(Tracking and Stories)

Meanwhile, Raven had rejoined the other heroes in the computer room, though it was clear that she was still shaken by what had happened the night before.

Robin was typing furiously at the computer. "How are we supposed to find this guy? He left us no clues!"

Raven spoke up from behind him. "Actually, that's Void's way of complimenting us. The harder he makes it to find him, the more respect he has for his pursuer's abilities."

Starfire came down from pacing through the air and gave her assessment. "It would appear that this 'Void' has very great respect for us, then."

She leaned closer to Raven and whispered "Please do not tell Beast Boy, but I fear that our friend Terra is as doomed as a Gorblathorpe trapped on the fiery moons of Sammodoc Three!"

Raven reassured her in a whisper that she wouldn't repeat it to Beast Boy. 'Even if I could!'she thought to herself.

Cyborg was thinking. "So if we can't track him, then we have to figure out what he would do. Now where would a despair-loving villain hide out?"

"A graveyard?" Beast Boy guessed.

The other Titans looked at him with raised eyebrows. "What?" he exclaimed. "It makes sense."

They continued giving him the seriously? look.

He crossed his arms in a huff. "OK, where would you guys look?"

Starfire offered her suggestion. "The black moons of Thantrax!"

"Uh, Star," Raven explained," I don't think that he's left Earth."

"But those moons are by far the most bleak and desolate ones in the quadrant!" Starfire protested. "If you could only see them!"

Robin was thoughtful for a moment, then snapped his fingers.

"I've got it! What if he's hiding in Slade's old base? That's where Terra had a really bad experience. He could leverage that to his advantage." Cyborg agreed. "He's got a point guys."

Beast Boy however was not convinced. "But that's also where she proved that she could break Slade's control over her. If he wants to make her remember bad times, he might be at the fair's hall of mirrors, where she and I kind'a fell out."

Cyborg saw a flaw in this theory. "But that place was taken down for maintenance till the fair opens in the summer."

Robin slammed his fist on the table. "Let's face it." he said to the others. "He has access to all her memories. He knows more about Terra then we do. If he wants to take her to a place to remind her of the past, he could have taken her to a place that we don't know about from her traveling days when she still couldn't control her power!"

Raven spoke up. "Or he could have taken her to a place that would remind us of a terrible event." They all looked at her to hear what she had to say.

"The ruins under the old library." They all understood what event she was referring to.

"Are you sure that's where he would go?" Robin questioned her. She nodded. "He thinks that all power that is not magic-based is inferior, so he would hide in a place that would give him an advantage over the only 'threat' on the team: me."

Starfire looked concerned. "And would going there give him 'the edge' over you?"

"We have no choice, Star" Raven responded. "We'll need everyone there if we want to stop him and get Terra back." "Not to mention that other guy he's hold'n captive." Cyborg added. Raven's eyes glowed in anger at the mention of Martex. "Yes." she said. "He's suffered more then enough." Robin nodded. "Alright then. Let's go."

- Line Break -

Terra was practicing her earth-moving powers on two small stones while Martex attempted to summon his white flame.

Her strength was returning quickly, but her control was not fully recovered.

Martex was having a hard time to. "It's no use." he lamented throwing his hands into the air in an exasperated manor.

"This room must have a magic-suppressing spell placed on it. All I can do is heal you and help you recover your strength, which is just what Void would want!"

He winced as Terra poked him with in the chest with her pebbles. "Don't be so down." she said in a no-nonsense kind'a way. "That's just what Void would want. Instead of worrying about what will happen, we should be figuring out how to get out of this mess."

Martex was surprised at her fighting spirit. It was something he admired. "Sorry." he said sheepishly, realizing that she was right. "It's just that there's not much else to do in here."

Terra thought for a few moments, then gave a suggestion. "Maybe we could talk about our pasts, the good and the bad times. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone about your problems. I know from experience that it works."

He relented reluctantly. "Alright. But I must warn you, you won't like what you hear about me. I know a little about you. Why don't you go first and fill in the rest."

Terra nodded, then began her narrative.

She told him about her life.

Roaming the country because her powers where out of control.

Being constantly rejected.

Crashing in caves for the night.

Her first encounter with the Titans and with Slade.

How she had joined Slade in order to learn control.

Her betrayal and redemption.

Everything.

By the time she had finished, tears where rolling down her cheeks, but she was glad to get it off her chest and remember the good days again. It helped to keep bitterness from taking control of her again.

Then Martex told his story. It was shorter then Terra's, but no less painful.

As he ended his tale, a look of pure grief and guilt adorned his face. He held out his left hand and showed her the ring on his finger. A silver ring with a white gemstone. "This is all that I have left of my sister and my home."

She smiled at him. "Besides Raven, you mean."

He looked at the floor. Is he blushing? Terra thought, a small smile forming on her face.

She then asked him a question. "From the way you talked about Raven before, it seems that you know her personally. How did you meet her?"

Martex seemed to brighten up a bit. "Well, before we became paladins we were homeless street urchins." Terra's eyes widened in surprise. She knew what that was like.

Martex continued. "We didn't have much, but at least we had each other. I was nine and Trinity was fourteen. One day, while we where sitting on the roof of a house, we saw something unusual. The mysterious girl who lived in the temple was wandering around in the commons area."

He smiled softly at the memory. "She later told us that she was there to shop for more books." Terra laughed. So she's always been a reader, huh?

Martex continued. "We were so intrigued by this that we didn't notice that Trinity was leaning over too far and fell off the roof. She broke her wrist when she landed and at the time we hadn't learned magic so I couldn't heal her. I was so worried about her that I didn't see the mysterious girl had noticed us and was walking over to us. Next thing I knew she was kneeling next to Trinity and had healed her. Then without a word she turned to walk away. We called out for her to wait and she did. Trinity thanked her and she said 'Don't mention it'."

Martex paused for a moment. "Then she mumbled something I never forgot. 'I'm just glad to know I can do something good'". Terra's eyes widened as it finally hit her. Raven had been told that she would bring about 'the end of all things mortal' her entire life! Terra could relate to knowing emotional pain your whole life and not wanting to hurt those around you, but to grow up knowing that you where destined to do that?! Terra marveled that Raven was still sane! Martex saw the look on her face and nodded, then continued. "She then added that she could sense strong magic potential in us and offered to put in a word for us with the monks."

He laughed. "We thanked her so much I think we wore her out. So, it's because of her that we entered the monks training and became paladins. We owe her every thing." Terra was intrigued by his story.

She also had a suspicion that he felt something for Raven that was stronger than gratitude or loyalty.

Before she could ask him about it, Void appeared out of the shadows behind him. He looked at both of them, then announced "I hope that you aren't too uncooperative. We're going to have company soon and I want to give them a grand welcome."

His smile was like an icy glacier, cold and deadly.

Hope you guys enjoyed it. Martex's story was kind'a thrown together so bear with me. Please review. Till next time.