A/N: Yay! Lotsa reviews, I am happy. Keep it up peoples. And you can sample Nightwish songs at their website , they have some Mp3s so you can get an idea of their style. (THEY ROCK!!! NIGHTWISH IS THE BEST BAND IN DA WORLD YO!)
Raven leered, "No, it's impossible, who are you?" She demanded, her eyes turning white again.
"No, you were right, I am Rorek. But how do you know me?" He asked, gathering himself up. "Wait, you must have read the book, so you have it then." He said.
"You're not Rorek, he lived over a thousand years ago, who are you and why are you so interested in that book?" Raven asked, not relinquishing her power again as she stood before him, prepared to bind him again least he try anything.
"Please, let me explain, I am Rorek, I am the one who sealed the dread dragon Malchior in that book. It may seem impossible that I could be so old, but if you will allow me to explain everything will become clear." He assured, holding his hands up in an attempt to show that he held no weapon or had no intention of doing harm.
Raven allowed the lightning to die down, but her eyes still glowed white with power to show she still wasn't going to trust him. She fell for this trick once, she wasn't about to let another imposter gain her trust. "Start talking." She ordered.
"It's true, that battle was wedged a thousand years ago, and since then I have had my share of adventures, none of which proved quite as dangerous, but then a seer revealed to me that one day Malchior may be able to rise again, and that no one would be able to stop him unless I was able to preserve my power. So I sealed myself to a jewel that had been imbedded with a torn page of the book so that, if ever Malchior's power might surface, I would be reawakened to do battle one last time. Fortunately, I see Malchior has yet to be fully released, but I know that it is only a matter of time. Please, I implore you, give me the book. I must destroy it soon, or Malchior will awaken." He explained.
Raven let her power die down, but she leered at him dangerously. He didn't know that Malchior had already been awakened, nor did he know that she had resealed him within the book. Perhaps she could trick him into revealing himself, and the instant he did, not only was he going back out the window the painful way, but he would then have all 5 of the Teen Titans to deal with.
"Alright, say I believe your story, how do I know that you're not some imposter whose real intentions are to awaken Malchior yourself? And if you are really Rorek, why didn't you destroy the book a thousand years ago when you had it?" She asked him.
"I had thought to seal the book away forever with powerful and ancient magics, magics that not even I could get back through, nor relinquish. But it seems that, because I was sealed instead of killed, my spell's power slowly diminished, and then dissipated altogether. Either that, or a wizard grater than I was able to take the book from its place. I do not know. And also, at the time I had not the means to destroy the book and destroy Malchior both together." He explained.
"How did you know the book is here?" She asked him.
"This is where I felt the awakening power flow from and into the jewel I was sealed in." He answered.
Raven frowned, so far everything he said was quite probable. From Malchior's teachings, she even knew the spell he had used to seal himself, and to make sure he reawakened when Malchior's power was beginning to surface, or awaken. But maybe she could still catch him. "What jewel did you use?" She asked.
"Alabaster." He answered immediately, "Encased in a silver set."
"What was the incantation to the curse you used to seal Rorek?" She asked him.
"Is this an interrogation of some sort?" He asked.
"Maybe." She answered.
"You'll never be satisfied that way." He said. "Especially if you are convinced I'm not to be trusted. And, to be honest, I am not at all convinced you are to be trusted either."
"Oh, and I suppose that's why you decided to plunder my room instead of confronting me about it?" She asked.
"Would you be inclined to trust someone who often hides their face in the shadow of a cloak? Not to mention your choice of décor." He questioned.
"You're one to talk." She muttered back. "All I can see of your face are your eyes."
"Touché. It seems we are both on equal grounds." He said. "Perhaps there is a way to find a common ground, but now is not the time. I assure you, my only intentions are to destroy the book." He told her.
Raven frowned, something wasn't right here. If the natural way to destroy the book would set Malchior free, wouldn't he have told Raven to do it? Perhaps he didn't know, said a voice in her head, It is possible that Malchior would think that, because he was bound to the book, he would burn with it if it also burned. She thought. Perhaps she would give him the benefit of that doubt, but she wasn't just going to give him the book.
"I cannot let you have it." She said.
"You don't understand, if I do not destroy it quickly, Malchior might be released!" He exclaimed, taking a step forward in his urgency. Raven began to crackle with power again. Rorek stepped back, his eyes were unsure, they were telling her that he was considering whether or not to challenge her power. She appeared the formidable foe indeed. Then suddenly his eyes widened slightly, and something was shut off. He blocked her empathy. "You are powerful, I don't wish to fight you." He said, "But I must insist that you give me the book, if you have it here." He said.
"It's here, but it's been locked away." She told him.
"A wise decision, but I'm afraid it won't hold Malchior if he will truly awaken." He said.
"He won't, I made sure of that." She told him.
"How can you be certain?" he questioned.
"And if I didn't want you to know?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as if to dare him to challenge her.
"Well met, sorceress. Perhaps, then, there is time for us to find a common ground." He said. Raven opened her mouth to reply,
BWEEEEP BWEEEEEP BWEEEEEEP!
"Of course." Raven grumbled.
"What is that?!" Rorek exclaimed.
"The alarm, someone's in trouble." She answered going into her closet. She then used her power to swiftly change from her nightgown into a spare costume and came back out, hood over her face. "This way." She said.
"You want me to come with you?" He asked.
"You're not staying in my room." She told him flatly, opening the door.
"Fair enough." He returned, sprinting after her as she flew down the hall, down the stairs, and into the living room.
"It's too late!" Beast Boy was exclaiming.
"Hey Raven, we have...Who's this?" Robin asked.
"This is the one who broke into my room." Raven answered darkly.
"Dude! And he's not dead yet?!" Beast Boy exclaimed, looking at Rorek with shock.
"I have gotten very little sleep, it is too late and too early at the same time." Starfire said as she emerged as well.
"No time to ask questions, he'll have to come with us." Robin said. "Titans, let's go!"
They ran to Cyborg's car, Rorek obediently following, and loaded up. Since it was big enough for 7 people, though it didn't look like it, there was no problem fitting an extra person in the back with Beast Boy. "Hey man, how come I gots to sit with the creepy room crasher?" He demanded.
"I am sorry if my presence is an inconvenience." Rorek said.
"Hey...I recognize that voice...(gasp!) You're—"
"Beast Boy," Raven said, she reached back and pulled him to the middle so she could whisper a few choice words into his ear. She then put him back into his seat.
Beast Boy squinted at Rorek, "Seriously, dude, are you sure you're still alive?"
"If the alarm rings once again, we are not available." Starfire said. She was a wreck, her hair was everywhere, there were bags under her eyes, and her eyes themselves had lost their sparkle.
"Sorry, Star, but we've still got a few things to work out." Robin said, jerking his thumb towards Rorek, who, Raven found, had somehow managed to get a little too close to her. She floated away, giving him a suspicious look.
"Uh, right, what was your name again?" Cyborg asked.
"I am the wizard Rorek, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He said, extending his hand in friendship.
Cyborg raised an eyebrow, "Riiiiiight, uh huh, you break into Rae's room and you think we're just gonna be all chummy and stuff? You got another thing coming, yo. Now, if it were anyone else's room, we wouldn't have this much of a problem, well, maybe if it were Star's, but still. Searching through Rae's room? That's just sick man! Hey wait, did you say you're name was Rorek?" He suddenly asked.
"Cyborg," Robin began usshuring his friend over to the rest of the group, which all huddled a ways away from Rorek. "Could you excuse us?" He asked.
"Of course." Rorek nodded.
"That's the guy who—" Cyborg began, realization in his eyes. No one was asleep anymore.
"We aren't sure, he could be another imposter." Robin said.
"Either way, if any of you tell him anything," Raven began, dangerously.
"We get the picture." Beast Boy said, holding his hands up in defense. "But what do we do? We can't keep him here, how can we trust him? But we have to keep an eye on him because otherwise he'll just break into Rae's room again, by the way, why was he in your room?" He asked.
"He wants me to give him Malchior's book, he claims he wishes to destroy it once and for all." Raven answered.
"Right, I can understand that, but what is he doing here? Isn't he over a thousand years old or something?" Robin questioned.
"He claims that a seer once told him Malchior would rise again, and he couldn't be stopped unless his power was preserved. So he sealed himself in a jewel, only to awaken until that time came so he could do battle with Malchior once again." Raven said.
"Sounds a little too far fetched to me." Beast Boy said.
"Actually, it's quite possible, especially if he's the wizard he says he is." Raven said, crossing her arms in consideration.
"If he were lying, he'd probably think up some more plausible story, then. How would he know that we'd be able to tell what he said was possible?" Robin asked.
"Say what?" BB questioned, "I don't get it."
"If he wanted us to believe him, he'd have come up with a more believable story, which makes the one he has seem more truthful, especially since Raven says it can be done." Robin explained.
"He still went into Raven's room." Said Cyborg with a rather creepy look in his eye.
"He went through Raven's room, that's, if possible, worse." BB said with the same expression. Raven sweatdropped.
"He claims not to trust me, as if he's even in the position to chose whether he does or doesn't." Raven said.
"Yeah, that's bogus!" Cyborg exclaimed.
"He defiled the sanctuary of a fellow girl! Dear friend Raven, would you like me to join you in doing something incredibly unpleasant to him?" Starfire asked.
"Uh, Starfire? Are you feeling okay?" Raven asked.
"We could throw him down the laundry shoot for ya!" Cyborg offered, grinning scarily.
"That's it, all three of you, just go to bed." Raven told them.
"Uh, yeah, Raven and I can handle this." Robin said.
"Are you (yawn) sure?" Cyborg asked.
"Yes." The two said at the same time. They went without another complaint.
"What has been decided?" Rorek asked, standing up from his seat on the floor.
"Nothing yet, it's pretty late after all." Robin answered. "I guess you can crash with me until it is, though."
"'Crash'?" Rorek questioned.
"Uh, I mean you can sleep in my room for the night." Robin answered.
"Right, that being said, I think I will go 'crash' in my own room now." Raven said, floating up the stairs. She eventually got to her room and, without bothering to change again, fell onto her bed.
It wasn't long before she was once again disturbed by a knock on her door. "Who is it?" She called groggily.
"It's me," Said Beast Boy's voice.
Raven walked over to her door and opened it just enough for half her face to be visible. "Yes?" She asked.
"Um, well, I couldn't get to sleep without asking, are you okay?" He asked in concern. "I mean, I know that Malchior dude pretended to be Rorek and all...but you know, if this dude isn't the real Rorek then, Cy and I will give him a good beating, whatd'ya say?" He asked, trying to be cheery. When it didn't work his smile fell, "Well, I just wanted to make sure..."
"I'm not okay, but I'll get over it. My emotions are dangerous, remember? I must suppress them." She told him.
"Yeah I know, but if you ever just need a shoulder or something, we're all here for you." He said.
Raven's expression softened, "Thanks, I'll remember that. Goodnight." She said, closing her door.
"Goodnight Raven." Beast Boy said before leaving.
Life is the second, and life is everything, in life all elements connect and are connected, they are all a part of the spiral of reality, the ring of infinity that will continue until one day too much energy is lost in the void and everything shall finally end with death.
The elements of life are often thought of as products of space, time, and earth. Lightning, for example, is a product of too much energy being accumulated into the sky, conducting in the clouds, and reaching at such great levels that they are forced downward onto the earth. Pure lightning can also be called forth with the mind. Pure energy, mixed with static and electricity creates lightning so forceful it may as well have come from the clouds.
With elements, though, there is no third or forth on a line, they are all together, they are all the third, while Death is the forth. Some select elements can be combined to create new ones, but these new elements are still products of the original. For example, water and air can be combined to make rain, water, air, and wind can create storm, which will, in turn, generate its own lightning. Lightning is pure energy, this combined with anything becomes a more powerful and, in some cases, more destructive element. But lightning can also be used as a source of power. If you take lightning apart, you can obtain several different sources of power that can be used to obtain different results for different spells.
In fact, taking apart any element can have very interesting, though dangerous, effects. Consequentially, this is also true with Life, Death, and even Blood. But even those wizards powerful enough to safely handle these three non-elements do not dare try to master their spells. They are merely there as points of reference in the endless cycle. In this book, the reader will learn to master the elements, and understand the non-elements as well. But be warned, reader, of the danger you face if you are a truly capable sorcerer.
"Friend Raven!" Called an overly cheery voice from behind her door.
"Yes?" Raven called back, trying her best not to sound irritated. She had just finished the introduction and was more than ready to proceed to the first chapter.
"In light of the new discovery, Robin says that we must postpone our trip to the malls of shopping until later, but now he would like us all to gather in the living room in order to discuss that which is delaying our trip." Starfire called.
Raven closed her book and took in a deep breath, "I'll be right down." She said.
"I shall be awaiting your companionship eagerly!" Starfire said.
Mental note, don't return Starfire's magazine to her, they're doing enough damage already. Raven thought. She then closed her eyes and cleared her head. I must suppress my emotions, Malchior hurt me with his trickery, but I have risen above that. I am untouchable, I will not be broken again. I will face this one who claims to be Rorek with a clear mind. I will let all possibilities, no matter how unfavorable, enter my mind. I will no longer be clouded by the past. She told herself. Meditating on that for only a little while before she deemed herself empty and cleansed of her worldly thoughts and feelings.
Raven put her hood over her head and phased through the floor and a wall before floating into the living room.
"Alright, all that's left is Beast Boy." Robin said.
"Want me to wake him?" Cyborg asked with a grin, looking wayyyy to hopeful.
"Uh, no." Robin answered.
"I shall sing the Sonnet of Insomnia in order to relieve him of his laziness!" Starfire exclaimed.
"I'll get him." Raven said.
"No need," Beast Boy emerged with a large yawn, "I'm here, I'm up." He assured them, though he hardly looked 'up' at all.
Robin cocked an eyebrow, but turned to Rorek, "Alrighty then. Why don't we start? Raven told us why you're here, but why don't you tell us." He said.
"Perhaps I should start from the very beginning then. A thousand years ago, as you all may already know, I wedged a war with a terrible dragon who went by the name of Malchior. He was so powerful, it seemed none could stop him, not even another dragon. I defeated him, but only just so that he was sealed within my book. I was indeed a great wizard at the time, but not powerful enough to destroy the book without releasing the dragon. So I sealed it within the bowls of the earth, with magics so ancient I only had a basic knowledge of them. So, after many more adventures, I came across a seer who told me that one day Malchior would be released again, and if my power was not preserved, he would be free to wreck his vengeance upon the earth and none could stop him. So, once again, I called upon ancient magics, sealing my soul to a jewel imbedded with a page I had torn from the book previously, so that when my body died, I could be resurrected, and I would be the moment Malchior awakened once again." He explained.
"You say you tore a page from the book, if the book was sealed away so that not even you could get to it, how did you get the page?" Raven, who had been listening very closely for just such an occasion, asked.
"Well met again, Lady Raven, but you see I had taken the page before sealing the book. I knew that, with it, I would know the condition and whereabouts of the book itself with only a simple spell. And even had I not kept it with me, I may have found a way to make sure I was released when Malchior was." He answered.
"You couldn't, not without using very powerful dark magic." She told him, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Magic itself is not dark or evil, it is the person who uses it that is." He said.
"That is not true, dark magic has a mentality of its own. It seeks destruction, and not just physical destruction either. It can break the mind of one who is unable to properly use it, the effects of a dark spell gone awry are catastrophic at best." She told him.
"So it is only truly evil, and dangerous, if the caster is not in full control." Rorek refuted.
"Hey, can you two save the magic talk for later, the rest of us are having a hard time following." Beast Boy said. Raven looked around and found that, sure enough, the rest of the titans were staring at them with bemused looks on their faces.
Rorek chuckled, "Very well. After I was awakened, I thought that Malchior had arisen, I believe I caused quite a scene, especially when the jewel I had been sealed in was the centerpiece for a fair lady's accessory. I was surprised to find that I could not sense Malchior, but fortunately I knew where his power had awakened and I knew that, if I was to find him, I would have to become familiar with this future time. Thankfully, the maiden who owned my jewel was kind enough to help me. I have since been learning more about your society. Eventually I was able to find out that the place Malchior had awakened in, was in this very tower. I learned more about you through the people of the city, and actually saw when you saved many a life from some horrible creature. I saw that Raven was a powerful sorceress, and deduced that it was her who would most likely have the book. I was hoping that no one would try to enter the room, and I would have cleaned it back up once I had found the book, I assure you." He said.
"At least nothing was broken or ruined, except for my curtains and maybe the window." Raven put in.
"Sorry about that, I wasn't concentrating well enough when I tried to leave. I was that startled if you can believe it." He apologized.
"That still doesn't erase the fact that you went into my room." She said, her voice becoming more and more scary with each word. But she relaxed her face again and took deep, silent breaths to calm herself down. I will not let him get to me. I will suppress my emotions. She told herself.
"Well, I guess I can understand why you broke in instead of confronting us about it all, but what I don't understand is why it's so important that you have the book." Robin said.
"It must be destroyed, or Malchior will forever be able to awaken, even if I have to reseal him this time, he will still be able to come back. That must not happen." Rorek told them.
"Dude, I'm all for destroying that thing!" BB exclaimed.
"I don't know about all of this, if you weren't confident enough in your own power to confront Raven face-to-face, what makes you think she won't be able to find the spell that will destroy it herself?" Robin asked.
"Yeah, and how do we know that you'll destroy it, hm?" Cyborg asked, giving Rorek the evil eye.
"How do I know that she will destroy it?" Rorek asked.
"Uh, maybe we should discuss this in the other room." Robin suggested.
"Robin." Raven said. Robin looked, and backed away. He wouldn't wish that look on Slade, much less himself.
"Okay, maybe not." He said, giving Raven a nervous grin. Rorek gave them both questioning looks, and then looked at the others, who stiffened and gave him cheesy smiles. If there was one thing they could have done to tell him they were hiding something without outright saying it...
"Now I have a question, why is it that all of you know of Malchior and I, and yet the book is in sole possession of Lady Raven?" He asked. They all looked at each other, as if asking the other for answers. "How, also, are you aware that Malchior is a dragon which was trapped inside that particular book. Even if you had read it, you would not have known." He said. "Unless your sorceress sensed the power in the book." He added.
"Um, actually," Robin started.
"Dude, shut up!" Beast Boy exclaimed, a little too obviously.
"It seems you are not telling me everything now." Rorek said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's okay Beast Boy, I got it." Robin said, giving Raven a reassuring glance. "We don't like to talk about it, but the truth is Malchior did get free." He said.
"What?! How, I mean, how did you defeat him?!" Rorek exclaimed.
"We didn't, it was Raven, actually." Robin answered.
"Uh, yeah, we don't like to talk about it because of, um, it's a pride issue." Cyborg inserted.
"Yeah, we got our butts handed to us. Not surprising, I guess, considering it was a DRAGON!" Beast Boy put in.
"How did you defeat him?!" Rorek exclaimed, looking at Raven now.
"I used a spell I learned from reading your book, the very same spell that sealed Malchior into it was written down. I believe that's what the seer meant when she told you he could only be defeated if you preserved your power." Raven answered.
"Of course!" Rorek hit his hand with his fist, "I didn't have to preserve myself, because she never said I had to be the one to reseal him! All I had to do was make sure my power and spells were recorded and preserved." He said. "And, it seems, I did enough by recording that particular spell it seemed. You truly are powerful if you were able to learn it merely by reading it." He told Raven.
"But that is so sad!" Starfire exclaimed, "You sealed yourself away for no reason at all, and now you have awakened into a strange and different world, there is no need for you! What shall you do?! Where shall you go!?" She exclaimed.
"Hey, it wasn't a complete waste, without him we wouldn't know that Malchior could be revived again! And without him we also wouldn't know that there's a way to completely destroy the book and the dragon along with it!" Beast Boy pointed out.
"You know, you did kick some pretty good butt last night, really helped us out on the mission." Cyborg pointed out.
"Uh, you're not suggesting that..." Raven started, too late.
"Oh yes!!! You can become one of us and stay here!" Starfire exclaimed joyously. She took Rorek's hands, "We can all become good friends and you can help us in our fight against the wrong-doers!" She said.
"I would very much like to do just that, if there is no objection." He answered, though a little nervous with Starfire's outgoing personality.
"Well, I'm all for it!" Said Beast Boy.
"Uh, we have to take an official vote, and the vote has to be unanimous. But the vote can only be issued after we've known you for a while." Robin said.
"Yes, for now we shall take a vote on allowing him to stay with us for said period of time, correct?" Starfire asked.
"Uh, yeah, but, guys, we—uh..." Robin looked around, "Raven?"
A/N: Gee, I wonder where Raven went (not). Ahem, anyways, all you lovely peoples out there (Grins broadly and points to the review button).