Disclaimer: I don't own the teen titans and if this story sounds like someone else story well then its just a big coincident become I came up with the idea for this story on my own.

Prologue: The Thief of Shadows:

Raven sat crossed legged in the center of a large pure dark room; her eyes were closed as she concentrated on her surrounding area and for any sort of sounds like someone breathing or even moving.

Raven focused in on her surroundings when she heard the click of a crossbow's trigger going off; Raven did not move when she heard the sound of an arrow coming towards her.

Raven sat still until she opened her eyes and held her right hand in the direction the arrow was coming from; the arrow stopped just in front of Raven's face; Raven grinned as she heard the sound of the arrow hitting the ground.

Raven got up off the cold floor just as she heard the sound of more crossbow triggers going off; Raven's eyes widened as she spun out of the way of three incoming arrows.

Raven brushed her hair out of her eyes and she looked to heard the sound of more crossbows going off "Oh come on!" Raven said as she held her hands out in front of her "Azarath Mention Zinthose!" Raven shouted as a black barrier went up in front of her stopping the four arrows from hitting her.

Raven sighed as she put down her barrier "that was to close" she told herself out loud as she started to walk out of the center of the room when she heard even more crossbows going off all around her at once "what!" Raven shouted.

Raven spun around holding her hands out in whatever direction the arrows where coming from; Raven stopped five arrows from hitting her from the right, five from her left, and three from behind her but then she let her guard down thinking it was all over.

Raven turned around and started to walk away when she heard the sound of crossbow go off behind her; Raven spun around to stop the arrow from hitting her but she was not quick enough the arrow struck in her the chest.

Leaving behind a cold numbness that stung like hell.

Raven put her hands on her chest as the lights in the temple came on as the sound of someone clapping echoed through the large room.

"Well done Raven you did ever well up until the end when you let your guard down and let that last arrow hit you" Azar said as he came walking towards Raven all dressed in white robes.

"You never told me that you were going to sent off more then one crossbow" Raven replied

"awe but that it just it Raven!" Azar said

"what is it?" Raven asked.

"Life Raven life"

"what about life" Raven asked

"that it is always filled with surprises and dangers of any sort and that is why I did not tell you that I was using more then one crossbow to get you ready for your life ahead of you" Azar replied.

Raven nodded she understood know; "but enough talk of the future we better be getting home Raven and once your home you better rest up for tomorrows training" Azar said as Raven walked up beside him as she started for the citadel's doors.

Once they both were outside the citadel Azar locked training citadel up as Raven looked around to see that the sun was going down.

Raven looked back at Azar to see a tanned hand reach up and grab the hilt of Azar's falchion and lift the blade from it's sheath; Raven shook her head "Azar your sword!" Raven told him.

"What's that Raven" Azar replied

"your sword was just stolen" Raven told him; Azar spun around to see a teenaged male about Raven's age wearing a long black cloak with black pants and a crimson red shirt; he had long black hair that went to his shoulder and his skin was tan.

Raven could not see his eyes but his eyes were a pale blue color.

"Don't worry Azar I'll get you sword back!" Raven said as she took off running after the thief

"interesting that thief is able to hold the falchion in his hand with out it burning his flesh" Azar replied.

Raven caught up to the thief who did not yet know he was being followed; "stop!" Raven yelled; the thief looked over his shoulder to see that Raven was right behind him.

"dame it! Why dose it always have to go down his way?" the thief said

"if you don't stop I'll have to force you to stop" Raven replied; the thief shook his head before he took over running at a faster pace.

"That's it! Azarath Mention Zinthose!" Raven shouted; the thief looked over his shoulder at Raven to see that her eyes were glowing white;

"what the heck" he said as he looked back in front of himself to see a large piece of wood come flying towards him "no way you got to be joking" he said as he ducked out of the way.

The thief turned to look at Raven before he picked the falchion off the ground and took off running again; Raven shook her head as she phased through the ground.

The thief looked over his shoulder to see that Raven was not longer following him "good she final stopped following" he told himself as Raven's hands phased out of the ground and grabbed his feet causing him to fall flat on his face.

He rolled over onto his back to see Raven come up from the ground; "what are you?" he yelled as he got up off the ground and back away from Raven until his back touched a wood pole.

Raven did not say anything to him all she did was hold out her hand to him as a punch of ropes bond him to the wooden pole; "hey what arhhhhh" he yelled as Raven made the ropes tighter.

Azar came up behind Raven to see that she has captured the thief "Raven that is tight enough" Azar told her as her eyes went back to their normal dark purple color.

Azar walked up to the bound thief and took the falchion from his hand; "tell me young thief what is your name?" Azar asked him

"Ark"

"Ark you are quite interesting" Azar told him.

"What do you mean?" Raven asked

"Ark was able to hold and use the falchion with out it burning his hands before he came along and stole it I was the only one to be able to hold it" Azar replied.

"So?" Raven said

"so it means that the falchion has chosen it's new master and since has chosen I can no long use it" Azar replied

"your holding it now" Raven said

"true but soon I will not be able to hold it and that means I have to tech Ark here to use the falchion" Azar told Raven.

Azar walked up to Ark and stuck the falchion into the wooden pole cutting the ropes loose from around his body; "Ark I take it since you are a thief that you have no home or family?" Azar asked and Ark replied with a nodded "I see then you can live with me and Raven" Azar said.

Azar started to walked away with Raven but Ark did not follow at first; Azar turned around to see that Ark was not following them "come on Ark" Azar called to him but Ark did not move "is something wrong?" Azar asked.

Ark just stood there he did not say a word; Azar looked back at Raven "Raven you go on ahead of us" Azar told her and she nodded as she started on home.

Azar put his hand on Ark shoulder "I can understand if you do not want to talk about what troubles you but we better get going before it gets dark" Azar told Ark; Ark looked up at Azar who nodded and turned around and started to walk away from Ark.

Ark groaned as he followed behind Azar.