Fighting on the Edge
Part 1
Birth Rites.
Sorry again for the long wait, but Chapter 14 is finally ready!
Stolen Valkyrie- thanx!
Slayergirl1362 - thanx!
Jini - lol. Thanx!
purplebananas - lol!
Metajoker - Ah, but remember this is just Part I!
Chapter 14
See who I am.
"That's right Raven, come back to your family."
The cold voice of her mother beckoned Raven forth, far from Azar's reach. Her demonic side had taken over, Raven willed herself to fight but it was dark. So very dark. She barely felt the shiver that passed through her body.
Angela greeted her daughter with a tight embrace. "She's come back to us Trigon, like you said she would." The dark haired woman stroked the child's hair softly.
Trigon placed his arm firmly around Angela's narrow shoulders. Leaning forwards he hissed into Raven's ear. "Welcome home."
-
The Titans gathered around Cyborgs still body. Kneeling beside his friend, Robin examined him closer. Running his fingers gently over the heavy suit of armour. The extent of the damage was unknown. But one thing was for sure, Cyborg wouldn't be assisting them any time soon.
"Is he aright?" Questioned Starfire, her emerald eyes shimmered.
Robin turned to her. Slightly shaking, he shook his head. "At the moment Cys offline."
"They're retreating!" Tempest landed close to Robin. "Think something's up?"
Robin nodded as his surveyed the dismal planes. The monsters had crept back just as Tempest had said, but they hadn't disappeared from sight. They were still there waiting to make their move. Robin scowled. How could he have let them walk into such an obvious trap!
"Its not your fault." Azar rested her hand lightly on his shoulder. But he shoved her away.
"Yes it is!" He declared loudly. His raised tone caught everyone off guard. Forcing back the tears he pointed at his fallen friend. "This is my fault. I let this happen!"
"No." Azar shook her head calmly. "Don't let your emotions get the better of you. You couldn't have stopped any of this. Nor could Raven." The woman's lips twisted grimly. "She's with him now."
Tears befell Starfires pretty face. Tempest studied the ground, unpleasant thoughts flickered throughout his mind.
"Are we going to have to fight her?" He whispered quietly.
Before Azar had a chance to respond, Beast Boy emerged, out of breathe. "Where is she?" He grunted.
"Beast Boy." Starfire wasted no time in hugging him tightly. "I am most glad that you are unharmed."
Loosing her grasp, Beast Boy step aside and repeated himself. "I have to find her."
"And we will." Robin addressed him. "But you have to be prepared for the worst."
Something distant glistered in his eyes. "I know what has to be done."
-
Cyborg groaned as he opened his eyes, shaking the remains of a painful headache. He didn't remember much. Raven screaming, he had tried to comfort her…..but it had been too late. He recalled the hideous grin of a hundred sharp white teeth that had gripped her face, as her pale grey skin flourished a dark red, and then those two sets of glowing scarlet eyes had appeared. He had known then that Raven was no more.
"Where am I?" he croaked.
"You're safe." Was his only answer.
"Oh great, its you!" he moaned when his eyes fell upon the hooded Supreme One. Scanning his systems he became very concerned all of a sudden. He was running on no power!
"Hey…" He started but stopped. "Let me guess, magic right?"
Azar nodded.
"Where are the others?" he questioned.
"They have gone to battle Trigon. You were injured, I told them that I could heal you. And no before you get any bright ideas, you are going to stay here and help me."
"To hell am I!" Cyborg started to march off, but as soon as he did he found his legs had frozen. Glaring at Azar he hissed. "Magic!"
The woman nodded once more, and Cyborg swore he could have seen a flicker of a smile pass over her lips. No, he thought quietly, it must have been my imagination.
"We should be out there fighting with the others." He urged.
"Our place is here. We have a most difficult task ahead of us."
"We do?" Cyborg couldn't help being intrigued.
"Yes." Azar continued. "We will need to be ready when Raven and Jericho need us." The woman sat cross legged upon the soil. Cyborg copied her.
"What is exactly that we're gonna do?"
"Contact the spirit world." Closing her eyes, Azar took his hands in hers. "Anymore questions or can we begin?"
Cyborg pulled away from her. "Just one. Where is Jericho?"
-
He couldn't help thinking that this was either the single most bravest action he had ever done in his entire life, or the stupidest. Nevertheless Jericho, inhabiting Beast Boys body stepped into the light so that Raven could see him. He felt Beast Boys heart collapse within his chest when they laid eyes upon the crimson figure. Rooted to the spot Jericho knew he had but moments before Raven would be lost forever. He prayed he was not to late. Just as long as Raven believed him to be Beast Boy.
Trigon's laughter boom as he glared at the small green figure who lingered before him. Did this child really think that he stood a chance? Still, he had to admire their courage. When weaker men would have run, these children stayed to fight. But for what purpose? What was it that caused this boy to risk his life for?
"Well, boy. You have impressed me!" The daemon king chuckled. He glazed down at the planes where the other Titans were fighting his second wave. They were few, yet they were putting up an extra ordinary fight. He smiled to himself. They would make fine warriors.
He turned to Jericho. "I give you and your friends the choice to join me."
Jericho remained silence, concentrating all his force on Raven.
"You'd be a fool to refuse." Trigon growled.
"I have no choice." The creature lifted his gaze. "I have to fight for what I believe is right."
Trigon roared with laughter. "Is that determination that leads you on, or stubbornness? If it's a fight you want, then I'm sure my daughter would be more then happy to assist."
A surge of dark magic flowed from the daemon child's crimson body. Her dark ebony cast a shadow across the fine features of her pretty mouth. Staring into her blazing eyes, Jericho saw her willingness for his destruction. Her father need only say the word and he would die by her hand.
Jericho felt his borrowed body trembled. Beast Boy was afraid. Yet it was not for his own safety that caused him to shake so. But that there was no way of ever reaching Raven. That she was lost to him for all eternity. If his death would have the smallest of impact of her decision to join the darkness, then Gar Logan would hand it over in a heartbeat.
It's alright. Joey reassured his friend.
"No, dear child." Trigon sneered. "Its not alright. It's far from alright. The choice between life and death lines before you. Choose wisely young one."
"This is no choice." Jericho felt his lips move with no control over what they were saying. Standing firmly, he glared hard into the creatures red eyes. "You may control your daughter. But you don't control the Titans."
Callous the smile remained imprinted within the daemons red flesh. "As you wish."
The next thing Jericho knew, he had been shoved backwards by a mighty gust of energy. Raven darted through the air, ready to strike him down. He knew he had to act quickly. That he must gain control over Beast Boys powers to defend himself. But he couldn't. His muscles were tense. His limbs were stiff. He shuddered as the terror gripped his mind. He doesn't want me to fight. He doesn't want Raven to be hurt!
The piecing crack of his arm breaking as Beast Boys limp body struck the hard ground, distressed Jericho more then the searing pain. Struggling to catch his breathe, the boy couldn't stop wheezing. The fear that Ravens deadly bow had damaged a lung clouded his mind. Joey growled. "Stop it! I have to fight her!" He hissed under his breathe.
"No."
The cry was faint but unmistakeable.
Before Jericho could think of a response, streams of Ravens black force had coiled around him. Movement was impossible, through that didn't stop Beast Boys body from trying to desperately wretch himself free. Gazing upwards, Joey watched helplessly as Raven descended towards the ground in front of them. In the distance, Joey could make out Trigon beaming face, content with Jericho's suffering.
Rapidly the cold curls twisted themselves across his chest approaching his head. Once he was completely submersed within their dark clutches, that would be it. Both Jericho and Beast Boy would die. And with them all hope to rid the world of this evil.
No. Jericho pressed his green eyelids shut. I would let it end this way. We've come to far for this to be the ending.
Jericho pressed his green eyelids shut.Opening his eyes once more, he was met with the shimmering figure that was Raven. Their eyes met for a moment, but didn't lingered. Did she know that it was Jericho hidden within this form? Is that why she dare not look him in the eyes? At that moment in time Joey didn't know nor did he care. But he hoped she didn't. Everything was riding on his being about to fool Raven into believing that she was about to kill her lover. Beast Boy was the only one who could bring her back. The only one who could connected with, if any, raw emotion that was left in her radiant being.
"Raven. It doesn't have to be this way." Joey did his best to impersonate his green companion.
"Yes it does." Ravens lips seemed to move as she had no control over them. As if they were part of her.
"No it does!" Jericho snapped firmly. "You can't let it end like this. You're stronger then you think. Don't let your father beat you!"
His words had no effect over the daemon girl. She remained concentrating on her dark coils. A reminder of how close he was to death brushed against his supple cheeks. Joey tried again.
"Please Raven, don't give up hope! I…I need you…" He felt the weakness of his word reflect in the sudden numbness of his body. But Joey refused to give in.
"I'm sorry. I should have treated you better…." His mouth strung with sharpness. Then his lips took on a life of their own. "Raven, I know I've treated you badly, and believe me, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for that. But I don't hate you, that's what your afraid of isn't it? What you've always feared? That I would hate you for who you've become. That I would reject you for Terra. I know I've given you cause to think this way, but its not true! I love you. I love everything about you….I always have…"
With his lips turning numb, all speech was lost. Was this the end? Jericho prayed that it wasn't. That Beast Boys words had meant something. But as the coldness refused to relent it seemed that they had not.
A burning sensation consumed Beast Boy body, banishing the darkness.
"Raven?" He croaked.
"Beast Boy." Raven through her arms around his shoulders, squeezing them gently. "Forgive me. Please forgive me." She sobbed into his fur.
Trickling his fingers across her violet tangles, he lightly move her head backwards. "You have nothing to be sorry for."
A white tear crossed the pale girls face. Moving closer, Beast Boys lips brushed against Ravens. For one brief moment the pair were transported away from the dismal wastelands of her father, to that one blissful night that seemed years ago now.
When they parted, Beast Boy didn't want to let her go. He knew that if he did, that it would be the last time he would ever see her again.
Raven read his expression. "You know?"
Beast Boy nodded. "I can't talk you out of it?"
"Sacrifices must be made."
What more could he do, but except that answer? Helping Raven to her feet, he gave her one last embrace, before he knew they would have to part.
Raven was full of sorrow, but she managed to conceal it so well. Whispering softly, she called for Jericho to emerge. It was time.
-
A frenzy of emerald force broken through the rigid boundaries of the land. Crack after crack form, uniting into one intense opening. Azar seemed pleased with herself. But Cyborg was still in the dark. He shook his head with confusion.
"How is this suppose to help us win?" He whispered.
Azar turned to him. "This is the Portal of Narsica. A gate way if you wish to the 'other side'. Through this the Soul of Azarth will be able to enter this realm."
Cyborg scratched his head. "Let me get this straight! Your master plan is to sent a bunch of dead guys to destroy Raven's father?"
Azar smirked. "Your simplicity amuses me. The people of Azarth are of the most powerful of all sorcerers across the many worlds. Trigon may have taken their lives, but he has not taken their powers. They will unity in one vessel , and grant them the power to sent Trigon back the depths whence he was created!"
Cyborg stroked his chin. "And this vessel is Raven, yes?"
"No. The souls are not able to possess just anyone. They need a special kind of person. One who is like a spirit themselves."
"Like Jericho."
Azar nodded. "Exactly."
-
The final part is next!
DIT
XXX