Afterglow
Ch. 5: Dirty Little Secret
Author's Note: Wow, two chapters in ONE day! I am so good to you people!
Disclaimer: Eh, you know the drill.
Cause I've relied on my illusions
To keep me warm at night
But I denied in my capacity to love
I am willing to give up this fight
Oh, I am willing to give up this fight
An enormous gate loomed before the Teen Titans. "Is this it?" Beast Boy finally asked, shattering the suffocating silence.
"One way to find out," Cyborg knocked on the wooden door before anyone could object. It was a few moments before the door creaked open and a baldhead popped out.
"Yes?"
"Hi, we're looking for the priestess," The not-so-warm welcomer looked suspicious, so Cyborg quickly added: "We have a message from Ra- Metrion," That seem to be the magic phrase because the door opened wider.
"This way," The Titans followed the short, black-cloaked man into the depths of the building.
The Teen Titans ended up in a cavernous room, ringed with purple candles that cast dark blue light. Across from the entrance was an enormous mural that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. It depicted many images, all of the same girl. The only difference between each version was the colors she was wearing and her expression. She was eerily familiar.
"Welcome Teen Titans," The Titans jumped at the voice that came from below the mural. "I understand that you have a message from Metrion,"
Cyborg stepped forward while the others could only gape. "Uh, yes, she-"
"You are connected to her, Cyborg," The voice was very powerful, and very gentle at the same time. "Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, will you excuse us? The monks will attend to any desires," The trio in question were suddenly flanked by two men who resembled the one who had answered the door. They allowed themselves to be led away, leaving Cyborg and the woman who owned the voice alone. "I can sense her, you know. On your hands, your lips," Cyborg's face went red. "And in your mind," Footfalls signaled the woman's approach. "Tell me, Cyborg, are you two lovers?"
His face was now practically glowing-in-the-dark. "Well, uh-"
"Keep in mind that I can tell if you lie,"
Cyborg considered this for a moment before finally saying: "I love her, very, very much,"
The woman finally appeared. She was shorter than the teen before her, but not by much. Her ivory skin was brought out by a deep violet gown and her ebony hair, which fell past her waist. Her eyes resembled Raven's when Cyborg had found her unconscious on her bedroom floor. The Titan didn't even have to ask. He knew the priestess was blind. "Thank you for answering truthfully. I just want to make sure my daughter is being taken care of," Cyborg blinked, surprised. "Yes, Cyborg, Raven is my daughter," The priestess said with a smile. "My name is Azhar," She abruptly turned away and walked back toward the mural. Cyborg followed. "Do you recognize the young woman in that painting?" Cyborg stopped and stared hard at the mural. "It's Metrion," As if by magic, the Titan suddenly saw the resemblance to the comatose enchantress. "You see, Cyborg, your Raven is a goddess, a hero. She did, at seven years old, what no man could do in a lifetime," Azhar turned back toward him. "She defeated Trigon,"
Cyborg's brow furrowed in confusion. "But-"
"But," Azhar held up a hand. "You saw Trigon in Raven's mind, so how could she have defeated him?" Cyborg nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see him. That didn't seem to matter. "She couldn't destroy him. No one can, so she...absorbed him into herself and left, saying she needed to find some way to suppress him for good. I haven't seen her since," Azhar drifted off, melancholy and sadness on her face at the memory. Cyborg waited calmly until she shook it off. "You've come here because Trigon...is fighting back," Her voice was strained by tears. "And Raven needs help,"
"Yes," Cyborg answered quietly.
Azhar sighed. "I knew this day would come," She turned away briefly, then turned back with a mirror in her hands. It resembled Raven's, only the glass was black. "This is stronger than her old one. You have to enter her mind and fight Trigon to get him in here," Cyborg nodded and reached for the mirror, but Azhar pulled it out of his reach. "The battle within Raven's mind must be won. If it's won, you will lose her, and anyone else within her mind, forever. Are you willing to take that risk?"
Without hesitating, Cyborg said: "I would do anything for her,"
Azhar smiled. "Good answer," She gently handed the mirror to him. "Save my daughter,"
"I will. I promise," Cyborg turned and left, the mirror's handle clutched firmly in his grasp.
***
Ch. 5: Dirty Little Secret
Author's Note: Wow, two chapters in ONE day! I am so good to you people!
Disclaimer: Eh, you know the drill.
Cause I've relied on my illusions
To keep me warm at night
But I denied in my capacity to love
I am willing to give up this fight
Oh, I am willing to give up this fight
An enormous gate loomed before the Teen Titans. "Is this it?" Beast Boy finally asked, shattering the suffocating silence.
"One way to find out," Cyborg knocked on the wooden door before anyone could object. It was a few moments before the door creaked open and a baldhead popped out.
"Yes?"
"Hi, we're looking for the priestess," The not-so-warm welcomer looked suspicious, so Cyborg quickly added: "We have a message from Ra- Metrion," That seem to be the magic phrase because the door opened wider.
"This way," The Titans followed the short, black-cloaked man into the depths of the building.
The Teen Titans ended up in a cavernous room, ringed with purple candles that cast dark blue light. Across from the entrance was an enormous mural that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. It depicted many images, all of the same girl. The only difference between each version was the colors she was wearing and her expression. She was eerily familiar.
"Welcome Teen Titans," The Titans jumped at the voice that came from below the mural. "I understand that you have a message from Metrion,"
Cyborg stepped forward while the others could only gape. "Uh, yes, she-"
"You are connected to her, Cyborg," The voice was very powerful, and very gentle at the same time. "Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, will you excuse us? The monks will attend to any desires," The trio in question were suddenly flanked by two men who resembled the one who had answered the door. They allowed themselves to be led away, leaving Cyborg and the woman who owned the voice alone. "I can sense her, you know. On your hands, your lips," Cyborg's face went red. "And in your mind," Footfalls signaled the woman's approach. "Tell me, Cyborg, are you two lovers?"
His face was now practically glowing-in-the-dark. "Well, uh-"
"Keep in mind that I can tell if you lie,"
Cyborg considered this for a moment before finally saying: "I love her, very, very much,"
The woman finally appeared. She was shorter than the teen before her, but not by much. Her ivory skin was brought out by a deep violet gown and her ebony hair, which fell past her waist. Her eyes resembled Raven's when Cyborg had found her unconscious on her bedroom floor. The Titan didn't even have to ask. He knew the priestess was blind. "Thank you for answering truthfully. I just want to make sure my daughter is being taken care of," Cyborg blinked, surprised. "Yes, Cyborg, Raven is my daughter," The priestess said with a smile. "My name is Azhar," She abruptly turned away and walked back toward the mural. Cyborg followed. "Do you recognize the young woman in that painting?" Cyborg stopped and stared hard at the mural. "It's Metrion," As if by magic, the Titan suddenly saw the resemblance to the comatose enchantress. "You see, Cyborg, your Raven is a goddess, a hero. She did, at seven years old, what no man could do in a lifetime," Azhar turned back toward him. "She defeated Trigon,"
Cyborg's brow furrowed in confusion. "But-"
"But," Azhar held up a hand. "You saw Trigon in Raven's mind, so how could she have defeated him?" Cyborg nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see him. That didn't seem to matter. "She couldn't destroy him. No one can, so she...absorbed him into herself and left, saying she needed to find some way to suppress him for good. I haven't seen her since," Azhar drifted off, melancholy and sadness on her face at the memory. Cyborg waited calmly until she shook it off. "You've come here because Trigon...is fighting back," Her voice was strained by tears. "And Raven needs help,"
"Yes," Cyborg answered quietly.
Azhar sighed. "I knew this day would come," She turned away briefly, then turned back with a mirror in her hands. It resembled Raven's, only the glass was black. "This is stronger than her old one. You have to enter her mind and fight Trigon to get him in here," Cyborg nodded and reached for the mirror, but Azhar pulled it out of his reach. "The battle within Raven's mind must be won. If it's won, you will lose her, and anyone else within her mind, forever. Are you willing to take that risk?"
Without hesitating, Cyborg said: "I would do anything for her,"
Azhar smiled. "Good answer," She gently handed the mirror to him. "Save my daughter,"
"I will. I promise," Cyborg turned and left, the mirror's handle clutched firmly in his grasp.
***