...well past due!

"Ava, would you please fill a glass for our dear friend? We are nearly through ..though...nothing will seem just as easy to navigate by. So, do be careful climbing over the 'adults' mess. " The light haired teen nod to then leave for the kitchen. With a small, hidden smile, the girl left her mother to feel more at ease. "Sure thing mom. I'll check on Aide too while I'm out. " With a wink she set off towards her unconscious siblimg's bedroom first. "Aiden.."Ava gulped with dry, strained lick of her lips. "I won't let you face this in the dark! Let me in!"

Holding in a series of cries felt as if the world had..stopped...A gasp had the blonde up from his nap...it wasn't!

The boy desperately felt for his heart. The flicker ?.Where had it gone! Had he made a big ...the attack!

A small reel of moments before the break down had the boy place a palm against his face. "Am I...that was me...I...no..I..grahh!*" He tossed his pillow into a firm wall of items that had a familiar name on one note attatched to a withered bouquet..-

"When did Lisa show up?" He looked wide -eyed , to quickly rise towards the get-well messages. Of those that knew that freaky power...It wasn't supposed to be like this...

Aiden lost by falling to his knees beside that pile of crappy regrets. "My friends...no..just watching cause of the ..what? Prophecy ? I'm so sick of this!" The paper mementos flickered red before turning to smoke by a single glare. The teen blinked back in time to use that cursed 'baloney magic' to put out the cinders. The cards nolonger proved forgiving of Aiden's minor crime. "I...don't want them to help..they just...they are.. no! -

~With that frown, you might end up drowning in your own sea of nothings. ~ The figure looked a shape of wafting waves of smoke from the corner of Aiden's childhood setting. ~So,do you doubt what is real enough , young one?~ Jin Mae had popped in for a quick pep talk while Greg still had the Lynx mother's trust. Her cat's grin was a mystery to the befuddled fourteen year old on his knees against the modern day carpet. ~Well? Am I unreal to be as you thustly see?~ The girlish spirit cocked her head to meet the blonde's awe stricken gaze. "Y-...you!?...Wh..where!...?" The lady covered her lips to prevent from laughing by this reaction. The image was as if her 'dear unfortunate' had seen a ghost! The wolven pup was scarier than the kitty...how should her highness approach the common mind of a deity- touched mortal?..

Aiden felt his lungs catch a breath as his reaction was to cough into his pajama sleeve . The cat jumped a bit , yet knew that the child was nervous. Maybe even more so than her imagery had depicted by foretold events...

"Ugmn...Sorry, not a cold...You..startled me, but...you got in..I should just..." He sighed to look away with a wary , haze filled expression by her pipe's drifting smog clouds. It was not as that picture book 'wonderland ' as the girlish kitten would have thought the boy might have note by the depiction of the spirit's stance. ~I do not aim to make you despise all you feel. Nor do I hold sentiments towards you creatures of the farther - lands we spirit..tend to avoid, unless desperate...~ With another puff* the cat had let her visions of the world she thrived in once before float by as those temporary clouds. Shapes created a picture of imaginary intent for the detective child to seize while her breath grew ever thinning- though unlike mortal lungs, it could never cause the passages to 'narrow..'*

"I...this is like a diaramma! That's incredible! But..why are you he-

~Allies are as we decide. I am a simple messenger by- and - by . Yet you...know that fate cannot be unwoven. The force inside...-

That drove the teen to clamber away anxiously from that sly tone. "No. Whatever you are after, I'm never!-

~Lied to by your own emotions..~ The kitty tisked * with a shake of her long hair side to side. Her cat's bell rung out to alert of a forbidden awareness from within the child. ~You are to endager your own heart should you decide to bar yourself with these missed opportunities of what might have been. ~ The teen flushed to stand beside the burnt pile of ashen note cards and wilting blooms ...his friends had come to this place ..with only regrets in hand.

The green eyed miss blinked cutely up to her chosen with a smirk. ~How will that stance look on you? Years into another day can never be! To right is not to remain hollow. You will see the truth within your own spirit ...unfold. ~ With a graceful land back towards a smoke filled portal, the lynx maiden Byakumu had only to reseat herself one day as a pure hearted official. The deity of her time had left no such reminder of greater strength by the way of mortal woes burned into strengths. It had to be that this child's pains would become a beacon. A reality his mind might one day accept openly.

"What is your name?" Aiden croaked back with a fading cry. "I want to trust you ! What you say, sounds just like how I feel! So..what do I call you?!"

The big cat creature in it's maiden born body smiled back as wise as any seer. ~JinMae. I have many names,yet you may as well see that I stand as a guide..to wake you from this soudless dream...-

With a blink the boy had awoken to his dark room. The shades were drawn as before..and the letters! They were no longer a pile of wood pulp! Could she manipulate time? Why was..nothing different from when Aiden had...a dream! It had all been a dream..within another dream ?..

Anna had gone with Celestial hound Ronald to report by the base of Astarte's fleet. It was just there to stands; never to bow before a single war song, aslong as there wasn't an apocalypse on the way! Then Sara Santiago was just an Intelligence officer foremost before an age- old warrior queen.

Anna had respected the deity in the mask's strong will, as well as her teacher's fighting spirit. The first month had never been more demanding , at the warf with ten other young cadets to train..it was Ann among those poor, ususpecting lesser soldiers ! She had risen over the three months as a ...well, a set of eyes for her mentor with Kaien's crudeness ..all while behind Aiden's back.

She had hidden the reason over how her strength now bested her brother's...It felt as if pile driving through enemy lines this time would not be enough to sway her twin into taking that torch back. He did not want to fight! It meant ...hurting others blindly- yet he had goneoffthe handle, the rest had been Aiden's area of self control. His emotionalstate was at it's worst sometimes while obsessing over Ava. Ami had been very smart to play it cool, though Annie..till had her flaring temper to smooth over constantly. She felt as ill- tempered sometimes as Verra in his Immortal guise. The power he had woven over the family as a famous name...that had not sat at all well with her brother.

Aiden did not like the cator his doggie relatives. Period. So why didn't hehave the whole reasonin that thick skull as tojust WHY that was?

"Major Santiago. This is Agent Grayson reporting . We have secured visual of of your vessel and are moving in. Copy that. " The teen left her palm- sized walkie talkie for a small ear piece while Ron reformed into his more mortal guise as a rock hall - of - famer.

The squadron that belonged to Santiago had come ost- haste to keep quite alert for their Major officer's new visitors. "Glad to see you too pipsqueak!" The red headed officer looked up through the rays of the boardwalk sun. "Hey, Sargent. You aren't lookin' half bad yourself! " The teen smiled over to one of the faces from Sara's academy the girl had indeed recognised. "Harry. You could have called sooner! " She teased with a chuckle under her grinning lips. The male ; who had beedn with the ten in her worst times as a temp, brought his hands to his hips. "With all of that gear, I thought you'd gotten taller than me . Was I wrong-

"Wait! I am taller you doof! " Ann glared back in annoyance to the boy's tricky jest. "Yah! You always were three inches ahead of the line! Sorry, it is still great to see you though! It's your mission this time. How's Miss S been to ya? I wanna at least ask more once we all gather by the rendevous. Let's head off before the bay side watchman get wise." Annie nod as Ron stayed obediantly besidehis young charge.

~Fourteen and a pro with banter! Where did you learn to awaken to that power?~ Ron teased via the speak as the grounp marched onwards over to the Major's hidden base.

~I didn't know showering your enemies with quips was considered a super power? Are you ready to reunite after this long? Don't let her catch that we have our own dealings to fire through. ~ With a clear of Hanna's throat, the connection between girl and beast had ben put on hold until the next opportune moment arose.

Kaien had gone to see Shoji by the window...as a flustered,bushy squirrel to avoid contact with the male left in the flat, the younger one.

Shoji laughed as a side glance while he waited for Kori to freshen up in time to make a new plan. They were going to leave to meet with the Titans in Jump after Raven had contacted the princess via link. Aiden still seemed groggy, though his mood had miraculously mellowed eough to dress for the long trip. "About an hour so we might see Lisa before-

"Why?" Aiden cocked his head as his belongings such as a cell and headphones were stashed inside a knapsack. One hour would wear the kid thin. Last time they had taken a train. This time to avoid the train being hijacked as the Tamranean had whispered to Shoij earlier, they would ride by one of Takahara's 'tank cars.' A mercedes was not a car for mercs..though they tended to be unsafe of flamboyant, reckless drivers behind them! Out on the town did not mean a dangerous joy- ride!

"Then Uncle Shoj...I mean Mr. Takahara...Is going to be the driver? Is he...oh, wait. Nevermind.." Aiden blushed by remembering that the cat was an attack dog. The human male was a normal joe.

The blonde tried not to imagine a road rage filled hybrid immortal forcing his way along to Jump city, like a bad video simulation.

"Our ally is not untrustworthy..there is much you must realize about...Verra." The story , Kori refused to continue on towards. Rokuro's tale was embedded within that hazy past. The dragon could do harm through the manipulation of mind- games!

"Verra..Oh yeah, the cat that made my sword come out when dad...Not right now." The teen huffed with a sigh. The Tameranean mother saw his flickering eyes dim back into those hazel ones .

"You..will not lose trust in him? As you have not your family?" Kori did not cap those words as freed tears had her try to remain brave. "Mom...I want you here, it's just..you know...hard..I almost think that I should be normal...but..." She had her tall stature tower over his into a massive hug the blonde had not expected. With a whizz* of his palm, the first- yet late bolt of a Tameranean's lifetime had just left it's bearer to gasp with startled look towards an overjoyed parent. "Aiden! Your first star bolt! I will never forget ...you were so small then..yet the abilty of my line...I am most proud! " Kori beamed down to her nervous son , who had to ask why..the light was a bright, blur of orange?

"Your mother is not human. I am of a race belonging to a planet called Tamaran. You are just as my brother Wildfire! He was late in develop his powers then as well. Though know this Aiden. " She had gotten onto one knee with her emerald gems as brilliant as a panther's. "You are Aiden Grayson. Our son. The child of a human male and an alien Princess no longer available for her rites as a ruler. My brother continues the line until our world dies-

"Dies? Mom! You guys...is it really then..the end of our home too?" He struggled to find the right words. "Are we going to have..to suffer this much? What is the point of me being me, if I feel like someone else?" The red haired beauty blinked back to see into that tired gaze. "We of Tamaran fight to survive every day. My world was once overtaken by my own sister's plan to rule it! She made massive agreements with our parents ' enemy, the Gordanians. In the end, I was made to become a prisoner of war...though..there was a fight on board the Gordanian ship. I was able to fly safetly to earth.. where ..I met your father..." The blonde blinked this time, his tears immediately dried despite the horrific scene in the back of his mind. "Dad..where did you meet? They let you go?" The sad eyed alien princess shook her head to continue.

"The ones we are to meet in the city of Jump, that is the home of the Titans. The group of super powered heroes whom we were..who your father and our friends brought together. " Aidedn gawked to this story..a. Titan?...What?...

"Your father and I; Mr. Stone, Miss Roth, as well as the man Gar you had encountered while visiting last, were the first Teen Titans to build that structure. Using many parts from the destroyed Gordanian tech, your father and I ..as well as with our dear companions, constructed that Tower out of the ship of the my planet's enemies. We built the sanctum with our friendship still growing...your father, was a hero. My leader. You have forgotten how much he cared. So, if we do not all pitch in, then nothing will change. " His mother seemed her warrior self again. It was...an incredible switch from a kind, meek, and even distracted personality. Aiden could not guess further in to his mom's past. A hero..he had to try to face this fear..it...would only leave him without anyone to cry beside!

/

Ava smiled in the doorway. She could see her little brother opening up from his shut down. ~Way to go mama! I'll do my best to protect us. Just...take care...~ With a turn towards the room, Verra's old form had it's piecrcing red fox eyes hold the girl to her stance. ~Shoj...I know you can hear me. ~ Ava Marie lowered her lids, seemingly less than amused by the pooch's tactics.

~So, the old you who knew Reia and Isis is alive. The old Ava?~ He questioned with his body masked by shadkws amid doorways. Ava twirled her loose pony tail with a shrug. ~She's here. Though I know what my connection to Aiden is. Reia told me while I was still fighting the dopple. ~ The long eared dog's features rippled curiously with an animalistic twitch. Verra scratched his ears as real pup might,then recovering from that remark, he spoke. ~ Really? I thought the old you would have ended up cutting corners. You know that if you fulfill the promise , that this might be the la-

~I know.~ Ava sullenly saw towards the ground her childhood memories in rewind. Looking up from the flashbacks that only the seer could see, the cat blinked for the young Eternal to reply. ~He's got Ann and Ami..I am going to be that beacon , Amelia is also my resposibility. Without her magic given by Princess Amaterasu...we have less of a chance to send you guys off peacefully..~ Vee nod with a bob of his dark fur. ~Your mother governed winter,the northern direction, ice,even the lunar enegies of her clan's rite. Will you be willing to finish her work ?~ He asked as if no longer Takahara or Veravakumu by tone, yet a mysterious soul forever there to guide the chosen.

Ava bit her lip then forced herself to speak truthfully. ~I'll do what I can to prevent any more awakening monsters, by becoming his spirit protector as the Raven Winged's last hope.~

She was never supposed to have had a long life beside her peers or family. The old memories of Anya that never existed..of Queen Isis telling the child then of her sworn objective...this would crush Aiden most of all. Yet it had to be.

~I was reborn for the prophecy alone. ~ The light haired teen brushed back strand while remembering the oath. ~My existance won't last, I was never alive after Reia had been killed..even as this form.~ She said to the black cat with a grimace. ~He can't tell the diffrerence...When I leave all of my friends and family behind, I want none of their memories of me to remain. To stay forever lock away. So, that this is only what I-

~You are so like your father! Waay to serious! Is there a funeral already goin' on?-

~Hey!~ Ava shouted through the unspoken method with an anxious frown. ~It's shady has to b-

~Like I said, you play this too hard. The final act isn't ready to let either of us off just yet...maybe trusting your allies would suit one to become a ruler over the frosty kingdom of yester year. So, we are in this as a whole. No one will run. Trust your Uncle Shoji...to make that happen..~ With a switch back into the form of the witty Takahara, a warm smile was what Ava saw instead of a comical retort. "Is the deed done? I'm parched by the way! Then let's join Kai once he decides to quit sneaking about. Den sounds..ok with you princess?" The teen snort over whether the dog had just left his hard- headed immortal self behind . Or, was he doing this for a purpose?..

"Sure thing genius, we'll ask your fuzzy pet if he's got the guts to see his student. Aiden won't bite if you don't let him!" The girl smiled with a laugh . The cat was relaxed around her. Raven's old mood seemed similar to the teen's by their projection of the self. Two dartk witches with the power to govern order ..Only Anya had to take Ava away again,to return one day to the lost realm of the snowy barrens. One day she could clear her people's name. Even Aluehainyu would welcome the idea She was a right hand originally by her parent's law to the priestess and chieftess Reia Wulfsmund. Anya was to become a whole guardian,to watch over the light born boy into his darkest days..

/

Raven had to stifle back a sneeze. In her studies ,there had been no such superstition as a sniffle indicating a loose lipped person- except for in very few countries which believed there had to be a connection. Had the cat even been close yet? There was no time! Greg worked over his theory with Zatanna and even with the new Robin , whom he'd smoothed over the gory details with several times. The stubborness must have come with the red breasted bird's title description!

Damian looked over to Wally , who in turn checked over Gar still in his seat by the main controls. Contacting Cyborg earlier , Vic had warned that the crew would be receiving more support. A few old faces would show up soon without a second glance- yet none of the Titans were entirely calm over such late news!

WonderGirl picked up the boy's messes as soon as Blue Beetle had stepped inside the Tower walls, possibly to gawk over what his compadres had been on about!

"So..the little guy Gregory, is an agent from another dimension? You're not gonna recruit us for some big conspiracy are ya bra?" The concern in the sorcerer's eyes lit up as Zatanna soon found her scarab armed , team mate's retort rather rude.

"Our guest is here on official business! You have a right to judge, just don't act so cruel to start!" She crossed her arms to sniff his way. "Greg is on a very dangerous mission and he ; along with his own team called the 'guardians' , are here to prevent..what was it called? A plane breach right?" The dark haired magician's child thought back over the stout wizard's explaination with a pause. The guise of Blue Beetle's human self laughed with a loud snort.

"You..phheeh!* Don't even know what he said? You're worse with intel than twinkle toes here!-

Wally smacked the other hero playfully , more so irritatingly , in the back. "You think I'm a bit of a ditz? At least that means I can get around with this gorgeous!-

"Don't be a dork. We all are still learning on the job. I..was..just thinking about Greg's home world and...got distracted easily! No damage! Right Wiz?" The old nick - name had the Changeling hero turn back to raise a brow towards the guardian and spirit ally. "Greg? Why are you trying to mess with the new Titans? Is this all of the story from earlier- and why aren't you going to erase their memories yet! I still have no clue why we never had that done to the turn of the century Titans! It's a waste-

Raven came past a wall to faze into view , just to quiet Garfield's yapping. "No, we had to keep our minds alert . Gregory, why is your superior not showing her face? Are they still inside-

The short sorcerer shook his head with a groan. "My allies back on earth still remain. None of the spirit rebels were taken hostage. Though...what Raven and I both witnessed...our last fall will be of the Elemental line should the planes crash down by this spiral this events.. The Lord Vampire Lothos must be brought to trial!" Just as the agent of that other realm had declared his war cry amid the main briefing room, the sound of a guest's entry had left the heroes to raise their skulls to the echoing bell.

"They've come." Greg swiftly took off with Robin, Zatanna, Wally and Raven to seea about a warm welcome.

With a monitor watching everything by a camera link towards the shore, Cyborg had indeed brought along Kori , as well as her two remaining teens..wait..where was the third? And the fourth!

"There is a missing ankle - biter! " Wallace exclaimed with a dash out towards the wide halls. Aiden had a small enough suitcase, as if they'd stay the night under constant watch...

"Are..we letting them bunk here?" Gar turned back to Raven who said not a word , while Ava's aura left her shaking. "That's...A powerful flow...Ava, your magic has become-

The light haired fifteen year old dusted off her clothing of stray particles of sand. "Nice to see you again, Aunt Rachel." The witch of Azar wore no mask to cover her features enough, none to blur the senses of those two children; born strictly of an elite crime fighter, and detective. She laid her identity for the eldest to comment. "We aren't here for a vacation."

"Our sister was taken. Ann is with Sara Santiago. You guys might know. But, mom even told us about her past with dad." Aiden came to see eye to eye with Raven's own cool gaze.

"You..were right...I held a broad sword, and a katana! But..it saved Ava in the end..." He rubbed his arm, waiting with a long inhale and clenched fingers for that 'I told you so ' lecture. She did not speak . Instead, Ava attempted to change the subject until they had settled in.

Elevator trips made the blonde fidget. His mind wandered more than before with his bag's strap uncomfortale against goose pimpled flesh.

Rachel Roth was an odd one. She had still not brought up the reason why the two had been sent to remain protected inside the tall tower. Aiden hadn't even seen the empath turn her eyes towards him as he froze to death in this modern day dumbwaiter! ~I feel pathetic..~ Aiden's emotions stirred up enough of a response from Raven before the teen had stepped from the shaft's doorway. ~Don't tell me you'll run. You started a chain reaction . Your father did the same, which made that old enemy we are chasing...move closer. So please. Still your mind. If you end up like he did...there is more. Talk with me before you head to your guest area tonight. I will explain who we are dealing with, and possibly how you can avoid making the same mistake. ~ With a flip of a timed switch, the world started to move once more.

Aidedn blinked to find the empath as distant as their meeting by the long hallway. Gar looked over his shoulder as a Bengal tiger and gruffly grunt back to the teen to come hither. The green hero returned shortly as his adult half to gain the boy's full attention. "Hey kid, you doin' alright with...she told you about that..right? About why you guys can visit without extra security codes to punch?" He stood in a lax position before the door. The wise- guy ; being Aiden to avoid talking when it did not suit his needs, just shuffled past without stopping. "They want you to help out. Maybe we can b-

Ava grasped the morpher's attention with a terrifying glance in his direction. "You are?" She had not met Gar Logan yet so her radar was left to scan for her brother's overall sake. A stranger who was covered in a full body uniform that resembled a surfer's suit. He also...was green. The girl's half - immortal sights turned to a shocked expression with her mouth opening and closing far too much. "A..g...reen!?"

Garfield saw this and could not help but gawk. "You aren't normal kid, so don't tease us adults. I saw that look. Reminded me of-

Gwwhaaa!*" Gar felt a cold hand on his shoulder which in turn, made Ava fall back onto her side. It was only Aunt Rachel as her heroine self- The one who had the element of surprise against cunning tricksters such as an unruly team member or two. "Don't. Tease. Our guests. Ehem!*..Kids, this...is Changeling. Changeling, these are, Aiden and Ava Marie."

"Call me Gar! Seriously Rae! We aren't trying to scare them to death. Sorry bout' her scowl. She has that effect on villains to-

"I'm telling you to ease up. " Rachel tensed by how irrational the goof was being. "Ava, Aiden,your mom and the Titans will be in a meeting..." She gripped the spring green hero's arm to tug him towards the main room, and towards her hissed reprimand. ~Do not make them upset! Kori was very clear about stress levels in her children! Show some respect! Let's head inside.~ With a dip of her head to apolgize briefly, both teens had gotten the message loud and clear. No intrusions while the grown ups planned for the worst .

~Pathetic...At this rate...Ami is as good as toast!~ Aiden groaned to tilt his head towards the cieling impatiently. "Hurry up..." Ava whispered inches from her brother's distressed glance. "Hurry up and end it!...Before I disappear!.."

/

A chain reaction..Roku inside of Richard Grayson's mortal body brought the shard of the blood red orb to reform as the dragon's , brilliant, glorious tool . It was a romance that burned brightly. The orb after all had the key. Now..to fire it up to full power...the second to last piece..was a sun's glimmer of hope. Rays of light by the goddess herself.

Ami awoke to the sound of rachets and machinery. Her dazed expression had those blue eyes suddenly widen by a fierce grip round' her form .

"No! Stop! I'm not gonna help you!" The girl screamed out to force sound to travel as a weapon. It was not as powerful as a harpy or siren's call,yet it had enough waves to press away those hands from coming too close. The villain's pained associate hissed back with a shout afterwards. Roko was unable to pry the brat from her shell...it hurt as badly as the firey pits of sin! "Daghh!" The rough - edged daemoness growled back before tending to her singed wrists. "Shit! You'll not be in this mess long enough to scorch the rest of me, bit-

"Manners, my dear!" Roku's robes had become more evolved by the status he was soon to regain. "My sire. .she's not moving an inch! Let me-

"Stand aside, your captive ..is no more than a frightened nightengale...you'll only worsen things with that attitude. Allow me to finish here. Return to your post. Later, we shall have ..a decent chat. Doesn't that sound tempting my dear ? You have desired the task more than ever...now...that has all been granted. " The king looked as a saint to the love sick , long lashed killer. "Sir...yes! It was as I have prove ...you are more than that..Then tonight! Thank you my king!" With a grin, the dummy aspect rushed off through her rip in time to stir up some damage. Ami had seen this display play out . It was..almost sad...Roko was not aware of how this dragon inside of the ten year old's papa could break them all! It wasn't right!

"You..can lie to her, but don't try to play anything other than what -

"Heroics don't suit a tot, I'm afraid. " The ebony haired child growled back by the taunt. Roku looked over his sharpened nails, as if thinking they would change altogether in minutes, not seconds. "I...won't do anything. You won't hear a word from me So beat it creep!" The girl was acting up again. The dragon's gloves returned to cover that extra feature. Turning..no..too soon. He had to leave her in need of a way out...this noble aura was not alone the child's . Another power was at work behind the aging devil's back.

With hands interwoven behind the cop's own back, Roku asked with a softer tone. "How do you propose we settle things? You are not here, at least.. not with anyone to save you. Beg all you -

"Begging is when you are lost! I am going to be saved! So don't make me mad! Let my dad, my family, and our home go! That energy wasn't wrong, you did this! You ended up cursing where you shouldn't have stuck your ugly nose into anyone's business! My brother is gonna pull through! So quick hurting them by forcing me to hate them ! It won't work. " The girl croseed her long sleeved arms and frowned. "Humph. You are a criminal. My dad told me that bad guys are no better if they refuse to fix their problems when having hurt others. You hurt a lot of people. You act as if power makes up for mistakes, but you are wrong.. " The dragon blinked, then with a wide laugh, he burst forth into a cry of gut wrenching hysteria. Her dad..had never looked so...The monster was gonna pay if anything happened!

"Hahahahaaaaaa! You're acting the way of a monk! Will this never end! Ye of little faith in what is...you have not ONE CLUE ! The world in which you all dwell is not going to rebuild! Imagine! You; the brilliant scientific mind one day losing her abilty to solve a simple equation! Hahaaa! Silly child, the gods are using you to finish an age old task , yet if I do not live to repair..then your own brain will return to that of a lowly, average performer's...Wouldn't you want to live as your dreams depict? To your beloved father, I was a menace. Yet without my promise , you would have never been concieved at all! Laughable is it not my dear? You were born by my own path! You see..your papa was a key player before then. My son was of his very essence, while now...you fulfill that role..." Ami had sunken to her knees within the crystal cell. Her blue eyed in widened shock...

"B...but...then..the..that..means...-

The dragon interrupted with a start. "You can call me Grandfather I suppose. That power belongs not only of a fire bird, yet of a dragon's birth rite. My own son's last given rite. How dire the circumstances...we almost might have even..had a chance to whittle your fate a tad..sigh..* Yet my priestess of the rising sun, your day is about to wane away..." Ami blinked up from her small stupor. Her blue gaze now frightened by those words.

"Why?...What are you going to do..?" The ten year old sniffled as she should have. A child playing super hero...how the irony had the dragon drink in such misery. Lilith had missed her opportunity. This realm belonged to a true ruler!

"I..I don't wanna be eaten! Dragon..! You..you can't!-

The devilish king tutted with her father's partial features. "There...might...hmm...be one way..oh! Though it is quite messy for such a soul as your own...I couldn't even-

"Egh!*...W..What?..Sniff! I wanna know! Tell me..! Please...I!-

The dragon had her purity stained to trust her captor. The evil smirk made the ten year old shiver. "You would have only to pledge your loyalty...then, your power would focus on restoring all I have lost...you would belong to my rule and as such, your wish by the rites of semi - Djinn, would be granted . What do you say? A trial period? I'd be happy to ease the burden? "He seemed so calm...she only stiffened by that grin..it scared her...she had lost the courage by her own relatives, her family..they wouldn't save her...

With a lost look into the distance, the glazed sights of the child were at ease again. He meant to save her...let it be then.

"I accept. " With a shatter of glasssy shards , her cell was broken to pieces. This was, not going to last...where were the heroes! This couldn't be...it had to...

"Then." With a swish of his cloak while the king's hand reached to stop the fall, Ami's world had lost all warmth. "My priestess...you may open your eyes..." The girl's new attire was more westernized gothic as she moved about in a shorter dress. It had a corset..tugging, itching to steal her breath with a final squeeze. Her hair had been reformed up into a tailored bun, one that had a spider's lace design against it's setting. Her fingernails were painted black with a strange gleam. Poison tips...was this her darkest desire? A desire to cause her enemies to face her? Her enemy...her enemy was-

"Far too early to point fingers. Your are Amelia. The name given shall be no other. It belongs to your, dear leader. As such,you will enhance the flow to become closer to the current time line. As proposed.. Your siblings still hold fragments of my dear child's energies...as well, as your brother..whom will aid your lord very soon."

A voice inside of the dark eyed, ten age old grade schooler's skull left an echo to resound noisily. ~Aide! He's not up for grabs! Call out!~

The dark haired youngster's new words formed with her monotonous tone to add to this delusional nightmare. "My leader, why must my brother matter? Is my magic not enough?" This was odd..he..wanted more bodies to fall. Amelia still bit her lip to think things over inside her mind. Roku though carefully about how to open up to the kid..without letting too much go to quickly.

"His power will be enough to ruin my empire...it will also mean plenty to aid in rebuilding the rest. Your brother holds the spirit of my essence. A rage he could not suppress. But of course! That power is by my line, not of a silly fowl's connection! How else would the chosen have been granted such an ability! The fire fox was only dreaming. So my priestess, you shall help by bringing the sacrifices to gather. Then together...your wish to never lose your beloved family once you awaken, will become a reality. Trust you dear king. My word is absolute. " With a pat onto the lost girl's scalp, her head nod in thanks. "Absolutely. I shall not fail you , Lord Grandfather Roku."

Inside of the heart land beyond time's door, Amaterasu riled against losing her dear sage's memory. With her fan and magical prowess, it was a fiery battle of proportions concerning the young tyke's mind. Calling off by the Anicient did not nearly enough as an infectious dark shroud closed in overhead. The solar lady spelled underneathherrobed arms as the rest of her spirit, soon left with a portion of the magic energies Roku craved for his master plan. It would backfire, thus leaving thedragon..to move into territory on earth that would normally weaken. Yet Ami...she was unsafe from that backlash without her trusted Princess Amaterasu.

~Even as ye have yet to overcome trials this early, there will be a way...so do not lose your honor as a seer to my rites ! I shall return to guide, remove the demon from his keep to free this curse fromst thou . Thou whom none shall oppose! Priestess of the rising sun and Universal, golden dawn!~

Was the girl to remain unaware? Would a solar essence replenish for the child even if the motherly goddess could return? ~Do not falter...estate come thus far...thou shan't leave thy pact so openly . A great ho- oh shan't allow prophecy to over rule time and space. We of the Immortal..shall always prevail whence destiny becomes it! Lo! And so...reveal to thee your wish...I shall forever remain the guide to your sun bright dreams...child of the order...~

With a wave into the far corners of the ten year old's subconscious, looking up, the princess saw her trapped pupil swimming inside a shell. Her clothing had fallen away to contain the remainder of her power over light.

With a smile towards the child and a single saddened glance, Amaterasu vowed to never let the dragon overtake the girl. A portion of magic would remained lost. All as the king in his keep gained a world closer to his ultimate demise, as well as towards the girl's one, true home.

/

Bao Shi ; within the Sanction of Celestial realms felt, a shufting grumble from it in her secondary homeworld. Her old student, Princess Tsani, had just finished a round of their card game, while at the same time using the deck as tool to decipher a code Hakuro had come across on his lone mission. ~My brother has only this written scroll...my power of foresight still has not recovered evenly madame. ~ She apologized to her mentor with a frown and worrisome stance.

Bao Shi simply folded her own deck away to see to her pupil's realm of frustrations. ~This is not by your strangest guess alone child. ~ The wood elf turned Elemental relic spoke surely to her student, whose eyes missed her sibling of the Ethereal courts very much. Being seen as an independant being from her true home , Tsani lived among her sister Tsukiyume's sect openly. The girl had not grown as to age, such as not many high arc spirit chose. Only her sister, Aluehainyu of the Eternal courts, as well as Piper Pippette had grown an exact inch. It was as if a curse surrounded that sort of growth for beings whom had no mortality left.

Bao Shi for example could never return as a spiit classed under the same court order as Priscilla Deartheart. She was a priestess of the wood elves that Lady Bao Shi had once been in connection with also through the eastern direction under wood and air. Now, her rank had risen to aid the protege of Aria of the four passages, then to help with the current chosen on earth. A cycle of guardian duties. She was nearly on par with any Eternal leader or high spirit relic. Dragon earth had gone into a comatose state decades earlier. Lady Earthen protector Raine had never left his side while the orderlies of the Western direction went about as if..Lord Earth had not gone ahead.

Then there was the tremor of an absolute wreakage to begin..The deity's mentor had a sign upwards with a wave to have her protege duck from a shattered resistane. Clambering walls turned to shake away inside the study. A breach was about to start!

~Sound the alarm! Tsani child, return that coded scroll to your sister Tsukiyume. I shall chase away our guests from entering this hall of learning!~ With a swish of her sacred talisman about the short half immortal's wrist, the doors were widened to open into a second dimension. The true doorway back into the Celestial keep was barred shut from the inside. Roars of unknown figures had the dear stardusted, half- Ethereal child turn towards the scroll. It was their last memento together...Hakuro had to be well all alone inside the next -

~Do not tarry! Princess! Go to her! My magic will guide upon your fall! There is no moment to lose! Stand firmly as you are and face this illusion!~

With a strangled nod,the princess of her starbeam aura brought her two feet and winged cape to carry towards the destination beyond that rift. ~I shall return with help! Please be careful!~ Tsani had been born as her mother Aleiah. She could not speak by word of mouth. Only her telepathic thoughts and echoed voice could be heard by strong willed individuals she wished to hear from , to answer back.

/

Aleiah was the same. As keeper of the title Time's daughter, she had the strength to balance a good portion of space and time from bending into oblivion. If all ended in one single night, her job had been for naught. If in many eons, A had promised to continue with her allies to breathe that same energy into their continuation.

The boy chosen from before had fallen under the monster dragon's control. Aleiah had known the dark lord even before his truest rites as a fabled Djinn's child had been tainted into darkness. Lil was done, her entire spirit refused to live once the reality had set in. Mothers were sometimes in that frame of mind, in order to become well aware of those kniving adults they had risen in their youth to the present.

~You took on the role as a caretaker . Raku had the power to finish you...never to become you...oh unfortunate...this was not our destined time.~Seeing the vastness of a miasma trying to breach the walls of time from Aleiah's mind's eye, the Ethereal leader started to move with the flow . Time was eternal until it stopped. Whenever that occurence did end her exisance, Aleiah's regrets would not be limited by her position. She would grieve and celebrate as all the rest.

Yet for now-

Her acute senses picked up a child's weeping from within the veil. ~There!~ The motherly being swept across the stream to glance into this time frame...a rift..there was indeed a shift as predicted. ~We folk of legend have yet to recall our oath. We are to shine where light is forbidden! My strength belongs ! ~ With a clutch against the raging stream of eternal passage, the deity had her eyes opened wide. Those orbs shone as opal without a way to remain oblivious as her brothers. ~I see! There in lies the task ! Then to my son, you shall awaken the golden lord!~

With dashed across the time- less space, her toes unkept by footwear as the clouds below became real, the time keeper gazed out. She saw how to divide the tides to open a gateway! A truth would arise, reborn from the ashes as a flaming Phoenix!

/

As Aiden blinked awake to the world, his nap had been cut short. The realm of light surrounded by nothingness soon left the fourteen year old to search for the boy The light haired and silver eyed teen without a sing,e ally inside this space ..where was he?

~Hello! Is this right? Why am I here again! Don't I at least get a-

In a puff of white,the golden dragon - ling had appeared beside the teen blonde's startled sights. ~Wheee! I know this spot! A prince lives here! He can do magic..and so can we!~

The floating cutie was in heaven as it's wings stretched further out than when on earth in the boy's bedroom. Aiden gasped by how he had never gotten to see the glowing ball of sunshine this animated! All of a sudden, the so- called prince appeared from behind a tall, white pillar. Aiden crossed his arms and spoke once the other male he presumed, had shown itself.

~You got a few things to say? Then don'tg act like you don't remember! That sword is dangerous...s, why do I even have it!~

The childish, earthen bound boy lowered his gaze with a frown towards the silvery teen holding reason over the sword's projection. ~I did not give you the power. It hose you. I just wanted only to see if you might one day recall my old ally. He was your father if you did not recog-

Aiden shook his head . ~I was told dad fought like I did. But it was for another reason. Tell me . You know about ...something. Otherwise, I would still be bored to tears with my sister on earth. ~ The small, hidden smile of Hakuro felt as one with his blind, yet beutiful orbs of a crystaline sort. ~Very perceptive. Your father was an unmasker of hidden plots. You seem tl have inherited his confidence. Very well, I will explain just why I exist to monitor . The dragon by your side, also holds two spirit halves or aspects. The first, is the embodiment as an incarnation of you , young chosen. The second, of a sorcerer whom was only allowed to exist until his wish had thus been granted. Ten years earlier, your soul was left to take on a new challenge...Seer pupil of Orion the Star Capital's White Knight. Your name was Aaron Stellanova. I do recall by one other...that she shall also ask o-

Aiden held up his palms for the light eyed teen to freeze. ~Whoa, whoa! Who is Aaron? Why is the dragon even mine? He was a firefly before I even met the little guy! So..you said two people or..spirits live inside of the kid dragon? This big baby? What's that have to do with this prophecy and chosen mess! ~ The blonde had a slew of questions as the seer of Ethereal rites sighed his thoughts into a calm. ~You are not silent over your concerns. This is only wise when...I did say you'd gather my insight. Then I may as well start.~ With a shrug,the long maned, light eyed spirit over seer left toseat himself nearest a low rising throne. ~I will tell you my side. Your caregivers and takers are not in the wrong. Yet if you were to know of this destiny so soon at it's very core,your resolve might waiver-

Aiden's fists shook as he stomped closer to meet the odd entity whom kept more riddles than a bookstore's legendary copy of knock- knock jokes. It was not funny. He was running out of time to save Ami!

~I don't want a story. It won't stop the enemy. Facing it might! You are just afraid to attack, It's no wonder you're locked up inside this place!~Aiden,almost pitied the spook inside it's mysterious world of riddles and reason without the ryhme. ~I, remain to -

~No. Tell me why you've taken my consciousness from my home, or else I'll just do like my twin Annie. I'll make an exit! So you can act like an enigmatic weirdo, or do this right. It won't answer any questions if you don't speak up. My dad is still!-

~He...~ The boy had stricken the sorrowful spectere with such regret. An ever flowing area of what he'd let slip...Robin..was going to be absorbed! He was weak!

~Don't have any secrets! Comrades or whatever, you aren't gonna make me lose! To prove that, I'll fight you . Just to wake up that reason why you won't help, by explaining what the answer is! You knew my dad, my mom You see everything! Then see me! I'm here and willing to prove whatyou won't ! So fight back!~

With the sword outside of the teen's body, the boy blazed amid the inner sanctum of the lonely Ethereal son's. The seer' long, light hair flapped and waved as Hakuro dodged the sudden shot. His eyes grew to house that frozen intimidation. The one similar to Rokuro's fiery resolve!

The loud, obnoxious teenager was however..only just a single reminder of what Hakuro had sworn to uphold for his old friend. Rokuro was to never return. His curse had devoured all memory of that terrible era as the lapl dog on his dragon father. This boy could be next. As it stood,the child held his determination strongly against those odds.

~Let me know you don't wanna lose either. ~ The blonde suddenly smiled with a small reassurance that the Ethereal prince within his fairytale, would never be left to fade away. All alone Hakuro had been engulfed by the shame. Rokuro had died inside the shell of the 'Kuro' character; a corrupted self image that the king had implanted within the original chosen...

The king and red lord had not gone to trial. He had won out by becoming a spectre just as his enemies. The crazed ruler was unjust,unwell..he had erradicated so many...why was the coward-

~Can you listen? What is your name? I am, Aiden . Aiden Grayson. You? Well, we are gonna help one another right? So don't feel so alone. It's too hard to see inside this place...As a friend, you wanted to help my family. I want to know, just what were you to my dad?~ The gulping entity forced itself to speak. ~I..am called...H..Haku...You...are by far..the last whom I have..ever spoken at all as we have..~ The long limbed teen Ethereal was stunned by this mortal's open minded display. Yet so blindly as to trust a powerful beng! Was he tricking himself into finding the very 'greater good' inside of this frightening land? Soon, soon it would occur where the boy could no longer run towards a safe distance. He would have to burn along with his role to come...That was how frustrating thoughts collectively had Hakuro guess denial was at play.

~My sister..Amelia...She is like that. She hates to think the word 'purpose ' has any vagueness. She thinks it should be clear that if we cause a problem, no one leaves until it's cleaned right up. So she taught me..to never back down. When I bring her back, you can say hi. Ann is ok too. I want you to open up..you've been all by yourself...~

The light eyed teen had instantly felt his eyes prickle . ~No..you are wrong...~ The seer whispered uncomfortably inside of his hell of a chain reaction -

~Am I? You are half as bad with keeping a straight face. We only saw one another two times, but your face is the exact same . You don't want to-

~I cannot leave!~The son of the great time keeper cried out with a strained voice. The speak had been shattered? Was the child wishing to lose his time!-

~You can come find him with us!~Aiden called back as soon as the summons had ended his trial into the teen's domain. ~I won't let you forget! We can find them together! You have someone to see, just like me! Please trust us! I want to help!~

The last , tear stained blink of the Ethereal boy, had the blonde mortal gasp up from his uncomfortable lean into the side wall outside of the Titans' briefing room.

/

"Aide! We are finally gonna talk to her. C'mon..! Wait..are you still snoring? Mom's there too!" Ava was shaking the kid to stand. His eyes tilted lazily off towards a blurred doorway...

"Should you just mope here then? Is that what we all have to put our faith in? I trust you Aiden! We can do this!..So, just don't look back down. Look all around you!" The room had appeared while Ava had had her young sibling lean onto that pale shoulder for support. The room was quite wide. The heroic teen and adult Titans held their thoughts before the two youngest guests in the space.

Kori clasped her two hands together to break the silence. "Is your brother well Ava? We were ready to call, yet was this a ba-

"Nope. " Aiden had surprised both his family and allies with a slip away from his sister's clammy fingers. He gingerly nod to his peers and sister with a smile. "I am ready to open up. There is also someone I want to add as a help. He's not a ...say , thing ...But I think you might know. Some of you, are just going to have to bear with me-

Ava blinked before the teen blonde had decided to bring the youngling dragon as a shining ball of embers from his chest. However,the ability did not come as blinked , then nervously tried again with an easy going apology. "W..why? You said you would...Sorry! It's shy. A-

"Aiden, why in the world are you squinting so much? What's it you are tryin' to-

"Sorry Mr. Stone..um! Cyborg. I'm..just think..ing..?"

Kori tried to make some sort of eye contact with Ava to have her talk the teen out of his stance. Ava Marie nod as carefully as she could,then head over towards her ranting fourteen year old bro's side. "We aren't going to judge , bu-

A sound of an alarm had the computer screens pick up an interfering link. It was a sound bite. The rest was a bit grating on the ears as the middle school age male froze by that tone. Deadly, a snake in the grass..the same serpent that had caused the boy's emotions to push everyone away!

/

~Great timing. I am here as your cluster allows the rest of my plot to unfold ,rather nicely. Tell your heroes that I wish a trade to take place...in order for the girl's life I hold not to remain ..in jeapordy. Then do we have a place? Your defense should be by the town center. There, our bargain may be altered . If you do not...consider?~

The eldest Grayson child shook with her fists aching by hr sides. ~You would rather I tell h-

"Turn it off!-

"No!" Aiden protested that the goof morpher not end the call. "Just...see what he wants..." The child's throat felt parched by that response. The praise soon after left his skull hollow. Ava could not even speak, let alone send her threats out into full sentences. It had to stop...the voice...was true madness! It harmed those with it's tendrils..her brother was unable to free himself!

~Good boy. You know she'll only be alive once you've given your all. You know , don't you ? That this little lady, is someone dear..however, do as this bargain . I promise to let her live, should it be upheld..Good day to you all...and remember. TownCenter Plaza. Five o'clock. I'll be waiting for your answer...~

The click of the voice bit died with a crackle. Dead with it was a chance to go after the source's location. It was a town..a plaza that...was in Jump?..
/

"That was...not my love's voice...that was!-

Inside a separate room, Koriand'r cried to this confusion. Her heart wide open as that fearful wait..the deity of the world inhabited by spirit..had been too late!

"N..no! M..My My ! Agghaa!" The weeping woman felt the pang of a widow...money was not the issue..her love had been dismantled by a demon dragon! He was..that ...

The walls were not sound proof entirely, as Aiden shoved his face to be drawn beneath his crossed arms on the ground. His knees were the only extra cover as Rachel Roth paced the halls furiously. Ava had tagged along to blend in with the other heroes. For her brother and siblings, her father had left this world to be spirited away by a great monster!

"Can't we stop the dragon!" Ava kept calling out to the Titan's mentor and veteran with a loud enough row of complaints. "Why aren't we going after!-

"He's lying!" Raven's cloak flared up as a white beacon of light and cinders. "You shouldn't believe a word that comes from his mouth. Your father should have..Dick should...He knew the risk of going alone! He was-

"Rae! Cool it!" Cyborg tried to turn the empath to calm herself while in front of a younger generation. They looked up to the senior Titans. Violet hair fell to plaster messily over the witch's scalp. Her worried, tired,and wdened eyes held a frantic pace as they never stopped searching. The last time Dick had nearly been consumed...they had failed to help him contain it ..there had been a snake pulling the reins of that man's subconscious setting...how had she not seen it!?

"Rich was probably fighting back like always." Cy tried to sound the voice of reason while the heroine simmered. "Ava, you might be better talkin' this out with Rae later...she's just freakin' that your pops didn't have time to see that things..weren't a ok-

"The snake? That red one without a real body?" The empath gasped to the girl, while Aiden slowly lifted up his teary eyes towards the conflicted heroes. "Yeah,it's something I remember Lil...had talked about with...that, Ava...the fake. The snake was after someone...I thought the harpy was trying to open up a bound book she had . But..it was something that lady...the black widow...she told me Lilith wanted sacrifices to -

The empath was in awe. Her eyes widened while Cy had to clasp a set of fingers over his mouth to remain..calm...

"When...you mean?" The teen blonde had not realized how familiar his sister had with..wasn't that Crowley?

"Aiden. Our Vice Principal was disguised to lure me away. I guess to divide us? But I was able to find you guys because of!-

The appreciative smile was not heartless, it was stoic. The boy backed away, wondering if his sister really did want to do this! Wasn't she going to be..herself again once they all had beat the bad guy?

"You..Ava..you're ...-

The alarms rose again, this time to alert of a villain. One the cameras could not monitor as it's speed made tracking difficult for the techno wizards in the base. "Kids. Stay here and let the Titans push back this menace. It'll be about a few minutes. Cyborg and Gar are staying to monitor the rest . You two will wait. Titans, move out!" With a flaring battle cry into the empath's unit , Raven faded into her old self just in time to join her reseve members.

The tower was soon left with Cyborg and Changeling to watch over their home. As if a switch back in time, the Titans of that original day had reassembled.

/

Aiden had packed away his music to lull out the ever growing suspiscion surrounding his sister- if she even was! She had been someone else's kid, only for the purpose of ...protecting?..Then was she trying to baby her sibling instead of working with him? He didn't want to be a victim! Also, why had that creepy snake taken the youngsters' dad? He wasn't just there to replace a body...there had to -

"Aiden." Ava Marie had her eyes staring down the blonde without waivering once. Her stance was a bit more mellow,though her stern nature dared to peer from behind that mask of a 'truce.' Aiden just shrugged to try and lower his device-

"I want to talk to you. Alone. " With a stiff push of the wrong button,the music blasted the kid's eardrums until he shook off the earset. "Agh..sure. ...you want to tell me you're -

"Stop that." She spat with arms crossed and a frown on her face . "I want to fix this relationship so you won't end up being eaten alive by it. Come on. Mom is gonna stay out of this one. Trust me-

The shaggy haired middle schooler blinked, then shifted from his sister's iron grip. "Trust ..you?.. You aren't human! You told Aunt Rachel that you knew who Crowley was! We still were trying to guess her identity! You didn't want to trust us! You'd rather be with your own kind in that creepy world ! I should never have-

The girl twirled around to knock the boy over onto the floor. Yet she had emotions swirling...he didn't mean that...he..he was just afraid! She wasn't a monster!

"You're lying. ...Don't lie to me, of course I know what you refuse to admit! " She screamed back as her eyes turned icy and frigid. The pain of being stabbed in the back made her tail atop that scalp rise . "I stopped her from going after you, but they controlled me with that double version! If it had gotten worse, you would have lost! I was always protecting my family!-

"Then how come you're working so fast?You wanna leave us for those-

"You idiot! I'm not go-

""Then YOU don't LIE! " Aiden sneered back with a growl. His feet rose without mercy from the carpet. "You are here until your promise with them is up. You only are here, not as my sister, but as a-

"Aiden! Knock it!-

"Like one of those dumb dogs! The ones who can't even get along right! You're just gonna go back to the freak city with them once you've saved the world! " He had just broken her trust. He had her trust as long as she was needed by her charge...not, her baby brother. With rotten tear streaks miles down her cheeks by then, the brat had gotten his wish.

"Even ..if you're right. You still need others-

"Not if they'll abandon their family. If it's their job to.." The teen younger flushed with a grumble. Ava wasn't strong wished that the box in Ami's room still had the 'monster' firmly trapped inside...He was out of line!

"If I'm no help, then you're right. "She walked away while the current guardian of the two slipped inside sliding doors to see a silver blur pass by his side. "Then..You're on your own!"

/

An excellent stage had been prepared for the dragon's reunion with his chosen heroes...All that had occured had been by the boy's retaliation against the half Eternal girl's, over-all mission. He felt a bit betrayed. Roku could see behind Richard's own blue as they switched to a shocking sight of ruby red. Blackened pupils left the resemblance to that of Rokou . Yet the king had been granted an opportunity..to turn the child from his sanction.

The doll gaze of Amelia was listless as she sat behind the plotting lord's agenda. Her knees were tucked together underneath the victorian style mass of ribbons and frills. Her hair this afternoon was cleanly fitted, while holding in place her prim and pressed bun atop that youthful scalp. A care taker would not expect anything less if the child he or she kept , did not dress to impress.

Or to distract for a purpose...

"We are moving. I have instructed my associate Lord Lothos to deter your other ...sibling from this location. Rather, from the shore of your city where as we have masked our own location. " Roku tried to seem as a teacher to his student. His son had not been the only one, as years to find a perfect catalyst had finally ripped up the dragon's ounce of control and patience. The dragon hated to have others above his stature. Besides! As of right now, the heroes had over looked just how snug and sound their hide away, truly was..

"Yes sir." Amelia curtsied as a compliment to her lord, then trod along beside him as obeiently as the lady...Roko..?

"Pardon my intrusion, my sire?" The girl's eyes widened by a brief visitor of Roku's battalion. "Lady of the Widow's Covenant...or should I simply ask if you have given thought over, a new title?" The confused mistress shrugged her shoulders and acted as if she hadn't a clue about this new assignment. "Whatever could you possibly mean? I am your loyal priestess of the Widow's worldly sect. I have been nothing less, nor anything else. You ask my lord?" She tried to remain steady in pitch. The harpy Lilith could not tame the witch of the void, nor could this crooked beast.

The king raised a brow with a shake of his head, fingers interlaced behind his back in disapproaval. "When will you ever learn...that I have not given you permission all this time, to play with your words, Mistress...Daia!"

The devil's grin from the deranged king had the young captive Amelia stand further from that glare. He..had the power to find a flaw..then why did it all seem...unreal?

"You did realize ..mh... That is why I had not given enough thought towards your elimination. The trace of power I've woven, is not for your rite. " With a flop of the upturned , lace veil from her emerald sights, the Lady of the Courts' child return to smugly remark back to her enemy. "You have no power where my allies cannot reach. Even if I alone cannot free your sorceress , then another shall take that oath. " A slew of soldiers armed with weapons to keep the ' realm' under locks emerged from wall after wall. She had been a spy!

"Then what of the Black Widow? " Roku acted as if they were no match for the demonic lord's dark arts. In truth, that was to be tested.

"I was never infected wholly. The witch of the late coven was inside, yet..we made a deal. It seemed to me,that being inside of both Sayumon and I, myself, had the power to corrupt the weaver into losing control." (Part one; These New Years . The Black widow was seen as an entity that fed off of the 'widow' in woman of greater ego. Sayumon had been captured while trying to save Prince Rokuro in the past- Richard Ainsley, while having left the void by her free will, the Celestial maiden later went on to rule the council of high arc beings. Yet it had been the Black Widow corrupted by Sayu's freed vanity , thus costing her the powers granted by the rites as a figurehead. Much, much later on, Sayu remains in Tsukiyume's and the court's returning leaders' care. Kayumon ; the fox mother's son, was given the later order to keep an eye on his mother's progress. Ronald; Sayumon's second child, was beside his cousin Veravakumu (Takahara Shoji) , when he had spoken of his mother's progress recovering in Maui. The dog is more so a thunder being . Not neccessarily of rain or high tides. On with the arc!)

Roku lowered his eyes to meet a squadron drone's intimidated two , then left to see to Amy's own blue. They werejet black by the corruption in her heart . "Watch your gaze. This void is hidden by his ability to bend-

The guard was lifted into the air by a force of power from behind. "I don't like tricksters as much as the next..." The doctor Regis Holstein had lived. His sorcerery was as advanced as even by a splatter of the man's heart to the stone ground. "Another gem for my collection! If you don't reap the benefits, then who will!?" The mad doc had lived too long as his mind turned towards the rest of Cici's back - up crew. She swirved out of the loon's way, just as Roku was making a break for an intensifyingly bright portal. Amelia was there as well. Her role would require a place of power..

"I'm not making any detours, princess...you have outlived your welcome. I do hope my associate...is in fair enough spirits to let you live..." With that seedy grin ; that the Lady Daia hated more than her old mentor's crooked web, the dragon had revert to an era of spreading madness once more. Outside of the glass wall was a place in which the dragon's immense presence could duplicate! A vile virus if any she had ever witnessed! With a shout in all her mother's tongue's forgotten language; an art passed down since the child's rejection of the role by those miserly orderlies- Cecilia Crescendo Daia left her voice to rip the walls. To send her message loud and clear, if ever the doc had been busy with his own desecration of the sorceress's royal guard, she had to fall fowards. Her soldiers were losing their minds inside of this chamber!

The widow of the lady's under hand pact returned to speak by the way called Ancient, even as a ghostly entity it left the blonde sister to shiver madly beneath her robes. ~My web may be of use. I will use it to ensnare his-

The emerald eyed madame shook her head to object. ~Not yet mother widow. Your magic is still not fully reclaimed. The rift you so graciously allowed my comrades passage through earlier upon our arrival, left we immortals without energy enough to close the next. ~ The daring daughter thanked the spider deity ,whom she owed her deepest debt to. It had freed her from losing her true reason to thrive. The underground had been a part of her dark side of the shining sun. She and Alicia were one and the same..

"My dear sister is watching over the 'ones. gifted.' We must also act accordingly. My squadron! We shall make haste to depart immediately! Ready a new rift! None if my country - men shall perish here to - day!"

The remaining group had been left with numerous reminders as to what their situation entailed once they'd arrive back on solid ground. The doctor of horrors had fled to activate a destruction of the illusionary realm . They were able to build more, as well as lesser material, a house of cards should the rest go down hill!

"He'll reduce the host to ash..this must not be left unnoticed.." Cici bit her lip while helping to secure a safe entry back towards their destination. Earth was about to become a battle ground for the timeless nightmare known as the red lord..Roku had finally shown his wolf's pelt beneath the lining of a sheep's. It was time to advance further beyond the walls . Spirit and mortal combined might for the latest moment, have something in common to complete. Their worlds would soon be under fire from the dragon of many falls himself. Of half soul stealer; turned from half immortal and spirit child of the past...this was not something the prophetically gifted could weave alone. There had to be some one who could face the red lizard head on without getting ripped apart!

/

Aiden scrambled to avoid his caretaker's glance. What had that been all about? Ava cared more about her mission than her family! Anna was the same! Why was he just sitting still as if..he could do something! Cy had to let the teen-

"I know that look lil' man. You can count me out if you think this is a game. The Titans will bring the guy terrorizin' Jump in. Your sister-

"I don't want..to hear it.." The cowardly, heavy hearted lion that was Aiden left the spot to wander off by the solid glass panel displaying the entire city's landscape. "You guys, watch all of it? Was my dad like that too? I mean, mom said he was a leader...why'd he stop ? You could have..-

"No 'could have' or 'should have' in this house . You were more important while your mama had it rough. She's from another planet ya know, so not all humans were ok with her just finding work anywhere. Even after all this time, there was still some hope that nobody would throw around rude comments, or even just accept yoyr mom for who he was. I know that sorta feelin'. I'm half man , half machine. Not afraid to say it. But that's how it is. Ava; she's fightin' hard times too ." Cy's lips immediately sealed up once he'd seen the boy's eyes widen. "Ava? What do you mean? Isa ; who is Isis that goddess, wanted my sister to go to an academy that would help her to know what she could do after high school. She had two more years to plan..but it wasn't right. " The blonde crossed his arms , long enough for Cy to see Gar from the side lines.

"Green toad headed this way.." Cy just jutted at the computer's keys to ignore the yougster's insult. "Sorry kid, but Cy. I can't find Ava anywhere!-

Cyborg stopped what he was doing long enough to search the scan of the entire tower's layout. It took a total of ten minutes to see to the bottom level of the hero's secondhoe..only to come up empty. "I'll go an-

"No! Let me! I might -

"We were told to do the rest Aiden, you have ta' trust us. Just stay here with Gar and don't leave this room. Man, I smell a rat an' don't think it's sweat stain over here this time-

"Hey! That's ancient history!" Changeling snort back a bit offended by the old nick- name. "My suit is practically a pro surfer's ! You think I don't bathe! Maan!.. Sigh*...Cyborg's never changed. " Once the doors had shut, it was as if the spring green adult had changed his tune. Aiden blinked up until the hero had morphed into a wise toucan with a loud enough graaw* to wake an army. "You...aren't mad?" The boy cocked his head while the mysterious, green, larged beaked bird mimicked the child's movements. Mirroring...what exactly did those eyes see?

"I just laugh off the crazy stuff afterwords! It means we are really close as compadres!" The bird of a not - yet- tropical paradise brought his feathered arms to his hips proudly. Then crossing them to his toucan self's chest,the amazonian fowl remembered quietly, those days as a Teen Titan. He was on the side a part of the Doom Patrol and even the JLA at the best of times. Here, Gar was to his own devices. It gave a lot of time to ..see the side of the ones' the senior teams were training, to see if improvements might need to be made . Tweaks were not his specialty. Gar Logan was one of the Titans. He was a team player who taught the new recruits to play nice when Cy had lab work to over see to in Star City.

Aiden had trouble with reading the bird's expression. Body language filled in , most of the gaps for now.

"So...fighting with my sister...I shouldn't -

"Means you guys ..hmm...you can learn along the way!" The blonde gawked up as the screen behind Changeling had suddenly gone on by itself. "Yaah! Cy's not gonna-

"Cyborg! Changeling! Do you read? This is Robin, we are requesting one of you as back- up. The villain is-

A drowned fizzle of static left the green hero and his temporary charge shocked. "Damian's in..what was that?" Gar flipped open the unit by his pouch to contact the big lug. "Cy! Do you copy, over. This is Changeling,just got a message from Robin on standby in the city." Cy had been rummaging through boxes and corners to locate the escaped ..or rather, taken child in his care...Poor Kori was gonna box the bot for turning a blind eye!

"I here ya..looks like Ava's gone missin' like we all suspected. Dang...You have your cell, right Aiden? See if she'll-

"She...isn't going to-

Gar crossed his arms to ask . "Why?" The blonde had to answer with a haggard sigh*. "She isn't using it. She isn't allowed Ami told us..something might happen since she was working out the specs ..but...then she...disappeared...Without Ami, then Ava will end up...-

The boy shook his head with a shout of protest.

"Let me go after the dragon! If I stop him, he'll give back Ami-

"That monster lizard is not gonna play fair ." Gar sgook his fists by what that crooked king had done to Kori...it had been a horrible amount of guilt the boy shouldn't have to shoulder all on his own...No wonder Rae looked so out of her zone! It was a big enough stressor- even for an interdimensional witch!

Aiden was unsure if he should follow Ava's example. Danger was everywhere, arms outstretched waiting to pull them in...was that why Ami hadn't come home? Had she just had on a brave face...to protect Aiden in the same way as her older sisters?

He felt his emotions tumble around. That..meant pity..they no longer saw him the same way!..Why should he let them enjoy this freedom! He could learn , without their help...

~Then run.~ The voice in his head was saying that, even as Gar attempted to cheer up the kid with his own cool- down method. ~No...this won't change things. I'll go after it...my -

The haunting face of that white clothed being left the child to blink back with a start. "Aiden! Why are your eyes glowing! Are you ok?" The teen lifted his hand to cover his sights..had that been him losing it ? What was going on?..

/

Back in Jump's Central Plaza where the majority of businesses, shops,. even banking and law offices stood,the roads lay split apart. The citzens had apparently fled for cover by the first wave of Titans having done that much, before somehow...mysteriously vanishing from the war front.

An eerie silence crept over Wally and Robin even as the quip - centric Blue Beetle had his mouth zipped in to direct away any zombie survivors. Would they're be any live action commentary for the sequal!... "No one is left, where'd everyone run to? Most important-

Damian turned away with a scanner to check the whole area. "Where is the goon who laid this place to waste?Did he even have any intention for us to face him?" The stage hand Zatanna tried to use her senses to locate the reason behind the scene laid before the young members. "Waay twight light zone material here...!" Wally West as Kid Flash sprang over towards a ground shelter. While on the way he screened inside the building's walls to just...see if there were any left behind.

"Ghost town..I've got the chills here!" Blue beetle took to the air to see with a bird's eye view the damages. Shivers ran up his spine to then activate the scarb on his back to attack a shadow sneaking from their sights-

"Whoa! Still won't listeen!" He flew off towards the perp possibly, into a round of metallic trash cans as the criminal was quite the sly fox." Gah! Dang! I smell like last week's left overs! Gross!" The teen wrinkled his nose as a banana peel was plucked off by Zatanna's good will. "The guy got away!" Their new age Robin was not convinced as he and Starfire took on a tie toe search by the same alley way as the dumpster heap. A heavy goan or sigh ,then a cough had the two aware that the perp had crash landed right where the teens had hoped.

With a left of the shielding weapon,the opponent in the dark attempted to flee the Titans' interrogations. Robin grabbed out against a sheer piece of fabric that arranged iteslf to lessen the escapee's resistance. It was a reddish hued tarp that the criminal had fallen on top of , just as Blue had gotten himself tossed into a row of trash bins.

"Graah!" The male was forcing himself to flee, to not be seen by these -

"Quit hiding! Who are you and what are you after!" With a yank of the tarp; entangled with the man's weapon, the cards fell as Damian's strength prevailed. The one trying to break away from those wary faces, was Deathstroke the Terminator behind this mass of confusion and doubt. Kori gulped while Blue Beetle raised a laser beam in defense. "Took too long to catch a flight..." Slade shrugged while his arm remained still partly snapped. "Had a run in with an old fossil, I think we are on the same page officially. Titans."

/

The Tameranean fire power came to shove the near immortal meta - human into the urban display's brick wall. Zatanna could have sworn she'd heard bones crack painfully from that blow. He by the magician's keen observation, spat up more than once , droplts of blood from heavily damaged, internal bleeding. Yet he still stood..this was immense ...Starfire was a lethal hunter against a well known, hired killer! Was he running from the law? Why Jump City?

The leader; their new Boy Wonder stared down the malignant male with a vengence still as powerful. "Slade...you lying scum! This is not a coincidence. Why are you here? After our heads a second round? Don't you know when to quit? " He crossed his arms and remarked with a stance defining the boy's birth rites. Slade was a criminal who had destroyed, yet also given purpose in another form for Damian to settle in to. As a Titan, as Batman's son and side kick , Robin.

He still knew his mother had died with that fear and fury in mind. The man had no right to rat out the Titans any longer. He had failed by losing ground long enough to perish with his desires.

Of rats or lowly humans, he didn't like this man one bit either way.

Starfire's leader, teammates, and lover had been harmed by the villain's plotting numerous times. She almost wanted him to hurt further to realize his ills . Yet she only held her enemies close enough to extract their overdue reasons. Why was Wilson in Jump? Was this another trick?

The bloodied, grown male staggered to return her response with words he could try to loosen her grip b-

Without further delay,the empath appeared with more news by vortex into the assasin's view. He did not like her eyes boring into his his head or pains. She was a nuisance none the more.

"Slade.." Her own eyes follow both Star and Damian's examples. "You we never supposed to show your face." She fell from her interdimensional rift as the vortex closed in better time than the guardians' own. He spat out more blood with each tooth loosened. Only the Titans had not inflicted those wounds. A serious brat had decided to go all out ,by beating up her 'lackey' without restrain. Roko was in for a warm enough welcome once the doc's other serum kicked in.

His healing serum from many years ago as a test subject would be better than the timing of two to fourteen hours. It sounded risky just waiting for the stuff to activte . "Talk." The new boy wonder had a bone to pick with Slade as a former member of Ra's kill- or- be- killed assassin's training ground. How would one want to salvage something so vile, when his name was plastered in lights as the ultimate good guy? The kid had nothing left there. Family? He had to retrain every bone to recall the techniques. Just a fleeting yesterday.

"I...was out to cage that imp...of a girl..Ro..ko..cough ! Cough!*..She's insane with ..a new master.." Raven reared her eyes and ears to see this change . "A new master? Then Roko-

"She did not attack the children's school on your behalf?!" Kori rose to add.

"No. She went off without saying a thing. To find out more on Crowley. It turned out Lilith was...not only my enemy...she tried to turn the aspect. Though, she...did not do that. " Slade rose to dust off his attire with a rough pat , then with a switch of his stance. "Her new partner is not Lilith. Lilth was destroyed by the one pulling strings. The one to drag even your children and husband into his mess, was Roku. "

The red head had the theory only just as easily kept as Raven , who forced herself to delve deeper by those words. "Roku...Roku ..was...Wait! Then Lilith had a plan! A plan to reanimate ! Why? They were enemies ! Was she going to steal his powers if she did?"

Slade had at least his worst / secondary nemesis of the Titans asking the right questions. With a rub of his partly masked chin, the male tried to think of how words would bide his time. Roko was loose. Her madness was driven by the dragon promising her a place by his side, yet Deathstroke trusted a select few, not even. What did she mean, to even die for the lizard? That had been painful to hear. It made manipulation seem possible from that end.

"One other, question." Zatanna cleared her throat to ask. Less so taken by the display, her own emotions remained sound enough. "What is Roku? Is it our new enemy? When the tower had been under attack, she had not killed us as you'd deternined about her being 'crazy' enough to go through with it...She was just a distraction so that monster holding our senior member's body hostage, could escape! Then what was Roku? How is ..and did you mean Lilith-

"The turned mother and later succubus."Raven interject with a set of eyes still on their beaten enemy. He was healing with the pace of a whirring machine. That had not been in his files originally. She knew healing. It took much longer. This farce would leave the man's super science to fail. This boost would only be forgotten once he returned to a slow paced , super serum candidate. The JLA Watch Tower and Hall of Justice were not where she had found that separate info. Richard had learned too much as Robin ,yet Slade was not as secretive publicly while ' Deathstroke' was on duty with a contract.

"She was working to bring him back, possibly due to the fact she's a witch bent on creating havoc for all of the males she hates. The other issue was how she tried to turn Roko back to...you said that was not who the 'self' ended up serving? She abandoned you, yet that could only happen if-

"She originally wanted to settle with herself as a mortal. She wanted her magic locked away so that nothing sinistercould use it. A conversation we had, revealed that the shards that destroyed your 'Kuro' at the concert, are still or were within the witch's control." Starfire knew Ava had been captured by the demoness to be taken away...why was the dragon alive if the morblik did not like his company?

Slade sighed to think back further. "The doc went with-

"Re!-

"No. Aaron Brocton before anyone points a finger." Slade rebuked with hands out . "Regis ruined my sample of the serum to alter it. I almost lost my strength once Roko had been my opponent in the ward-

"You did piss her off." Raven crossed her arms. "That aspect was fragile. Prodding her , even if she allowed it was exacly why the wood elf Priscilla warned about letting her stay on earth." She spoke of this matter harshly. Slade had nothing to object. He had trusted the daemon when she had been putting on the ,good behaviour act.

Kid Flash steered clear of the argument to peek out past the crumbling brick of the alley- way walls. "Um, hey you guys?" The speedster blinked to think only that it had been a blistering mirage. "We have company!"

The demon Shadow Von Hert's puppies had always been near- formeless. These,were a second stage of their developement . Darkly bound entities as tall as ogres. They had beady , red gleaming eyes , long lanky clawed fingers, and toes resembling a long dead reptilian species'. Atop long legs, they scoured the city as massive as building towers! Almost as wide as moving pillars, all on tall legs as fine as teetering stakes. Raven lether eyes wander. "Oh, that...was what they were..." The magician teen Zatanna turned to her senior to ask. "What are those!?" The empath, knowing it would be few against many more if they failed , let her words hang overtge team with an aura of caution. "Deadwalkers. They did not look anything like monsters, I thought incarnations of...the Shadow rider Von Hert and-

"Lothos. " The assasin raised his arms to cover from aloud, blaring drone of a bellow. The last monster series team had arrived. "You should run, right now." Slade was backing with? -

The speedster gawked as to why they had Deathstroke's sympathy here! "They're tough? But this is-

"Those auras..." Zatanna felt her powers fall flat of reasoning with their back - lash yet to come. "Run!"

/

Aiden felt his head split painfully as the hallway towards the exit of the tower came into view. The same voice..it wanted him to face it! With a groan, the boy felt less of his consciousness answer back to block the powerful pull out as before. Those eyes ached, not fire yet acid stings! He tried to bring them to shut, yet the voice refused to let the teen look away..

~Why?..Will I save my sister? Ava ran away! Why are you... ..go!~

The boy fell back against the wall as the thing that had emerged from his darkest corners, had been tugged out of the child's chest, revealing it's full self.

A snake, quite large , ghastly, ghostly and seen- through. That..had been after...

~What...what are you doing to my family? I know you had -

A demonic chuckle left the boy's words caught in his throat. With a gulp he waited for the demon's reason . ~I have come to give you just what you have always wished...a place...a way to be happy again..~ The entity slithered by his side of Aiden's face as cruel tickles of it's venomous forked tongue left the young one frozen. ~Th..that..-

~The one to anger is not them..your sister iss ssafe...~ It coiled to seem too tight against his ribs. Yet he could still breathe...it..hurt though...

~I...want to see her...where is she?~ Aiden switched to the language granted by Ami's new magic powers. It hurt less than speaking through his chattering, mortal teeth. ~We will go...you must give the order...will you ? Sshe will not recall, you must grant her wish...~

Aiden cocked his skull to see the snake as it quickly freed itself from the child's form. ~She...wishes? But...Ami...wouldn't change without ...-

Ami was confident when it came to being brain- powered. Learning was a key area where you could never have enough to say or act upon for the ten year old. Why would she wish outside her own abilities...was someone-

~Is she alone?~ That had gotten the serpent's tongue to flick with a startled hiss*. ~She ..waitsss..~ Aiden slowly unbound himself from this diatraction to pace his steps, walking, walking faster. This wasn't ok. Ami was still out there. He had to save her on his own!

~You choose to flee our offer!?~ The boy turned back to smirk towards the monster. ~You said WE. Then someone else is waiting. I hate liers. Especially when they've promised to lighten my load!~ With a blast of a late- blooming Tamaranean son's bolt, the snake had recoiled to allow the child-

This was Jump City!

The view of the tower's hall had been an illusion! He had left the tower..just like the monster wanted ..

Aiden was afraid to go back in now . It was midday while the sun no longer shone brighly against the Califoirnia sky line. The rest of this vision however, had been in ruins. A massive atrack had happened while the Titans...wait! Where were the boy's mom and Aunt Rachel? Where was this?

/

The ground was littered with debris. Crumbling dust hit the blonde's still pained eyes with a swish* into their centers. Bit by bit, more was revealed against the backdrop as a boy's growing, lost cause..why was the city...overthrown!

The only standing portion of a toppling, soaring, structured tower had the tear ridden Aiden- by his abnormal affliction, stare up with his mouth partly open. There was a pillar holding his...Ami was tied to a massive post , unconscious ! He staggered past the crushed bricks and iron , concrete, and plaster, everything fell away so that this..would not be lost yet!

"Ami! Wake up ! Ami! It's your bro! Heyy!" She still refused to open her eyes while her head hung over against her chest. Had someone left her to perish? What was this supposed to mean..was she alive!?..

"Ami! Hold on! I'm coming!" The teen struggled up dusty mounds to reach her teetering hill top. The pole tipped a very minimal amount before Aiden had realized. It was not sturdy enough to hold them both...

"Ami! Wake up!" His hands were covered in soot, his eyes now close to bursting vessels. "No! Ami! Amiii!"

The teen climbed up, up on his fists and knuckles he crawled. The boy's knees were cut and scraped in numerous places. , His voice had become brittle and hoarse by the debris inside the teen's nose and throat. She was closer...closer..why was she never close enough!

"Please...Amy...Wa...wake...up..." He was weak. He wanted to be stronger for them...there was no way if he did not grit his fists long enough to bear his orbs the agony!

The toppling of that stand would ruin her recovery. He had to search for a spot around the lower portion to climb up to the tip from. Cooling his thoughts a little, the dirty, dusted blonde grunt to start over.

/

With the rock climbing tricks of the trade that Kaien had explained, memories of that boring lecture made finding areas to grip far easier. He had to avoid spots where his legs could sink. Rather,he would fall to the bottom if something were forgotten without his feet to catch his weight. A fall could be broken bones, lost time.. He had to keep moving!

After a few meters had been scaled, Aiden's breathing had returned,though his head was light as air. Sweating this much without a canteen was not going to be easy. He could collapse by the time he'd actually finished!

With another slap to get back up,the boy tried even harder to scale the second tier of rubbish.

"Hold..on...A..mi..." A heave up to the very top left the teen to wonder if this had not been luck, yet a helping hand to tug the boy to the very surface! It was. Oh, how he wished he'd been wrong...like all the other times..

~Dear boy. You did receive my invitation. I am quite pleased that you; of all of your comrades, bothered to answer..now, your choice is here. You sister- or the one behind you, little one. " Aiden swirved around to see that Ava was in his way to return to the base of this deadly drop. "Aiden, step away from that -

When the teen had not even seen another's armreach out, the girl's body soon fell fowards with a thud. It had been an eerie Doc Regis with a 'plain old taser' to keep the lavender eyed elder daughter still. "Choose. You do want them to live? Yet you owe no one else for freeing my captives..So, choose. One for another. I do recall you not trusting your elder sibling? " The dark haired, tall, and draconic eyed king tilted his head to wonder back. Ava was stunned. Her mouth and limbs refused to budge from the dirt..This trick...he was insane!

Aiden saw Ava gripping her consciousness as to not lose sight of...her charge..

Then he saw the doe features of Ami already hurting far worse in her nightmares. All of a sudden the reality of their whole world left the boy stranded. Was he going to sell out..one of his family?..

Sweat refused to chill the child as badly as those blood red orbs already did across from his amber ones. The snake..was it still..-

"Answer the question." Roku had the boy stiffen with a gasp by those thoughts inside his young skull As if something had been shattered to fall all around him. Shards of ..a mirror...-

~A...iden..." The struggling teen daughter attempted to 'mind speak' her way through that intense fog , handing over her brother..was just a dirty trap!

With a coarse gulp*, the blonde refused to peer back into his older sister's eyes. Ami was his blood reltive. To Ava, Aiden was just as the guardian dogs had described the boy as a'Chosen'.

"I...want to stop you from doing anything..to hurt...Ami." Ava's eyes widened . He wasn't saying anything else..Her mind started to feel as if it had a deep swelling. Something had been...injec..ted..

"Then? Your choice?" The boy was able to release a breath by those words. "Ami. Let Ami go." Ava let her sights fall into a stupor. She had been let down by her parents,now her brother who wanted nothing to do with the girl .. who had been preventing his rise..the dragon's cause of torment had killed her real mother and home...he was no ruler in the half-Elemental teen's eyes. They shut to blink back tears...

"But, you said that. Though, I had to abide by...the rules. " The dragon blinked back while motioning over to the ten year old's side. "Hmm?" He wondered what the child had to place in on their agreement. Was he proposing...a wish...?..Finally...

"Though, you said that you'd explain the rest. You never wanted to Titans to come, did you...dragon?"

The laugh of the king was a bit out of surprise by how the teen had phrased his come - back. The blonde started to shift a bit onto his heels as the pillar of filth continued to sway.

*"Ah! Well done! No one told you to come and meet my demands..you just did it all out of that ...what was it? A fire?" Ava did not rebuke as her eyes no longer opened. Was she...he refused to check on her. Ami came first.

"Then give me back my little sister. " The teen demanded as the laughter soon left the careless demon king off his guard. "Why, certainly...though, she seems to be a bit -

"I'm getting her out of here. Just watch. " The snub nosed blonde swiveled as the land mark from swayed side to side. He did not care. The magma below his heels had no intention of allowing their child of prophecy to perish. With a grunt, the boy had been able to reach her pillar. Amy..she was still breathing as he checked her pulse. "Amelia...geez...don't scare me again..."The teen sniffled a bit before attempting to free the ropes from her wrists and torso. The dragon soon swept forth with his fingers in the fashion of a scissor. "Allow me." With one pinch of those digits closed then opened again, the ropes fell away.

The girl started to tilt towards another direction, as Aiden stayed below to catch the grade schooler's fall into the debris.

The fall had been too good for the rest to have meant anything. Ami opened her eyes to reveal themselves as all jet black. Aiden gasped before her fall had turned into a hit into his gut by a close save. The teen staggered onti his feet, looked up in shock, then collapsed into the mound with a crumple against the caked earth.

~He is..my brother?~ The false garb of the captured dear had the dragon nod in reassurance. "You two have much to discuss..once we reach the other side...then, I shall grant your full wishes, as promised. ~

~And the old witch?~ The girl descibed rudely her spirit born sister, Ava Marie. She only remembered the girl's cold magic and terrible reprimands. Her brother had suffered by that rule. Ami was going to make the daemon Eternal sorry.

~Her place, is as a sole sacrifice ..to our cause. Rather sorry for the migraine dear child. Sleep well until our hour passes..~ The sun was shut out from their world by a wave of miasma to block the sky in large mounds.

The Titans would never guess in time. They could never-

By a single ripple of energy over onto a distant , second platform, Roku's red eyes had widened angrily by whom had seen his face. It was the vision of an old deity trying to force her way inside of his walls. The dragon huffed underneath his breath. With a few hostages in tow, the dragon had almost all of his players for the final arrival.

"Sacrifices . You haven't a clue which souls I intend to gather...? Though Aleiah? Your prophecy will always fail. Once your veil is pierced through...my role as a Universal being before your own, will crush all your deity stand for. I intend to make the boy's dream, into this world's reality..."

/

Wow..So sit tight! This is all to determine what will become of our heroes! Chapter ten is in to the fire and raring to set off something catastrophic! Stay curious! Read on in this conclusion of part two!