The Burning Darkness

Chapter 21

The Next Day

Raven woke up the next morning with a both unusual and familiar soreness throughout her body. She rolled over under the sheets to see her previous nights' companion resting quietly next to her. He was just as naked as she was and had a few scratch marks left over. He had accelerated healing, but it clearly didn't work on love marks. He slept silently while she examined his form. His body was in perfect physical shape. Scars of previous battles and wars littered different parts of his body. His face just the same face she was finding herself just as enamored with as the first time she saw it. The soreness was definitely worth it.

She turned the other way and quietly summoned her robe from across the room. He apparently had been nice enough to fetch it for her while she slept. As quietly as she could, Raven pulled herself out from under the covers and tied the robe tight around her. She then floated out the door and out to the kitchen. There, she made a light breakfast for herself. She considered making some for Goryo as well, but he had never eaten a thing since she met him and wasn't sure if he ate or not.

While she was making breakfast, she felt her communicator go off in her pocket. Goryo must have put that in there too. He was very tricky, she thought to herself. She pulled it out and read the readout. Eight missed calls, 13 text messages, and seven missed all calls. They were all non-emergency. That's when Raven remembered the meeting she was supposed to go to.

"Your team was calling you quite a bit last night milady."

Raven jumped as the she heard the voice in the doorway behind her. He was fully armored and dressed. His blades perfectly placed and mask on as thought it was his face.

"Do you genuinely feel the need to sneak up on me like that? And why are you already dressed for combat already? We just got up."

"I apologize milady, but I just received a call. I have been contracted to capture Dr. Light by the Justice League. It appears the Dr. Light you know was just the effect of a mind altering spell as a punishment by the League. I will not go into the details of his actions, but let's just leave it at many women regret him not getting the death penalty sooner. The league has contracted me to capture him. I will not. I will find him and I will kill him. His actions are unforgiveable."

Raven was shocked. Arthur Light was never more than nuisance. Whatever turned him back must have been a very powerful force.

"Why must you kill him? It's not our place to play judge, jury, and executioner. We need to allow justice systems to make the decisions."

"Milady, I have been alive for over three thousand years. One thing I have learned is that justice systems are flawed. They are either chained down to worthless husks with self-righteous mercy, or they are overly brutal and bring punishments not earned by some of the worst criminals. I take the law into my hands at times. Most of the times it is when a governing entity gives me license. When contracted every organization knows how I operate. The fact that the league contracted me means one thing. They want him dead. They won't kill. They don't have the taste for it. So they picked the one mercenary that they trust to complete the task and keep it discrete. Most others would do it for the prestige. I, however, prefer to keep my work silent. That is why I have been hired."

"Goryo, I understand how you feel but you can't kill him. It's not right. If you do that it is only a step away from becoming the very monster you are trying to destroy. If you allow yourself to take another's life, you are taking a liberty you don't have."

"Lady Raven, I will obey your command, but, you do know what will happen if I capture him alive do you not?"

"Enlighten me." Raven leaned against the counter with her arms crossed under her breasts and crossing her legs while not losing eye contact with him.

"If I hand him over to the league he will be imprisoned for life and he will have his mind permanently rewritten to prevent him from using his full intellect to escape and continue his rape spree. If I hand him over to a world government, he will die. Slowly and painfully. Even the U.S. government will not exercise mercy. They will send him to death row and he will never see death penalty carried out. He will be sent to a work camp or just be tortured to death. I offer him a quick death with whatever is left of his humanity left."

"Those options are horrible. The league may be making some poor choices lately, but they fight for metahuman rights, and Light counts. Any government wouldn't just kill him. They'd try and rehabilitate him. You are just looking for a chance to kill him after his crimes, I'm not saying he doesn't deserve death, but that's not our call."

"Raven, I have accepted the contract, and I will kill him. I am sorry you don't agree, but I offer him more mercy. But, if you desire otherwise, I will spare his life and hand him over to whoever you choose. I will leave the decision to you."

With that said a portal opened to the Titans Tower and Goryo disappeared in a flash of flames. Raven turned to the portal and headed into the tower. The tower was clean and organized as usual. Nightwing was sitting at the table with his coffee and paper.

"Welcome home Raven. I take it you have made your decision to leave?" Nightwing didn't even look away from his paper. He must have assumed she was leaving from her flat disappearance and no doubt Changeling had told them about their new relationship status.

"No. I am not leaving. I just had to go deal with some things. Had a rather… painful decision made for me recently. I am sorry for not answering the messages, I was busy. And, before you ask, I do not want to talk about it. What has everyone else decided?"

"Well Changeling has decided to head back to the wilderness to bring Lithuana here with him. He believes that the fallout from this new law will inevitably cause her danger so she may be safest here. Cyborg and Cynthia are staying as well. She has an accomplished dojo and Cyborg refuses to give her or the tower up. Starfire and I are staying as well. We support Batman's decision not to abandon the people of this world to the evildoers that will rise up."

Lithuana was coming to stay. That's just great, Raven thought sarcastically. The last thing she needed was her now ex-boyfriend flaunting his new love in front of her. After a moment she had a thought. Two can play at that game. She walked over and sat down next to her leader and pushed his paper out of the way and made him face her.

"Nightwing, can I bring someone else here as well? I feel like he would be valuable to the team and may be safer here."

"He's only allowed here after the standard interview process Raven. You know what that entails. If he passes he's good. Do I know him?" Nightwing said after turning fully towards her. His eyes drilling into hers, even behind the mask. He was always very paranoid about the safety of his team.

"Yes. You two have met."

"Who is it then?"

Raven took a deep breath and steadied herself. She knew this was going to be a fight.

"It's Goryo. He trained me these last few months and we have begun to develop a relationship. I want him here. Please" Raven hated pleading but she really did want him here. Even if part of the reason was just to get a little revenge on Garfield.

"I will have to ask the team. I believe you. If he trained you then I think we can trust him, at the very least if he's with us then he can't come after us again. Keep your friends close and all that." With that said Nightwing drained his cup and walked out of the room.

Raven was dumbfounded she expected a battle from him, but he just gave in instantly. Whatever he and Goryo spoke about those months ago must have been a really powerful topic. Raven then headed to her room to prepare it for two. After all, her new lover would need space as well.