Chapter 20: The Deepening Black
Raven watched the scenery float by as they rode. She was still snuggled against Beast Boy's chest and was feeling rather sick. Hearing his steady heartbeat sent waves of sadness flowing over her when she should have been comforted. The Palla seemed to fly, and for a while they might have, considering the wonderful breeze was catching their leathery wings quite nicely. Beast Boy caught a glimpse of something on the horizon and he shifted lightly.
"Rae, is that the post?" he inquired, releasing the reins in one hand so as to point at the blot on the edge of his field of vision. Raven straightened herself up and stared off in the direction he was indicating. After a moment she nodded.
"It should be," she murmured. One step closer to Latsiere. Wonderful… she was rather surprised at her lack of relief. How had this little changeling captured her cold heart so fully? She furrowed her brows but said nothing. Beast Boy nudged the Palla faster.
"This is great, Rae. We'll be able to get to that planet thingy and make you better really soon now, right?" he sounded incredibly pleased. Raven felt a few tears slip down her cheeks.
"Yeah, real soon," she rasped. Beast Boy's eyes grew dark with worry.
"You ok, Rae?" he asked. Raven nodded numbly. She had a sudden urge to hear her name again. Her real name.
"Beast Boy?" she asked tentatively. "Could you… call me Capria?" she rushed. Raven held her breath. Would he reject her the way the others had? Would Beast Boy deem her unworthy of such a name?
"Sure… if that's what you want," he said. He sounded a little surprised. Raven… Capria… smiled suddenly. She snuggled further into the boy's chest; stubbornly fantasizing she wouldn't have to hurt him. They came upon the post at a startlingly fast pace. Beast Boy stopped the two Palla short and slid off. Raven remained mounted. He quickly untied the two animals and fastened the reins to a couple of the crude poles jutting out of the rosy marble. Raven wondered absently when they'd passed the gardens.
"Capria…" Beast Boy was calling her. She quickly abandoned her musings and allowed him to help her down. She landed lightly and gave him a small, but grateful smile. Beast Boy squeezed her hand lightly and escorted her through the silk door flap. As they entered, one of the Zinthosite creatures turned, presumably, towards them. Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Uh, Rae… sorry… Capria… I don't speak that," he jabbed a finger in the way of the creature and the young empath did her best to keep an apathetic face. She shook her head and approached the thing easily. They began to converse in the musical tongue again and Beast Boy simply stared, a brow quirked. He was feeling rather inadequate at the moment. Raven's voice reached a crescendo and her eyes were livid with anger. Beast Boy saw the thing recoil but spit back a few more notes. He placed a hand on the girl's arm in attempt to sooth her rage. She wrenched free and continued to verbally assault the thing. Finally, the Zinthosite became frustrated and said something absolutely dripping with indignation, from what Beast Boy could gather. Raven simply gapped at the creature for a moment before turning on heel and storming from the post. BB darted after her and hurriedly wrapped his arms around her huddled form, slumped on the ground.
"It's closing, Beast Boy… It's closing… why?" she leaned back against the outer wall and closed her eyes, suppressing her despair. "I can't teleport us that far and still have enough power to release Trigon," she whimpered. A potted plant shattered near by and Beast Boy jumped.
"R—Capria, what's closing?" he asked. She looked at him, and Beast Boy shuddered at the desolate girl staring back at him.
"The portal. The one that will take us close to Latsiere. We need to get closer for me to teleport." She snapped in utter exasperation. Beast Boy brought her to his chest.
"Is there any other way?" he asked. Raven shook her head, clinging to his tunic.
"We'd have to risk a realm breach if we took a portal now," she swallowed hard. Beast Boy was puzzled but he was rather sure a realm breach wasn't good. It didn't matter.
"Than risk it. We have to get to that planet," he said, determined. Raven shivered against him.
"I wouldn't die in a realm breach but you… you could never make it…" she choked out. He looked deep into her soulful eyes and saw tumultuous emotions raging. She was scared. Scared of dying, scared of him dying; either way, she was petrified. Beast Boy set his jaw.
"I. Don't. Care." He bit off. The changeling brought Raven swiftly up to her feet and scooped her up bridal style, despite her obvious resistance to putting him in such peril. Beast Boy marched back into the post and shrugged past the creature, who reached after them in a weak attempt to stop them. Passing through another doorway, he moved almost reverently towards the swirling red-brown portal. It was rapidly growing smaller so Beast Boy quickened his pace. Raven gave a muffled cry as he leapt through the portal, with her in his arms.
Raven's scream stopped abruptly as she felt the gentle tugging of the portal as it rushed them along. Maybe they'd make it ok… She looked up at Beast Boy, wide-eyed.
"Maybe there won't be a breach?" she said it as more of a question and Beast Boy just stared ahead. He felt rather odd in the portal, his entire body tingling with a rather magical quality, cool blues and greens swirling passed his vision. Raven wrapped her arms around him. Let this work. She prayed. The girl felt a nagging guilt. She was happy Beast Boy had risked this. It was the only way she could be free. It was horribly selfish of her, considering the immense danger they were in until they were out of the portal. Raven sucked in a breath as the shimmering yellow glimmer in the distance alerted her they were almost through the portal. As they floated along, a strange pang of fear ripped through her gut. A low roaring sounded in her ears. Her eyes widened as she jerked her head to the left. A swirling mass of red and brown raced towards them. Raven screamed as the roaring sound reached a thunderous climax and clung tightly to Beast Boy, who was also staring in terror at the rushing mass.
"NO!" she screamed as the first wave of heat swept over her. The girl felt herself being ripped from Beast Boy and searing pain blinded her. "Beast Boy!" she screeched. They were being pulled roughly apart from one another. Raven dug her nails into Beast Boy's hands, trying to keep together. Beast Boy yelled in pain, his eyes reflecting the burning swirls engulfing them. Beast Boy's grip was weakening at a frighteningly swift pace. Raven felt herself being torn away.
"Capria! Help!" he shrieked, as his body was consumed in the blazing mass. Raven clung desperately to his hands, her hair whipping wildly. A rush of Trigon's laughter swarmed through her and her eyes flashed with an insanely tortured light.
"BEAST BOY!" she yelled as their hands were pulled apart. Raven felt herself flying rapidly away from where Beast Boy must have been. "BEAST BOY! NO!" she screamed. She felt her body begin to convulse with pain. Raven's eyes snapped shut and crystal tears poured from her eyes. She curled into a tight ball as she was being rushed along in some unknown direction, her perception immensely skewed.
"BEAST BOY, I LOVE YOU!" She screamed out into the wild flow trapping her. Her body uncurled, her arms flinging out to the sides. A blinding light swept out from her.
Beast Boy felt himself falling, his hands empty. God, no, he'd lost Raven. He felt everything begin to fade… his mind was slowing, the pain dulling everything. So this was a realm breach… no wonder she'd said he'd never make it… Live. A soft voice reverberated in his fuzzy mind. You will live. The voice said again. Beast Boy felt a strange peace flood through him. "Who are you?" he rasped almost imperceptibly, the pain in his body fading to a senseless background sting. Light. You will live. "What?" Beast Boy became aware he wasn't speaking aloud. I am the Dawn Goddess. Live. For my daughter. Live. The voice whispered. The comfort and peace left him and again he was being ripped inside out with pain.
"BEAST BOY, I LOVE YOU!" Raven's voice washed over him and a glowing white form came flying towards him.
"Rae?" he breathed, gasping in pain. The figure flashed towards him and he made out two brilliantly white, feathered wings… a gleam of peach silk… and flying violet locks. He felt Raven wrap herself around him and her eyes met his. His pain left, time stopped. Her amethyst pools pierced his heart.
"Eyes are the window to the soul," her voice whispered in his mind as he stared at his reflection in the vibrant lilac irises. The moment shattered and the deafening roar again punctured his ears. But her gaze still held steady and violet. The pain raced with nauseating force through him and the world went black.
"I love you too," Raven heard a groggy croak. Her eyes flickered open briefly. Beast Boy. They were alive for now. And together. Raven tightened her grip around the boy before lapsing back into unconsciousness.
Light
Pure essence,
In bleak dark.
The thwarting force,
To death.
The one that flings selfless,
Across the blackened skies.
Author's Note: sorry, I had planned to get this up sooner but I got a major case of writer's block. I hope this chapter was to your liking. I felt ok with the end but I'm not too pleased with the begining. I shall try to update sooner. But please don't expect anything really really soon as it is SAT week. I would ver much fancy a review from you all, my dears. lol.
Love, Princess Starfire of Tamaran
