PART 2: DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

Silence -- we hunt for the Queen

Sign of the cross and pray in-between

Look by the light of the day

It's hiding 'til dark, waiting to prey

Chapter 9: KILLING THE DRAGON

He never wanted to see this. Robin looked set to vomit at the lifeless body of Starfire was rolled out of the hospital room. He was already crying. Nothing prepared him for it. Nothing. "I'm going to find who did this to you, Star," he said, "And I'm going to make him pay." Tempest put a hand to Robin's shoulder, but it was shrugged off.

"Calm down, Robin," Changeling said. "You didn't do anything."

"I know, but I still didn't do enough," Robin said. He moved to be alone, but Cyborg followed him. Changeling and Tempest looked to one another and then to the fleeting form of Starfire, wrapped in a white cloth.

"She was too good for this world," Changeling waxed poetically. "An angel."

"Yes," Tempest said. "She was always so kind to those who needed a friend. I only wish I knew her better."

"Let me tell you about her," he said. "One time, she accidentally got caught in a practical joke I had intended for Cyborg."

"No kidding," he said, as Changeling led him away. They exchange the story happily, but with a tinge of sadness. Robin, however, was in no state to tell stories.

"Man," Cyborg said, "You need to get this out of your system. Let's go, right now, to find out all we can."

"No," Robin said, "We have to find the exact cause of death first."

"Why's that important? The first diagnosis was heart failur--" he cut himself off. "You don't think," he trailed off. "You do, don't you. You think it's the serial killer on the loose. You're planning on solving this one on your own."

"Yes," Robin said. "I have to. I owe Starfire that much."

"Robin," he said. "She loved you. She doesn't expect anything of you. That's not how love works."

"How do you know?" he demanded sharply. "How do you know I didn't love her? I did! I loved her more than a thousand brothers ever could! I loved her so, and now she's dead. Dead, dead, dead. All dead. All dead!"

"Man, calm down!" Cyborg said, taking his friend's form in his hands and shaking it gently. "You're starting to slip on me, here. I know what you're thinking, and I know you're afraid. But it can't be that bad."

"I'm not sure I'm going to make it through this alive myself," Robin said. "Every day I just seem to be closer to going over the deep end."

"Calm down!" Cyborg screamed. "Calm the hell down! Please, dammit!" Robin looked vaguely at his friend. "I didn't want to lose one friend, but I'm sure as Hell not losing two."

"Starfire's dead," Robin said. "And I couldn't stop it. That's all I know now. And I want to right this wrong."

"Good," Cyborg said. "Let's get the guys together and get started. We'll find the killer behind this and bring him to justice."

"Great," Robin said, "And the first thing we need to establish is simple. What do we know about the Cross Your Heart Killer, really, when you get right down to it?"

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

"What do you know about the Cross Your Heart Killer," Slade Wilson asked. The figure he had cornered looked back. "You know we're both after him for the same reason."

"I know that," Batman said. "I just don't know why you expect me to be able to help you with it."

"Oh," Slade said, "I know you. You've been following it ever since the girl in White Chapel was discovered. But we don't go talking about that one in the United States because we wanted to be the focus of all the attention. Besides, no one paid any mind to the news of the Jack the Ripper wannabe. No, no one cared."

"You're sharp," Batman muttered. "But there's not much to say. The war crisis threw off a lot of my research into the matter."

"And now we have time," Slade said. "I propose a partnership." Batman shrugged him off. "You know you could use my resources just as much as you need yours."

"What resources do you have that I won't already have?"

"Underworld information on the killer," Slade said. "I've got a lot of friends down there that would be willing to squeal should I apply the right insinuations. And some people who owe me a favor."

Batman seemed pensive. "This is a temporary partnership," he warned. "And that's final."

"I don't expect anything more," Slade said. "But it's funny. Your son said the same thing." Batman didn't grace the misconception with an answer. "So you do think of him like that. So do I."

Batman eyed him out of the corner of his cowl. "Come on. I'll fill you in on what I have."

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

"Where to begin," Cyborg asked. The four boys met over a drink to talk about it. "We need to find out where the killer's struck, and notice any correlations between the killings."

"Done that," Robin said. "I find it funny that he picked Starfire as his 65th. Is there any particular meaning to this number?"

"You think he's been building up to this?" Changeling asked. "Isn't that a little paranoid."

"Maybe not," Tempest said. "If the killer is truly crafty, he may have an agenda particularly with us and has been doing this to lead us off the trail. Getting us to lower our guard."

"I see," Changeling said. "Still, it's a bit weird. Why when she was weakened?"

"He may be the last Horseman," Robin said. "I'm almost definite. Note the supernatural way her kills them. The only thing that stops me from doing that is that he's off by one number. If she had been his sixty-sixth then we'd be on to something."

"Why?" Changeling asked, taking a long slurp with his straw.

"The number six," Robin explained, "Repeated thrice, is the mark of the Beast according to Revelations. Everything else makes sense. The time of death was six past seven or the sixty sixth minute of the sixth hour. The supernatural cause of death I've already speculated on, and then we have the Jack the Ripper connection."

"What?" Tempest asked. "Who's Jack the Ripper?"

"He's striking victims in a fashion similar to Jack the Ripper," Cyborg explained. "He killed in White Chapel during the Victorian era. He targeted women who were out on their own. At that time, that left only prostitutes. He used a scalpel as his weapon, though, so Robin's thinking it's tentative."

"But it should still be considered."

"Oh," Changeling spoke up, "Because of the possible connection of a Hell Cult."

"Hit it on the head," Robin said, "That's the speculation. It could just be a clever ruse, but who else but us knew about the End of the World scenario?"

"Slade," the Titans answered.

"Suspect number one," Robin said. "He may have wanted to get close to us just to do that."

"But that was before Raven went crazy," Cyborg said.

"Still, we can't assume that she hasn't been working on this beforehand," Robin said, "As much as it pains me to say." The others agreed. "Next on the suspect list, all of us."

"What?" the three demanded.

"We could all very well be the killer," Robin explained calmly. "I'm not writing myself out of this equation just yet."

"Why not?" Changeling asked. Robin didn't answer. "Anyway, if it's not us and not Slade, who else do we have left?"

"Raven herself," Robin said. "The most obvious answer."

"She must have done it," Changeling jumped. "She, she just totally betrayed us."

"BB," Cyborg said. "She's not pure evil, at least, she wasn't before this happened. She wouldn't kill her best friend."

"He's right," Robin said. "But there's possible motives for her, as well. Human sacrifice for one thing." He sighed, "She may be the second most likely suspect."

"What now?" Changeling asked.

"We get ready to go back to the Tower to search for any possible clues as to who could have done this." Robin sighed. "After one last look at the hospital rooms for a clue of how he got in there."

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

"You're certain," Slade asked.

"Definite."

"As I said, they were very forthcoming with the information," Slade said. "It could very well be wrong. They told me they saw the mask clearly in the dark, it's still suspect."

"It's not all I'm going on. There's also records of the last person to see her alive, bizarre mood swings, everything beginning around the same time as the original White Chapel killing." Batman looked at Slade carefully. His body language screamed denial. Batman didn't blame him. "All we can do now is monitor," Batman continued, "In case this happens again so we can stop it."

"I was hoping that it wouldn't come to this," Slade muttered. "Should we tell them?"

Batman didn't respond.

"It's not easy on you," Slade said. "You know he wants to solve it on his own, but you know he shouldn't."

Batman again didn't respond.

"Well, I won't tell him if you won't," Slade said. "We don't want to devastate the boy."

"We still have work to do," Batman reminded him. With a flair of his cape, Batman moved to another shadow deftly. Slade followed in suit, but without the drama.

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

Robin examined the bed carefully. No blood had been dropped, but there had definitely been something here before she had died. "Are you certain the windows were locked?"

"Yes," the nurse said. "The night watchman was adamant about it. There was a brief moment when he thought he saw something in the room, but when he checked there was nothing. She just awoke and murmured to herself before going back to sleep. He figured it was just deliria."

"Thank you," Robin said. "Curiouser and Curiouser." He mulled over by the window, trying to see if it had been opened that night or not. He was taught to pay careful attention to the small details. He figured that it had to have been locked all night, in the end, just bringing a deal of frustration to the situation.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing except for the night nurse. Different than most nights. The others didn't recognize her, apparently," Cyborg said. "May be a clue."

"Could be," Robin said. "Could be another nurse from another hospital coming to help with the load. This is a major city, after all, there's lots of different hospitals with various work loads depending on the case."

"That's true," Cyborg said, looking downhearted.

"It's still a clue, but you have to be careful about the validity. We can't Sherlock Holmes our way through this." He looked confused. "Sir? Were the curtains open or closed when you got here?"

"Open," the nurse. "Was going to open them myself, but I saw they were open. I didn't notice she wasn't breathing until an hour later."

"I see," Robin said. "We're done here."

They left the hospital looking more confused. "It's not unusual that super villains can teleport. And if it is really the last Horseman, we should expect him to have a few special tricks up his sleeve."

"That's true," Cyborg responded. "Wonder if BB and Tempest have had better luck."

"Er," Robin said, "I think he prefers Changeling."

"Whatever," Cyborg said. "Beast Boy, Changeling, it's all the same to me."

"Don't be so sure it's the same to him," Robin said. "An alias is an important part of a person. It defines what attitude they take. I took great care in choosing an enigmatic alias for my infamous stunt. I bet if you called him Beast Boy all the time, he'll get very, very angry with you."

"That's true," Cyborg said. "It's just odd. He comes back like a whole different person."

"I guess that's what they mean you can't go home again," Robin responded, "Speaking of which, we really should get back. We need to look for clues in Raven's room, and maybe in Star's as well."

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

Harley Quinn and Jonathan Crane looked at the mad house in front of them. The HIVE institute had been changed into a literal hive. The doors were now hexagonal and there was a definite bee-like feel to the atmosphere. Almost frighteningly, the Headmistress snuck up on them. "Well?"

"What!" Harley asked, with a shrill yelp. "She turned slowly around to find out who had sought her attention only to be confronted with the menacing visage of--" her face drooped, "Oops."

"Miss Headmistress!" Ichabod declared. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to figure out what's happened to my school," she said, "I don't pay these teachers and these students don't pay me to run about like honey bees."

"I think something's happening to the fabric of reality and space-time," Harley said. "Almost like any possible future that has been explored is suddenly being cut off from the rest of the world and its connection to reality is becoming thinner and thinner."

"What does all that mean, though?"

"In other words, Miss Headmistress," Ichabod said, "The world is going slightly mad."

"Like me!" Harley joyously pointed out. The Headmistress gave a nod and turned to go.

"Very well then. Go and clean up that mess and don't report back until you do."

"Why us?" Ichabod asked.

"Because you're the only ones here that have listened to me all day. That miserable wretch named Jervis Tetch has been muttering all day about rabbit holes and painting roses red."

"I saw the gardener do that," Harley laughed. "It was silly!"

"Get on it, now," the Headmistress annunciated. The two students saluted as best they could, given their weary states, and went to finding out where lunch was being served.

They received a honey sandwich. It was delicious, but they were still hungry.

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

Starfire wandered through Limbo aimlessly. Infinitely vast, but ultimately tiny, the landscape altered with her every step to something that suit her mood better. Right now, cherry blossoms fell over a quaint koi pond. She stood on a wooden bridge and watched the koi swim, while through the reflection she saw Robin's determined face.

"I miss him," she sighed.

"I know," Mad said, taking her hand. "Walk with me some more. We have much to talk about before the time comes." She took a step with him, and moved to a field of fairies, dancing with fallow deer and baby lamb. "Are you concerned?"

"It comes so soon," she said. "I am worried."

"Don't be," Mad said. "I've already given my body for this cause, my soul shall work until it too is as battered and aged as my physical form was."

"You are so sweet," Starfire said, happily. "But your beautiful hair has grown short again! Is is so sad to see."

"It's nothing," Mad said. "My hair was a defense. But now that I haven't a form to defend then I don't have a reason for their lengths."

"I wish to see you in a body again, just as I wish to return to life," she said. "But that cannot be, can it?"

"I don't want to build false hope. But don't be so afraid! Life in the Heavens is wondrous. You will be the most beautiful angel with your slender face," he laughed. "You'll dance for all to see, and they will love you. And then, one day, your friends will come to greet you. Death is not something to be feared, Starfire. It's a part of life just as anything else." Starfire closed her eyes, she digested everything he said, and as they approached a grand city-state of marble and art, she spoke.

"Let us go prepare for the coming battle. We dare not lose. I wish there to be a heaven that my friends may share in."

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

The Titans Tower was a mess since their last few battles. Things were strewn about lazily. It took all their efforts to find where Raven had stored most of her stuff before she had decided to return. It was in the basement, next to an abandoned rat's nest. They had rooted through it, but nothing incriminating came out.

"It's hopeless," Changeling muttered. "We should just give up."

"No," Robin said. "First we check both of the girls' rooms, and then we give up. I'm going to make sure that nothing's out of place from my room." The trophy room that functioned as Robin's personal lair was a bit creepy to most of the Titans, and they allowed him that leisure. He vanished into the room and began to check that everything was in its place.

Then he came to it. The armor he had decimated to remake his costume. It stood there, not moved since he last saw it. His eyes lingered, trying to place something but failing. He then moved. There was Warp, the villain from the future that until recently seemingly made such ideas of the end of the world coming seem like childish superstition.

Now the armor stood, emptied of its power cells. He looked closer. It had been rifled through, that much was obvious, and whatever device he had placed to cause the time-space warp was now elsewhere. He fumbled with the case, and looked at it closer. There was definitely a missing piece or three from the armor.

This only roused his suspicions as he looked back at the old Red X costume.

Something was definitely out of place.

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

The two HIVE students found three of the graduates out back dunking the smallest into a pool idly. They looked utterly bored, even Gizmo, who was on the receiving end of the torture. "It's just not the same," said the girl, Jinx. "I mean, here we are, watching the world end, and we don't even really feel the need to get back at you anymore."

"Gee, thanks," Gizmo whined. "Then could you stop doing this to me?"

"No," Mammoth responded.

"Anyway, what can we do? You heard all about what Mad said. The Prophet's gone, so the world's just going to end whether we stop it or not." Jinx didn't seem too pleased. "There were so many shopping malls I had to rob blind, still. So many superheroes to make cry for mercy. Why is life so short?"

"I dunno," Mammoth shrugged.

"Of course you don't," Jinx said, "You never think." Mammoth seemed vaguely offended by this, but said nothing. He dunked Gizmo again.

"Er, excuse me?" Harley asked. "Are you three the ones who know what's going on around here?"

"Maybe," Jinx said. "We certainly got a good glimpse at the big picture, and it's not a good sign." She looked at them. "Why do you ask?"

"We were kind of ordered to stop all this madness," Ichabod said. "The Headmistress seemed quite resolute."

"That's gotta suck," Mammoth said, bringing Gizmo back up from under the water. "Okay, I guess you've been paid back for backstabbing us. Don't do it again unless you're sure we'll stay dead."

Gizmo muttered to himself and wrapped himself in an electric blanket he kept in his back pack. His thankfully waterproof backpack. "Geez, why don't we just go kill the Devil if you want to stop all this so bad?"

"How do you kill a devil?" Ichabod asked. "He's immortal."

"No," Gizmo said, "He's immoral. That means he cheats death a lot, but he's not immortal. We can beat him if we just think up a real good plan first." He rubbed his hands together, "And it sounds like just the thing to be my crowning achievement."

"Assassinate a devil?" Jinx asked. "That sounds wonderfully ironic. Let's do it." She grinned. "Maybe we'll fail, but it's better than sitting here waiting for the world to end."

"Where do we start to look?" Harley asked, excitedly. "Can we go to the Mall of America, can we? Can we please?"

"No!" Jinx said. "We need someplace a lot more iconic of the combat between God and Satan. Something that's dedicated its entire life to presenting the story."

"A church or something?" Mammoth asked.

"Amazingly, Mammoth," she said, "You actually got it almost right. The Church. We're going to Rome!"

"Oh boy!" Harley laughed. "Let me get my overnight bag!"

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

The others returned empty handed from their salvages. "What's wrong, Robin?" Changeling asked. He didn't immediately respond. "We didn't find anything. How about you?"

"There's been a robbery. We're missing equipment from certain confiscated equipment." He continued without missing a beat. "Nothing major, but still it means that the city's descending into chaos if we're victims of a robbery."

"Stuff missing like what?" Tempest asked. "Anything relevant to the case?" Robin shook his head quickly.

"No, no. Nothing at all," Robin said. "Just irritating."

"I imagine," Tempest said. "I think we could all use a bit of food to get us to think. Then we can start looking for more clues."

"Okay," Robin said. The others filed out, except for Cyborg. There was something going on here that Robin wasn't telling them. He watched his friend's movements closely. Earlier they had been haggard and tired. Now he walked as if he had been reborn. Whatever had come over him in his room, it certainly wasn't just finding a robbery. That wasn't the sort of thing that would motivate Robin after this. Robin turned to him, "Come on, Cyborg. We can't solve this on an empty stomach."

"Quick question. What was missing?" Cyborg monitored his expression. Robin lifted his brow, trying to think of a way to

"Pieces from some of the villains' outfits." Cyborg looked serious.

"What pieces, exactly?"

Robin paused. "A mask and a couple of parts from a piece of armor."

"Whose, I think it may be very important," Cyborg asked. Robin fidgeted. "Because it just hit me. The way the heart had been cut open left it forming a red x." There was a pause, as Robin coughed. The Cyborg looked carefully to Robin, who looked back calmly. Not a single drop of sweat fell down his forehead.

"Cyborg," he laughed. "I know what you're thinking."

He then threw red Xs at Cyborg, Changeling, and Tempest before they could even respond. "Good detective work."

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

"It's time," Slade said, over the intercom. "He's definitely it."

"You're certain," Batman asked.

"Definite, like I said. I could record a full confession if you want to hear it." he responded testily.

"Keep a close eye on him. I'll be there momentarily."

The Titans watched Robin gently drape a cloak around himself and place the Red X mask on his face. It seemed to meld with his face, transforming him into something utterly demonic. They looked helpless as the Red Xs crushed the life out of them. "Poor, poor Cyborg. Always having to pry." He waved his finger to chastise. "Naughty, naughty."

"Robin!" he screamed. "When did you?"

"When?" Death cackled. "I was the first of them. Though my other persona didn't realize it." He sighed, shaking his head, "I don't want to be a movie cliche, but let the killer do a bit of talk, shall we. It's the detective's job, once the culprit's been revealed to explain the motives and clues to the audience piece by delicate little piece, after all."

"Fine," Cyborg said. He was buying tie to break through the X. "Go ahead. Explain the motive."

"The motive? Utter world genocide." Death laughed. "Don't you understand? You're all meant to die, I'm just moving it forward so we don't have to deal with all your human interference." He moved to Tempest. "Oh, and you Atlanteans count as humans. That's got to hurt the old ego, hey, pretty boy?" Cyborg gave a look to Changeling to divert attention, and passed it along to Tempest. They understood the unspoken request.

"Why do this," Changeling asked, "With the masks and everything?" Death leaned over him.

"Ah, that's a good question. Let me try and keep this from getting to Freudian. Deep psychological need for a secret identity. I need someone to be when I'm not doing my job. I just expanded on it to a third dimension. Do you approve?" He bowed.

"What about War?" Tempest asked. "And the what happened to the other two?"

"Pestilence was destroyed along with the Son of God. We've won the war, sad to say," he made a mock compassionate gesture with his head, and then turned to look them straight in the eye. "The other two were rookies. Amateurs, I should say, bent on chaos and fear. Me? I'm about what my name says. Death. I kill. I love death."

"When did this happen?" Changeling asked. He looked to Cyborg, who was sawing away at the trap with great efficiency. "Come on, tell us. When did you figure it out?"

"I don't mean to blow my own horn," Death said, "But at the diner. I figured that I could try and fool myself a bit longer, so I played along. But a part of me knew it was me. It was that feeling of Raven's sweet breath in mine that came to mind. Ever have something growing inside you? It hurts, but when it's fully grown, there's nothing but love and pride."

"You were the first." Changeling looked pensive, "So when did you...?"

"That's right, I was the first." He gave a flourish, "You're absolutely correct. There's that little matter of date. You see, I made my first killing in White Chapel. Just so my mentor would understand the basic concept of the murder. I was hoping to meet him soon. So I can kill him." He sighed, "She planted the seed the night we returned from Khashoggi's ship."

They continued their furtive glances towards Cyborg. He gave a motion to say continue, and Tempest took it. "Well, I'm sure you're proud. You killed an innocent girl who loved you and you loved back."

"I loved her not," Death said. "Robin may have, once, but he's gone. Now, all that's left is me, with my ever flowing love for Raven. If she bid me to kill every last one of you in horrible ways, I would do so." He gave a dramatic sigh, "Please understand my position. Guys, we're the best of friends, always will be. But I'm sorry. I'm in love."

"That's all I needed," Slade said as he descended from the rafters with a gun set on him. "You're coming with me, dead or alive. We now have more than enough evidence to support killing you on the spot." This only brought another rollick of twisted laughter from Robin.

Death gave a grand gesture to Slade. "I choose dead." He ducked under the mercenary and began to run. "If you can catch me alive!" The chase was on. Slade hurried after Death, and the rest of the Titans laid on the ground until they were gone. Cyborg broke the red X and hurried to aid his teammates.

"Okay," Changeling said. "First Starfire's killed by him, and now he's just totally lost it. This is not a good day."

"No, it isn't," Tempest said. "And a part of me's certain that it's only going to get a lot worse from here."

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

The chase went on across the rooftops for hours. Death lead Slade through a rigorous variety of tricks and traps that were laid out extra carefully just so he would fall to his own doom. But Slade's tenacity kept him close behind and, soon they would reach their destination.

The car beneath them rocketed ahead. Slade couldn't help but be impressed by the might of the Batmobile. Death watched it with a bemused detachment. "Oh, there he is." he said.

"What are you planning?"

"To kill you both," Death responded simply. "In a personal manner. No fancy tricks. Just my hands against yours."

"Too bad you won't win, then," Slade responded with a hidden grin. They were now at the proper meeting point. The rooftop was a flat battlefield, and Death couldn't use any of his tricks without either of them noticing it. Batman appeared out of the shadows. He looked at Death with a disguised disgust. And Slade's careful eye never left the field.

"Robin," Batman murmured. "What's happened to you?"

"I've become everything I needed to be," Death proclaimed proudly. "I am now a man."

"This isn't manhood, Robin. This is madness." Where they stood now was at an impasse. They couldn't move against him, and he couldn't move against them unless he wished to be cornered. His claws lengthened into scythe like tendrils. His mask, emotionless, steadily looked towards Slade. Slade steadily looked back. Batman crouched ready to the side. Neither dared move against him now.

"Well," Death said, "Are we men or not?" He moved towards Slade. "Are we going to fight one last time?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because," Death said, "I've always been fascinated with the art of death. How best to describe it, I've grown to admire the craftsmanship of a good murder."

"Why did you--"

"Because," Death said, "All the great killers of history targeted beautiful women. It's nothing strange. A charming smile, a brief fling, and then a cross through their hearts. It was fittingly symbolic considering the nature of the endeavor."

"This is a waste," Batman muttered. "This is all an utter waste of lives."

"Ah," Death said, looking at them. "That's where you're wrong. This is just what the Earth needs. A good old fashioned genocide!"

Death ducked under Slade's first punch and brought himself up to repel a kick from Batman. The attack was on full-fledge. Death was against two skilled warriors, and the fight would go long into the day and possibly through the night again, neither giving him opportunity to rest. They didn't notice, in their haste that he no longer needed to breathe. "Keep it up, old man," he taunted. "I'm much stronger than you."

They were thrown to the side without so much of a thought. He brought his scythe like claws to attack. They defended, valiantly. Their flesh was cut, but still they defended. He was suitably impressed and recoiled the tendrils to attack with a series of punches and kicks. Batman defended while Slade moved into the offensive. He drew his staff and began to move in to attack.

Death dodged, and brought out his own staff, which now grew a laser-like scythe blade from its ends. Bringing it up, he swung it around in a sweeping angle. Batman ducked under and kicked at his abdomen, which caused Death to recoil, but he did not drop. Slade brought his blade down on Death, who repelled it. They exchanged blows, Death repelling one to return another which Slade in turn parried.

Slade finally got an advantage as Death slipped his footing awkwardly. He pushed it, forcing Death on a defensive. As they approached the ledge, Batman moved to corner him. They stood, ready to attack him at once, but as soon as they were ready to pounce, he vanished into a hole that appeared mysteriously in the ground.

"Why do you think I took the great trouble of trying to work out how these things worked?" he asked. "Besides allowing me to go anywhere and do anything I want." He brought his scythe up and cleaved Slade's staff in twine. The mercenary looked a bit miffed.

"Is it just me," Slade asked, "Or does he like to talk."

"Don't look at me," Batman said. "He must have gotten it from his mother."

"Trying to be humorous to lighten the mood?" Death asked. He cackled. "Let's take a brief breather. You old men look like you need a rest. The two didn't move off their guard, but stood, trying to regain their footing and make a new strategy.

"He's faster than us," Slade said. "And stronger. He's not as smart, but he's twice as cunning."

"Typical teenager," Batman said, in all seriousness.

"I can't speak for you," Slade said, "But I've seen better years, myself." Batman didn't respond, and Slade respected the silence. "He's arrogant and talkative, and maybe we can use that to our advantage."

"If anything it will buy us time." They looked up, and Death was gone. There was a series of gunshots, and then a cry. A final gunshot finished it. Then Death reappeared, looking awfully pleased with himself. "What did you just do?" Batman demanded with a roar.

"I thought you'd appreciate it if I made the fight more personal. I just killed a family coming home from a movie theater. You heard the screams through a speaker I had placed in the ground below."

"You monster," Batman said.

"That's exactly the attitude I want you taking. No 'woe poor Robin' bull. I want the whole deal, because I'm not Robin anymore, 'Dad'." He turned to Slade, "'Master'." He moved to attack them. "In fact, I'm tired of giving you breathers. Any time you want to take a break, remember, to satiate my hunger, I'm going to kill someone and it'll be on your conscience!"

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

"Okay, this may just be me," Changeling muttered. "But to be quite honest, I didn't think night came this quickly." There was a definite pause among the group. "I'm right, aren't I. Something weird's going on here."

"Look at that moon!" Tempest said. It was completely dark. "A bad omen."

"What's going to happen next?" Changeling asked. "Are demons going to start making the world into their own personal version of Hell? Are pigs going to fly?"

A pig flew right by him.

"What the hey," he muttered. "I think someone's beginning to take me way too seriously." They moved to find where they had gone to. "We need to somehow snap Robin out of this thing."

"I know," Cyborg said. "But I don't know how. We got lucky with the first one. War we got bailed out by the Justice League. How are we going to even stand toe to toe with Death when he's our own fearless leader?"

"Guys," Tempest said. "I have a plan." They grouped together. "While I was inside the Leviathan, we talked about a great deal of things that he thought best I should know. There's something of an astral plane, I imagine it's similar to what Raven tapped into."

"Okay," Changeling said, "You've lost me already, but okay."

"Don't worry about the details, but here's the thing, if Raven's powers are based on the astral plane, then likewise so much Death's."

"You're saying we mount an attack on his astral form?" Cyborg asked. "Could work. But how can we stop him from stopping you?"

"Keep him distracted," Tempest said. "I barely understand how I can manipulate water. I don't know how well I'll do trying to tap into a plane that I didn't know existed until a few days ago."

"Learning stuff in the belly of the beast," Changeling muttered. "That's got to be a life-affirming event."

"It definitely was," Tempest said. "Okay, give me a little while to prepare. I'm going to need one of you to keep a hold onto me. Something to call me back."

"I'll do it," Changeling volunteered.

"Okay," Cyborg said. "I run decoy."

"Right," Tempest said. "All together now. We ready?"

"Yes!" they announced.

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

There was only a brief pause when he disappeared. Death had murdered a sleeping babe without a minute's hesitation during a brief pause Slade made for breath. Batman eyed him, and continued his assault when Death returned. He was repelled, but left Slade an opening, which he capitalized on. The opening was brief, and he managed to cut Death close to the gut.

Thrown back, Death regained his footing only to receive an attack from Slade. The punches were brutal as they crushed his bones and bruised his skin. And yet, he didn't seem too fazed by any of it. He simply reached for Slade's neck and let his scythe nails emerge. They pierced his throat and he fell to the ground, dead.

Death then turned his attention to Batman. The two faced on equal ground, one on one, with neither giving nor taking too much. They matched each blow perfectly, and followed each movement accordingly. "You're good, Pops," Death laughed.

"Then why are you smirking?" Batman asked, knowing full well what followed.

"Because I know something you don't know," he laughed. "I am toying with you. I could kill you whenever I damn well pleased. But this is too much fun. I always wanted to be a rebel."

"Shut up," Batman ordered. He spat.

"Oh, Bruce, you're angry at me," Death said, toying with his usual tone. "I'm sorry." He then thrust two particularly vicious punches at him. "Let me make it up to you!" Batman ducked back, while Death loomed high.

"Time to die," he laughed. The laughter was cut short by a vicious left hook straight to his spine. A feral growl followed, and Death turned around to see Slade, alive and well. "Aren't you dead yet? I'll just have to kill you again." He threw red Xs at the old man, who simply threw them to the side. He pounced like a wild cat on the fallen Titan. Death quickly dodged and returned with a fierce kick to the jaw. The mask shattered, leaving wild white hair exposed. "You really are old."

The next flurry of attacks pushed Death backwards without any real direction. He couldn't find anywhere to hit because the next hit wasn't going to come from a calculated angle. "You're really, really good when you're dead, you know that?" Death cursed.

"Why am I not dead?" Slade screamed. He kicked down on Death's abdomen, pushing him off balance. He then tackled him to the ground. Around this time the other Titans had located the team and were surprised to see him down on the ground, at the mercy of a feral Slade.

"What's going on?" Changeling asked.

"Slade is immortal," Batman answered, "The resulting experience of a death-like trauma often leaves the immortal at the victim of their more feral urges."

"You sound familiar with it." Tempest added.

"A run in with Vandal Savage," Batman explained.

"We have a plan. Can you help me run decoy while Tempest here tries to get in touch with Death's Astral self?" Cyborg asked. "I know it's usually something Doctor Fate would have to do, but Tempest's all we have right now."

"Fine," Batman said. "If it becomes too dangerous, retract."

"Okay." The two decoys ran out to meet Death head on, while Tempest slowly sank into a meditative trance. Changeling gingerly placed his hand to Tempest's shoulder, and waited for what would happen.

The fight raged on with the three of them keeping Death quite busy. While it was unpredictable, and Slade's attacks now uncontrollably moved Death about the battlefield, they seemed be catching the one up on him. It wouldn't last. The feral screaming Slade made was beginning to die into a labored breathing as the rest of the wounds healed, and the ferocity that had kept Death at bay was fading.

He took this time to make a comeback. He brought his scythe claws back out and slice at Cyborg's metal prostheses. They were scratched deep, and electricity began to spark from his arms. Batman used this time to launch his own attack on Robin, but he just continued to parry and repel any sort of attack that was made at him.

Meanwhile, the astral form of Tempest moved like shadows in the rain. There was a massive feeling of hopelessness as he surveyed the astral body of Death. It was huge, leaving his astral projection far below. It looked like a massive, but withered old oak. He moved to try and open it, but was met by a fearful Valkyrie. It stood menacing, and prevented his movement any further.

But he wouldn't be rebuffed. His astral form took matters into its own hands, forcing the guardian backwards. The Raven-like figure beneath the armor paused for the assault, blocking it, before releasing her own. Tempest didn't know what to do to defend, and simply moved to dodge. He felt the pain quite fiercely as the wave of energy hit him.

His physical form coughed up blood. "What's wrong, Tempest!" Changeling said. "What's going on there?"

"Let me concentrate," Tempest warned. The astral form looked ready to counter, and released a series of attacks towards the Astral guardian. The form blocked again, but this time was further pummeled by Tempest's assault. It moved backwards, off balance. He had scored a hit against the creature.

The two met again, and this time the Guardian was more powerful, grabbing the astral projection by the throat. Tempest grunted as fingers began to leave an impression on his own neck. "I can't get by her."

"Who?"

"Raven," he said. "She's protecting the astral form." He looked almost pathetic, struggling under the invisible grip of some distant demoness. "And I just can't touch it. It's too far gone. It's grown into a full tree." Changeling looked at Death and back to Tempest.

"Give it up," he said, "There's nothing you can do now."

"Not yet!" he yelled. His Astral form launched a strong force attack. The power was enough to send Raven's stand into the old oak that stood waiting to be cut down. Its branches fell down, but they simply reattached themselves. The force had grown far too strong. Whereas the others held only sprouting seeds, the Horseman of Death had his evil fully manifest. Tempest felt his Astral form being pushed back. His skin was beginning to sizzle, and Changeling held onto his shoulder out of sheer force of will.

"Get back!" he told Tempest, and Tempest relinquished. His astral presence returned to him. He stood up, and looked resigned.

"Keep holding on," he said, "I'm almost past her!" he said. The Astral form grew in size, its movements became quicker. It repelled the attack, causing him to cool down. "There. I think I figured out how to move this thing."

"Good," Changeling said, "That's really comforting to know." The astral forms battled, their fists and magic dueling it out. Tempest's form finally gained an advantage, pushing it back. The Oak was pierced, but what was within was a hobbled and weak form. What ever had been left of Robin's soul was now locked away in the tree, unable to escape.

"I can't... do anything." The Astral form returned.

"It's okay. You did what you could." Changeling assured.

"If I had been a bit more powerful, and just a bit quicker," he muttered. "I just feel so powerless."

"We all feel that way, sometimes," Changeling said. They looked to the fight in progress. Death had gained the upper hand, dealing quickly with each assault that came without pause without so much as figuratively batting a lash. The calm mask and the grandiose gestures marked his retorts. They came quick and they came hard. Cyborg felt his body being torn apart by a simple push, and Slade found himself clinging on to his consciousness after a series of powerful scythe slashes followed him.

Batman looked the most ready to deal with him. He knew every move that Robin had been taught, and was doing his best to keep one step ahead of his young student.

He wasn't able to keep up. His breath was starting to grow heavy. It was a noble effort, but no mortal could even hope to defeat the embodiment of Death itself.

Changeling rushed in, taking on a large, brute form and tried to grab the Rider by the cowl. The cowl simply left his form and he vanished into the ground to reappear behind Changeling to follow with a series of slashes. He was brought back by a flailing gunshot from Slade, but it was only a temporary measure.

Death only grew in his skill. Every attempt to beat him to a standstill was giving him new ideas, and he had no breath to run out of. Even when Tempest brought his hydrokinetic magic to the field, it did little to quell the fight. All it did was postpone what was inevitable. The waters jetted from the fire hydrants below above, following Death as he dodged about.

A fist stopped the assault, throwing Tempest to the ground. The other Titans swarmed him, but he vanished into the ground and launched into an attack anew.

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

The Vatican was dripping red with blood tonight. The cardinals and all the holy men that resided there were torn asunder by Raven's careful demeanor. She took a breath of the bloodied atmosphere, and laughed. "It's just like in the movies," she replied. "After that headache the stupid Sea God gave me, it's relaxing. And anyway soon my beloved Death will kill him and all of his friends, and then" she said, "Then we'll be together to bring this world to its Hellish light."

"I'm glad you're so perky about it," BC said. "I, meanwhile, have been here lugging all this equipment around like no body's business." He took the books of incantations and the various chalks he needed, and placed them on the ground. "Yes, I know they're luxuries, but indulge me." Raven paid him no mind, and he went about using the old books to mark the floors with symbols. Raven's eyes lingered on them for a minute before turning her head around.

"How much longer?" Raven asked, impatiently. "I'm eager to tell my daddy what a good girl I've been." There was a sickening crack of her neck as she looked back at him. "Why aren't you answering me, BC? You love to talk."

"Do I?" BC asked. "Sorry, it's just so close to the end that I'm starting to fall in and out of character."

"Are you sad that I killed the traitor?" she asked.

"No," BC laughed, "Not in the slightest. Dead lips are always the sweetest. They don't know how to say no." He jumped about to another circle. "The Dark Side of the Moon is almost fully shown."

"Good," Raven said. "How much longer do you think?"

"At the very least, two minutes," he said. "We'll know for certain when the Vatican begins to shake apart." There was a rumbling. "And I seem to have been wrong." He cursed and moved quickly to complete a third sigil in the floor. He counted desperately on it. The buildings began to tumble, and what was left was a sky that was tainted with blood.

A grand form emerged from thin air, his face a perfect image of Raven's, only stronger. His horns and eyes carefully eying everything around him. The Trigon was now on the planet. And he looked furious. "What foolishness is this, little daughter!" he howled. His fist tore her aside. "You have lost three of my seeds of power. Now I have barely enough strength to move the stars."

"Father!" she murmured. "I did everything you told me to do." She squealed in pain, as she felt her ribs crack. "I only did what you told me!"

"I told you to do nothing of the sort. Now my power is still held within my own dimension. No matter. It's only a matter of time before I call them back forth." He then noticed the third person in the group. He looked to BC, carefully examining his face and features. There was a certain degree of familiarity, but he still couldn't place the face. "And who the devil are you?"

"No one of consequence," BC said, "Well, to you anyway." He grinned.

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

"Something's wrong," Mad said. "I don't know what's happening." Starfire floated over to where he and Pamela sat watching. "This is too early!"

"What's wrong?" Starfire asked.

"I think someone provoked this. I wonder if those those symbols on the ground... Holy symbols. They're keeping a barrier that would usually prevent him from entering our dimension. They seem native to Azarath, so curious." He looked curiously at the symbols. "They seem to be holding back a great deal of power."

"Why is this happening, anyway?" Pamela asked.

"Not likely the priests," Mad said. "The sea turning red was explained away as it was." He sighed, "They didn't see the warnings. It must have been someone who was in on the agenda. But who could it be? If only the Prophet were alive, I'd know what to do. I'm so useless!"

He found himself in a warm embrace. "Do not cry," Starfire said. "We are here to help you. Tell us what we must do to let you confront Trigon. When it is time, we will be victorious."

"You really think we can still do it?" Mad asked.

Starfire nodded. "Of course! You can do it, Mad the Swine!"

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

Death howled in pain. His body was twisted about as the power was forcefully removed from his body. The five warriors stood watching the sight without so much as a word. They couldn't make any out. Death crumpled to the ground, his mask falling to the ground with a hollow roll. "Is this what they call Deus Ex Machina?" Changeling asked. "'Cause I like it."

"No," Tempest said. "This is what we call coincidence. That power's been stripped from out of him. It's got to be going somewhere else. And I don't think it's to some savior."

They looked to one another. "The sky," Cyborg murmured. "It's changing to--" The sky was completely red, now. And the clouds were torn aside, revealing horrible constructions that hung abstractly in the sky. A giant eyeball watched, blinking once or twice at the people he saw below. Strange demonic forms began to dance about.

"This," Cyborg said, "Is seriously messed up."

"Not the words I'd have chosen," Slade said, "But the sentiment's the same."

"It's like my seas," Tempest murmured.

Slade looked to Robin's prone form. "We need to get him medical attention. He's probably going to be starved when he comes to."

"Right," Cyborg said.

"The League will handle this," Batman said. "You stay out of this." He looked sternly at the Titans, and then with a dramatic twirl of the cape, he descended to the ground below.

"Don't gotta tell me twice," Cyborg muttered. "I'm glad they're finally going to be doing something."

"You can say that again," Changeling said. "So, Tempest, you ready for a well-deserved nap?"

"No." Tempest looked to be shaking. "Something's not right here." The others helped him find his footing. Slade looked over the kids, carefully. He shook his head, dismissing his thought.

"There's nothing you can do about it now. Get home," he said. "You're just kids. This isn't your fight."

"You know," Changeling said. "I'm getting tired of people telling me that. That I'm just a kid. That I should be preparing for my future. Well, guess what, if what we've seen so far is true, we don't got a future if you screw up. We got a whole lot more at stake than you do." He paused, "No offense, but you have been alive a lot longer than us."

"I understand," Slade said, tiredly. "But what can you three do against Hell?"

"Not us three," Tempest said. He looked to Robin. "We need our leader back, first."

Slade looked at the three boys, who stood weary but alive. "Okay, then." He smiled, "I like your attitudes. I continue my service to you Teen Titans, at the same fee as before."

"What fee is that?" Changeling asked.

"I'll tell you when the struggle's over." There was a tense pause, and the Titans looked to one another. Slade mysteriously raised his brow before turning to leave. "Are you coming, or not? There's still a lot to be done." They were met by a form as they turned to leave. He gave them a wave and spoke.

"That's for sure." Arsenal stood there, waiting expectantly.

"Arsenal!" Cyborg yelled. "Where have you been? You vanished after that Famine incident."

"Let's just say my pride took a beating." He looked confident. "So, while you guys took the Horsemen on, I got a call from Oracle to investigate a series of rather strange natural disasters in Europe. Earthquakes destroying Rome, for example."

"What's going on there?" Changeling asked.

"We don't know," Arsenal said, "But I do know that's where Raven is."

"And that leaves us with one option," Cyborg said. "We've survived her horsemen, now we got to confront her about this."

"Why," Changeling declared, "Do I get a bad feeling about all this?"

.

.

.

Oh, people of the Earth

Listen to the warnings of the Prophet, he said

For soon the cold of night will fall

Summoned by your own hand

end chapter 9