Teen Titans: Fairytale of Souls and Swords?

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 8: Following unto the Abyss

Note: I do not own Teen Titans, Inuyasha or Soul Edge. I do take credit for the Kagejin and Akaige. The story is now on the last and final chapter after such a long time. Thanks for being there through all the hassles I appreciate each and every one of you.

The thunder claps and skies burn red, clouds of gray turned slowly to a crimson haze. The heroes have to watch as the soulless man Cervantes De Leon scrapes the dual swords across the sky in flight. He screams with a laughter not his own as red bolts pour from his divisions, the bolts struck the mountain and made vents of heat break forth. As this happened Robin lost his footing falling next to a vent. He shook his head after his skull cracked onto the ground, hard. He was then startled up as a bony hand came from the vent. The mountain's many victims of years and years of hunting the old Soul Edge now allowed these fallen men rise up and are awoken by the dark power of the swords. Raven flew after Cervantes while he skinned open the clouds for his armies below. She finally called a ball of darkness in her one hand and flung it at his back, Cervantes lost collective and stopped his flight to turn on Raven. With his dead eyes looking on her it almost was like he was alive. The fires of his soul burned in his eye and it was obvious he was once again the Dread Pirate.

On the ground, the many fighters were being surrounded by the collective of the newly reanimated Undead. As these varying fiends collected it seemed like more were here than ever before in earlier scrapes, but that was probably because countless men and women have died in search of these damned swords. Seung Mina, the young staff-fighter, was suddenly face to face with a young man she knew, in all white and with a large scimitar type blade, she seemed aghast with Yun-Seong being here. "Yun? What are you…?" She ducked when he struck at her. She looked up from a crouched position to see his ribs have been exposed, and part of his face decayed. He was dead, long ago perhaps, "No… not you."

As he readied to attack again Yoshimitsu leapt in and struck his blade against the boy's. There was a strange moment Yoshi was repelled, but he swung back with his kick to his young friend's ribs a crack and Yun stumbled towards the other undead. The heroes pulled back farther and farther, the dead here were also more capable still retaining their weapons and skills. With a lunge and swipe more are pushed closer to the edge, Robin screams as he lost his footing but a quick pull from Starfire made him breathe in relief. Back on the edge they are being edged more. Cervantes turns Raven after she lunged on him; she is pinned with an arm behind her back and Cervantes smiles with the sight of her friends. "Ye have lost yer friends, they be on the edge literally." Cervantes chuckled as Raven looked frightened, "They be needing a miracle now."

That is when, while the undead were circling closer, the ground crackles open like before but not a vent rather a large sword broke out. The sword is soon followed with a large three clawed arm, and the hooded cape of Akaige. He stood slowly between the two groups raising a little look on the divide, "Oh, looks like I was missing something interesting." He looked to the undead and without speech; he merely ran forward and started to slash apart the monsters with his blade. Even if these zombies had their skills, Akaige was using his own, and it made the heroes realize it was not so difficult if they just fought. They charged, and Cervantes screams "You idiots! Fight them, what is that thing? Where did he come from?"

Raven just had to smile, "Oh, that? He's another pain in my butt." Cervantes was now swung over her head and she screamed with a flying punch, "Where were we?"

On the ground, Akaige's large sword swung into the undead shattering several of them, one was on his back so as he went to strike the sudden shattering body made him halt. Nightmare stood now looking at the strange demon, then the large sword, "You need that?"

"Not really…" He raised an eye to the unusual request, but he handed over the sword before flexing his large claw, "I like the hands on feeling anyhow." Nightmare turned about with the large sword, and a smile crept onto his face under the armor "This is going to be fun."

Soon the collective is in battle, upfront Robin swung his staff shattering the enemy with Sango tossing her Hiraikotsu into enemies near him, Kirara the small demon cat turned large with flames licking its toes and feet as her backup. Miroku soon unraveled the Kazanna to unload a monstrous group of beasts, soon followed was Cyborg and his sonic cannon. Then came Inuyasha, and Kagome, they both were releasing spiritual attacks followed with the sudden bolts of Starfire who was flying in the sky above. The arrows spray after the Tameranian but they are silenced with the large doll attacking, before it turns to a paper cut-out which little Shippo took into hand again.

Shippo is stopped in his attack when a zombie raised a large staff with spiked ends above, but the staff is shattered by a beam of blue sonic energy. Cyborg shot his cannon again; a smile is evident but soon fades when the beast turns on him. As it came in on him Seung Mina leapt with her long staff and struck the monster down, she then turned to plow the butt of her staff into the next one behind her, but it is Yeung and she freezes. It was Yoshi now using his drill technique shattering the monster from above, Seung is mortified, but Yoshi only stood to snap "What are you doing! We have to keep fighting!"

She was still lost, but while another monster attacked her from behind she is caught in safety by Xianghua with her sword slicing the beast in half. Then a swing of a staff the upper body soon followed by the lower body is jettisoned, Kalik twirled his staff with a smile. It was soon the talented elf, Link, with his bow and arrow he fired on any near him. Then Kouga with wolf speed struck his fists and kicks while passing through large herds. Heihachi charged his veins, a scream and he is airborne to land with both fists shattering the earth about him, the chunks then glow golden and Terra who rode a hunk of granite smiled before a strong shower of debris hailed the undead below. Red X blocked these bits of stone with his X-blades, but soon he turned attention to the monsters slicing them to bits or in moments an explosive did much more nicely. Then there is Talim with her Tonfa, striking it up along the sides. Then you have Sophitia, Spawn, Ivy and Taki all using their full potential in the battle. In the midst of all this chaos two beings are above, striking blow for blow with the power of souls, that would be Raven and Cervantes de Leon.

Their powers surge along one another, a grapple where he pushed off from his swords and she pushed off from her hands covered in dark aura. The two were conflicting spirits with sparks of blackness and crimson, Raven and Cervantes's powers. It is in the struggle Raven feels her mind searching, yearning to understand her battle. She was here for a fight she didn't want to be in, here in a struggle not her own, and yet she was here and fought with her friends. There is Cervantes, looking dead in the eyes of this girl he sees the potential he lost with her and the power he now wields alone. He screams in rage, but she only smiled a faint cocky smile, "I see it in your eyes too. You think I'm a monster, but, I'm not." She pushed on him stronger, he lost some force but soon returned it with a pull off from his right and swing of the blade, raven's back-forearm blocked imbued with black aura, she strained her body shown in her forceful face and sweat palpitating her facial features, "I was always looking for more, Cervantes. I wanted to be more, hold more, and even yes… love more. It was my dream. Then you and those others, Trigon, the Kagejin, and Slade always try to pull me towards the evil side of me. You all want to make me something I'm not because you want my power, you fear it. So you know what…" Her aura wrapped off her arms and onto the blades, they are pulled and torn away from the pirate's grip and swung quickly to the ground. Cervantes, stunned, soon realizes their power left him and he lost the ability to levitate. She smiled with his plummeting scream soon slamming bottom first to the mountain bellow.

She landed, the zombies are shattering as dust, and Cervantes asks "How, how could ye take them from me! They were the power of absolute powers!"

"They were, but you got so caught up in it I figured you would forget sooner or later. You just were too obsessed with them and you forgot to hold on. Poor, undead, dread pirate Cervantes."

"Why you…" he ran on her in a yell straight from hell, flames in his eyes burning brighter than ever before… but, she merely raised a palm and spoke lowly those three words that sent him across the mountain at the very cliffs end. She slowly walked toward him, dug into the dirt from the back down, and she said "It's over. You lost sight of the power or rather, you hungered it too greatly. Now, we win, you lose, and you're…" he raised Nirvana, still tainted in the souls of the gun he pulled back the hammer, but she swung her hands along the ground making sickles that ripped up the dirt, his spot in the ground crackled and the portion he sat on sunk off the edge in a slant, he screams as he fell from the mountain to the depths below, not able to fly without at least one real Soul Edge he is doomed to die once the blades are truly gone, and he knew it. Raven stood silent as the winds picked up and brushed away the look of his eyes, and her memories, soon she smiled speaking to the departed pirate, "you're out of the ring."

The moment soon fell and everyone, from the Teen Titans, Inuyasha Team, and the Edge Heroes it became a jubilant scene. To them with the defeat of Cervantes there is nothing but smooth sailing. He was going to be gone and out once the swords are completely gone, and by the time he scales this mountain the swords would be long gone… well, if he could even scale it after the power that keeps reviving him was gone. Raven looked on back seeing between her friends the two wretched swords, but also a lone figure is with them. She narrowed her eyes seeing the dark cloak and hood, Akaige was standing over them looking at their hilts and the tips of the blades in the ground. She began to realize what has begun, and as he reached up his right claw he clasped the hilt allowing the jolt of energy to shock up his larger arm. He twitched, Akaige then clasped the other sword to pry them up and crossed at his legs, before raising them onto his chest where he turned to Raven his head slightly down tilted, and she is horrified as he reminds her of the one and only Cervantes De Leon.

There is a thunderous clap of lightning across the mountains and soon everyone has turned to the swords to find Akaige. He stood there, silent, and they only prepare to fight. His actions cause warrant as he soon began to walk towards them, saying, "Promises, promises of power like never before. I hear these two whispering in the delights of being a god, a being beyond all other beings. Yes, they make a promise of being unrivaled and having the power of all things. It's very tempting, so…" Akaige stopped, to appear quickly before Raven, holding the swords crossed at his chest he asks, "How do we destroy these things?"

"What?" Raven was surprised, but soon she let that subside and ask "Well, we know we needed Soul Calibur, so any ideas how to find it?" This lead to others in discussion, Raven now took a moment to ask Akaige "Why weren't you coerced with those swords?"

"Why? Why do you think I would?" He narrowed his eyes before turning his back to her, "My dear, if I'm so beyond all others than who would I find worthy? Where would I find my entertainment? After all, if I were so beyond than where would it leave me in the long run?" Akaige felt her smile, to which he swung about and scolded his eyes cruelly, "Do not misunderstand me, I will kill you all BUT only as I find it meaningful. Just because I am not interested in their ploys, does not mean I do not find myself entertained in the dream of being so far beyond you and your friends."

"You know, you're not half as bad as you were." To that Akaige snarled before turning his back on her completely, "Hurry it up, I'm starting to feel that pain in my arm again."

Everyone was off on the sword, how it can be destroyed or how to get the Soul Calibur, but Kagome was busy with in the distance of the cathedral she saw something always shining, "Inuyasha, do you see that?"

The Hanyou looked over and shook his head no, "What, do you see something?"

"I think it's like a tare in the sky. I know how silly that sound but…"

Nightmare overhead and looked at it too, not seeing it but remembering something "That's where I escaped from the Other World. There is a world that the Soul Edge created to house its power and that is the tare I made it from escaping. Perhaps, that is how we can retrieve the Soul Calibur." He then tapped his chin, "However, the darkness in there is all evil intent, how could anyone go without dying from pure evil poisoning their soul?"

Kalik, he shook his head realizing he had the key. "I am a monk raised in the tutelage of Edgemaster himself. I can absorb evil into my body and purify it. With meditation, perhaps I could take the sword and bring it back."

Xianghua looked at him in fright, "The evil, it would consume you entirely and most likely you would have to meditate your entire life, you may never completely remove it!"

"Perhaps, but I could contend with the evil if I had you to be there beside me."

As sweet as that sounded, she cried into his chest in more fear than glee. Nightmare now pointed out "You can't ignore the fact this thing won't just open up. What we need is soul energy that could re-fracture this rift like when I made it, and some sort of high-frequency to widen it up even more for another to enter like the wail of the sword's souls that made this rift before."

To that, Spawn looked up in thought and a dark chuckle came from him, "I see so is this why I am here?" The others turn to him, "I came with a large amount of soul energy in my armored body as well as the fact Heihachi," Heihachi looked up and smiled wickedly in the realization, "he too can conjure his spirit into his arms. Then, Link," Link was confused with his role, "his Ocarina is capable of distorting time with the right frequency perhaps the right amplifier will make these three elements work to open the rift again."

Cyborg had to grin as his arm turned to its amplifier form from the little song session, "Did somebody say, amplifier?"

That was perfect and soon they started to ready the rift re-opening. Spawn and Heihachi angle themselves in the right spots to connect their two powers at the rift, with Kagome angling them off just right. Cyborg knelt himself with arm at the center, Link behind him he tuned his Ocarina to find the highest pitch and note. Kalik stretched, he had to get through as quick as possible to get to the other end alive. Then they all look at each other to signify with a nod, get started, get set, and get Going!

Heihachi and Spawn strike powers into the spot, and Link played his Ocarina to his best. The forces, sound through Cyborg and powers through the other two it seemed to collect and surge, a merging that slowly peeled the layers of reality itself. However, the peeling was slowly beginning to re-stitch; Raven screams "No, we need more! Something more!"

The sound was not great enough, soon the hole was closing but there is a hum that everyone saw was making the hole peel again. Sophitia knew her prayer was often the highest of her people, so she hoped it would work. She sat and hummed out from her throat and open mouth a prayer based hum, soon she is followed by Talim who followed the scene. The two, with Link, through Cyborg, they showed some change but not enough. Soon Xianghua, Seung Mina, Taki, Ivy, and the other women began to hum since the male diaphragm seemed a little less capable of this sound. The rift is opened, and Kalik vaults off his staff in a run to be inside. In this world his body is quickly assaulted by pain, he screamed and looked ahead to see something glowing. What seemed to be black nothingness, there is a white aura in the distance. He ran quickly to the item to pull it out and run again. He closes to the entrance and in a moment the women loose the power to sing and Spawn lost his blast with Heihachi taxed so he fell down hard. It was a sudden collapse; no one saw what happened, or where Kalik was. In its closing a large funnel of dust circled the area and the group was mortified… did he die? It was then the arm raised from the dust and on his back was Kalik wearily holding the glowing Soul Calibur, before Xianghua was fallen on his chest crying and screaming for him to be okay, but the hug seemed to be more perilous than the trip.

After the laughter over this ended the group began to lessen their laughter. Raven turned to Akaige to ask for the swords, but he wasn't holding them. "Akaige, where are the swords?"

Akaige looked down surprised, "What? I thought…" he looked about seeing they were gone, "What the hell?"

That is when Kalik started to float into the air sword first, he let go and dropped stunned with this strange turn of events. The group watched as the three soul blades floated about, they spiral around a man in all white, a black man who was hooded with a large scythe so fearfully dangerous looking. His left eye was golden, and as he smiled Raven felt something strangely out of place with him. "Who are you?"

"Oh, allow me to introduce myself. I am Zasalamel, and I thank you for all your hard work." As he looked up the three swords slowly inched their tips together, and as they connect a power unlike any seen till now began to surge around the tips of these swords. Zasalamel now looked coldly at the group and gave a slight snarl, "You gave me the three blades at once and so now I can achieve my goal. To finally bring these tools to one, and in one foul swoop I can have vengeance on all those who denied me."

Raven was about to snap, but some unexpected interruption made her hold a breath. Leaping from what they thought originally was death, Raphael the fencer began to charge and strike at Zasalamel, it was also the thunderous stomps of a golem who recently climbed the mountain getting even more looks, Astaroth certainly held his title of immortal strongly. Everyone watched the three bouting and reaching for the swords, or rather swords, while they slowly came floating downward to the three hungering vultures. As strange as this may have been, or sickening, the three soon were more engrossed with procuring the weapon now glowing in a dark black and red mixed with light white and blue, before anything else the three could figure. It is a sound of lightning, and the weapon is sent off tilter away from them. It lands and soon is followed by another echoing sound, then the figure that created the sound lands sprawled before Soul Edge. Raven, at sight of the figure now latching their hand to the sword, she realized the sound could only be one thing "Nirvana!"

"AYE!" Cervantes swung his body around, his flesh turned to a man's and he lives, truly lives! His body breathes deep in hate, his hair is full of color, and in the moment those eyes were colored with fire truly those matching hell. "She served me again launching me up the mountain when I fell. It was then a matter of waiting, and look'in fer that fool." Cervantes smiled his little glare to Zasalamel, "Yes, she been waiting for all to be in place."

Zasalamel looked at Cervantes, but he smiled "You're fooling yourself Cervantes. The Soul Blade when both Edge and Calibur are merged will need a wielder with strong soul, mind, and body. You're not even any of those!"

"Aye, perhaps you're true on this. However, Soul Edge is the only one with a sense of being, and she says she finds me more fitting than the others seeking her. Yet, your point is true. I could use a body strong and formidable," He turned his glare to Astaroth, "like that of the immortal giant who has not soul nor mind, yet quite an excess of body. Than there is a mind needed, yet Raphael is lacking in a soul and body it be weak, his mind was capable of seeking and learning the tools of Soul Edge. After that, a soul of great power, Zasalamel." The hooded man stood in fright, "Ye cheat death through the blackest of arts with reincarnation now distorting your body and your mind but not that soul, the soul ye tear with you to every life you live. The elements are here, and I intend on using them."

Then, the blade breaks off to three and pierces the men Cervantes named. The three began to rise up in their screams while the blades resonate stronger and stronger, soon causing a whirlwind as they circle about one another to finally clash together and form a sword not like any other before seen. It seemed to be the mixing of metal and meat, Calibur and Edge. Cervantes now stood at it, and he smiled before a moment he clasped the hilt. In his chest now resonated the Soul Edge shards that kept him alive so long, and then Nightmare screamed as his armor ripped off and to the undead pirate. As Cervantes rose upward, the armor shards flipped about growing with veins and seeming to become a living mass of its own. Ivy now felt her sword twitching, and soon Taki felt the assassin dagger in her hand trying to escape. They were not able to hold on and soon their weapons left them and shattered to bits, allowing a single fragment each exit and swirl to the now glowing giant mesh above them in the sky. Then the mesh began to subside and the group saw, well, nothing. Beast Boy is the one to ask, "Dudes, wasn't there supposed to be a kind of big-bad here?" The tapping on his shoulder and Beast Boy turns, Heihachi was frighteningly looking and pointing back behind them. Beast Boy's jaw dropped when he saw the same thing everyone else saw, "Aw… dude…"

It was standing taller than any of them around 10 feet high. It stood hunched on two legs, the legs had huge talons spread while it stood. In its left arm shaped like a man's limb the beast held a long bulky sword with fangs lining the center of the blade in decorative design. The right arm had a strange three-fingered hand, but in the palm's center a mouth with mandibles opened to hiss lowly on the area. Its head had a beetle like shape, a single horn spanned from the center of its brow in similarity of a unicorn, while a mouth of fangs is bare from the armor covering its entire body, and golden eyes also were bare while they glow. It was a living terror, a sort of nightmare, wings of soul flame burst from its back and perhaps it was far worse. This Night Terror now raised its large sword overhead, with both arms it swung down making a strange collective of colors like an Aurora to cast over the line of the heavens. It was confusing why it did this but in this Aurora one could see images of worlds not the heroes own soon swirling into the lights, and the light grew so more worlds would appear.

Cyborg asks "What is that thing doing?"

Taki, now looking for another of her daggers snaps lowly "He's trying to crash the realms together, as I was afraid they would." She found a dagger and soon everyone is looking at her, minus Raven who watched the huge bird/dragon now flapping around the Aurora letting its wings lick over these realms with their flame. "The way we figured is Soul Edge and Cervantes both have obsessed over the power possible for the sword. Since he is so close to the demon that hungers for the power they now have begun merging the worlds together. In the end, all worlds will bleed into each other and Soul Edge, along with Cervantes as its wielder; they will absorb all existence and the souls within them. The damned monster, it won't stop until its hunger is satisfied!"

Everyone looked now at the beast, its size and the feel it gave from growing power in the air. Raven fell to her knees barely holding herself up from her hands, Beast Boy was most stunned by that but quickly he kneels down holding her "Raven, what's wrong?"

"Don't you get it? This whole damn fight, the monsters, demons, villains, battles and stupid quests are never going to stop! We'll just keep going and going it never stops! The gods have this thing against us heroes they just want us to fight until we drop. I can't fight anymore, I can't…" Raven rammed her face into his chest whimpering "I just won't do this anymore… Beast Boy…"

Three claws tightened into a fist while they walked toward the remains of Nightmare. After his armor was torn away, Nightmare lost his more demonic form and became a human with the one deformed arm still. The other being, Akaige, soon clasped his sword before asking, "You still need this?" Nightmare was out of it and Akaige chuckled "Guess not."

"What are you doing?" Robin ran over to the shadow demon, stopping soon as he realized how he sort of just showed concern for a monster. Akaige looked at Robin almost as confused as the boy wonder, but he turned back to the beast in the sky. "Are you planning on stopping that thing?"

"Sweet Kage no! I could never kill that thing myself. However," Akaige flipped his head to Raven still breaking down, "it looks like she finally reached the end of the hero. I don't have the time to wait for you others either, but as I mentioned I came here for two reasons." Raven looked up to him as they talked earlier on his unusual interests. "You children helped to destroy my father Naimusheshka but in doing that you put me in power. I have an empire now and this thing threatens it. In other words, this thing wants to crash all the realms together and that includes my own. I'm going to pluck that damn bird's feathers and wings before he gets too far into his plan." Before they got the wrong idea Akaige swung his hand about, "Hold on I'm not trying to rally the troops, simply saying what's mine is mine, and that thing wants to take what is mine. You should try to do something too, like staying out of my way if all you're going to do is sit and cry like her!" he then flung the large sword onto his shoulder, the rip up his back and two caped wings appear, "Okay… so, where to start first?" next Akaige flew up to slash his blade along the creature's stomach, it turned to him while flying to now turn around clenching the large soul-edge in the human hand, "Sweet Kage…" he murmured a moment before the large sword tapped him back some distance, but quickly regaining Akaige started to charge yet again.

While those two got to dueling it out, demon-style, Raven was now starting to move off from Beast Boy with even a little smile, "Of all the people to do that…" She wiped a tear before Cyborg asked "Girl you okay?"

"I'm just surprised he would say that to try and get us to fight."

"Friend Raven, his words were not so directly inspiring, he said you were merely sitting and crying."

Raven gave a nod, "He's right, blunt and rude aside he's really changed… well, kind of. We all have changed from this. Robin, he's become less obsessive from these fights. Cyborg has become more accepting of his differences as the same with others, and Star you've been more serious about our fights too. Then Beast Boy, you showed a really courageous change when you fought for me… and, other things have changed with all of us." Raven sort of shied her eyes, but Beast Boy stepped up and tilted her chin so they were eye to eye, "You forgot Raven, you've become more reliant on us and on yourself."

"I didn't forget." Raven shook her head smiling an appreciative smile; she smiles a lot more now. "We all changed. This is it, one last fight I'm sure for us. We win this, we can go home! We just have to keep our hopes up a little longer."

Kouga laughed, unintentionally, so when everyone looked to him he felt on the hot-seat and began to think of things to say, "Wha-what I was going to say is, you want to beat that thing you expect it to roll over nice and easy? Hey, why not take and blow it up maybe toss one of those bomb-rats fairy-boy carries around?"

Link gave a glare as he raised a finger, but Raven slammed a fist in her hand screaming "Perfect! We can do just that!" Link blinks, "What you talking bout Raven?"

"Remember what Cervantes and Zasalamel talked about? Three elements were used to stabilize the swords Edge and Calibur for a united form. If we could go inside and destroy those elements, maybe there will be a surge in the demonic energy and we could redirect it into the beast!"

"With what?" as Heihachi asked that, Inuyasha held up Tetseiga saying "With this, I can use my Bakuryuuha technique to redirect the energy straight into the monster again? That should work, right?"

"Oh, I see! Dog breath is going to send the big-bad to a death like no other! Well, let me ask how do we keep it from hiding when he does that, or while it's here so it won't absorb all the energy of other realms? We just hold it down and tickle its feet?"

Though Kouga was using sarcasm, Kagome hugged him saying, "Kouga, you're a genius!"

This caused Inuyasha to glare, and Kouga to blush. Raven looked up to see Akaige was not faring well, now blocking a barrage of strange beams that seemed to come from the open mouth in the creature's deformed arm she screams, "Okay! You guys distract it I'll sneak in with my soul-self and dislodge the three elements! Get going!"

The beast now latched its deformed arm on Akaige, the shadow demon pried open the mouth in the beast's palm and struggled to keep it open, "Just great, I'm going to be swallowed by another demon how ridiculed my ending will be!"

The beast was suddenly barraged by green bolts allowing Akaige to fly from the grasp. He looked up seeing Starfire barraging the monster, and soon he recognized the large green dinosaur flying with Robin and Cyborg acting in unison with her. The others also used their skills to distract the monster from whatever point and place they could. While on the ground, Raven sat in meditation slowly changing her aura to the purest white she could, attempting to bring herself to the point where she would enter the beast to face it on a more direct level. In a moment her body tensed, and her head bent back so her soul jettisoned and protruded the monster as it was too busy to notice.

Inside, Raven looked about the world of flesh pulsing and gyrating for the inner workings of the monster. There is where she finds three weapons glowing and intertwined by red vines and flesh. they are the Axe of Astaroth, sword of Raphael and scythe of Zasalamel. Raven was surprised how easy this was going to be, but in a flick of her wrist she set the three weapons cracking and soon shattering to cause the bodies over them to whiter to gray death. Raven was going to walk out and leave but the dying bodies latched to her, and she was snagged to the walls of the body itself. Raven pulled and squirmed, but she was stuck. That is when the flames began to churn in front of her and soon stood a golden armored being, with two flesh swords crossed at his chest, "We been waitin' fer ye, girl."

The beast swung arm overhead, and flames of wing began to swallow the worlds fractured in the sky. On the ground Taki used her charms to turn the beast to her now, before asking aloud "What in the world has happened? Is she having such trouble with the powers inside?"

Beast Boy was really worried too, and Inuyasha stood with his weapon in hand worried the same thing was wrong with her too. "If we don't do something soon…" Then Ivy looked to Raven still sitting in her trance, and then she turned to Beast Boy, and then Taki, "We need a plan!"

Beast Boy looked at the monster getting stronger, and more worlds now appearing in the sky, but soon he smiled and said "Raven, I'm coming!"

The other titans stood next to him but smiled, "Yes, let us come to the aid of friend Raven!"

"We can't let these monsters keep taking her from us, Booyah!"

"You're right team, let's GO!"

Cervantes stepped forward and clasped his hand on Raven's chin, she struggled but the veins held her in place. "What happened? I thought that it was over!"

"Aye, the blades need the elements of three, less the energy be too great. However, I got yer mind, soul, and a body all willing to play the part. Yer a specimen beyond all others and I plans to keep ya fer me self."

"Sorry pal," Cervantes turned about, and he was greeted with a green furry fist. While he fell backwards the green fist turned so Beast Boy could look and smirk, "she's already taken."

Cervantes stood up to snarl lowly, but then he screamed while Beast Boy tried to pry Raven free, a metal pole swung in bouncing the pirate back away, adding "Besides, she isn't into guys with an inferiority complex!" then a metallic foot met the pirate as he pushed off from his back, "None, except the troll over there."

As Cervantes was on his stomach he pushed off slowly, but the sound of rushing air and he only saw the purple boot, with words ringing "She is especially not interested in you since you are, how they say, the lame cod!"

Cervantes was dazed but Robin took his staff back in hand, saying to the angry Starfire, "I think you meant lame clod, or something like that."

"Oh, yes that too!"

Cyborg had to give a little arm cock while Beast Boy was tugging with all his might, "Alright, let's get going!"

Beast Boy screamed, and in a moment Raven used her chant the vines tore in the form of Beast Boy's Beast form. The two slam to the ground hard and a roar of pain echoes the flesh walls. The monster began to toss and turn on the ground and they felt it inside. Cervantes stood and looked worriedly, "No the power, she's too much! What have you fools done to my power?"

"It was never your power, Cervantes." Raven looked at the burning eyes that at one time made her fear herself, and in a way them. She looked into the hate and hunger this man had, knowing the Edge would destroy all just not worried as it would give him the power and they could share their hunger together. It was a sickening thing in one step, depraved on the other. As he looked at her Raven channeled her powers in her hands, "You seek power well I'll give you mine!" She screamed her chant, and Cervantes is soon engulfed by the two beams of her hands surging over his body, soon engulfing him more with flames as his body could not take her rage and disgust when channeled in her own right. The others watched soon as nothing but a skeleton shuffled on its knees, but then it too fell and she slowly stopped channeling the emotions she had used. There is a silence when it all happens but eventually, Beast Boy whispers, "Dude…"

Even if it was amazing to see, it was not amazing for Raven to see the beast still moves. "We need something to cause the energy to break free, maybe…"

Cyborg points his finger outward to the two swords still embedded to the ground, and soon the flaming skeletal hands on their hilts, "Raven…"

Raven turned to see the flaming bones now had taken the form of a flaming man. As he stood he held the swords over his chest, Raven couldn't help but shake her head. "Your hunger knows no bounds, not even death. You and these swords deserve each other and your fates." Raven then grabbed Beast Boy's hand, and then Starfire's, Starfire grabbed Robin's hand and Beast Boy took Cyborg too. The five stood together, and then they glowed white from Raven's hand rippling their in turned held limb or palm. The fiery Soul Edge soon took a steady pace to the three, but they whisper, "Azarath, Metrion," Soul Edge now stopped in realizing what this was but too late, "Zinthos!" and the powers of five white auras soon shred through the Soul Edge, and from the flesh tomb they were once in they now all five exited from a large hole they created in their escape, from the belly of the beast. Inuyasha saw the energy now churning the wound, even the flame wings dissipated in a vein attempt to hold its life. He screamed his attack, the energy mixed with his attack and the beast was soon realizing how it was to perish. As the energy entered its being and the power it once tried to control soon turned on it, everyone watched it becoming a sort of black hole collapsing the beast inside its own belly. It was scrunching on its knees, and the arms buckled inside of its chest with the sword flashing before its belly and plowing through the void now there. Everyone took as much room back from it as possible and watched as the monster swished its body on the ground after the legs rolled into the hole, and in the final moments the head collapsed inward from the neck before it was gone. A last bellow of the energy caused a shockwave across the mountain that flung many back, almost off the cliffs, and others were able to quickly gain control with flight.

They look, it was gone, and it was in one united scream of joy the heroes proclaimed an actual victory. Even the darkness it covered the skies with was dissipating letting light shine on them all. Akaige though immune to the light growled in the warmth, it annoys him. "Is it over?"

"Yes." Raven latched onto Beast Boy who was startled, but when their eyes meet she smiled to him, "It is over."

Ivy looked out from the cliff and smiled, "I see it's over, and I feel it. The energy in me has faded and I think, once and for all, I'm really me."

"You were always you, Ivy." Taki took Ivy's hand, and the two looked to one another slowly inching their lips together, "I am so happy to say it's finally over." They were about to touch, but a large clawed hand pushed them out of the way snapping "Move out of my way, wenches!" The two were confused but Raven ran over screaming, "Akaige, wait! Don't you want to stay and celebrate with us? You did help save the world, and all."

"Blast…" Akaige had a twitch of his claw, before it tightened to a fist, "Listen girl I saved MY world, not yours. As for celebrating it's for your aid in my task I leave and not slaughter you all." Raven had a smirk that only infuriated the dark demon lord more, "However, if we should meet again in another world or time I will find it suitable to have my hunt. Till then appreciate your life without my presence." Akaige now whipped his cape and marched for the cliffs; Raven didn't know what to say but, well, thank you. To which he stopped and flung his arm before leaping off the top flying.

"What did he say?"

"It wasn't nice I know that much." Raven had to smile things certainly turned out strangely, but it was over.

Akaige landed on the ground to soon find a familiar face. The strange rodent sat and waited to see Akaige, he stood to be surprised but it was the robed figure that now got him off guard. "Shekron, I'm surprised to see you again."

"Have you come to a decision about my proposal, shadow-spirit?"

Akaige looked at the creature, and it did the same with him. The rodent has now handed over the bone of the late Nobunaga while Akaige seemed to ponder the proposition. Then to answer, Akaige walked down the path past them. "No? You're not interested?"

"Give me some more time. I'll think it over, later."

Akaige left now in the dust, and Shekron simply nods his head, "Well then I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Though, I know the way it is written they always write it this way, little character."

The heroes were just starting to think of ways to rejoice when they felt a wind rising. The Soul Fighters, Inuyasha Team, and Teen Titans all looked to find Edgemaster was standing on the winds, looking at them with a sad expression. "Edgemaster what are you doing here?"

"I came to let Sophitia know Cassandra is safe," Sophitia was suddenly struck with the memory of her sister, "also to congratulate you for finally defeating the Swords of Souls after such a long road."

Miroku was skeptical, "Your face does not seem so much one of jubilation."

"He's right." Sango had to give props to Miroku in this spot; he's an expert with liars, "What else is there Edgemaster?"

Edgemaster looked at them all and sighed, "What I have to say still is more directed to you who come from another world and time." He landed to the ground which caused the ones from alternate realms concern. "The knowledge you have is dangerous outside this realm. I'm afraid I must remove your memories of what has passed." There is an out roar of gasps and yelling, Edgemaster raised his hands in defense, "It is the will of the gods, do you not understand?"

"How is that the will of the gods?" Yoshimitsu swung his blade out on Edgemaster but there is a moment where the Soul Fighters seemed to stop in time, "Wh-what have you done to us?"

"I am not going to have any more problems than I must. This is the only solution. If the knowledge goes farther into the circles of darkness than even more dangerous repercussions could occur. So far Malebolgia, Trigon and the Kagejin have knowledge of these swords. Hopefully by removing your memories it will lessen the effects that these damned swords I made could cause later."

"How can you do this?" Raven was suddenly furious, "You make us fight these stupid fights, bring the powers to stop these swords, and now after all we did you want to take our memories away? What about my control, or Beast Boy and…"

"That will also be taken; all things before you opened the book shall be returned to their places even Slade, and other things that were distorted."

"What!" Robin couldn't believe it; he snaps "You want to bring back him? You're going to do all this? Why?"

"Because it is their will…"

"You lie!" Yoshi screams to the heavens, "You fear the power that has been done! I see it in your eyes, you fear this and all you've done! You are a coward, a worth…" Then Yoshi and the other Soul Fighters disappear in a whirlwind, next Link, Spawn, and Heihachi disappear as well.

"This is the only option this is for the best!" The Titans and Inuyasha crews go to attack but they too are gone, and Edgemaster stood there in silence.

Inuyasha awoke slowly, and then he saw Kagome sleeping in his lap. "Kagome?"

She slowly stirred to see him, and then the sound of Kouga shuffling with his two brothers, "What is going on, dog-boy?" Kouga jumped up and they all notice Sesshomaru standing with his group as well. The three parties soon began to look onto one another but Sesshomaru gave a glare before sheathing his sword, "I don't know what happened but I feel that our fight is not one that is necessary." He soon began to leave, "Jigen and Ren let us go!"

They follow, Kouga also gave a confused look but nods, "Yeah, well… whatever happened I'll find out! Till the next time we meet you better take care of Kagome, mongrel!"

While he ran with his two brothers following, Inuyasha merely narrowed his eyes to the scene, "Something weird is going on here…" He saw Sango and Miroku sleeping back to back, and Shippo curled up with Kirara. Then he felt Kagome nestling into his lap, and a blush he merely grinned to lay back again, "Ah, everything seems normal." He yawned to soon begin resting again, "Probably was nothing important…" He then opened his eyes slowly, and a thought came into his head. "Titan… what does that mean?"

The tower suddenly began to hustle and bustle. Beast Boy was making his vegan breakfast, while Star tried something new next to Robin. When they woke up she asked him to help her out, though she wasn't sure why. Cyborg kept toying with his food, often mentioning he wanted to watch a samurai movie, or maybe boxing. Beast Boy now noticed Raven was missing, "Hey where's Raven?"

"Where do you think, the roof." Cyborg held up a samurai movie, "Hey, this one might be good!"

Beast Boy hopped out of his seat and went on his way to the roof. There he found Raven sitting with her hood down looking out to the sea, he paused before taking and sitting next to her, "You okay?"

"I'm just…" Raven looks over with the wind blowing her hair, "I feel like something is missing, like something important. I don't know why it's just so strange."

"Really, that's weird I felt the same way this morning. I felt like I should be somewhere, with someone." He sort of blushed at that, but looking over he saw the wind blew her hair out of place, he took the strand and placed it back behind her ear which she blushed at such an act, "You know, that hair always seems to move out of place Rae, you ever think of hair gel?"

Raven had to blush at that, but when he stood up she asked "You really notice things like that?"

"Well, only with you." He now blushed madly before swinging his arms "Uh, I mean, not that but something else!"

Raven stood up and put her hood up, "Whatever, so you want to get breakfast or what?"

He ran through the door, "Last one there's a rotten…" She has already phased through the roof to the kitchen, "Cheater!"

Through a portal Edgemaster stood watching with the Soul Fighters. Seung Mina smiled asking "So they will be able to live like that happily?"

"I removed the memories of the battles, and the events with Cervantes as well the Kagejin. If they need to remember I will return their memories to them again." He turned to see the nods of the heroes, "It was harsh, but in some ways this was the best reward that we could come up with. Sometimes, it is better to forget the pain than know it always."

"I see, and apologize for what I said." Yoshi lowered his head, but Edgemaster shook his head "It's okay because I did fear the outcome their knowing could bring. Without the memories they could be left with a life less troubled, though I'm sure it will become a difficult one again someday."

"It's too bad they have no memories of the dead they did." Taki looked to Ivy who also nods, "They saved our realm and so many others, is there no way for them to know at least that?"

"There is, and so much more." Edgemaster smiles under his whiskers.

That is when Robin was heading to the couch and found a long crated box on the table, "Whoa, whose is this?" Robin was surrounded by the others and Cyborg pries the crate open. The five teens are wide eyed as Cyborg pulled out a large sword shinning and gorgeous, with a raven hilt and robin on the other side as guards, the nub at the very end was a star and hanging on a chain was a chimera like creature of gorilla, bull, and wolf. The sword had what seemed to be a blue lining of the steel blade with similar diodes like Cyborg but more for look not use.

Along the center of the blade's one face Raven found writing, a list of names she read "Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara the list just goes on. I don't know but these might be the names of people."

"If so, than whose names are these?" Starfire points to the other face of the blade, so when turned Raven reads it and blinks, "Oh wow, it reads 'To those who helped to save our realms, a thanks beyond the souls you've saved.'"

There is a silence, but Beast Boy asks "Okay, who saved the world this week?"

The titans shrug and begin to look for a place to put the sword, Raven stays behind to sit on the couch, "I hate to think what else we missed, but probably nothing too important."

As such, the heroes fell into a life their own. The times of trial were passed, and they could live their own ways. The Soul Fighters, all took to their homes and celebrated in years to come with story of their deed and peace following the lands winds. Heihachi, a warrior and stern master began preparing for yet another of his Iron Fist Tournaments. Spawn, though the minion of Malebolgia he was never told of his part in the battle, as his dark master seemed more interested in a personal vendetta caused during the Soul Edge Crisis. Link returned to his home and soon found himself to taking blade in hand to save the land of Hyrule, and his princess Zelda. Inuyasha and company would live more to their path facing the demon Naraku, but at times Inuyasha felt he missed a friend and ally, called out in the strange name 'Titans'. Then, as for the Teen Titans, they lived their lives finding many obstacles and battles but as with all things life takes its pace and path, even when diverted. As it all turned out... they all lived, like many fairytales do,

Happily Ever After...

The End…

Note: Wow, took me longer than I EVER wanted it to take. I appreciate everyone who gave me all the encouragement to get done. This will be the end of this little story so I hope you all enjoyed it. I'd like to say a special thanks to Psychic Werewolf Assassin who gave me a most interesting view of things while writing this piece and Shekron Kaizar who helped me come up with some really interesting ideas before and after this fic.