Chapter V

A Friend In need is a Friend Indeed

AN: Just a reminder:

Starfire (Koriand'r)

Blackfire (Komand'r)

This is only mentioned as where they fight would involve their native names as that's the location of their battle. Also beware of a twist and a several Titan episode references here! And the ending here is slightly emotional as with the episode 'winner takes all' it raises the question on is winning everything? In this as you'll find out the theme here is the power of friendship in the end. the battles are a 'tad' intense, great thing about being an author is you don't have a buget level that animation directors have when showing a character's power to the max.

Warning: Some detailed violence intensity

Enjoy the story


Chapter V

A Friend in need is a Friend Indeed

By Koriandr Star


'Komand'r!'

'Komand'r!'

'Komand'r!'

Out of the teleportation was a world that almost shattered the confidence of Starfire by sight alone. Before her were thousands and perhaps even tens of thousands of cheering Tamaran's, all seated in many rows that overshadowed the centred stage.

'Komand'r!'

They all exclaimed with passionate praise which escalated into a deafening cheer, Starfire looked around in the stage she was brought on; numerous platforms of perfect square were floating above the deep sea pool that was below her. And on the highest platform did she see Komand'r, her sister Blackfire; the one everyone was worshiping at without reason and was treating her as if she was the Grand Ruler of Tamaran herself. Starfire even noticed her sister wore a perfect replica of the grand ruler's costume and her crown especially wasn't wonderwoman's anymore but was now the crown of Tamaran.

Komand'r was sitting on a throne, nicely carpentered and furnished; she leant forward to trade looks, looking down at her sister with amusement. She had always looked down her sister but now she had the chance to do it in the literal sense making it all the more pleasing. Standing highs she did so to get a deliberate response from the blind crowd. They cheered as if they knew of only option and no other. An announcer addressed his presence far from the arena as soon as the people's champion stood but though the announcer was impossible to be seen, his microphoned voice could be heard across the deep red sky.

"Before you all, her absolute exultant; Komand'r: Queen and Grand Ruler of Tamaran!"

"Sister!" Demanded Starfire angrily "What is the meanin-" Her words were outspoken by the narrator whose worldly words held a favourable bias to the self proclaimed ruler.

"And rightfully below Komand'r, is the lowly one, the shadow to Komandr's glory: Koriand'r!"

Called by her proper name; boos and taunts flooded the stage, casting all their blame and fault at her. They poked fun at her name, cleared their disgust at her weaker comparison to their lady. Everything that Komand'r had secretly held about her sister was vented out by the audience that were here for the grand finale. Starfire or Koriand'r she was in this environment and had enough, shouting back in retaliation, she refused to be torn by the verbal bullying, even before the battle had begun. But there was a aching truth in her that she was inflicted slowly by the taunts. Had it been Raven with words being aimed at her she would had been sure that Raven could blank them out in ease. But Koriand'r couldn't, because she wasn't Raven and Komand'r knew that which was why she smirked more when Koriand'r shouted as it meant she was getting to her as usual.

"Sister, stop this at once!" Laughter in return showed she had no desire to stop.

"Why should I Koriand'r? After all the effort the master had done in setting up this arena by my own request? It would be a shame to revert this stage to something less. If you cannot cope with the level that is clearly above you than simply don't bother"

"Level? You are not Grand Ruler; just a delusional one in a self made delusional world!" Her eyes flared up, already confident by her previous bout, her anger added that extra strength. "You are no ruler, especially over me!" But Blackfire sniped back just as strong.

"Rule? What would you know? Your but a shadow sister, get the news; I'm older, I'm the first Princess of Tamaran, you're the second! Lower, smaller and gullible, your nothing compared to me!"

"And you are not the grand Ruler, whatever your rank of birth! You have no right to intimidate our father's role, as long as he still rules!"

"You say that as if rule was a synonym for long" The chuckle in her words, the gleam in her eyes and the fact she turned the world to a stage of her own vision convinced Koriand'r that almost somewhat disturbingly that her sister was in fact serious, serious enough to devise a overthrow. No longer holding back, Koriandr's first move was to fly directly ahead of her imperial sister who was standing at the far side but did not matter as the younger sibling flew off at her bully anyway. The flight was fast but Komandr's reaction was even quicker, a bullet bolt of violet energy flew and hit centre point in Koriandr's chest, packing in a burn of pain and force of strength to reverse her course to where she once started from.

The younger royal's fall struck the position from where she originated from, hard. The floating platform shuddered and rocked with some dust breezing off the impact od the crash. Koriand'r lifted herself to see that once again Komand'r gloating in satisfaction that she was above her once more.

"Don't you get it? I know you were going to do that, because you're my own blood and no matter what your mentor of a friend Raven taught you, it won't do you any good. Don't you see? I AM better than you"

"Maybe, But you still know nothing about me" Koriand'r got up, but Komand'r only applauded her presence with a sneer.

"Hah! What's to know about you? You're a fool, a gullible little sister who I have always used and will always use as my tool. You got lucky the last time we fought little sister, but I can assure you that when I'm through with you, you'll be wishing you were in my place in a centari prison as you should be!"

Overconfident Komand'r fired another of heavy energy blasts, triggering two strong blasts they went directly at her excuse of a sister, only Koriand'r somersaulted backwards in a fluid flip, evading away from the explosion and landed. She looked up, seeing that her sister already drew another blast in her palm, smirking at the fact she foresaw the move. Yet Komand'r did not foresee a strong green stemmed beam strike at her, knocking off her balance as she fell onto her back. Baffled at what she saw till her younger sister rode steadily to the sky to meet her did Komand'r realise what it was that caught her off-guard. Koriand'r, her so called weaker sister had already learnt how to use energy from her eyes.

"..How did you?"

"What's wrong?" Jibed back Koriand'r cruelly. "I thought there was nothing to learn about me" The crowd started booing and surprisingly it turned out they were booing at Komand'r, Blackfire was at last in rage, no more smirking, no more arrogance. She was determined now to make her sister know the difference between first and second and why her sister will always remain second.

"Very well" Said Komand'r in clear hostility. "If you want to play big sister then so be it" She tossed aside her cloak and crown and flexed her muscles, readying them to law out the beating she vowed to bring. Both sisters looked at each other one last time before they yelled and charged to fight over the struggle between respect and dominance…


For sometime she was flying, carrying Terra in her arms without feeling any tire in her, as the thanagor flew on looking for an end. Till strangely to her eyes did the sky look strangely still at the end. It was hard to explain as the sky was simply stretched in a line with no real depth. Hawkgirl landed; rolling her eyes round the environment before her. She looked at Terra who had slumbered into sleep and nudged her arms, gently waking her. Terra easily waken her winged guardian nudged her to wake, putting her feet on the ground once more, she looked oddly around and wondered why Hawkgirl woke her here.

"Where are we?"

"The end I suspect" Slowly Hawkgirl stretched out her arm and placed her fingers out slowly till the tips felt pressure of a boundary, unable to push anymore through the blue sky.

"Is that the limit of this world?"

"I guess it is"

"I don't see any exits" Hawkgirl had to agree with Terra, there were no exits. None seeable anyway. That was till a solution was made in her mind.

"Word of the wise Terra; M.I"

"M.I?" Hawkgirl smiled as she charged her mace letting it crackle alive with potential violence.

"Mace It!" She let out her war cry, announcing the strike of her mace as it hit and ripped through a puncture, tearing out a hole that once the dust settled, led to an endless drop it looked and a almost endless height. A tear that led to a upright tunnel of metal showing hundreds of entrances to worlds similar to the ones they were teleported to. The sheer size, depth and complex made Terra whistle out in amazement.

"Whoa, big one" Hawkgirl agreed.

"Could take time to search where home is" Hawkgirl flew into the vacuum of the metallic structure, Terra tore a piece of earth and used it to levitate herself in the air.

"Ok, so where do we start?"

"You search upwards Terra, try and see a way out" Terra followed as she made off far into the air in a matter of seconds, near away from sight in a matter of seconds. Yet before Hawkgirl could move from her spot did the master appeared, showing gold bracelets upon his wrists and ankles, he looked somehow shocked.

"I must say, you've caught, my attention quite well for some I assumed dead."

"So, this is the backbone entrance to each world you send others to? Just solely to fight? What is your real purpose here?" The master smiled, he didn't need to answer that, now that he had the strength to go with it.

"You ask too many questions. Purpose of this place, who or why it was designed is none of your concern." Hawkgirl raised her mace, her eyes showed anger; she had learned something that the others failed to see.

"You know, for a man who can fly, you seem to have a stairway to your chair for no real reason. And those bracelets? Since when did you took an interest in Amazon culture?"

"Since they became part of my prize" He held his wine red gem with satisfaction. "Jinx, Wonderwoman, Batgirl and Raven are all in this gem, all in me. And guess what my fellow champion; there's room to spare" Satisfied at last, knowing that victory would be near his grasp he had no need to be masking his intentions anymore. Hawkgirl looked at the gem, wondering if what the master was in fact true but the fact he was flying and bore the bracelets of her friend was evidence enough.

"Don't get too smug with yourself" Swinging into aggression, she activated her mace into full power and made a charge. The master retaliated, firing a small shot of Jinx's curseful magic, only to his surprise did he see the mace simply absorb it before it caught loosely upon his face, and feeling nothing but the back whipped across a wall as he was shackled at the immense blow. Yet he simply pulled himself out of the self made crater, deciding he had enough opened out his arms and fired fourth, projectiles of batgirl's. The thanagorian mistakenly power droved her mace, not realising the explosive capability till the touch was made and fell by the repellent strength of the hot blast. Momentary with no control of the air before kicking her wings to use, she rebalanced herself and noticed the distance between herself and her foe was great, the master judged the distance as good enough to try out a little experiment.

"I believe this gives me a chance to try out a power I longed to use" With the air inhaled tightly into his lungs he strongly exhaled his words quickly, eager to summon the power he had gained.

"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!"

And than nothing, nothing happened. The master was baffled.

..I don't understand? Is she somehow holding back her own strength? But how?

'YIEARRH!'

The master found himself at the price of overconfidence, a moment he spent thinking but it was long enough for Hawkgirl to close the gap, raising her battle cry and mace once more. The master re-alerted himself and fought desperately with more projectiles. Yet the explosive devices were inaccurate and ill timed, easily evaded by the thanagor warrior as pulled up her arms in ready for full swing and swung in a sharp vertical swoop that caught the master's bottom jaw, giving him a pained hook that sent him hitting side of the wall once more. He pulled himself once more but slowly as he was now realising that the blows were stronger recoking then he first assumed, already wonder woman's powers were being sufficiently drained as each slam entered more dimensions of distortion and agony to his mind. Though at the same time, the more he thought about the mace the more he grinned deviously about it.

"Impressive young challenger-" He let her attack again, only this time he held his crimson gem and targeted its teleportation powers on its intended target. The compressed beam sparked out of the gem and engulfed the mace, disappearing upon the flash. It took a second for Hawkgirl to react with her eyes widened in what could have been horror or distress.

"-But not that impressive" The master smiled knowing it would be his turn to try out a few things. His left hand opened and a mace manifested upon his hand, he looked at it and saw it charge in energy. "Fascinating" Chuckling as he swung the weapon round listening to its furious roar of energy, he grew intoxicated by the idea of this weapon.

"Yes, truly impressive" He eyed the Thanagor while holding the mace "Though it does need to be tested first"

It was anticipation that saved Hawkgirl's life, the master flew across to strike, letting out a melee level of force which only missed as Hawkgirl was quick enough to swoop down to evade the blow. But what wasn't anticipated was the destructive force of the mace that was now in the master's hand. Under Hawkgirl the impact blow was strong, the power of the mace combined by the strength of wonderwoman that was now in the master, struck out literally an explosion of metal and shrapmel; all hailing down from one thunderous clash.

Hawkgirl tried to avoid, but her speed proved little competition to the monsoon of destruction and soon felt being struck by a pained object that slammed her, she couldn't pinpount the pain as it felt it struck everyehere and blacked her out by the sheer power measure of it, leaving her body to fall without control.


The master could tell that Hawkgirl had lost, an object that crippled her fragile body, sent her to knock herself out upon the walls he had built before falling without and posture in her. He would had turned away if at the second she fell did he not see a small self made path of earth and steel extend itself from the walls and acted for a pillow for Hawkgirl as the Thanagor came in a small drop only to land on a platform that seem to form out of its own will.

"Catch this!"

The voice was clearly Terra, he looked up only to be welcomed by a man sized piece of alloy, embedded in earth smashing into his face. Not as strong as Hawkgirl's impact with the mace but painful enough. Rubbing off the pain over his face and got the mace in his hand and swung for rage, only he was bombarded by an attack on his right side, another bombardment of earth that came in solid rock and alloyed form which slammed him to the other side of the wall.

Pinned crushingly tight, he could barely move when he felt the wall on where his face push over him slowly before striking him again to the other end while pinned from behind. He was being smashed from to and back several times till Terra retracted the prison from the master. The Master hovered weakly, the power of wonderwoman was about gone, unable to provide much endurance, batgirl and jinx was inefficient against a girl who could manipulate earth and its components. The whole stage was surrounded by it in such a close stage; this was indeed Terra's court. He was thankful at least that the gem was miraculously unharmed, just. He needed a way to win.

Terra still gathered her next attack with no show in slowing down of her power, yet that was when he felt something different. The same force that once held back his attempt to gather the energy he wanted to use had been dissolved. It was as if by looking at the girl, the obstacle that denied his attempt to gain power subsided; distracted it seemed by the realisation of Terra.

"Terra, I don't know how but I'm glad you're here" The girl who held manipulation of earth looked strangely down. "You see Terra, I had trouble summoning this owner, yet by being here, and you somehow triggered its release to me. Thank you, young challenger"

"Don't mock me!" throwing down more rain of earth that busted out of the alloyed walls, they came raining down but the master called out.

"AZARTH METRION ZINTHOS!"

The hail became frozen, ambushed by the darkness of stealth and wrapped in his control, he raised his hands and gladly hurtled back the gifted weapons at Terra. The girl took evasive action on her levitated pad, giving her enough time to come to terms she was now facing a power, duplicate of Raven's. In frustration by this Terra shot out more attacks, but each one was being countered and flung back, the master grinned and flew up to raise his newfound power for effect. Only on the way there, he felt something in his mind grow, an unusual pain. It wasn't that he was feeling pain as such but he could swear he was hearing a voice that was not his grow to dominate in his own reasoning of his mind slowly. The master shrugged it off ready for battle; sure that it was nothing…


Light and sound were the main attraction, the light of power and the sound of chaos; both Tamaran royals clashed and exchanged their blows to a violent degree that could only be achieved by two rivalling siblings. The illusional audience watched in wonder as both Komand'r and Koriand'r fought, for several minutes they performed a furious aerial combat with both of them neither giving in. each of them fired pulses of energy from both hand and eye, dodging and countering. A stalemate was in the making till both sides withdrew close space for open manoeuvring more.

Though it looked even from the ground, up to where both Komand'r and Koriand'r fought it was different as from Komandr's eyes she watched her sister drift from her slightly yet she could see how she was faring more then the audience ever could and what she saw pleased her. Her younger sister as she had always expected was beginning to tire, her breathing was a lot more noticeable, harder and deeper whereas for Komand'r she was yet to break her first sweat. For about a minute Komand'r watched her sister, stare at her coldly while she in return tried to glare back strongly trying to intimate her older sister from approaching her.

The tactic wasn't working, Komand'r decided at last to slowly glide and close the gap. Maintaining her stand with her arms folded. The pressure on Koriand'r was becoming heavy, on one side her sister was slowly advancing and on the other side was komandr's self made crowd that were finally breaking into koriand'r with their one minded taunts.

Finally she acted, Koriand'r charged ahead, letting her altitude rise just slightly above her older sister who in turn fired timed shots, each one missing but to Komand'r that was exactly the point; to lure her sister into her range so she could have her in a range where she could crush her in her own luxury.

Koriand'r came into distance; she fired off some bolts that did little to bother her sister while turning in a fierce circular motion with her presence slightly above Komand'r and brought down her leg in nothing but force. She quickly angled her arms and pushed away the direction of the kick which was parried away but Koriand'r kept in rotation, circling to face her sister and let off close range shots which kept missing as her better merely kept moving back from them.

Koriand'r kept on pursuit and leapt herself in battle once more, delivering head blows hoping for a successful strong contact. Each one was but a breath's distance from contact but Komand'r kept well trained observation upon the coming blows and took pleasure at each evasive move she made added a note of frustration to koraind'r. She kept the frustration on her sister till finally she watched as Koriand'r forced in a right punch. Only this was no ordinary blow, this one was added with ingredients of uncontrolled and recklessness, creating a recipe that Komand't called 'opportunity'.

Komand'r took a swift duck while turning inwards and made a grab on her sister's arm, she reversed the free following punch inwards to her, she Koriandr's back in front of her but maintained the pull as it tugged back in a stiffing lock that saw Koraind'r cry out in shocjed pain at feeling her shoulder blade twisted to breaking point and her elbow locked so tight that a nudge on either of its side would see bone breeching out of her skin.

"Remember Koriand'r; I'm number one and your number two; Deal with it!" After the sneer she lit up her eyes and her free hand with violet glow and shot it directly on the main spot of her sister's back. The light blast forced a cry out of her little sister, triggering a gravitational push upon her, breaking the grip with no tear of flesh and bone but with a pained upper muscle where her shoulder felt stretched to breaking point. Yet no sooner as the grip was broke did Komand'r flew back a bit more before slamming in again, raising out both feet and propelled them into the spot where the blasts were made, the slam curled back Koriandr's body, as she was bending almost to a reverse C shape. Koriandr's yell was incredibly loud in response to the execution of the cruelty. Only Komand'r ignored it well.

"And this is for the Centari cell I had to endure!" She somersaulted perfectly above the younger Tamaran and with both fists joined, sent them down to the stomach of her sister before swinging out one last knuckled strike upon Koriandr's face with only her messed up hair over her face offering some protection against the facial blow. Komand'r watched her victourious assault in motion as her sister fell into the deep pool below triggering a heavy splash that was greeted by joy from the crowd.

"Huh" Muttered Komand'r as she looked at the ripples of the water forming "All to easy"


Koriand'r woke to found herself emerged in a deep cloak of blue water, she didn't know how deep it was only that her sister was waiting above, readying to deliver another set of punishing blows. She felt her back ache and realised that going ahead on wasn't exactly the victorious promise she had in mind. She felt her breath running short, normally she could last several minutes at least but after a beating and no rest she already needed to breath to get some energy in her.

It was then she had a plan, she accepted for now her sister was superior, but was she as smart as she made herself out to be? Koriand'r decided to find out as she slowly charged two energy bolts carefully in each hand…


"Why did I have to have the pool to be that deep?" Only barely seconds since her sister fell into the water was she now waiting for her to get out and already felt like an eternity. But why was she caring? Her sister could make any attack she wanted but it would be too weak in her eyes. Her eyes stared with curiosity for a change when she witnessed a green colour, emitting in the depths of the dark waters. Komand'r grinned lilting up her hands.

"Easiest Victory I ever earned"

Her sister was a fool and was going to lose like one as she readied to bombard on the location that was given away when the leaf coloured glows spat out of the waters in a rapid like fire, Komand'r was going to strike only when oddly the blots that were driving out of the sea were being blasted…by their own bolts.

"HAHAHA! Hellooo; Older sister mocking you here, can't you see?!" The green bolts being smashed by their own from behind generated a patch of green bursts of light, masking the view of the sea, nothing could be seen below, which included a fierce Tamaran fighter who shot out of the blind patch and flung to the sky. Komand'r didn't see it of course but then again that was the point, a point she blindly missed.

Her jaw dropped with startled eyes as her sister flew out of the green light and greeted her with a strike that whipped the face severely. The self proclaimed ruler spun madly across the arena, striking one platform which simply tore upon impact, reducing it to a cloud of dust as she kept flying down before coming to a stop upon a second second which didn't brake but shuddered at the crater which bore the evidence of her younger sister's assault. the crowd gasped, this was unprecendented. Komand'r felt the shock drain out of her quickly, she got to her own feet in a desperate manner. Trying to regain control of her balance and get some cheer behind the silenced generated crowd that were suppose to be admiring her while shaking away her pain as best as she can. But she heard something, fire from the air, the sound were bolts and by hearing it alone she shot in the air hoping to avoid them and saw them narrowly miss.

Still getting to what had happened, she only had time to make a quick guess of anticipation and raised her arms to form a wall in front of her face and felt the result of her correctness as her sister went on the offensive, smashing upon her arms with crude but direct blows, Komand'r kept her arms in guard before feeling the wrath of an eye burst sting her arms. Forced to repel to break during the pain she looked up to see her sister crash at her again with arms forward with bolts charged. Komand'r fought with a bold decision and charged her hands but before her lesser fired.

The two collided and grappled, their charged hands executed bolts of their own energy, snaking over them with a viper's sting, burning their skin with electrifying shocks as they were locked by their own powers that had took hold over them. But Komand'r refused to bow and with strength slowly fought back, her violet eyes grew more intense, regaining some strength over her body. Feeling this, she readied in triamph and drove her left knee in a high knock over Koriandr's chest. The knock was strong enough to break the literal deathlock and sent them both drifting back to catch breath and strength while maintaining their dedicated hate upon each other.

"You don't look too good sister, surrender for your own sake. And I mean your own sake"

"…No, you may be stronger, faster and dumber than I, but you will never be the master of me!"

"Oh we'll see; wait? Did you just say I'm dumber than you?"

"Oh, I guess I did your highness" Koriand'r said with sarcasm. Now Koriand'r bore for once a confident smirk, now Komand'r was feeling enraged at the arrogant smirk.

"Why so angry sister? You treat everyone like that, why shouldn't I?"

"Because this is why!" Hands and eyes fired at peak of colour. The violet was so dark that it almost was near black, Komand'r cupped out her hands at her sister. Koriand'r recognised this and cloned her sister's actions. The two charged their energy and let fire at each other once more. The two beamed strikes met and struck head on leaving for the audience to witness two different coloured energies pushing against each other, trying to send the other back to their source and overpowering them.

Koriand'r pressed hard, her hands were locked and were enduring roasting heat from her own energy, the amount of concentration she channelled in was tremendous as the overall beam was slowly gathering strength over her sibling adversary. Her heart of pride was forced in, the burden of knowing she got here because of her friend Raven giving her the victory and chance so she could face her old oppressor now was reasoning enough to win this tournament. Yet even with that in mind she felt something horrid in her, all her muscles and endurance were already pushed to their limits. And that was the horror of it, she had achieved her limit but not victory as Komand'r still fought back with her energy realising the force Koriand'r was using on her beam hadn't greatened at all.

"What's this? A limit?" Slowly her side of the beam became stronger and now slowly started to over come Koriandr's strength herself. "Like I said; your just number two" And with that she was forcing her power as the tide cruelly turned against Koriand'r at its own pace.


Terra was fighting as hard as she could, this creature was not just tough but dam hard as she put it as she summoned out several more destructive rocks down at the being. But the master chanted out that curseful summoning one more time and fired thinned lines of dark matter which looked tipped with a sharp edge; Terra was forced to leap away as her own once platform was sliced where she once stood. Summoning another rock edged platform to ride on she turned to see the master in her sight once more.

"Don't you see? I win, I always wi-ARGH!" Terra stopped in her tracks see the master brought down by something invisible but clearly painful as the master knelt in agony holding his own head in agony.

"..Get out of my head!" A frustrated cry triggered off an enormous amount of dark energy, more than he was able to produce was Terra's evaluation. And for a moment it looked like the fur coated being's eyes lit up red before a sphere of dark energy expanded from him, striking the walls as if a hurricane came and bashed itself around the chamber. Terra saw the tremendous force of the dark sphere head to her, instively she reinforced the platform Hawkgirl was on with more earth while for she who was in the direct path try to out fly it. She out paced the sphere but when it struck the walls, everything shook, walls started to tear with cracks appearing in hundreds of other entrances to rooms. The whole instability of the shockwave at such a close range was too much to bear and too hard to concentrate on. She was stopping rocks and metal from nearly all angles but not all angles as one struck her across the face and fell only to get a hold on one of the cracks that have scaled across the walls. Then a familiar voice called upon her.

"Terra" Said the Master with no emotion in his words "Something is happening to me and though as I can tell you have clearly lost, always know this that your power will make me better and may even strengthen me against this probleemmm" The pain was going through his head once more but barely held it back during his last word. "Farewell fellow champion" with that the gem was activated and Terra was no more, but unknowingly to the master found himself under attack but from a force he did not expect…


"..Mus.t…hold on, AGH!" Koriand'r concentration was breaking. "...forgive me"

Komand'r laughed at her inevitable triumph as Koriand'r began to weaken and couldn't help but hear a loose opening of words, dedicated it seemed to no other than Raven herself. Komand'r was more then eager to press on her sister's re-appointment with her fallen freind when everything shook and tore with a reason that was beyond the two. The pool turned to waves, the platforms that once hovered collapsed and the stage where her self made supporters laid blanked out of appearance as a dark crack suddenly tore across the sky, leaving an opening unfamiliar to them. Caught by the sudden revelation of this power, the two switched off their powers in natural reaction to the scale that disrupyed their duel. Komand'r was lost for words, but to Koriand'r she had a feeling of who it was.

"TEERA!"

"...That little imp did all that?!"

Starfire no longer was listening as all she listened to was the hope of her heart. So hopeful of that hope did she forget about fighting and her sore body, her warlike eyes became dormant, showing her caring side once more as she sped off to the crack to see for herself.

"Hey!" It was no use, Komand'r couldn't get to her sister's naïve head though it amazed her how she can be so dedicated and yet so caring in the end, especially as to leave battle for a friend. Blackfire decided to follow her sister and postpone the fight…till they solved this matter that was. She picked up high speed and followed Starfire out of the crack where her sister thought she something down below and flew shortly only to halt without reason. Blackfire followed and she too saw why. Below them, just in sight of their eyes did they see Terra clinging onto something before being struck by some kind of beam by the master. That was the part that caught her and Starfire's eyes that not did the master struck Terra with the beam but she disappeared in the teleportation that everyone went in and just by connivance they saw him lift some rocks by his hands as if testing a new power. But it was enough to convince them both.

"So, he used us, there was no prize. He used us" That was all that Blackfire could think, to Starfire it meant something more moralistic. It was clear from what they saw that the master took those who lost and some of them were close friends to her, friends like Terra and most of all, Raven.

"He won't get away with this deceit!" Blackfire spoke openly, unable to hold back the fact that SHE could had been in that gem if she lost.

"No he will not!" Starfire agreed with her sister's words, even if Blackfire was on about herself and not of Raven, it was enough to trigger her avenging eyes and her moral outrage and flew straight down to the so called master. Blackfire saw in view her younger sister swooping down and gave her most lethal strike on the being that it sent him falling straight down to the blackness of the pit yet Star followed. Blackfire decided to follow, yet the gem offered her a whole new opportunity, all the more reason to let star fight…


You will not take another!!

Those were the only words he heard, the rest he felt, he felt pain beyond words that could be generated by a feeling of despair turned grief which folds to hate as he fell down, the master felt hate but it wasn't by him. He barely halted his fall only to see it was the champion known as Starfire before she quickly struck with two fierce volleys and another hurtling blow which was aimed at the gem but a body turn ensured the gem was safe but his hide suffered a punishing strike as he shot down further. His fall was a straight plummet which only ended when he broke through a structure of a sort and crashed to through ground. For a moment dust scattered everywhere, debris could be heard falling around him. The air was thick with dust as the master coughed his way, crawling out of the dust and finding himself back in his throne room. He couldn't fight anymore; two tyrant blows from the heavens sent him falling and while he couldn't fight Starfire could. The sound of a figure landing down, shaking the ground as she landed and marched without remorseto pick up the master and shove him onto a wall so he could face her and her bolts, her words were harsh to say the least.

"You stole my friends from me; undo the spell or I will undo you!" The threat was genuine "You will bring friend Raven to me, the one who you wrongfully stole from me!" Her arm pointed out with the tip of her finger emitting a glow. The master was looking with tired eyes was about to cave in the demands, but about to was as far as he got when he suddenly yelled once more. The migraine that haunted him returned at a more lethal effect. He cried out in a pain that even worried Starfire and stepped back slightly as the once ruler of this complex turned over himself desperately repeatedly him muscles seem to being pumped up by something from within, his body stretched itself hideously as his fingers clawed more and more just as his voice was becoming more distraught. At the end his screeching came to a stop and was cradled upon the ground hiding his face as he seemed to be coming around.

"..No more games! I do not amuse at this" The master suddenly turned, his appearance shocked Starfire and even terrified her, the master stood deforming large, his skin was overstretched showing that the size he bore was not his own but more forced. But it was the face that disturbed Starfire. Its jaw was bonier, density was thicker and fangs seemed evident instead of his teeth yet it was the eyes, two main eyes were light red with a blood like richness along with two more eyes implanted above the main eyes and just as bloody in colour. Its voice was loud and equally terrifying.

"HATRED WILL RULE!" The personality, description and the nature was all too clear to Starfire, her time with Raven brought revelation of this being. She never thought of seeing the day of meeting it and now she was.

"..Trigon" The being smiled upon hearing its name, it made sense to her how it came why Raven meditated. Raven was unique in that only her power brought a curse that if not controlled could act as a gateway to things of consequences and Trigon was one of them. And since the master absorbed Raven he only absorbed her power and not her control which was the crucial part overall. But Starfire refused to be back down from the towering creature.

"You will let go of Raven and my friends!" Trigon smiled amusement at the threat.

"NEVER!" Starfire heard the taunt, her fear became reality but she would not accept it, she refused to accept any loss. Raven, Terra will both be gone if she inacted and Starfire refused to see Robin, Beastboy and Cyborg grieve as well. She will not have her friends torn away from her once more, she will not have it like the future she once saw when taken by warp. She made her vow clear when her eyes embraced the darker colour of her aggression.

"YES YOU WILL!" She vowed, she made many vows in the past but this one was different as this vow came with a tear from her eyes as she jumped forward firing shedding out any bolt of force, Trigon blocked with its stronger arms and saw its opponent fly at him as he countered by raising a shield of dark mass. Starfire came in with a punch as it dug in hard into the field yet not directly threw. The shield was powerful as the Tamaran princess slowly dug her fist through the thickness of the matter hoping to tear through it and reach the gem, but the field was getting stronger and stronger upon each walking step till…

"NO!"

It was an agonised cry from Starfire as she felt the strength she opposed overcome her as its weight of strength was simply too strong. The pressure inflicted over her body was too much to fight against, especially as her fist was near braking point of the field as it overcame her and flung her out, skidding across the surface. Looking up, her eyes despaired at seeing the monster gloat, it than focused on its shield and suddenly it started to expand, spreading outwards across the throne room.

Star took a retreating stand and held out her arms and fired a beam, a strong beam of her power or whatever there was she could gather. It struck a particular part in front of her. It was clear that Trigon was spreading the field to crush but if it was expanding than it must be thinning out, so she concentrated hard.

"YOU CANNOT BREAK HATE!"

The field was spreading dangerously close, she needed to succeed now ir she will not find space left and already she felt her limit as it is. The field was still expanding and she couldn't tear it, her body ached as it is she couldn't go any further, her fingers were already sore and blistered and health bruised. The temptation to yield to her pain felt comforting in a way, saving herself from fighting anymore yet only to feel dejection and defeat. But though it was a temptation to her it still felt wrong to her after all she saw and been through: Like Cyborg overcoming Atlas, Beastboy giving wisdom to two demi gods that helped save a city, Raven overcoming her father Trigon, Robin defeating Slade. Herself believing that Robin could be saved from Slade, finding herself able to stand up to her sister at long last. The more she thought about it, the more she realised what she faced did not matter, she was a Titan and like any true Titan you dealt with the impossible and turned it to the possible which was turning defeat into victory. And she vowed to, not because she was a Tamaran or that she was Starfire but because she was a Titan and she would prove it now by turning her defeat to a victory for all.

"No, I cannot break hate, BUT YOU I WILL BREAK YOU!" Pushing her heart and mind into it she concentrated her energy from both hand and eye and pushed harder on her target point, she drove into the field, further than she imagined yet she continued without anymore care and just yelled and yelled till finally the field shuddered, it withdrew slightly and than dispelled itself from the air. Trigon looked astonished but the young Tamaran ran forward, wanting to end this madness once and for all, the demon reacted, pulling out the other powers it had in store, earth came sprouting out to try and crush her. But Star was evading quickly and without care, leaping and rolling past each obstacle while letting out a hard hitting eye beam that stung the upper chest of the being, pitifully weak but still startled it. Trigon hissed and pulled back shortly, still firing earth but star kept blasting each part away with aggression and desperation. Rocks were circulating around the area but star kept her fury on pounding the possessed master of games with enough firepower to give him barely enough time to perform small summoning.

Dust and quakes were becoming all the more frequent, the visibility was becoming less seeable and Trigon had enough of this earth power and set off to using the explosive batarngs enhanced with his power shot blindly but destructively adding flame for flavour in the room. Starfire eventually leapt out of the dust and fired in her final breath of energy strikes that hit one of the projectiles, screeching out a ball of furious flame, temporarily blocked both Trigon and Starfire away from each other. Only the Tamaran took the risk and leapt high over with any remaining flight in her, flying through the heat and flames as it briefly brushed her upon till she was seen out with a fist raised. The giant Trigon stood slightly paused in obsering this unusual bahviour as it never expecting such fury, coming from one who was seemed so timid. Starfire saw her enemy and smashed him with a fist charged with little of her inner power left and returned a second strike. Both of them did little but tilt the creature's face before it lunged its clawed hands and vice round her neck which made the young star yelp at the sheer strength of its grip. It was far from happy.

"FOOL! I CANNOT BREAK! YOU CANNOT BREAK ME"

"..true-" admitted Star with a pained wheeze of her air being cut short to near death "..however-" She held a object in red that terrified Trigon on sight, realising it was taken from his neck. "-this can"

"NOOO!"

With her last strength, Starfire add a strong crack to the gem, it sparked out a strong glimmer of light before ripping out a force that flung both Starfire and Trigon away, the rest was blackness for what felt like a while before she opened her eyes. several repetive blinks finally stregthened her eyes before seeing in front of her, wonderwoman and Jinx. But more importantly Terra and Raven, her two friends who seem to lay like the others peacefully and with Raven slowly moving slightly in an attempt to wake themselves out of their drugged sleep having feel their powers drained. Starfire smiled at knowing her friends are still with her again, eradicating any fear of that future she once saw..

"..Well done champion"

Starfire tilted her head slowly to see the master gazing at the gem that laid at the centre of the room. He looked quiet, star couldn't much strength in her legs and so pushed herself across the floor slowly to try and get a better hearing of the master. Seeing him tired and defeated with having to cope with a exorcist creature called Trigon, Starfire actually felt sorry for him, even for what he had done in the past. Was it forgiveness or gullibility? She did not know in fact it wasn't her concern right now.

"...Well done and thank you" With that the master just vanished, gone without knowing where, Starfire finally sighed and let her head sink down as it was finally over.

"Excellent work sister"

Starfire froze upon hearing that voice as it continued to gloat.

"Really, I couldn't had better myself…well actually I could"

"...Blackfire"

Starfire finally looked up to see her better of a sister standing triumphant, clearly in better health, she strode in the room looking around everyone, looking at how wasted they are and mocking them for it before finally turning her attention to her sister and the gem.

"Ah, the gem, takes power and or could teleport you wherever you desire, a great tool, though not as great as you have been"

"..You used me? Betrayed me? How could you?" The words of anger were still there but Starfire had not the strength or the voice to show it as she would had liked to.

"How could I? Don't you mean how could I not? Don't be so surprised dear sister, after all it's what I do" She walked to Star and gave a little tap in the ribs, but it was painful enough for her to feel it, she laughed at star's weakness before turning to the gem, only it was gone.

"Wha- the?" Then her eyes noticed someone was missing from the group but a voice from behind alerted her coldly.

"Back away now Deadfire" Blackfire chuckled; she didn't even need to turn round to know who the voice was from.

"A depressant like you having friends? Goes against Goth rule doesn't it Raven?" She turned looking at what she considered the midget before her. "How about you give me my gem before I give you an early grave; sound good enough for you?"

"I had better offers, now step away from Starfire and give yourself in"

"Can't somehow imagine you being a threat"

"And that is why you never win; you cannot see beyond the reflection of those you face."

"And you can?"

"That and more" Her eyes naturally drifted to Terra, the young girl was lying peacefully but she knew something was growing from her, she could sense it. Her eyes than rolled to contact to Blackfire and spoke coldly "I can also see and read you well. You will fall in the night"

"I am terrified by the cryptic curse of vagueness you bring upon me; don't make me laugh! You have no power over me!"

"And as I said before 'that is why you never win' "

Suddenly the room flickered into night, the Tamaran royal looked round confused at what was going on but still kept her sprit high.

"Oh what's next? Goosebumps?"

Blackfire's jaw dropped wide when the darkness suddenly brushed past her and twisted and grew in shape to a large bird that spread out its bat-like wings and hissed terribly as it dwarfed Blackfire. So sudden and swift, how a mere human could wrap itself in a element and form that brought out a being raised in darkness was terrifying enough as it folded to a somewhat demonic shape. Unexpectedly Blackfire found herself trembling backwards before the being descended upon her. Gulfing her in pitch black, spinning round Blackfire, the darkness smothered any responses she made. But when the shape withdrew and became Raven once more, Blackfire was left standing with eyes in wide astonishment with her skin cold and trembling, a fire with no heat or strength left. raven wondered if Coldfire would be a more suitable name

"..so dark, so dark" She than fell to the ground and blacked out. Raven looked upon her friend Starfire who was still lying on the ground, she looked at Blackfire first, concerned out of nature given that they were tied by blood but Raven reassured her. "Don't worry I haven't done anything harmful to her"

"Thank you" Despite their difference in values both Raven and Starfire seem to see past the reflection of others, only the choose how to react to it.

Raven shrugged to the gratitude before sitting onto the floor to rest, tired she was of using her power she was grateful that Blackfire was less secured than she made herself to be. She took in of all that had happened, so much it was and living your life stuck in a gem has to count somewhere for unusual travel locations. She had a look at star to note that it seemed to be more of a case of simple tiredness to why she was lying down.

"Your legs, are they-"

"Not quite, more my back then anything" Raven didn't miss the tears that were rubbing down star's bruised cheeks.

"You really missed me haven't you?"

"I already saw a future where we had parted, I had no desire of seeing ourselves face that future again" Then Starfire's face smiled warmly. "But I know that you too miss me as much" Raven looked on strangely till she noticed a gentle stream of a tear roll down her cheek, realising it she rubbed it off quickly, not wanting anyone to see but Starfire chuckled softly.

"Don't worry I won't tell"

"You better not" Muttered Raven mockingly with a half smile, but she dreaded to know how beast boy would react; already she was formulating possible solutions to that scenario.

"Also" Raven added giving one last look round the room. "Don't tell anyone this as well" Raven helped Starfire pick herself up slightly only so she can do something that she has never done before, where Starfire did on a daily basis. Raven wrapped her arms around star and hugged her tightly and muttered something that Starfire was sure sounded like 'Thank You'

The End


ANII: Hoped you like it, yes it was pretty much a Starfire fic but I do get the impression that a scenario would had happened if they showed it on the TV episodes. I'm actually happy how I did the ending and have to say I was inspired by Instant Coffee's last review on Raven's motives as it gave me inspiration for the ending.

Note on Raven: She seemed a bit ruthless to how she delt with Blackfire, but as i said before raven is the polar opposite to starfire whereas starfire is prepared to go melee at the end, raven will go equally devestating on first sign of feeling annoyed. And believe me Raven is a lot more violent at times. Dropping an oil tanker on Terra in aftershock part II for example? I doubt that was intended to knock Terra out

As for the Starfire V Blackfire battle; I think that was the best fight I've done for quite a while and is somthing that readers wanting to read for sometime. The fight does seem to be aggressive but than so is Robin V Slade and I have bordered it similir to Dragon Ball Z fight as a lot of things from teen titans to starfire firing her blasts are quite DBZ related. Espacilly with Terra becoming stone in Aftershock part II as what Terra did is a direct copy of what Vegeta did in 'Final Attonment'

Oh well stay tuned for the last chapter…the epilogue!

Reviews are welcome as usual.