-1Time Travel
I made my way back to the medical ward, where Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy were standing next to both Terra and Jericho. Their conditions had not improved, but fortunately they had not worsened either.
Beast Boy knelt next to Terra's bed, his hands clasped over hers. "I will find a way to save you." he whispered. Tears streamed from his eyes. "I promise."
"Ah, young love is so entertaining to watch." I said. "Yet, pointless. It is doughtful that she can hear you, and even if she could that might be a promise that is out of your power to fulfill."
"I can go for a day without your smart remarks, Slade." Beast Boy grumbled.
"Couldn't we all?" I said. "What are the three of you doing here? You should be off training for our next confrontation with Marth."
"As if it matters." Cyborg said. "We've thrown everything we have at the dude, nothing can stop him."
"For as long as he has Terra's and Jericho's life energy. If we had a way to give the life energy he's stolen back to them, then he could be defeated. In fact, that is what I've come here to talk to you about," I said.
"Do you have a way?" Beast Boy asked.
I nodded. "Raven has informed me of a spell designed specifically for that reason."
"Well, that's rather convenient." Cyborg remarked.
"Please, what does 'convenient' mean?" Starfire asked.
"It means that whatever it is, is extremely and unusually helpful to the current and generally extraordinary situation. Or it just makes things really easy." Cyborg explained.
"Oh, yes. Then this is rather convenient." Starfire struggled over the last word.
"But this isn't as convenient as you think. This spell was lost over 3,000 years ago and no one knows where it is, or how to perform it." I explained.
"Dang it!" Beast Boy cried out.
"Don't lose hope. I have a way to find it. Are any of you familiar with time travel technology?" I asked.
"You have a time machine?" Cyborg asked. "How'd you manage that, and why haven't you used it yet?"
"I hate explaining things twice." I muttered. "I haven't used it because it needs too much energy to operate efficiently."
"How much energy does it need to work?" Cyborg asked.
"For the specified time period, about all the energy the country uses in 45 days or so." I replied.
"Hm. Is all of this legit?" Cyborg asked.
"I know none of you trust me, but haven't you learned yet that I might mislead, but I never outright lie? Why do you ask?"
"Because, what if I said that I could get you that energy?" Cyborg said.
I raised one eyebrow. At this point, Raven, Robin, and Arella entered the room. They had all heard what Cyborg had said. "You could?" I asked.
"A couple of my power cells, maybe two or three, would probably provide more than enough power for that machine."
"Of course." I said. "In order for a power cell to power machinery as complex as yours for as long as it does would have to have an immense amount of energy stored within it."
"So, then do we have a plan?" Beast Boy asked frantically.
"We do." Robin said. "We can use Cyborg's power cells to operate the time machine, go back in time, get the spell from this Azar, then come back here and use it to defeat Marth and save Terra and Jericho."
"If anyone plans to use my machine, it will be me." I said. "It is after all, MY machine, and I did propose this plan."
"Fine, as long as at least one of us goes with you it doesn't matter to me." Robin said.
"Fine. We'd better get started now. The longer we wait, the more chances Marth has to attack."
We stood outside of one of my storage units. I had just undone the genetic lock on the door and was lifting it up. In his arms, Cyborg held the three power cells we needed. The door rolled up and light spilled from the setting sun into the storage unit. A thin layer of dust covered the floor, a sign that I had not been to this place in years. I walked in, followed by the Titans and Arella. I flicked the lights on and there in the middle of the room was the time machine.
It was composed of a large metal ring standing up on its end with electric lightning rods sticking out from the sides and also toward the center. A ramp led up from the floor to the ring. Off to the side was a control panel with several buttons, switches, and handles attached on it. "That," I said, "is my time machine."
"It looks kind of stereotypical for a time machine, or any other type of interdimentional teleported." Beast Boy remarked.
"Never the less, it works." I said. "Now, I have decided that only a few of you can accompany me on this journey."
"Why not take us all?" Starfire asked.
"Because," I said as I walked over to the control panel. I opened a drawer on the side and pulled out four special wrist bands. "I only have four wrist bands."
"What are those for?" Robin asked.
"These are designed to let you travel through time. Without them, you could go no further back in time than the moment of your birth. But these wrist bands put out a distortion field around your body that alters space time and allows you to remain in any time period you desire, unless it is destroyed." I explained.
"Are we supposed to understand any of that?" Raven asked.
"No, just know that you can't go back without these and I only have four." I said.
"So, who do you think should go back with you?" Robin asked. "I might have to change your mind if needed."
"Including myself, I feel it would be best if you, Robin, go with me. As well as Raven and Arella." I said. "Since Marth is after you, it might be safer to take you into the distant past where he cannot harm you." I turned my attention to the other three. "While we are gone, you three need to hone your skills for the future confrontation with Marth."
"Why do they get a trip through time?" Beast Boy asked stubbornly.
"I have already explained. Marth wants to capture the three of them, as well as me. You are not in the same kind of danger as the rest of us are. We will be safer in the past. Besides, I do not intend this to take long. All we have to do is find Azar, get the spell, and come back."
"Well then, no time to waste." Cyborg said. He stepped past me and to the machine, power cells in hand. He knelt down next to the control panel, set the power cells down, and got to work trying to attach the two.
I placed a wrist band on my arm and tossed the rest to Robin, Raven, and Arella. "Just place it on your wrist and press the little red button." I said, lifting up my arm and demonstrating. They each did as I had shown.
"Almost done." Cyborg said. "All I had to do was connect the main power uplink with the auxiliary energy source and bypass a couple of default programs and we're good to go." He plugged a cord from the time machine into the last power cell and a dull hum of electricity came from the machine.
I walked over to the machine and started to program it for the desired era. "After I activate the machine, we will have a window of only about five minutes to go through the vortex before the cells are completely drained of power. Once we're through, the machine will automatically deactivate to prevent anyone from following us."
A familiar circle of blue energy appeared on the ground. A beam of blue energy shot up from the ground and sustained for a few second before dissipating. Standing in its place was Monk Almar.
"Monk Almar, just in time." I said. "As soon as we are through the vortex, will you take the remaining Titans back to Azarath for their training?"
"But of course, Master Slade." He replied.
I pulled the main power lever on the control panel and electricity shot around the metal ring and to the lightning rods. The electricity shot from the rods in the center and collected in the very middle of the ring. The power surged and formed a disk in the ring, swirling like still water.
I started walking up the ramp, then stopped and waited at the top. I turned back to see Raven, Arella, and Robin waiting halfway up the ramp and at the bottom respectively.
"Robin, will you be alright?" Starfire asked.
"We'll be fine, Star. When we get back, we'll finally be able to end this." he replied.
"Robin," I said, "time is of the essence. We must leave now." I turned back to the open vortex and stepped through, not knowing what awaited me on the other side.