A/N: (Holds up a clay-like artist's eraser) See this? This represents my plot. (Begins to twist it mercilessly) BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
"Uh, Robin, now, I know I am going to regret asking this but, how did you get that?" Beast Boy asked.
"Honestly? I don't remember. I think it was during the time when Slade had brainwashed me because I found it on my person when we came back." Robin answered.
Raven stared at the coin Robin had placed in her hand. It looked like it had been bronzed in order to look gold, but it had Slade's face on it, as well as a few little...ahem, things as well. Obviously one of Slade's physical daydreams about becoming ruler over the world or something. It would have been likely that he had given it to Robin while explaining what the new world order would be like or something.
She didn't want to know.
But it would work, actually fairly well because it even had his picture on it. No doubt he had handled it at some point, so the required sample of him would still be there. Of course, since Rorek clamed this wasn't voodoo, it might not even need DNA, just the significance of the piece.
"Just one thing," Raven said, the others looked up at her. "I don't have the ingredients needed for kethnic water."
"Are you certain?" Robin asked.
"Yes. One of the most vital ingredients is hard to find, and I exhausted my last sample of it a while ago. It'll take a lot of digging to get more of it. I could get more from my mother, but not only would it cost us more than we have, it will take a while for the message and the required payment to shadow-port from here to there." She said.
"How much do we need?" Cyborg asked.
"Depends on how much solid silver we can get out of the leftover cash we have from all our paychecks. We'd need the equivalent of 20 to 21 pounds, and this has to be the result from a complete purification." Raven answered. "That's how much the baru jewel costs."
"Baru dust, of course. I forgot about that." Rorek sighed. "I'm guessing you can't find the water in springs anymore."
"Not pure, nothing on earth is pure anymore. Unless it's something that no one knows about." Raven answered.
"Lucky we have jobs now. I'll see how much silver I can scare up with what we have. Meanwhile, why don't you go send your mother the message so she can start looking for a jewel while we get the payment ready?" Robin asked.
"I'll do that, I'm sure she'll be happy to hear from me."
Dear Mother,
It's been a while since I've sent a message, I guess because nothing much has been happening. Until now at least. When was my last message? Five months ago? Yeah, you'll be having the First and Second prayer services on Azarath soon, won't you? I wish I could be there for them, they always seemed to sooth me.
Well, I should probably tell you why I'm really writing this note, but I also want to tell you what's been going on. So I'll start with what you want to hear.
It was a while ago, and I guess I just didn't want to admit to it then, that's why I didn't send a message before this, but two things happened. Actually three. I fell in love. Can you believe it? Me, actually feeling something for once instead of bitterness or anger. It was the most wonderful thing I had ever experienced, I was cleansed, mother, I had accomplished the one thing that we had always dreamed of. I was able to break free of my demonic blood and bask in white. But it didn't last.
I need to start with the beginning in order to fully explain all of this, it really is a big mess, a dangerous mess. I'm starting to wonder if it is even safe for me to be feeling things. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. I found this book, only it was no ordinary book. At first it seemed like it was just the story of a wizard named Malchior slaying a powerful dragon named Rorek, but with the dragon's final curse he was sealed within the pages of his enchanted book. Only, Rorek wasn't the evil dragon, it was Malchior, Rorek's...well, I'll get to that later.
Malchior had been sealed in the very book I had been reading. At the time I was...starting to feel lonely. I know, you're probably tisking your finger at me now, and Azar would be rolling in her grave if she knew. But just wait, this next part's better.
Malchior took advantage of my weakness, he was trapped in the book, yes, but he was able to speak and manipulate the pages of it. He said all the right things and caused me to think I loved him. He pretended to be the good wizard of the story, he pretended to be Rorek. I am ashamed to say I fell for his trickery and lies, he taught me things I never thought I would know, gave me books of his knowledge through the magic of his pages, and all so that I could free him from his prison. He came from the book as a dragon and, it hurt, Mother, it really hurt. He'd lied to me, he'd tricked me, and I gave him what he wanted.
You'll be proud of me, I didn't do nothing about it, I took action and was able to seal the dragon back in the book. Right now it's in a seceret closet of mine, where I have those...other things. The tainted rosary beads and the blackfire butterflies. Yeah, those.
I'd like to tell you that that was the end of it, that it all dissolved into nothing and I was the same again. But the story didn't end there. Did you know that on earth, depression is treated like a mental disease of some sort? And that they actually have medicines that are suppose to make it go away? Quite absurd, really. I think that the best cure for depression is a circle of loyal and caring friends.
I did pull through, but I came very close to losing myself. I suppose I lost sight of what it would mean for everyone else if I didn't pull together.
And yet that's still not the end of the story.
Remember Rorek? The one who was the 'real' good wizard? He showed up in my room about a month or so ago. No, it couldn't have been more than 3 weeks, that would probably be 6 solar Monsans, roughly anyways. Why was he there? He was looking for Malchior's book. How did he get there when he's suppose to be several hundred years old? Well, a seer told him that Malchior would be released from the book if he didn't preserve his powers. He sealed himself away in a gem to do that.
I'm not sure what he really expected to do when he got the book, or when he faced Malchior again. Right now that explanation seems like another lie he has yet to come clean about. Rorek and Malchior are two parts of the same dragon, Rorek being the crystal dragon trying to rid himself of evil, and Malchior being the incarnation of said evil that was too great to be contained.
It was all a real mess, I'm not going to bother you with the details, frankly that would take far too long, but in the end, or to this present time, I think I'm in love with Rorek now.
And I don't know what to do.
I know, I know, I can't allow myself to trust like that, there's more at stake than just me, but I can't help it, Mother, and I can't allow myself to fully experience my 'love'. I know with Malchior I had been able to cleanse myself, but I had trusted him to the point where I would give my life for him. I realize now that I just can't do that sort of thing, I can't love Rorek the way I thought I loved Malchior, and I think he's noticed...noticed how my eyes show no emotion when I look into his, noticed that I can't put any love into a kiss or a hug. But...I know he loves me, I can feel his emotions, I just don't know how to handle this.
You're the only one I can ask for advice, Mother. What should I do?
Well...anyway, the reason I began this letter was to tell you that I've completely diminished my baru jewel supply and I need another crystal. I don't know how long it'll take me to get you the desired payment, but I wanted to know if you could maybe start looking for me. Hopefully it won't take too long to get the silver and make sure it's pure. But write back soon.
Forever till eternity,
Raven.
"What do you want, Malchior?!" Raven demanded angrily into the abandoned hallway. She looked to the right and the left, both ends lead to another hall, in which there was the exact same picture of a hangman as the one behind her, and probably the same portrait that she could see hanging from the wall of the hallway directly in front of her.
"Just to talk." His voice echoed down the hallways. Raven new better than to do anything more than stay put. If she didn't she'd be going down the exact same hallway constantly. Malchior's voice held no taunting, no malice, in fact it sounded like Rorek's this time.
"About what? I have nothing to say to you." She answered, staring at the hangman portrait.
"Don't worry, Rorek isn't here with us this time. I'm sure he told you he was having the same dreams. What I want to know is just how much he told you about us."
"He's explained everything to me. I know what you are, I'm wise to your lies and your twisted games. You were using me to torment Rorek, and everything you say is just another lie to suite your cause." She told him.
"Did he? Hnhnhn, yes, I'm sure he told you everything. He told you that he was a good dragon, that all he wanted to do was erase the evil inside of him and become a crystal dragon. Well then, you tell me, how can a dragon with enough evil in him to create an entirely other being, even have the mind to want to cleanse himself in the first place? And I suppose he also told you the reason he's in this time now is so that he can defeat me once and for all. But doesn't it seem odd, why didn't he just unlock me from the book and finish it a thousand years ago? Before all of this could take place. Why did he have to preserve himself as well?" Malchior asked.
The scene seemed to turn around her, becoming a stone-walled room with a fireplace, bookshelves, a long sofa, and little else. And there was Malchior, fully armored and with the scarf over his face. Raven stood before him, her midnight blue cloak covering her body and her hood casting a shadow over her eyes. Both of them were showing only half their faces.
"What are you saying?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He was right, it did seem rather odd, but could she trust a word he said, even if it sounded like it made sense?
"You think I am only capable of lying, don't you? So therefore Rorek is only capable of telling the truth, right? Raven, true crystal dragons have no need to lie, they are beings who have risen above the boundaries of the physical plain, they are pure like unicorns, but more powerful than any normal dragon. Rorek has shown you that he can lie, what does that tell you?" He asked.
"Even he admits that he has yet to reach complete purity, what have you to do with purity?" Raven questioned.
"I can love—" He tried.
"And just how am I suppose to know that's not a lie, hm? You deceived me once, Malchior, I refuse to let that happen again." She snapped.
"How am I suppose to prove myself if you won't even give me a chance?!" He roared.
"You had a chance, you had several. And if forcing yourself on me is your version of love, well then it's about time you woke up. That's not love, it's called lust." She hissed back.
"What do you expect me to do, Raven?!" He exploded, "I can't stop thinking about you! I can't stop wanting you, wanting to be with you! My imaginary body inside of these pages hurts for the chance to touch you again!!! You have no clue of what this is like, Raven, you have no idea how hard it has been to restrain myself while you're right here in front of me! Raven, I, Am, Not, Human! And even if I were! I've seen human males, and it's not like they are any better at suppressing primal urges. BUT I'M BLOODY WELL SURE THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF HOW TO HANDLE IT BECAUSE I HAVE NO BLASTED CLUE!" He yelled. And then, as if he just couldn't keep himself back anymore, he grabbed her in his arms and practically crushed her to his chest. He bent down, but not to nuzzle her neck this time, instead he rested his chin slightly on her collar bone.
She didn't struggle this time, she didn't even try to pull away. She was too taken aback, too shocked. There, how, how could she justify all of that as lying? She could, but then she'd be close-minded. He'd just displayed something very real, he was right, he wasn't human. A human wouldn't just blurt all of that out, just like that, especially if they were supposedly in a powerful position and not exactly a nice person. They'd be too prideful to admit all of that to themselves...and yet...it did feel real, it felt like he was telling the truth, and she...she wanted to believe him, she really did, but could she? Should she?
"Please," His voice begged in her ear, "Tell me, tell me what I'm suppose to do! I'll do anything, anything, for you..." He whispered.
Yeah, that line was in how many romance novels? But...he sounded sincere. Well...she could find out, if she let him kiss her, and if she could sense more than just lust, it was genuine. But now much did he really love her? Well, they say that if you really loved someone you'd let them go.
"Alright, do this for me. Kiss me the way you truly wish to, then let me go and never enter my dreams again." She told him. His grip around her tightened, and for a long moment he didn't seem to react any more. Then on arm moved up to his face, removing his scarf from his mouth. He then released her, pushing her back only just enough so that he could look her in the eyes. His hands were on her arms now, and his expression was that of longing and regret. He pushed her hood down and bent down to place his lips on hers.
Raven's eyes gently opened, and she sat up in her bed. A moonbeam escaped through her curtains and was cascading across her bed. She touched her lips, still able to feel Malchior's kiss. It wasn't like his previous kisses, nor was it still anything like Rorek's. It was deep, but full of passion, longing, and pain. She had felt love coming from him, as well as despair. He'd wanted so badly to trap her, to keep her there forever, so that she'd always be his.
But he didn't.
So what was she going to do about it? Well, she wasn't sure exactly, but she decided that, since he seemed to have proven his love to human standards, she might as well give him another chance. She wasn't going to let him out of the book, no, not unless Rorek himself suggested it, which wasn't happening, but she would give him a chance to explain himself, and to tell her his side of it all.
Raven pushed the covers off of her and then walked over to the hangman tapestry. She pushed it aside and put her hand upon the pentagram engraved on the wooden door behind it. The door glowed, and then opened, revealing a large room, filled with books mostly, but also with a sword, a staff, an orb of blackfire butterflies, a small chest holding tainted rosary, and the Dark Chest of Horrors. But there was also a chest, consumed in black energy and electric white chains surrounding it, binding it closed.
Raven waved her hand over the chest and released her spell, she then took a deep breath, and opened it.
There was Malchior's book, looking innocent and harmless as always, but this time it looked different to her, like something she might have misjudged. Hesitantly, she picked it up.
"Raven..." she allowed the book to open up in her hands and flip over to the page where Malchior's face could be seen, animated and colored. "I was preparing myself for an eternity without you, why the sudden change of mind?" He asked.
"I've, misjudged you. The kind of mistake I hate to make the most. This doesn't mean I fully trust you, but I've decided to give you a chance to explain." She said.
"I think I've said enough to fill a good many pages of poetry, what more do you want me to say?" He asked.
"I want to know you're side of the story, it is becoming apparent to me that you and Rorek are not exactly black and white." She answered.
"Very well, then, where should I begin?" he questioned.
"Perhaps with what you were telling me earlier, about Rorek lying to me." She told him.
"He wasn't lying to you in that we use to be the same dragon, however. And we weren't a particularly nice dragon either, but we weren't fully evil either. More like an even balance between good and evil, a gray dragon. A crystal dragon and an ebony dragon are known as spectral dragons, both far more powerful than a normal dragon, as they are complete in either one side of the spectrum or the other, but a gray dragon is far more powerful still. You can't have good without evil, and for every crystal dragon there is an ebony dragon, but that doesn't mean they are the same being.
"I don't remember much of how we lived as a whole, those memories have been broken up and scattered about our separate minds, what I do remember, is that one day we got on the wrong side of a very powerful enchantress known as the White Magus. She then cursed us by separating our soul into their two equal halves, the yin, and the yang. But because each of us had either a little darkness or a little light, we were no longer as powerful as even the spectral dragons.
"But, of course, instead of trying to merge back, we warred with each other, in spite of the fact that when one dies, the other will too. But our clashes were so powerful and deadly, that other dragons were moving to stop us. It was a wizard who sealed me within the pages of this book, and an enchantress who placed Rorek in a jewel. The reason I decided to change the names, even of the wizard, was mostly because I was too prideful and ashamed that it hadn't been at least Rorek who'd sealed me away. You see, we can't die unless we kill each other, but our battles devastate much more than each other, so the best way to handle it would be a seal."
"But, that's not possible, Rorek knew what was in the book, he—"
"I was sealed away before he was. There was a time in which he did have me as a book, and he saw my little record about him being the wizard who had slain me, as embarrassing as it was. I guess there was an argument in some council about sealing him away as well, which is why he had enough time to obtain me and read my pages before being sealed himself. He can, after all, sense where I am outside of these protected walls, as I can sense where he is. Eventually I suppose it was decided that he would be locked in the jewel, though he didn't go down without a fight, I'm sure."
Raven sat there, her face with it's usually emotionless expression, but her mind reeling. So, Rorek had lied to her? Again? Or was it still Malchior who was lying? Who could she believe, who could she trust? It was so confusing, why couldn't Rorek have just come out and told her about it? So far she had heard nothing that would make her think that much less of him. Maybe he thought that if she saw him as a dragon who had only wanted to better himself, she would forgive the fact that he was a dragon in the first place.
But why did he have to lie to her?
"My sweet Raven," Malchior's voice was loving and kind, a falsehood she knew, but right now she didn't really care. A ribbon of paper rose from the book and caressed her cheek. "I am truly sorry for what I did to you. Please know that I have changed since then, I would never do anything to hurt you again. You're the only one I've ever truly cared about." He said.
She didn't respond, even to the stroking of his paper, her face remained emotionless, allowing none of her thoughts to seep through. But it was probably obvious she was having these thoughts.
"What are you going to do about it, Raven? If you confront Rorek I'm fairly certain he'll deny it." He whispered. "Remember when Rorek entered your room while you had me out? He could sense me then, he can't sense me while I'm inside of this room. He was afraid you would talk to me, and that I would tell you. Doesn't it make sense? He has lied to you, Raven, we are both guilty of crimes against your heart." He said.
"I'm going to confront Rorek and give him the chance to explain himself, if he admits to the same story and I am absolutely sure he is not lying, I'll believe you." She said.
"How are you going to be sure he isn't lying? He can trick your empathy." Malchior asked.
"I don't know. I guess I can't be sure who's lying anymore."
Bring me home or leave me be
My love in the dark heart of the night
I have lost the path before me
The one behind will lead me
Take me
Cure me
Kill me
Bring me home
Every way
Every day
Just another loop in the hangmans noose
Take me, cure me, kill me, bring me home
Every way, every day
I keep on watching us sleep
Relive the old sin of Adam and Eve
Of you and me
Forgive the adoring beast
Redeem me into childhood
Show me myself without the shell
Like the advent of May
Ill be there when you say
Time to never hold our love
My fall will be for you
My love will be in you
You were the one to cut me
So Ill bleed forever
"Ghost Love Score, I love that song." Elsa said, handing Raven a book for her to sort. "Took a while for it to grow on me though, you?"
"I like it." Raven answered blandly.
"You alright girl?"
"Hm?" Raven looked up at her co-worker.
"You seem a little detached today." Elsa smirked, "Anything happen between you and tall, dark, and sexy?" She asked.
"Who?" Raven asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
Elsa rolled her eyes, "You know, Rorek!" She exclaimed.
"Oh, I suppose." She said.
Elsa gave out a little squeal of delight, which caused Raven to give her one of those, 'are you sane' looks. "So, has he asked you out yet? Complemented you any? What's he been up to?" She asked.
At first she wasn't sure what Elsa was talking about, and then she turned back to her books, "Oh, I'm sorry Elsa but it seems our relationship has progressed farther than your questioning." She said.
Elsa gasped, "He kissed you didn't he?! Oh my gosh! And you didn't tell me?!?!?!" She exclaimed.
"Elsa, you're my co-worker, not my 'girl friend'. And I don't think I can survive another 'girl friend' after Starfire." Raven said, almost wincing with remembrance.
She'd hadn't even had the chance to let Rorek know something was up. First off they had an incident that morning with Beast Boy and Cyborg trying to intensify the stench of their stink ball. Well it turned into a stink bomb and everyone had to go outside and let the air system flush the tower out. Rorek had fainted and was out cold until things seemed to settle down, though she was certain she'd still be able to smell the stuff when she got back. Mental note: Buy some perfume before leaving. She thought. She could use it for two things, one to keep her room from smelling, and two to play a cruel joke on the two and dump the bottle all over their stink ball. They'd have to call it 'perfume' ball next.
Anyway, after all of that Cyborg and Beast Boy seemed determined to beat Rorek at video games somehow. So they had this big tournament going on and somehow managed to drag Robin into it as well. So Starfire saw this as a great opportunity to continue her little hobby of 'bonding' with Raven. Shouldn't those magazines be telling her something about opposites? But, Raven had said she would so...
She was made to try on all different outfits, and none of them looked all that great on her. Which was mostly because they were all cheery clothes as they were at a very preppy store. Starfire, however, looked so good in them, a collection of guys had appeared around the dressing room, waiting for her to come out in another outfit so they could whistle and stuff. Raven pulled out her book and ignored them.
After Starfire used some free money from her paycheck in buying her favorite outfit, she then paid for both of them to get a 'beauty treatment'. Raven was lucky this time, instead of getting a giddy blond like Starfire for a salonist, it was a black-haired semi-goth. She dressed in dark clothing and seemed to know exactly what Raven preferred. Her hair had been trimmed as little as possible, her nails had been filed and painted black, and the makeup that had been applied had been very little, and what did show up went very well with her skin color.
Then Starfire had her go into a better clothing store and made her pick out something to buy. She got a black, long sleeved shirt with a large gothic cross on the front and a pair of midnight blue jeans.
When they had gotten home, everyone stared, but didn't say a word, and she didn't stay long enough for them to do so.
Then she had taken a shower and gotten ready for work, and there she was.
"Sooooo? That doesn't mean you can't tell me anything. Just tell me what's been going on, pleeeeeeeease?" She begged.
"It's a little complicated." Raven said in a final tone of voice.
"Oh so that means that because I'm not a titan I won't get it?" Elsa asked with an offended voice.
"Yes." Raven answered flatly. Elsa face-faulted.
"Oh come ooooo—hey Raven, are you wearing makeup?" She asked, looking as if she'd just seen Raven's face for the first time.
"Shut up." Raven glowered.
"This is great! Wanna borrow my lipstick?!"
"Shut up."
"I have lots of different colors that would look great on you! And eyeshadows too, that foundation you have is just perfect though, don't change it. But we can mix and match with colors, though you have a rather limited selection, I think only dark colors would work with you, and nothing green, yellow, or orange, ich that would be bad."
"Shut up." Raven tried again.
"You can come over to my house too! I think I have some clothes that might fit you, and would look great! They're the clothes I wish I could wear, you know? But I'm not that skinny quite yet."
"Shut up."
"Oh we can have so much fun! And I'll bet Rorek would love it too!"
"Elsa?"
"Yes?" She asked.
"Shut, up." Raven repeated for the fifth time. But Elsa just grinned at her and snickered.
A/N: I have a request to make of all my faithful readers, ahem, PLEASE TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME IF I HAVE ANY HOLES!!! I would very much like to make sure it's not all screwed up, and would like to make sure that any holes there may appear to be I have there on purpose and will be explained laters. But if I find any, I will go back and change stuff up to fix it, but I will be sure to tell everyone where I have changed things. For now, I hope you're enjoying it!
And now for the individual notes that you guys like so very very much, heheh.
She Who Knows All: Hey, thanks for that info! I'm so lazy, I didn't even bother looking it up. I just decided, hey! Why not just do my own thing, y'know? But, seriously, that power chant wouldn't work with Rorek, mostly because 'Mortix' sounds too much like 'Mortis' which is Latin for 'death'. Uh, don't ask me how I know that...ANYWAY! I did say I was using Latin for the spells, right? Yeah, I think so. And also, as this chapter has implied, the book itself (in this story, not in anything else mind you!) is fixed, that power chant wasn't either of theirs, and Rorek didn't know the exact spell to seal him away. See? There is purpose! I just have to think a few minutes to figure it out...hee hee!
NightmareSelene: Bet that's been bothering you throughout the entire story huh? I know this one girl who's like a grammar freak, I mean she'll be reading novels that have actually been published, and she'll be able to pick up every single spelling or grammar error and it'll bother her so much that she can hardly enjoy the book until she's forgotten about the error. It's pretty funny actually. Not that I'm saying you're that way, all I'm saying is that that's how I hear it, so that's how I'm spelling it...for now. I'll probably change it if I ever go back and edit the entire thing. But don't worry, I do realize how horribly my spelling does suck.
Pixie1011: I dunno if I'm gonna write a sequal or not actually, I might unless I put all the stuff I have in mind into this story, we'll just have to see, but I think I will, if only to give it a different plotline. Ahem, but still, I'd rather not have a pixie mad at me...
I think that's it for now. Keep those reviews coming though!!!