In the dark of the dessert night, there was little movement. A few animals scattered here and there, quickly scampering for cover. Only one living being walked boldly with little care to what was happening around him, and what might happen to him. It was a young man, with dark black hair and a cold empty stare. Who was once Raven, but now he felt more lost, alone, and nothing like himself…then ever before.

He wandered aimlessly in the desert. With Shadow gone, his one and only companion and his continuous defeats to his rival Van. What was left for him to do? What was left for him to live for?

He could barely think about these questions that haunted his mind day and night. Walking helped. Doing things helped to at least subdue the thinking for a little while. Raven didn't want to think of his future right now, he didn't really want to think about it ever. Worrying didn't get anything done…not that he had anything to get done in the first place.

Trying to figure out his purpose on this planet was nerve wracking and pointless…but there didn't have to be a purpose did there? You keep on living, even when you don't mean anything to anyone. How easy it should be to hold a gun to your head and blow your brains out.

A single howl sounded throughout the area; though Raven showed no sign of hearing it. He barely moved his head up from staring at the sand. As he approached the town in the distance, he allowed his mind to go blank. Freeing him of thought, pain, guilt; almost as good as dying.

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At the edge of the town, only a few miles a way from the entrance, there was an abandoned shed. Cold, gray, dark the shed stood alone surrounded by sand. Though his mind never wearied, his muscles were sore; giving way to the numbness that slowly enveloped them. The shed was the best place to rest, the only shelter from the sun that would undoubtedly have burnt him in the morning.

His skin was already dry and cracked from the day's journey. It was uncomfortable to move very much. Inside the shed, the floor was covered with straw. Boxes lay piled on top of each other in the gigantic room. Nothing of interest to him…Except, there. There it was in the back corner of the room. Small, black it would easily fit into his hand, the cold barrel hitting the side of his head. The thought of it was so grand, for a moment he lost his senses and rushed for the gun, picking it up, wasting no time.

Mind racing, he held the gun tightly to his left temple, taking a breath…and another…and another. I…can't do this no, I can't…He put the gun down.

" What's happened to me?" Raven said, leaning against the wall. " I used to be in power…so in control. Nothing scared me…now I'm too scared to take away my own life."

Laughter left his mouth and throat, skipping its way threw the shed, and out the door. Cold, angry, disgusted laughter. I'm so pathetic its funny. The room faded to black, as his exhaustion caught up with him. And so he slept.

**********************

The town was small, much like one he may have destroyed. He helped a few kids by getting their ball from a high branch in an old tree. They thought he was a hero, giggling as they followed him deeper into their home. Then they asked if he would play with them. Surprisingly, Raven agreed, he thought it would keep his mind off of things.

Now he sat in the town's tavern, drinking the free water he was given. Randomly picking at the splinter sticking out from the wooden table he sat at. It's weird how we can become ourselves again…after having changed so much for so long. Suddenly, he was regretting the things he did in his past, the people he killed, the things he destroyed. Now that it was a little too late.

An old woman walked in through the door, looking around quickly. Her line of vision landed at Raven who was in the back corner. The crowded tavern, was silent at her entrance, as though they were frozen in time for a moment. Now the noise and conversation started up again, as the old woman hobbled to the dark haired boy.

The long white hair that flowed down the old woman's back bounced with her movement. Though the wrinkles of her skin told him she was indeed very old, her eyes were youthful and full of a vibrant life. She examined Raven.

" Yes it is you…" She concluded, nodding. " Do you mind if I have a seat?"

Raven raised his eyebrow in confusion, but shook his head indicating to the chair across from him.

" Have you heard of the legend, my son? The one that speaks of the ending of the world?" She asked.

" No…" He couldn't remember the last time someone called him son…

" The legend tells of a great evil, one no zoid or human can destroy. An evil creature of horrible destructive power. One that when it has reached full power, is to destroy us all."

Raven nodded, wondering why on earth this woman was telling him these things. The woman stopped as if she was lost in thought, or maybe she was pausing for added effect. Whatever the reason, Raven wanted her to get to the point.

" But there is hope." The woman smiled weakly. " The legend does tell of two humans, who have a secret power lying with in them. They can sacrifice themselves and combine their powers to create the one and only thing that has a chance of defeating this evil. The legend calls the humans the broken and the lost."

Realization snuck up on Raven in that moment. He knew why the lady was talking to him. He knew that it was him. He was the broken, spoken of in this legend. Somehow he knew it…if only this woman were telling a lie, if only he didn't know…If only he wasn't so willing to do what the legend called of him.

" I'm sure you've gathered by now that you are one of the two…"

" Yes…sacrifice? Does that mean…"

The old woman nodded solemnly, " When the power is used then the deaths of the two is inevitable. The energy drain, will kill them both. And only then, at the deaths of these two willing sacrifices, who know of the price they must pay…will the evil be destroyed…"

**************

Raven walked out of the tavern, his mind on the words of the old woman. It will be painful…it will be very painful...more than the world will ever feel if it were destroyed. Remember it is your choice. His choice…his choice, was there really any choice at all?

Shouldn't it be obvious what he would do…what he must do? But his mind was clouded, fear overshadowed all of reason, and what he knew was the right thing to do. Shouldn't it be so simple…and yet it wasn't. Sighing, he walked through the down, southwards. He was going.

**************

The old woman limped out of the tavern, long after Raven was on his way. She slid down a small alleyway between the tavern's side wall and the wall of another building. A pleased look on her wrinkled face.

" I've done it." She said simply, as a white light surrounded her.

When the light had disappeared, and the alley was dark as it had been before, she was no longer an old woman. Instead, she was a young girl, with dark brown hair and large eyes. She walked out from the shadows, looking both ways quickly.

" One down…one to go."

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Dedicated: To all you Raven fans out there, hope you liked it.

A/N: Sorry it was so angsty and depressing, I couldn't help myself…despite the fact it didn't come out the way I wanted it too. Also sorry for taking so long to get it out, I wanted to change it but I just didn't know how. And sorry for the shortness too. I want to thank everyone for their support and reviews, it means so much to me to know that people actually like what I'm writing, and it helps me get motivated to write more. Chapter 2 coming soon…hopefully…I'll try to write it after writing this next one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Raven, sorry, for any of you who were looking to buy him from me.