What are dreams? For some they are our deepest fantasies and dreams brought to life. For others they are our worst fears, and darkest desire brought to life. And for a few who are blessed/cursed they are visions of what may/will/can be…
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Sitting bolt upright in bed Raven panted heavily as she pulled the sheets closer around her. Her room normally nice and comfortable now felt ice cold. Her sheets were completely soaked through with her sweat andundonefrom her thrashing around. Trying hard to get herself under control Raven started going over her latest nightmare. It was similar to many of her other dreams of late. Her fellow teammates were locked in battle against her father. The abomination known as the demon Trigon. Though unlike her previous dreams she was nowhere to be seen, all she could do was watch helplessly as her teammates…no her friends were killed one by one. "I don't understand this. There is no way I'd let them battle against Trigon without my help." Taking a look at her bedside clock she realized that it was 2 in the morning, and a thunderous storm was raging outside. "Well I'm definitely not going to get anymore sleep tonight." Rising from her bed she pulled a cloak out of her closet, donned it and headed towards the living room to meditate. Little did she know though that she wasn't the only one having a troubled nights sleep.
Falling out of her bed onto the floor jolted Starfire back to wakefulness. She sat up whimpering as she curled herself up into a ball at the foot of her bed, and rested her head on her knees trying her best to keep from crying as the memory of her nightmare sank upon her. She could still easily see in her minds eye the vision of her friends turning their backs on her and walking away, and the few who didn't be slaughtered where they stood by a nameless shadow. Even her beloved Robin had fallen to the shadow having been grabbed off the ground, and….no she couldn't even bring herself to think of it as her cold tears started pouring down her cheeks. All she knew is that she didn't want it to happen….ever.
Upon entering the lounge Raven noticed Robin staring fixedly at the computer screen looking to all the world like a statue so absorbed in his work. "Still trying to find out why all the villains disappeared the same day as these thunderstorms started up?"
Without looking away from the computer screen Robin barely inclined his head to give Raven his answer. "It doesn't make any sense. 1 week of nonstop rain, and 0 crime. It just doesn't add up and there's no explanation as to why it occurred."
Pausing his game Beast Boy leaned over the couch and looked at them. "You should be glad actually. It means we have a nice vacation and down time. Besides the rains not to bad, even though its heavy and the police are all busy packing sandbags to prevent flooding…." He stopped talking as he noticed Raven and Robin glowering at him from across the room and turned his attention back to his game.
A loud blaring filled the room and a red light started flashing on the computer. Robin excitedly turned to the computer with a grin on his face. "Yes there's a crime going on!" Grinning broadly his fingers flew over the keys pulling up every shred of data he could find, and as he continues pulling up data his smile started slowly slipping away until it was entirely gone, and his shoulder slumped forward making him look older and tired, disappoint evident in his figure. "Its only a case of graffiti. Still the police are busy preventing any flooding so we'd best take care of it." Hitting a small button next to the keyboard a loud horn started blowing in the tower alerting the other Titans of the crime and that they needed to hurry down to the garage.
Several minutes later they had arrived at the scene of the crime. And much to Robin's delight there were still a few stragglers putting some finishing touches onto the graffiti they had put up. Though there was something odd about them. For starters they were dressed in long black robes that completely covered them. All 4 of them were wearing baseball caps pulled low over their faces obscuring their features, though the creepiest thing about them was their eyes. It was only for a moment, but Raven could have sworn their eyes had flashed a bright red upon seeing the titans, but it was gone just as quickly. Upon seeing the Teen Titans charging at them the teenagers took of running in the opposite direction at an incredible speed. The other Teen Titans quickly took off after the fleeing teenage suspects and Raven was in the process of joining them when she noticed something. Spray painted onto the wall amongst the usual collection of words and pictures were a few….odd symbols. Stepping closer for a better look Raven felt a shudder pass through her as she recognized them. There on the wall in a color similar to dried blood were some of the same symbols that appeared in her dream last night. Specifically around the very door Trigon had emerged into the world from. Suppressing an urge to run Raven walked closer to the wall and placed her hand upon it. Instantly like a bolt of lightning pain shot through her head and she gave a weak cry and slumped to her knees on the ground cradling her hand to her chest as she stared up at the symbols,
The symbols had changed to a brilliant red and had started to bleed as it were. Bright red blood was flowing from them as they started pulsing burning themselves deeper into the wall they had been put upon. At the same time as if from nowhere the sound of voices chanting started to fill the air. Their words indecipherable, yet the malevolent intent in them was evident.
Raven was slightly started when her back ran into a wall she had been automatically backing away from the wall without noticing and she tried to keep the panic which had logged itself in her throat from escaping. The pain in her head whad had started to increase at the same moment as the chanting started was boarding on unbearable when….it all stopped. Gasping for air to try and slow her beating heart Raven watched as the symbols which were now deeply etched into the stone faded away. Putting out a hand to a nearby crate Raven used it to stand back up, and moved to brush the hair out of her face when she noticed on her hands the marks that Slade had put there. They looked as fresh as the day she had received them which made no sense since they had faded utterly away 1 week after she had received them 1 month ago. Unable to take it anymore Raven took off running for Titans Tower wanting to get as far away as possible for there no longer caring about anything but her own safety.