Facing Fears
Beastboy freaked out, squawking around like a headless chicken. "What do we do? What do we do? What do we do?" Arella held the bridge of her nose in slight annoyance. She levitated Beastboy off the ground. "HEY!"
"Use your spell to change your appearance, perhaps?" Arella suggested.
"Right," Beastboy remembered as he chanted the old mantra. Arella's eyes widened as she saw Beastboy's new look. "What?"
"You look like a fusion between an African and a German," Arella commented. Beastboy's skin tone was off. It formed a line across his face and arms and his body was either patchy or completely sectioned off.
"Whoops!"
"Arella, your daughter is here," The great Azar announced. Beastboy quickly focused harder as Arella hid him behind her.
"Raven," She sighed, hugging her tightly. Raven stood about to Arella's waist at this point in her life. She was 12 and she hugged her mother tightly around her neck. "Is your training going well?" Raven nodded. She didn't seem like she was big on speaking. Raven continued to hug her mother tightly until Arella felt her pull away and point behind her. "Hmm?" Arella turned around and saw Garfield in a different look. He had blond hair, green (I think. I can't remember if it was blue or green) eyes, and a tan white complexion. "Oh! That's umm... a friend of mine," Arella explained. Arella placed her back on the ground. Garfield smiled at the girl, but she was shy. Beastboy was used to this.
"You're Raven?" Garfield asked. Raven nodded. "Your mother has told me a lot about you."
"Are... are you scared of me?" Raven slowly spoke up. Garfield smiled wider.
"How can I be scared of such a beautiful girl," Garfield replied. Raven, though she was still young, blushed at the comment. Suddenly, something cracked under her dark magic power. Raven breathed in and out, trying to regain control.
"Sorry," She apologized.
"No need to be sorry. I know the problems you go through. I have to go through them as well," Garfield smiled.
"You do?"
"You do?" Arella asked.
"Even before coming here, I had to train extra hard to keep my...inner demons quiet," He continued to smile. His smile was contagious as Raven found herself smiling as well.
"What's your name?" She asked.
"I'm G... AH!..." He couldn't say his real name. He looked down at his cloak. The normally white robe was now changing more into the green color of his usual skin. That gave him an idea. "I'm the Green Wizard."
"PFFTT!" Arella stifled a laugh. Garfield glared at her while Raven was clueless.
"Why are you called the Green Wizard?" tiny Raven asked.
"Because of my cape. I'm so powerful that even my cape has power," Garfield smirked, chuckling at Arella rolling her eyes, "But, you can call me Greene," Garfield smiled with a laugh. Raven gave a laugh as well. She winced expecting something to break, but nothing happened. "Don't fear your powers, Raven," Garfield advised, "You can control them, but you can also be controlled by them." Raven nodded.
"Raven," the Great Azar said, "It is time to return to your training." Raven ran to her mother and hugged her again.
"Bye, mom." Then she ran to Garfield and hugged him. It was always unexpected to Garfield when she would hug him. But this time it felt right. "Good-bye, Mr. Greene."
"Good-bye, my dear blackbird," Beastboy tenderly replied. With that, Azar took the child and disappeared. Garfield glanced at Arella and sighed. "Go ahead, say it."
"Already charming my daughter. That's a new angle for you," Arella smirked.
"I know what Raven went through during that time. The least I can do is help her," Garfield replied. Arella silently agreed.
"So, shall we get back to work, Mr. Greene?" Arella smirked.
"Hrm," Beastboy grumbled at her light joking. "What's new?"
"In order to help you better your skills, you will have to make sure that everything inside of you is... secured," Arella explained slowly, but Garfield was still confused. "This is a meditation technique that helps you focus and gain control over your own mind."
"I thought the goal of meditation was to clear your mind," He asked.
"No, that's what humans think. That's how they get possessed by demons. The mind is the thing that demons and angels fight over all the time. It is the greatest controversy in the whole universe and beyond," Arella explained mysteriously. "Now, focus. Make sure that your mind is well adept at what you're about to endure."
"What are you doing, Arella?" Beastboy asked curiously as she poured a white powder around him.
"This will help you transfer you into your own mind. There you will fight some of your greatest insecurities and fears," Arella said. "Are you ready for this? We can do this at a different time."
"I have to face them sooner or later. I would rather try now," He sighed as he sat down.
"Now, just close your eyes and wait," Arella instructed. He did so, waiting patiently for something.
"How do I know if-" Beastboy stopped short when he opened his eyes and saw a world of complete darkness. "Never mind." Beastboy walked around, trying to find some kind of landscape or memory. "If this is my brain, how come it's so empty?"
"Why do you think?" said a voice. The young magician froze. He knew that voice. Which was strange because he had never heard him talk before. He turned around and looked up. There standing before him was a 9 foot, two-legged, meaty hands, sharp claws and teeth, which were grinning menacingly, pointed ears, large muscular chest and body, green fur, darker green stripes on the side, and soul-piercing green eyes. This was the Beast. "Hello, Garfield," He growled in a low tone.
"You," Beastboy angrily shouted, "I'm not letting you out!"
"But you don't have to," Beast proposed, walking around the boy. "I have something that you need. Raw strength and power. And if you're going to be able to get back home, you'll need my strength."
"I can grow stronger without you," Beastboy remarked, walking away from the creature.
"Oh, you will, but you'll need my power sooner or later. And do you really want to take the chance of hoping that I'll cooperate and not absolutely mull the enemy?" Beast questioned. "And if the enemy just so happens to be him," Beast growled, loudly, "Then don't expect me to go easy."
"What do you want?"
"Something that you haven't given any animal within," Beast said. "I'm smarter, faster, stronger than any creature you have inside of you. I deserve something more than being subconsciously suppressed." Beast walked right up to Beastboy's face, "I want my input to be taken seriously. Though I am the most turbulent being in your system, I am also the most caring. If protecting your... friend wasn't evident."
"So you want me to let you be my... angel on my shoulder then?"
"Something like that. I'm not a dog that you keep in a cage. I want freedom. And what better freedom than being able to help you in time of need." Beastboy stood there silent. "Consider it."
Suddenly, Beastboy awoke with a start. "Are you okay?" Arella asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Beastboy panted. "I saw Beast. He wants out."
"Out of your body or out of the mental cage you put him in," Arella questioned.
"It doesn't matter," He sighed, getting up from the floor. "I'm not letting him out."
"Maybe it's better to do so," Arella suggested, "I don't know when the Great Azar will deem you ready to use the spell to send you back home, but if you use that power from the Beast, you may get home quicker."
"I can't. I won't."
"What are you afraid of?"
"Hurting anyone!" Beastboy shouted, grabbing Arella by the shoulders and shaking her around a bit. He sighed in defeat.
"Garfield, you can't help that. People will get hurt by you even if you're not the Beast. I'm just concerned that keeping him inside will do more damage to you than releasing him," Arella explained.
"I know," Beastboy sighed in fear.
Fallitur was in her realm, selecting different spells and books to send to Grootslang when Beastboy and Arella stepped in. "Ah, Beastboy, Woman of Azarth, what do I owe the pleasure of having this audience?" Fallitur sarcastically bowed. Arella rolled her eyes as Beastboy smiled.
"I'm here to try and learn a new kind of spell. Empathy spells?" Beastboy asked. Fallitur raised an eyebrow. She looked at Arella who was looking at Beastboy with the same confused face.
"Well, empathy spells come at a major cost. With your free-spirited characteristic, it may prove more difficult than other spells," Fallitur replied.
"I agree," Arella added.
"Hey, I'm not a walking bag of emotions," Beastboy retorted.
"Actually, you're exactly that," Arella refuted. The teen pouted then something came to his mind.
"Wait, how did you know it was me?" Beastboy asked. He was still in his norma-looking appearance. The spell for changing his skin color and body was still working.
"Demons have the ability to see through magic disguises and see curses or blessings. Dragons have this ability too, but it's more powerful than a demon's. This is part of the reason why the magic of any kind doesn't work on dragons."
"Huh, maybe I should get Gorthan to teach me something," Beastboy thought to himself.
"However," Fallitur began, "I can give you a mind-reading spell. Maybe to help you with the love of your life?" Fallitur smirked.
"Don't we have some kind of spell like that?" Arella asked.
"You guys do, but I've seen it in action. It takes a toll on your brain," Beastboy muttered. Fallitur thought for a moment.
"Well, there is a way to overcome that and my spell wouldn't take a mental toll. But for this, and any other dark spell you wish to perform, you're going to have to travel to Paradisum." Arella's eyes widened.
"Why does he have to go there?"
"Because in order to know what's in the darkness, you have to have the light. That's what leads most people to the occult and end up committing horrible crimes and deeds, as I'm sure you already know. They're searching for knowledge in the darkness, but they have no light," Fallitur explained, "Because I want Beastboy to be safe in his endeavors here, he has to gain knowledge from the light in order to see into the darkness. That and I don't want him to get possessed or something. His face is too cute for it," she said in a baby tone, pinching his face cheeks. Garfield grumbled in annoyance, but Arella was still solemn.
"Yeah, I understand being lured into the occult. I still pay the price for it," Arella mentioned. The room was silent. Fallitur walked over to her.
"Listen, I am sorry. I know trusting a demon for you is the last thing you want to do after... you know. But trust me when I say I am sorry for your... condition," Fallitur replied sympathetically. Arella only nodded.
"So what's Paradisum?" Garfield asked.
"It's essentially heaven," Fallitur replied. This perplexed Beastboy.
"I thought Azarath was heaven?"
"If that were true," Arella answered, "Then Azarath wouldn't be under attack from evil forces. And we wouldn't have to rely on spells. Paradisum is essentially the place of all purity and light. The Great Azar used to reside there before transcending into a being of light," Arella explained.
"So, this is a place that is for ultra angels?" Beastboy guessed. Fallitur and Arella glanced at each other.
"It's best if you just see for yourself. They'll be able to tell you what to do," Fallitur waved away.
"You should come with us," Arella offered. Fallitur stared at Arella.
"A demon in Paradisum?"
"It's happened before. Plus, I've never seen them to really reject people. They are pretty accepting," Arella pointed out.
"Come on, it'll be fun!" Garfield said excitedly. Fallitur rolled her eyes.
"A demon in a place like that? There is no way it can be fun for me," Fallitur muttered. "But I'll tag along. If just to make sure that this one doesn't mess up talking to one of the angels." She said pointing to Beastboy.
To Be Continued...
