(Author's Notes: This was an unacceptably LONG period of time where I haven't posted. I am very sorry to everyone who's been reading this and waited patiently for my post. Understand that I tried to summarize the Opera in great detail, and to write out the actual thing would make it a story within a story, and get me too off track. I promise that chapter seven will come quicker; it's just that I've been busy with school and life.
A quick note about the storyline so far, consider this whole thing the rough draft. After I get about halfway I'm going to go back and edit the chapters to make them more appealing and improve them. Please RR about this chapter and others if you haven't yet so I know what to fix. Thanks!)
Chapter 7: A Night to Remember
Part Two: War of Souls
The occupants of Titans Tower were in a flustered rush to get ready so they wouldn't be late for attendance. Starfire dashed from the living room to her quarters and back on numerous instances, as she kept forgetting all sorts of truthfully unnecessary things (including scissors, a cup, and a toothbrush), Robin had to pull her away for fear that her tiny handbag would burst at the seams. Starfire, Raven and he were waiting in the living room by the tiny table before the giant entertainment system, none of them sitting for fear of putting wrinkles in their outfits. They were waiting for the Titans of Steel City to arrive as Cyborg dressed in his room; Robin tapping his foot impatiently, Raven turning the richly golden invitation document over in her hands, and Starfire gazing out the window passively at the bright lights of the city being obscured in the glassy, dark ocean waters, wriggling snakes of yellow and white surrounded by wavering fireflies.
The Tamaranian princess' fiery red hair was pulled back into a tight bun on the back of her head, held together with a clasp and two black 'chop-sticks' with a silver, floral Asian design along the sides protruding from the center of the bun. Two locks of her hair hung near the sides of her face, taking the shape of her cheeks. Around her neck was the familiar silver collar she wore that ran across her shoulders, her collarbone, and across her back, with the emerald-colored gem in the center below her neck. Her dress was sleeveless, the silver collar holding it in place, fitting her maturing body very well yet modestly. The cloth was a medium orchid color, and the end came down past her ankles where she wore purple heels similar to her fighting boots (though without the bold metal lining). Two silver bangles were clamped around her upper arms, a traditional Tamaranian trend, and from these came a transparent violet cloth that dipped like a vine and connected to the wrist portion of her elbow-length gloves, the same color as her dress, glittering in the light. She clutched a small white purse (now considerably lighter when Robin persuaded her to remove a few things) and fiddled with the daisy-shaped zipper obliviously, gazing pensively out the large glass window.
Robin glanced at Starfire secretly from behind him; and his heart fluttered for just a moment when he really looked at her for the first time that evening. The outfit was very strikingly beautiful, and the way her hair was pulled back, exposing her slender neck where the collar wasn't there, was almost intimidating. Robin himself looked extremely handsome and, to his amusement, proper, as if he had suddenly aged ten years but only in style. He was clad in the same black tuxedo he had worn when he was forced to a prom date with the narcissistic, devious and spoiled Kitten, a slightly less entertaining event to be sure. This evening he had a black cape draped around his shoulders, giving him a mysteriously dark but sharp look, for it was near freezing outside when he checked the thermometer. His eye mask added to the 'mysterious stranger' effect by concealing his identity; and overall he cut an imposing, refined figure. His jet-black hair was slicked back in a most sultry but still sophisticated way. Robin took out a silver, antique watch with the company name 'Wayne Enterprises' engraved on the back from his pocket and checked it; as if he were some gentleman on Time Square looking for the hour when his lover would meet him from out of the mists. He was a spitting image of his Father; the one he had left behind but not forgotten in Gotham.
Raven set the invitation down on the table in front of the couches and sighed slightly. What was the hold up? She was beginning to think it was a mistake for Cyborg to have invited the other Titans from Steel City. She told herself not to worry; that she was beyond self-afflicting states such as worrying. It would only make her feel worse to fret; after all. She spotted her dim reflection in the glass window and pretended to stare out, when really she was staring in, at herself. While she was usually discretely serene and concealed behind the folds of her blue cloak and hood, tonight was a different exception and so she wore a formal, short dress.
It was made of midnight velvet, and came across her legs at a diagonal slant from the center of her left thigh, ruffled in a graceful wave, the inside lining of it inky silk. The top portion was very corset-like in the fact that it was a lighter charcoal in color; attached to her chest with thin shoulder straps. It made a 'V' at the bottom where her hips were, similar to a garment that a medieval woman would have worn in the days of old. Silver and black-laced ribbon cascaded down the center of it in 'X' patterns, tying at the top fork of her bosom into a simple bow. A black, meshed flower pattern was embroidered on the corset, and on the actual velvet dress many threaded ravens were stitched in open flight. Her pale skin contrasted deeply with the dress, she toned this down with black gloves on her hands with the familiar red gem on the back encased in a silver, circular clasp. She also wore the belt of red gems around her waist, tilted the same angle as the slit in her dress. Her shoes were simple black ankle boots, wide where her shins drew into them and making her ankles look exceptionally skinny. She was quite amused with herself; and tied a non-hooded black tunic around her shoulders to pass the time.
She tore herself away from the window as the sound of footsteps and a few voices rang out; the Titans of Steel City had finally arrived and were approaching. Now all they had to do was wait for Cyborg. She felt sympathy for him; after all, it is difficult to face oneself in the mirror when one is trying to change into something he or she once was.
Cyborg emerged from his room feeling the same; but his appearance had taken a dramatic change. All of his computerized limbs and armor were not removed, but completely unseen behind holographic cloaking technology, a special ability given to him with the power of two rings he wore on each hand. He looked like any other human male his age, although broad-shouldered and muscular, a physique that rivaled many athletes. He wore a suit from a memory, just as Robin had, although he dared to say that his memory was fonder. It was the light-steel blue suit he had worn to the dance when he was an undercover agent in the old HIVE academy upholding the alias 'Victor Stone'; the school had hosted an open party (well, actually is more of a clandestine operation behind Brother Blood's back, but Cyborg didn't have the stomach to think about him at the moment), and he and a female student, Jinx, an old enemy of the Titans, had danced unrivaled, of course with her lacking the knowledge that he was, in fact, Cyborg at the time. He made his way to the living room; expecting nothing but a few looks and comments from his friends with their warm smiles to comfort him.
To his surprise, the rest of the Titans, including the Steel City bunch, were too busy chatting to notice him right away (to his relief). He stepped in as nonchalantly as he could; and for once his efforts were successful, or it would have been, for Bumble Bee, whose former-spy eyes were always on the lookout, spotted him easily. He became momentarily stunned when he saw her, in a long gown as it was expected, but starkly more elegant than her usual rough and jaunty look of a black and yellow striped shirt, black leather pants and boots. The trim of her dress trailed on the floor slightly behind her, made of a black material that glittered and flashed in the light, but dimly as to not avert the eyes. She held the hem of her dress up from dragging on the floor and walked over to him, an equal look of astonishment playing across her features. Her hair was done in the same pigtail buns she wore day-to-day, but with two gold barrettes fastening them, a pair of small dangling earrings, a few gold bracelets, and a necklace (a band that ran around the very bottom of her neck) that matched. Her hyalineinsectwings were tucked in against her back, a shade of deep red lipstick bringing out the whiteness in her teeth as she smiled and said:
"There you are. The others were beginning to think that you weren't coming."
"I came." Cyborg replied, shrugging. He could feel her gaze burning holes through him, and she the same as he stared back unflinching. Before anything else could be fired between them; Robin said:
"Is everyone ready? We have to leave now or we'll be late."
They all walked outside, prepared to squish into the only two cars that were capable of reaching the island (one of which was the T-car), when an early 1900's-style ferry chugged past the island with several figures flailing their arms and attempting to get their attention. They looked as the ferry came near and, sure enough, it was John Sanders waving furiously to them; with a few other lavishly dressed and red-faced people, and a teenage girl with long brown hair and clad in a robin's eggshell-blue dress. One of her arms was in a cast; and Raven recognized her as Bethany. John grabbed a megaphone and yelled very friendly:
"Hallo, Titans, quite a group you've got there! Why don't you join us instead of fighting the traffic? We're headed to the old port near Providence Boulevard."
They all exchanged glances, Mas (in a white tuxedo with a red rose) and Menos (in a black tuxedo with a white rose) jumping up and down excitedly. Aqualad, in a black suit with a dark blue tie that made him practically disappear into the night, frowned as he saw several garbage items that looked like party favors bobbing in the water behind the ferry. Speedy, wearing a black tuxedo similar to Robin's (they had a lot in common as far as costumes went, even sharing the same eye mask); shook his red head (which was gelled back rather frustratingly for the occasion, giving 'slick' a new meaning) when he saw the partiers cheering and waving somewhat stupidly. Apparently some rich and powerful people weren't as dignified as the others, a few of them holding up frothing bottles of expensive golden champagne in crystal glasses and singing.
"Won't we be late?" Cyborg yelled, realizing what time it was. The show started in 15 minutes…
"Nonsense! They can't start without me!" John Sanders chuckled, and beckoned for them to board as a platform was lowered to the island. With a few shrugs, the Titans boarded the ferry and headed towards Western Jump City, where the only original part of the city lay unscathed. They were welcomed warmly; the regular chatter instantly rising into a storm of talkative voices. Many of the men wanted to meet Starfire; and as she was swarmed by the crowd, Robin pulled her out of the circle, but did so subliminally as to not offend anyone, he took her arm in his and led her away to the punch bar. Raven became flustered instantly with all of the people cluttering the area; she was clearly not a party person. Bethany Sanders approached her near the starboard side of the boat and peered over the balcony at the rolling waves and hissing sea spray.
"Thank you for saving the city. If you hadn't stopped that monster, I don't know what would have happened. " Bethany said; her voice softened but proper from her pristine upbringing. Her clean, sleek brown hair was blowing in the breeze, the nearly full moon shining milky light down on her.
"Your welcome. We were just doing our job." Raven replied over the noise of the waves and the people, not to mention the live band playing that looked and sounded like a scene taken from the Titanic, a spirited violin cascading across her ears. She looked ahead wistfully towards the city and breathed easy as she gazed up at the stars, as plentiful as there were snowflakes in a blizzard and as sharp and luminous as diamonds cast across a blue-black blanket. She wished they would just get there already so she could sit down in the comforting dark and not have to be in the spotlight with all the others. Bethany seemed to read this on her face and said:
"We should reach our destination in another ten minutes. After that, we shall walk off the docks and down Providence Boulevard until we reach the theater. It is right near the great cathedral and mountainous old scholar library, the cities two most ancient structures. Wondrous structures, they are, I have taken a great liking to them. Father says that commoners are not allowed in the library, that's how old the books are, but I want everyone to be admitted to enjoy them. He really does bother me when he acts so snobby sometimes…"
Raven only nodded and stepped away from the side of the boat. She was beginning to feel a twinge of seasickness and gulped down a few deep breaths. A mildly prissy girl like Bethany seemed a rare jewel among all of the dry and conceited people around her. Perhaps she had been humbled by the incident with Ternion. For her father to act as if she had only fallen down the stairs instead of nearly losing her life in a crisis, that chewed on Raven's nerves terribly. There he was, jabber jawing away with all of the people about the state of the slums and how the 'street rats' begged him for change, how annoying it was. She scoffed and walked away from everyone, wrapping her cloak around her.
Mas y Menos were happily drinking punch, Aqualad making sure that they were virgin beverages and not spiked.
"You two are going to have to go to the bathroom every five minutes if you keep guzzling it like that." Speedy warned as he walked by, a few of the spectators observing them and laughing. What silly foreign boys they were; not at all like Americans but odd, they thought stuffily as they sipped their champagne. Mas looked at Menos, and then they both looked at Speedy as he walked away, and snickered in good humor despite the mean jeers they were receiving behind their backs.
"He's right, you're on your own if Raven kills you for getting up during the show." Aqualad said and headed off, shooting the onlookers a dreadful glare that was highlighted by his dark eyes with their white pupils, causing a few shudders as he walked by. The ferry was going to dock soon; he knew the waters around Jump City better than any aquatic fish or marine biologist.
"So, Mr. Cyborg, is it? What exactly are your powers?" John Sanders asked the incognito humanoid as he stood near the balcony. Something about the man's voice was very nosey, and very uptight like a lot of the guests once a person got to talk to them.
"I…well, I can do lots of things." Cyborg replied bluntly. "For one thing, I have super strength."
"Yes, but why do they call you Cyborg?" A middle-aged woman in all fur questioned. She wore a lot of ridiculous jewelry, and the half man, half computer hybrid found himself greatly agitated.
"Guess its just because he's good with computers, too." Came Bumble Bee's brass-bell voice, turning their attention away. The woman took one glace at the girl's wings and wrinkled her nose. Cyborg twitched, waiting for Bee to snap something nasty or sly in the woman's face, but to his surprise she put on her best fake smile, similar to the one she'd used when asking Brother Blood if she could become a member of HIVE, and stood by his side.
"There are some private matters that he and I need to discuss about a crime we are investigating. Would you excuse us, please?" Bumble Bee asked delicately. The woman nodded and walked off, leaving the smell of stingy perfume behind. John Sanders smiled, but it was not a normal smile, it was one that read 'Remember to mind your manners, or I'll ruin it for all of you, and I'm only doing this because you saved my daughter's life'. He too waltzed away, in a very fast manner that both of them found weird and entertaining at the same time.
"Thanks." Cyborg said with relief once everyone was out of hearing range.
"Nah, it was nothing. I know how degrading it can be when snotty people are asking pushy questions. How do you think I made it past all of the instructors at HIVE?" She said, smiling slightly and waving a hand. Cyborg questioned this at first, but then realized that a few people were staring at them from not too far off, and she was making it seem like they were talking about something appropriate for a boat party through her looks and gestures. He went along with the act and smiled, pointing out of context to the overhanging lantern lights on the wires and nodding. A few of the guests went back to their own conversations, shooting the occasional side-glance.
"I don't think I like these people very much; now that I've got to talk with some of them." Cyborg said in a low voice.
"I am afraid I must acquiesce." Came Starfire's voice as she neared them from further down the edge of the balcony. "They complimented me on my dress; but when I spoke to them, and they did ask me many strange things, they gave me funny looks and one man said that my English was worse than a operator of a truck?"
"These people are out of touch with reality, Star, don't take it personally." Cyborg told her blatantly, and she smiled lightly. Bumble Bee shook her head in dismay, and they all walked to the platform when the ferry had docked at last. Despite their now unpleasantly ruled company, the Titans marveled at the sights they saw before them.
The docks were made of heavy timber from when the city was first built in the old days when settlers had first reached their area. Aged sailboats and gnarled fishing vessels, their white sails drooped and rolled up for the night, slept in their harbor spaces deathly quiet with nothing but wind rippling through the nooks and cracks. As the company marched across the wide dock, the planks creaked underneath their feet, and they were supported by dark buoys that bobbed upon the surface of the bumpy water like hippos. When the party reached the end of the dock, they stepped onto Providence Boulevard, the oldest road in the city where no cars were allowed.
They treaded across ragged cobblestones onto a chipped granite sidewalk, and tarnished, black street lamps cast upside-down cones of yellow light onto the street, forcing back the shadows vividly. It was not so much the road that was impressive, but the architecture looming around them.
The Titans that lived with Raven knew that she wasn't an open book that could be read by anyone; and the only person that had a vague idea of her past life was their leader Robin himself. The shadow witch was either in her room meditating, scrying into the depths of a mirror or her dusty scrolls, stargazing on the roof, or nose-deep in a book thicker than the skull of Beast Boy's ram form. Now, as Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg shot the occasional glance at her, they noticed the purple-haired introvert looking around like a child in a toy-store, overtaken by so many sights that she couldn't stay on one for long before wanting to look at the next. They came to realize through the buildings and their designs that they were an expression of Raven's soul that she had long been wanting to share with them, but didn't know how until tonight.
The structures about them were made of a dark gray blocks, wreathed in shadows, supported by great Roman pillars and topped with many gothic European spires and turrets. Winged gargoyles, whose forms were that of valiant eagle-faced and lion-bodied griffons, three-headed chimera's; or fell demon creatures with bat-like wings and piggish, fanged faces with dragon spikes and forked tails, sat in crouched positions guarding their citadels with pride and judgment. Robin was greatly reminded of Gotham; but Gotham's architecture was always changing, this remained untainted. The windows of the cathedrals, libraries, banks, and universities that they trudged by were made of beautiful stained glass, sleek with the white moon and stars, and lit from inside by flickering candles brought to life for some unknown vigil. Every Titan was humbled by the old buildings, which loomed above them like protective but scornful elders. They were awed under the piercing stare of the gargoyle eyes.
The rest the people whispered and admired the structures, and Bethany took her father's arm and spoke with him quietly about something or other, gesturing to windows and doors. Mas y Menos clung to each other nervously, each of them avoiding the stare of the gargoyles, and shivering from the cold that got under their skin.
"Estos edificios no estan semejante de los edificios en Espana. Estas imponente y u poco temeroso." Menos whispered in his brother's ear; who nodded in agreement and gulped when he saw a bat flittering alarmingly on its way into a bell tower. It was clear that even though their homeland had ancient buildings and churches, they were not as imposing as the ones on this street, at least not at night. Aqualad, whose city of Atlantis was one of impressive though timeworn construction, marveled at the land dwellers craftsmanship. Speedy took interest in display cases of some of the windows, a few of them sporting suits of armor and swords, and to his amusement, wooden bows and arrows. It was like going back in time, to the days were magic and myth were believed to be very real and were revered or hated. Raven lived for those days, even though she was stuck a few centuries ahead, she gazed at the history almost as if recalling a second life.
At last they reached a square where a colossal edifice, its columns and stonework encasing a massive, convex glass dome about half the size of a football stadium, topped with a brass, perched eagle and American flag at the paramount flapping in the night winds. When they approached the doorstep, they had to pass two great Chinese dragons; their blood red claws clenching mystical orbs and royal manes chiseled to signify a breeze blowing through them. The Titans climbed three sets of marble stairs, each stone carved with different languages and texts, a mimic of sort of the Tower of Babble. John Sanders stood in front of two large wooden doors that looked to have been designed by Vikings, and spread his arms for silence, a tradition he followed the night of every great performance. Raven held her breath; it would be only moments before she could enter. Bumble Bee traced a finger over one of the inscriptions in a glossy stone fence post; listening to everything, though it didn't appear that way. A year or two of staying undercover at a potentially deadly academy made a person move secretively; for inside they were would always expect to see danger around every corner.
"Ladies and gentleman, honored friends and respected guests, tonight is not only another superb night at the Theater of the Performing Arts. We are about to witness a drama that has been critically acclaimed in Europe and is now brought to us for the first time. As we walk through these doors tonight, I would like you all to try and remain silent and enjoy the wonders around us as we anticipate this momentous debut." John Sanders announced, puffing out his chest. Bethany rolled her eyes, knowing that he would be blabbing to one of his friends in only moments. The women in the crowd fanned themselves (for style only, even though it was chilly out) and glanced at their husbands behind the ornate paper folds, and the men crossed their arms politely and did not show their impatience to get out of the cold.
"I wish he'd just let us in already." Cyborg grumbled, careful that Raven wouldn't hear. He looked at her, and found that she was reading the languages on the floor, moving her lips silently and smiling as she recognized some society's anthem.
At last the wooden doors were opened, and they stepped into a great hall that was lavishly decorated with the art of many countries and regions. There were Japanese lanterns with the ink brush calligraphy painted on them (no doubt the they were phrases of virtue or proverbs, maybe even prayers), and silk screens placed where certain corridors were prohibited, each with a neatly depicted scene from nature with herons, finches, and cranes perched on trees heavy with blossoms. There were warm-colored Tuscan designs printed on the walls, ivory tables and pillars sporting Indian animals running up and around them like a cyclone made of a carousel that broke the bonds of gravity, jade Chinese statues of warriors on horseback, Mexican skeletons and bright cloths hanging in certain areas as reminders of 'El Dia De Los Muertos', or the Day of the Dead, meant to honor and remember ancestors, there were Egyptian hieroglyphics carved into gilded pillars (pictographs of Gods, phoenixes, and Pharaohs), European woodwork, a few Spanish pillars and halls lined with bullfighting artifacts and models (that Mas y Menos instantly started talking about, wishing to go down those halls, but Bumble Bee pulled them away in time) and so much more that would take up too much space to name. The Titans reveled in the majesty of it all, with Raven in the front and pointing our various objects and describing their origins like a living encyclopedia. Robin was very impressed at her vast knowledge of cultures; and Cyborg himself could not have found more information in his computer scanners. Some things were meant to be archived by the human cerebrum alone.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity walking in moderate silence down the great hall, they were led into a circular room that clearly hosted the mega-dome above them. It was unlike any theater that they had ever seen; and Raven had only peered at pictures of it in books, scratchy, non-detailed scholar pen grafts. When they were entering, Raven gave a skinny man in a black suit with a long, curly black moustache and glinting black eyes her certificate of invitation and he approved of everyone, tipping his hat to the ladies. Starfire smiled and tipped some gentleman's hat beside her, since she lacked one herself, and didn't notice the dirty look she'd received. Now they were attempting to find their seats in the chaos of the crowd, and Robin observed his surroundings. It was much like a football stadium in the fact that the seats went around the stage instead of facing it in one direction. The further back, the higher the seats, and what he guessed the most expensive. The theater was lit by delicate glass chandeliers that lined the higher walls of the chamber right before evidence of the dome began; and shadows cast by people walking under them stalked the seats below.
"Where do we sit?" Bumble Bee asked, looking every which way. They weren't sure whether to go further down into the pit near the stage or up.
"We have box seats, section B." Raven said, and eventually spotted a portion of the upper layer of seats that was labeled 'B' on a gilded plaque. They headed around a good distance, climbed a flight of stairs and sat down. The seat cushions were made of comfortable, royal red velvet with golden designs of leaves and vines. As everyone else found his or her seat, Starfire peered over the polished mahogany balcony to get a better look below her. She could see the tops of people's heads, and her eyes traveled further down the little slope towards the giant center stage, and she squinted. Speedy joined her in looking down towards the circular center stage (which was covered with plain white tiles) and asked:
"If these are good seats, then why don't we have a better view of the stage? It looks the people below us will have a better time seeing than we will." He asked; and if Speedy's honed eyes weren't able to see well, none of them could.
"We'll find out; wont we?" Raven returned smugly and drew her cloak over her crossed legs, watching the stage intently. Their little box had a few extra seats behind them; and no one would occupy that space during the entire Opera. The more vertically challenged of the Titans sat in the front row, consisting of Mas y Menos, Speedy, and Aqualad (even though they wre tall, they wanted to supervise the twins in case they started mischief). Starfire moved to sit with next to Robin and Raven, so she could consult them in case she had a question, and Cyborg and Bumble Bee sat near the aisle. Each box was separated by a wall; and the Titans were at the topmost rounded layer, the bottom three layers for the cheaper seats, the bottommost layer still a great height and distance from the center stage. If a bird were to fly above in the dome's airspace, the chamber may have looked like a bulls-eye, the white tiled stage being the center. Aqualad watched as Mr. Sanders, Bethany and a few of what he assumed were close friends sat across from them in box H.
At last the grand lights dimmed and from high up a shaft of yellow light poured down from the darkness above and lit a small portion of the stage; where a skinny man stood in front of a microphone. Robin and Cyborg could only guess that there were some special effects technologies built at the top of the dome, but strangely they had yet to see anything. Perhaps it came out of the walls when the lights were dimmed. Speedy peered closely at the stage and recognized the man as the ticket collector. There was a deathly quiet in the vast theater; until the man spoke in a clear, slow voice that could only remind the Titans of a wizard:
"I bid all of you a fair welcome on this wintry evening; and thank each of you for attending the performance tonight. This Opera is a recreation of an ancient story told since the days when people believed in ethereal beings that served as guardians from above and devious catalysts from the depths below. I am sure that you noticed the magnificent gargoyles as you journeyed here; and I tell you now that they represent those beings that our ancestors believed to have watched us and oversaw our existence. They knew to be, not one dimension that effected them, but three: the physical world bound by gravity, space and time about them, they knew a world of bliss, light and air above them, and feared a world of fire, strife and chaos below them. The two new worlds I speak of were known as 'Heaven' and 'Hell', or the second one also acquired the name of 'The Abyss'. The human world was simply the material world, ruled by objects and desires. In Heaven, the beings of light known as Angels existed, living, though they were not bound by age nor sickness, in peace and wisdom. In Hell, the race of darkness, known for their cruelty but also their cunning, were called Demons."
Upon the eerily deep utterance of that final word, the man disappeared as the light vanished, and to the Titan's amazement the center stage became alive, but in a way unlike any Opera they had ever seen or heard of. The circular, disc-like stage lit up with a pale white light, and from above the huge dome shined down more light in a brilliant column, which was dim at first, then grew gradually intense so that they had to squint, and when the light cleared they could see what appeared to be real golden clouds spread before them. Mas y Menos gasped and looked down to see if they could spot the people below them, but they could not. The only thing they saw was the brilliant, fluffy clouds; rolling endlessly into each other.
"What is it?" Bumble Bee breathed; gazing up trance-like into the azure sky the dome created, finer than any clear blue summer day she'd ever seen. There was no sun, but light shined forth from everywhere, making tiny specs of dust motes sparkle as they floated in the air.
"I don't know; I think it's all holograms, but that light is unlike anything I've ever seen." Cyborg said under his breath. He swore he could smell the fresh air; feel a soul-cleansing breeze.
Robin wasn't quite positive that holograms were exactly what it was, and Speedy and Aqualad seemed to be brooding over it as well. Eventually the Atlantian kicked back and waited for the rest of the story to move along, sighing to himself as he gazed into the sky that almost envied the deep brine of the ocean. Almost. Speedy quit trying to discern where the source of the images was coming from and relaxed as well. Raven simply watched calmly, her legs crossed and her arms resting on the chair arms. Starfire gaped, mesmerized, and didn't say a word. At last they heard the Ticket Man's voice again, but it sounded far away.
"This is Heaven, the place of Angels, where all dwell in ivory and crystal palaces, eat from bountiful and lush gardens, and drink from pure and revitalizing fountains."
Music entered the space when the man's voice was gone, a grand orchestra of numerous parts, starting out low and faint, as if it were not music at all but a cavalry of horses approaching, with whispers of human vocals keening softly; then growing louder as the sound of hoof beats would have boomed across the earth. Voices of men and women, souls that none could see, sang out verses that the Titans could not understand, but feel it in their hearts, for the music sank through the skin and left chills of amusement in their veins. Soon, the group of young fighters were taken away into a dream, forgetting all that lay in their once waking memory. The field of clouds began to move; giving the image that one was rolling along with them, like a dolphin in the sea, up and down in the gold and blue. Soon the clouds dipped into a wide valley, and the vision rocketed down the steep slope as if it were a roller coaster, and surprisingly wind blew in their faces, but whether it was an illusion or actual wind, they could not tell.
They saw vast forests whose elegant trees peaked at heights unlike any earth tree, whose branches beckoned and emerald leaves shining. As the vision flew across a silver river, which meandered through the valley at wide curves, they could see flocks of pure white birds, most likely doves, traversing the air in ever-changing formations. Fish with long, sleek bodies leapt out of the water for pure joy, their fins long and flowing with a transparent crimson or viridian tone. Finally the forest ended, but the land was still green and plentiful, and the clouds rose up in great masses on either side of the horizon like mountains. It was as if the earth, when it was once young and untainted, had drifted into a nebula of never ending summer.
The valley narrowed and the walls of cloud rose about them into a canyon as they sailed onward with the river as their guide. Then, it widened again into a great crater, where the walls were clustered with stairways and bridges, pavilions and homes. Everything was made of thick crystal, which reflected the hue of the sky. Many homes had trees and bushes in their yards, colorful flowers on the windowsills and along paths. Waterfalls cascaded down the sides of the cloud walls, sometimes spilling into ponds, and other times joining the river at the bottom, which now gathered into a glassy lake. There were no shadows here.
The vision rose upward once reaching the opposing wall, where the water's edges ended, perhaps it flowed under the clouded walls. When they reached the top, a great courtyard lay before them, lined with the dazzling, fruiting trees and blooming shrubberies on either side. A palace made of crystal and white ivory rose in the distance, its spires not spiked or foreboding, but spiraled and rounded. There were many holes in the main towers, but not the slender arrow loops used for archers in medieval times on earth, these were far larger, big enough for a person to fit through. They flew over the outer wall and gazed below them as the vision circled and descended as a bird would have done. There were many grand buildings and paths, and more trees and plants that shone brightly in the light and swayed in the breeze.
The vision went awkward for a moment, and the Titans realized they were falling through the central building, where they landed in a vast hall. At the very end, two grand thrones were set, made of crystal and carved with angelic plant and animal designs. Now the Titans could see many figures bustling about the great hall, all clad in elegant colors of mainly white, gold and silver. All of these divine beings had two large, heavily feathered wings tucked behind their backs, and some wings were white, sleek black, and others a deep brown. The women were all beautiful in their own way, some in flowing white gowns with long hair falling down their backs, often entwined with decorative flowers or beads. Other women wore long, belted shirts that served as tunics and silver or gold armor across their shins, arms and chests, many had swords or daggers attached to their belts, something the Titans found out of place. The men were all fit and lively, as individual as the women, most of them had short hair but others had long (some straight, others slightly curly), and they had divine symbols tattooed on their strong arms and backs. Some of them wore tunics and leather boots, along with a belt or sash, a few of the men surrounding the thrones wore white robes and looked to be priests or mages. They often wore plain brass bangles around their wrists, and the soldiers wore arm, chest, leg, and shoulder armor. The voice of the Ticket Man sounded out over the now softened music, which was courteous and proper sounding, and he said:
"This is the throne room of the great Castle Prospera; of the Kingdom of Solace. Here sits the noble King Brian, Lord of all Angels, and his equally imperial Queen Julia, Empress of all Angels. They rule with a just and steadfast lead in their world, and their subjects praise them greatly for their righteousness. They have had authority over everything in their kingdom for many gilded centuries; and despite their vigor they are thousands of years old. They have one cherished daughter by the name of Diana, who would be considered ancient in our world, but in their eyes she is but still an adolescent."
From a corner a young woman with long, braided brown hair and vivid green eyes with fair skin stepped gracefully into the room out of a hallway in the corner. The cloth of her gown waved and rippled as she walked; and there was stubbornness in her stride. Her face was pretty like the rest of the women, but she had a sly look always on her face, with a few freckles dotting her cheeks. She stepped before her parents, the circle of other angels (a mix of men and women, priests, sorceresses, citizens and soldiers) breaking to let her through, and she bowed curtly before speaking. The Titans could not hear what she was saying, but only saw her mouth moving and her parents expressionless. Queen Julia had wavy brown hair tied back into a long ponytail with a golden band, and her gown was layered and opulent. Her eyes were warm and kindly, a deep auburn. Across her forehead was a thin golden crown taken to the shape of intertwining vines and lined with gems. King Brian had short brown hair and a stubble of a goatee (neatly trimmed), with a face as equally kind and understanding as his wife's, but his eyes were sharp and pierced the spirit like a falcon's.
"The Golden Age of the Angels, after centuries of watching over the mortals on earth and guiding them down paths of prosperity, had come to an abrupt end on the day of Diana's birth. The priests had predicted in the stars a great destiny for the child; and prophesized that when she came of age, she would rule over all worlds once and for all. It was on that fateful day when the Demons celebrated the birth of their own new monarch, a prince that their sorcerer's announced would overthrow the Angels and gain control of all universes. Both sides received news of each other's prophecy, and the Demons were as enraged as the Angels were disgusted. The King of the Demons declared that when his infant son grew into a full-fledged Demon, he would kill all of the Angels, burn and pillage their world, and show no lenience. King Brian took the threat with a heart of fire, and he returned that his Angels would scourge the Abyss of all of its rotting creatures once and for all should the Demons ever try. It wasn't long after before both races declared war on one another, and the Demons were the first to strike. A band of Angels was flying through the darkened skies of earth one day, across the dreary Atlantic Ocean, and the Demons rose from the dark waters and attempted to murder them. All but one Angel escaped, and when he returned to Solace, King Brian was deeply saddened and his wrath caused the Heavens to thunder. Now, many bloody, harrowing fights have broken out across the official battlefield of this otherworldly feud: the Earth herself. No Angel or Demon was born without being taught how to combat, and both sides have now suffered incalculable casualties, but their hatred for each other was the most potent of dangers. The mortal realm is wracked by disaster's caused by the colliding forces, including earthquakes, plagues, fires, floods and tornadoes."
As the Ticket Man spoke, the stage shifted and showed the audience a stormy ocean with a group of Angels flying high in the dark sky, their wings spread wide. The Titans could smell the salt of the sea and the electricity in the air, and shivered at the unfriendly nip of a chill wind on their faces. The vision moved up swiftly to show them the Angels at a close angle, there were about fifteen of them, all beautiful and poised, but with a hint of regal ferocity. Then, very sharply, the vision fell from the dizzying height and sank at water level. From the black, heavily rocking waves a large score of Demons sprang up, too disguised by the weather to discern appearances, but the music became dark and foreboding, and the Titan's held their breath as bat-winged people flew at deadly speeds from the water, and slammed into the Angels.
There was no sound of clashing, of wings flapping or cloth tearing, but the Angels yelled and the Demons screamed as the orchestra spun deafening tunes of conflict and strife (which included dramatic clangs of symbols whenever claws raked across flesh or swords tore at wings like scissors unto paper). The lightning that streaked corpse-eye white across the storm clouds brought bone-rattling thunder with it, and though the Titans could withstand noises such as this, in the unseen audience below them, a few people covered their ears in fear. The fight was brutal, and often the stage would zoom out and show only winged things darting madly back and forth, crashing into each other then separating and repeating that process, resembling a group of quarreling owls and bats. No matter what the view, the Titans felt like they were right in the middle of the battle. When the vision zoomed back in, it was a terrible thing to watch, but beautifully executed. The frightening Demons flew out of the walls above them, so the Titans could feel the gusts from their horrid wing beats and the shadows pass over them, and the Angels flew to meet them with weapons drawn. Soon, more than just rain and blood fell from the sky, as bodies plummeted down; down towards the sea far below, turning into dust as their lifeless forms struck the water. More Demons were left than Angels, and before long only two of the victimized species were left, and they darted into the clouds for cover. Alas, the Demon's gaze pierced all darkness, and they hunted the escapee's, until one Angel was overtaken and her friend flew ahead, the other Angel without knowledge of his friend's peril in the confusion. While the Demons cruelly dealt with the lingering Angel, the last one flapped his mighty wings into the distance, defeated.
The Titans watched as they saw the last Angel brought before his monarch's on a device that looked like a stretcher, and he spoke with his King and Queen about the terrible ambush. Kind Brian stood from his throne, opened his wings, flew outside through one of the holes in the nearby towers, and bellowed at the sky as he landed before an altar with sunlight streaking down. He kneeled and rested his head in the nook of his elbow upon the altar and wept for his fallen friends, for Angels could not rise into an afterlife but only become part of the Earth to be born again eons later (as trees, microorganisms, a bear or a human) with all memories gone. Queen Julia flew to him and whispered soothingly into his ear, her arms around him, with tears streaming unchecked down her marble features.
Finally, both of them stood and King Brian unsheathed his mighty blade, and let loose from its metal a bolt of lightning that was cast asunder from Heaven and cleaved the mouth of a great volcano wide open, setting off an eruption that shook all three realms. The Demon King awoke from slumber and knew that the war had begun, as he had wanted. The Titans were brought back to the present as the stage returned to the throne room and Diana's voice was singing extraordinarily; she asked her parents in song for the chance to fight alongside her people, but her parents bade her to remain at Prospera, where she would be safe. Diana begged them to let her go, saying that she was just as good as the other warriors, but Kind Brian grew terse, and sent her to her room.
The stage followed Diana out of the crystal, sunlit throne room into the castle courtyard, heading to a large round tower where her room was located at the top. The other Angels she passed cleared out of her way, afraid of her fury, and the princess spread her white wings abruptly and flew to highest opening. Once in her room, she sang out loud to herself about the unfairness of it all. She looked at her reflection in a tall mirror, and whipped out a dagger from her right boot. She spun the tip of it on her finger like a trickster, and continued to sing her brooding, sounding like a spoiled child but a mature woman in unison, her braid swinging back and forth as she paced. She voiced in the quick and snappy music that she had every right to fight alongside her brethren, and that for her father risk his life in battle but not she was unjust.
After a few minutes, Diana strode over to her window outlet and gazed down as a large troop of soldiers assembled near the castle entrance, the sound of horns blasting out in the peaceful air. She admired the soldier's organization and skill; often going to the training grounds to watch them spar with each other. Suddenly, the music became enlightening as an idea struck her, and she pulled out from under her bed a small wooden chest. She took out a basic armada uniform, and jumped behind a silkscreen, quickly changing. She picked up her dagger from the windowsill and tossed it in the air, flipping it, and caught it with ease. She twirled it in her hands absent mindedly as she thought over what she was about to do, and the music gave a sudden high pitch as she pierced the tip of her right index finder with the dagger. She stared as a trickle of crimson ran down her finger; then wiped it on a black cloth on her bedside table. She rubbed her dagger clean, and noticed her blood had dripped onto the floor. The music became suspenseful and threatening, stringed instruments tense and vibrating as anxious as crickets before a storm, and the princess knelt to examine the blood. There was too much to be her own; and it was cold.
Startled, she glanced upwards, and there was a Demon sitting calmly on a rafter beam. Blood trickled from his wickedly serrated sword, which was drawn, and she backed up against her nearest wall. His face was grim and he was frowning slightly, the tips of white fangs protruding from his pale lips, eyes the color of the reddest wine, but his pupils were slit like that of a cat's. His ears were pointed like an elf's, and his hair was long and black, strands hanging in his pallid face like cobwebs. Diana opened her mouth to scream, but the Demon jumped down from the rafter beams with great speed and put his hand forcefully over her mouth. She tried to stab him with her dagger, but he parried with his sword and the dagger sailed from her hand onto the floor with a clatter. She struggled and beat at him with her wings, and finally she struck him a quick blow to the head with her right wing and scrambled towards the window.
He recovered quickly, and with great agility darted in her way. Weaponless, Diana yelled for him to unblock her path, or suffer the wrath of her father and his army. The Demon smiled sardonically, his black eyes narrowing into slits, and told her that her father had left with his forces only moments ago, and there would be no turning back once he reached the mortal realm. Diana whipped her head left and right, desperately looking for a way to escape. She told him in a proud and stubborn voice that if he did not leave, she would fight him with her bare hands. The Demon's face turned grim again and he advanced, his sword arm lifted, but he sheathed it to Diana's surprise. The princess dove for her dagger, but the Demon was there before she was halfway in a dark blur and stepped on it with a boot.
She was kneeling, and looked up at him with glaring eyes full of hate, but her expression softened when she really looked at his face for the first time. He was not hideous, but handsome, his eyes were sad, not cruel, his lashes dark and angled like an Egyptians. Diana asked him what he was doing in her room; but all he did was offer her his hand. She hesitated, but found her hand reaching out to his as if it had a mind of its own. The Titans could see everything in great detail, for the actors, if they were even living, were right in front of them. They listened intently as the Demon introduced himself as Astrophel, a member of the army of the Underworld. Diana gave him her name even though she was sure he already knew it. The two began to talk in song, and the music became soft and inviting.
The rest of the Opera became very involved and emotional. Astrophel and Diana instantly fell in love, and the Demon told her that he had made up his mind to assassinate her without consent or orders from his father, running away to do his deed. When she learned that he was the Prince of Demons; she became afraid once again, but learned that his mother was a human and he bore a mortal heart. The Angel knew deep within her own spirit that a Demon born of a mortal was a bleeding one; and she realized this may be why he was so merciful and kind. He admitted that as soon as he had laid eyes on her, he knew that he could not have killed her. The two decided to run away; and they flew out of the tower unnoticed and into the clouds, headed to earth.
They visited the streets of London in disguise, with its impressive churches and castles that they both took interest in, and attended parties in grand palaces with the mortals, unleashing their desires that they had kept back so long: to live a simple life not bound by military rules or fear. Astrophel, from the chaos of his underworld home, found peace with Diana; whose thirst for adventure and freedom was quenched by the cleansing rain of London. Soon both Demons and Angels began to scour England, searching for them, and the couple of young lovers fled to Cambodia. Once there, they were welcomed by the people and stricken with awe at the beauty of the jungles and temples smothered and cracked with the roots of banyan trees and lined with statues of gods. They sailed by boat down the sleek water channels covered in lilies and flowers, by markets where they were dressed in beautiful cloth robes, and dined at a great temple of Angkor Wat with the monks under the stars. Throughout their journey, their love intensified.
Their final trip was to China; where they celebrated the New Year with the people under a display of magnificent fireworks and watched a parade of twisting dragons swerve back and forth while instrumentalists created a wonderful sound in the great crowds surrounded by the Emperor's palace walls. They fled to the mountains that night, only to be cornered by Angel soldiers in the forest of pines. Diana tried to reason with them as they pointed their weapons to Astrophel's breast; but before she could say anything Demons dove from the sky at the Angels, and soon both King's and their armies were lead to the mountains.
Caught in between the forces of roaring soldiers and under the intense glare of their father's, the couple pleaded to stop the war. King Amadeus, Lord of the Demons, was corrupted by his advisor and head mage, Nicodemus, long ago, and his will did not sway and his heart became blacker. He and his army of creatures from the Abyss were so enthralled by the bloodlust of war and death that they only jeered and called Astrophel a weakling. His father spat at him and said he no longer had a son. Diana felt tears weld in her eyes; and she tried to explain to her father, but her words were weak, and fell on deaf ears. Her father dismissed her, and told her that this was the way it had to be. The two flew off as both armies charged at each other, and the mountains shook from the collision, of magical explosions and swords clattering on shields. Many of the foes took to the air, the music riveting and unique, creatures of both races flying over the Titans and causing a few of them to duck from instinct.
Astrophel and Diana were at a loss. They were both intelligent beings, wiser than most humans, but they were caught in an age where learning how to fight and resist pain was more important than common sense. The two separated; Astrophel knowing he was banished and Diana knowing she would be punished severely. A mournful symphony played out as the two flew away form each other; a tune that every Titan would remember for the rest of his or her days. Astrophel hid in the shadowy depths of lonely caves in some forgotten region while Diana returned home to her dimension; and her mother cried and scorned her at the same time. She was locked in her room and put under guard; where she wept on her bed, from losing her lover and closest friend, for fear of her father and her people, and for guilt that she had intensified the war in her own greed and self pity. In the depths of the caves, Astrophel looked at pictograms on the walls and recognized they were memories of a noble tribe, long since passed, battling with demons that had invaded their village. He traced the patterns etched in stone with his finger and sang in a heartsick, sorrowful voice:
Struggling for so many years
My race, my people turned against the world
And now the worst has come, I fear
For cruel, unmerciful fate doth unfurl
The war of souls shall never end
I thought I could find the way to salvation
The hand of a sad destiny does not bend
Alone I'm lost in the Abyss of gyration
What hurts more than my aching heart?
The thought of you leaving
Is splitting my soul apart
Passion is blindingly deceiving
Here in the darkness where I belong
I know you cannot hear my words
But perhaps the wind could carry my song
Or lift it on the wings of the birds
Fly away and leave me behind
But please deliver my message clear
Before everything that was sane unwinds
The story may die; but I must adhere
I have to see her one last time
Though the eve of the downfall is coming
And the midnight toll is about to chime
I will remain forthcoming
The scene carried off in an echo from the cave, through the breeze and into the clouds. It rolled over the darkened hills of Solace and through the cracks of doors at Prospera; and reached the ears of a weeping Diana high up in her lonesome tower. She stood wearily and leaned against the wall, looking up at her ceiling where they had first met and sang back longingly:
Though he was one that my people hated
I did not loathe nor fear him
But to look at the chaos we've created
I now see our love turns grim
He knows I could see through the dark
The goodness; the truth that lay within
On a panicked flight we did embark
But I felt a change begin
How could I have been so naïve?
The threat lay clear and bold
Instead I selfishly chose to believe
That together we could grow old
That desired life is now a dream
A fantasy that could never be
Alone I reside in the cell I helped deem
Still foolishly I hope you have the key
Dark angel, please come back to me
I am broken and in disrepair
My soul is burning like a dying tree
I beg someone to deliver my prayer
I cannot live without him
My blood pulses for you alone
You are the source of my every whim
Still I wish I could have known…
At the end of this, the soldiers outside of Diana's room, who were lost in a swoon listening to her beautiful song of mourning, did not see the small flight of Demons that flew over the wall. They broke into Queen Julia's quarter's and kidnapped her; killing a few sentries in the process, and flew away with great haste. When King Brian returned, battered but victorious after the Demons unexpectedly fled, he became almost hysterical and furious as the guards told him of the break in. He instantly sought to speak with King Amadeus, and one of his priests used a crystal ball to cipher a message. The face of his rival appeared in the glossy surface of the glowing sphere as the Angel king held it in his hands tightly. The King of the Abyss wagered a deal: if King Brian wanted his queen back; he and his race would have to surrender the war and submit to the Demon's control. Should he choose not to comply, Queen Julia would die a slow, painful and miserable death. To prove he was serious, King Amadeus showed him a sinister looking torture chamber where Queen Julia was chained to a wall, but a bony, evil Demon in black and red robes (his chief of mages and counselor, the one called Nicodemus) held a dagger to her throat. She was blindfolded and bruised, her wings bound up in a pathetic manner like a stuffed pigeon, and her lip was bleeding, but she was breathing and tilted her chin up away from the dagger scornfully.
King Brian, left with no alternatives, agreed with him and ordered his chief of the Angelic armies, the Archangel Gabriel, to tell the soldiers to finish licking their wounds and ready for an ambush. He would meet alone with King Amadeus at the Stone Hedge in the mortal realm, and as soon as Julia was in his arms, he wanted the rest of his armada to fly down from the clouds and strike. In her room, Diana watched the remainder her country's resilient forces assemble, though they were tired and some wounded, a scavenged group of 2,000 warriors. She did not understand what was going on, and could not find out as her guards barricaded her window. She paced in her room, regaining her energy and wiping the tears from her eyes, feeling like a fool, and balled her hands into fists as she grew angry at her confinement.
Her father emptied the city of every available warrior, and the once beautiful golden light that wreathed the country in splendor was fading, and an unwelcome darkness crept on the borders of Solace. The citizens were hiding in their homes, candles of sacred fire burning brightly in the windows brought to life and burning for their cherished ones. A deathly quiet spread over the castle Prospera; and Diana was stricken with unease.
The Angel army marched off into the great forests, where they would hide and wait for their master's orders to attack. Access to other dimensions was not the same as simply flying into the sky; Angels had the ability to pinpoint specific locations on the earth before they departed into the evanescent ground. Now they watched the scene below as King Brian met with King Amadeus, who's two most trusted Demon officers stood by him in their dark armor and torn capes, holding Queen Julia but a few yards away. The King of the Angels took off his crown and threw it at the Demon Lord's feet; and the sorcerer Nicodemus, with a snarl of approval from his King, shoved Julia and she stumbled towards her husband. King Brian tore the blindfold off and ripped her bindings with his bare hands, then embraced her and whispered in her ear that everything would turn out all right. She sputtered weakly and tried to tell him something; but fainted. The music went from quiet to a throbbing dread; and from above the Angels dived in a burst of sound, golden blurs raining from the sky like shards of a comet, and the Demon King snarled and drew his sword. Both Kings fought in the great circle surrounded by giant stones piled awkwardly against each other; and the other Demon that had been by Amadeus' side, Lord Xenos, commander of Hell's army, blew a shrill whistle and from the surrounding woods a force of Demons emerged and charged the Angels head on.
It was a heart throbbing, pulse quickening and harrowing massacre as both Kings clashed swords and beat wings, sending sparks hissing as rain began to fall, sometimes they took to the air and dived at each other like dueling dragonflies, all the time surrounded by thousands of aerial and grounded soldiers fighting brutally. Bodies of both races fell from the sky, and blood pooled in shining puddles with the rain. Above, lightning crackled and thunder boomed, but the sound of the battle was greater.
In the end, all save a handful of warriors remained on each side, and in a moment of speed and confusion both Kings lunged, and pierced each other through the heart as they slid up to their knees in mud and guts. The Demon Lord was stunned, and with a final act of strength King Brian wrenched his blade from his foe's body, lifted his sword with Amadeus' weapon still inside him, and severed the Demon Monarch's head with a final slash and they both collapsed, never to rise again. Now the armies of both sides stood dumbfounded in the rain and wreckage, with Nicodemus the only authority remaining. He and his troops retreated into the woods, and because the Angels are a merciful people, the Divine soldiers turned and instead buried the body of their King, for he would soon turn to ashes. They marked the largest stone in the circle with an inscription, where a priest blessed the sight to keep unwanted trespasser's away, and they flew home. Out of the shadows from the opposite direction of the woods came Astrophel. He walked among the carnage with astonishment; and amongst the grime and gore he saw a shimmer of gold. He picked up the object and beheld that it was King Brian's crown, and he kissed it with honor and spoke in low words an apology, and that he should have known that to unite both races through a thing so fragile as blind love would be catastrophic. He approached the burial sight gingerly, expecting to be repelled by the shield a priest had put up, but Astrophel found that he could enter. The Prince of Demons placed the mighty crown upon the head of the grave and stepped out of the stone hedge. He then found the body of his father (now laying with the rest of his slaughtered hoard) and removed his crown of black onyx thorns. He threw it to the ground; stomped on it with his boot and departed towards the sky.
Back in Solace, Queen Julia was being tended to on a cot in a temple; for all of the rooms in the hospitals were filled with the injured and dying soldiers. It was night, the darkness was creeping closer, and the Angels soon grew fearful. Out of the darkness flew Nicodemus and a small troop of Demons, and under the cover of his fell magic, he took Julia from her resting place and held his dagger to her throat as the priestesses came in. There was scarcely a soldier left to even guard the Queen. Nicodemus stood before a portal to the mortal world, a circular gate in the shape of two dragon's biting each other's tail. He yelled that the war was over, and they were all doomed, but as a last act of homage to his King and revenge towards the Angels, he would kill the Queen.
While the Demon forces snuck into Solace and eventually Castle Prospera, Astrophel had managed to use his own powers to slip into Diana's room. Reunited, they flew out of the tower only to find Diana's mother being held by knifepoint in front of the temple gateway. Astrophel showed himself to his Demon brethren that accompanied Nicodemus and to the Demon priest himself, and begged them to step away from Julia. He told them enough blood had been spilled and enough lives were lost, and that there was still a chance to break away and live life in the Underworld as in ancient times. The Demons of Nicodemus' troop were exhausted beyond all measures and weathered, and many of them were good friends with Astrophel and regretted his banishment. They stepped away from the Demon priest and asked him to follow them; but the sorcerer snarled and called them traitors. Diana realized he was going to kill; and she flew towards her mother soon followed by Astrophel, but Nicodemus struck first and slit the throat of Julia. She slumped lifeless to the floor; and her daughter's passing overhead was the last thing she ever saw. Diana knocked Nicodemus off his feet in her rage and into the circular gateway; where they were transported into the mortal realm.
The scene was astounding. The Angel princess, her brilliant white wings askew and limp, falling in a dark sky, with the priest's neck clenched between her iron hands was all the Titans could see. For a long time they just fell, struggling, as the ground rose to meet them and the vision spiraled round and round. Her hair was torn out of its braid and flew wildly behind her back, and the Demon's leathery wings were flapping madly trying to overturn himself. At last, her grip loosened as fear overtook her and Nicodemus chanted a guttural spell, and repelled her off of him with a fiery blast from his eyes. She screamed and halted in the air, heaved her wings open and flapped them, banking to the side as another fireball sizzled past her. She knew not where she was; she knew only her sadness, her anger, and the black sky she was trying to hover in. Nicodemus turned over and glided over a rocky countryside; where he desperately searched for a place to hide. Diana flew after him, flapping her wings until she felt they would tear from her back, but she caught up with him and tackled him to the ground, straight into the heart of a graveyard.
Astrophel plummeted out of the skies with a flash of purple light, and spread his wings to sail as hastily as he could where he sensed Diana was. He did not have to rely on instinct as a golden streak of electricity erupted from the ground in the distance. When he arrived at the clearing, he saw two shadowy silhouettes quarreling on a hilltop where many tombstones were planted. Every so often Nicodemus would shout and the air would light up with red fire, and he could see Diana's frightened but brave face glaring with determination. He rushed towards them, but in his horror he saw that Nicodemus was planning to self-destruct, his arms crossed over his breast and his wings spread wide, chanting very rapidly. Diana stood, confused, and Astrophel screamed for her to move, but he knew it would be too late. The Demon Prince summoned a bolt of lightning and it crashed from the Heavens, straight into Nicodemus, who turned to ashes on impact.
Astrophel's relief turned to unbearable shock and pain in an instant as he saw that Diana, too, had been struck by the lightning bolt, and upon a block of weed-eaten gravel she posed, with her face glancing up at the sky in bewilderment. Her wings were slightly spread, and she appeared to be about to step down from the block, but she stood still and lifeless. Even her hair looked as if it had been caught in a breeze, for it was billowing and coiling behind her shoulders. Astrpohel nearly slammed into her, and cried in agony as he stroked her sightless eyes, cold and dead. She had been turned to stone by the magic of his spell to try and save her from another.
The music ceased, and he was left alone in the silence, but sang one last song in the melody of the message he had sent to Diana in the wind when they were separated earlier. He kneeled against her grave and clung to it as he uttered his final words to Diana; and the vision moved away from him and his voice became more and more distant, until all that could be seen was a figure sprawled across the feet of the statue of a beautiful angel; left alone in the dark among the dead.
It was then that the lights faded; and the Opera came to a close.
(Author's Notes: Ew, that Opera really sucked. Sorry guys, I was in a hurry to get it done, so you can bet a better performance when I got back to edit it along with the other chapters. I hope you enjoyed it, still, I tried to make it as dramatic as I could. Now back to the story!)