Shadow on the Wall
Chapter Five: Massacre under the Moonlight.
The Titans had finally caught up with the Reaper. After hours of following him through the deepest, darkest bowels of Jump City, they finally had him cornered in an alleyway. They could clearly see Starfire's unconscious body draped across the fiend's broad shoulders.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll put the girl down and surrender." Robin seethed. This monster had hurt Starfire, and he was going to make him pay for it dearly. The Reaper laughed a hollow and emotionless noise that chilled the Titans all the way down to their bones. He held Starfire's form in the air with one arm for a second before dumping her limp body down at his feet. Moonlight washed over her, and for the first time the Titans could see the condition she was in. To their horror, she was completely bare-naked and covered in blood from head to foot in blood.
"I've had my fun with her, but not that she has gone cold, she is of no more use to me." The Reaper laughed again, and to emphasize his sentiments, he raised one boot in the air and brought it crashing down on Starfire's neck. If there was any life in Starfire before, there surely wasn't any there now. Robin was the first to react, screaming in rage and terror and launching himself at the Reaper. He would not reach his target. While Robin was still in mid-leap, The Reaper lashed out with his scythe, catching Robin square in his midsection and cleaving him neatly in half. Blood poured onto the ground as the two separate section continued their flight before flopping to the ground. Just as Cyborg brought his sonic cannon up to fire, the Reaper rocketed forwards and hacked the limb from Cyborg's body. The Reaper than used to momentum of the slice to swing downward and literally cut the legs out from under the Titan. Cyborg toppled face-first into a growing pool of blood and oil. The reaper raised the scythe into the air and brought it down into Cyborg's back; sending sparks flying and silencing the Titan's screams of pain. He turned and walked toward the two remaining friends. Beast Boy shoved the frozen Raven behind him.
"Stay behind me…I'll protect...urghk" Beast Boy would not finish that sentence, as the Reaper shot out one hand and caught him around the throat. A stream of gurgles and coughs were the only noises Beast Boy made as the steely grip grew ever tighter. Raven was so close to him that she could hear the wet crack when his neck finally snapped. Throughout the terrifying ordeal, Raven found that she could not move, or bring herself to speak. Now she and the Reaper were the only ones left alive. All around her she could see the broken and mutilated bodies of her now dead friends. She wanted to scream, but she could not find the voice. She wanted to run, but she could not find the strength. The Reaper focused his gaze on her.
"I'm coming for you next, Raven of Azarath, and there's nothing that can stop me." The Reaper raised his scythe into the air for assuredly the last time, and in a sweeping arc, brought it down to Raven's neck. Just as the blade was about to connect, Raven screamed for all she was worth.
She was still screaming when she woke up. She looked around her room frantically, checking every corner as she inhaled deep, long breaths. Her sheets, clothes, and body were drenched in sweat, and tears were streaming down her face. The rest of the Titans barged into her room, nearly knocking the door off its hinges in their rush to reach their friend. They had returned to Titan Tower after searching nearly all night without finding any clues. It was decided that they should all get some rest before heading out again.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Robin's voice sounded haggard, and Raven didn't doubt that he had not been able to get any sleep, just like the rest of the Titans.
"I just had a terrible nightmare. I'll be okay." Raven admitted. "I fear that Beast Boy was not joking about what he saw carry away Starfire."
"Whoa, hold on for a second, Raven. You can't be serious." Cyborg didn't sound like he was convinced.
"You don't think we're fighting the actual Grim Reaper." Robin added.
"Yes and no."
"Calm down first, Raven, then explain what you're talking about."
---
I do believe that the girl will recover completely from her injuries. She had lost a great deal of her blood, but I managed to bring her back to my home and bandage her wounds fast enough. Her leg is badly broken as well, but with time, that too will heal. I stayed awake all day watching over her, although in twelve hours she has yet to move. I do not know when she will wake up, or even how she will react when she does. I open up the sliding door and look outside. The sun has set, and the moon has risen to its place in the clear night sky. I ponder the choice between staying here and leaving so I can make my nightly patrol of the city, leaving the girl to fend for herself if she was to wake up. I decide that the girl will be fine here by herself for a few hours. Before I can leave, I hear the sound of groaning back in my home. The girl must finally be rousing from her unconscious state. I return to the seat that I sat in all day across the room from the bed. Her noises are light at first, but over the next few hours, they grow louder and louder as she regained her senses. It is past midnight by the time she finally opens her eyes. She blots upright in the bed, and let's loose with a scream that fills the entire room. It is a good thing that I padded the walls to dampen any sounds. She whips her head around the room frantically, more than likely trying to make sense of not only her surroundings, but what had lead her to her condition. I say nothing, content on allowing her to calm herself down before making any attempt at conversation. It is many minutes before that point happens. Finally her breath becomes regular once more, and she slumps back down in the makeshift bed. It is at that point that she first notices me. In the interest of not frightening her, I have my face covered with a hood. She stares at me for a while before speaking for the first time.
"What is going on? Where am I?" With every question the girl seemed to get more and more frantic. When I answer her, I try to be as calm and reassuring as I can. I fear that it does not work as well as I hope.
"Do not fear, Starfire." I say to her. "You are safe." From under her bandages I can feel her eyes upon me.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?"
"I know many things, Starfire. Unfortunately, you must not know who I am just yet.
"Where are my friends?"
"That is also something I cannot tell you." The girl became angry and floated up from her bed, her eyes glowing a bright shade of green. However, before she could do anything, she moaned in pain and fell back down to the bed. It did not take long for her eyes to drift shut
"You must rest, pure one. All will become clear in time."