Chapter 2
"Hey guys!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Movie Night!" Beast Boy grinned, grabbed the popcorn and sat down.
"So…what are we watching?" Cy asked, yawning.
"I don't know," Beast Boy said.
"I believe Raven has went to retrieve the movie," Starfire said quietly.
"BUT IT'S ALMOST MOVIE TIME!!!" Beast Boy shouted. "Where is she?"
---
Raven walked through the rainy streets of Jump City, occasionally glancing at passing cars and people. They were living normal lives, she thought. Stress free…no demon parents…no heroic duties…they're carefree. But what about me? I have to wait... my benefactor might soon arrive…
Raven saw a black car arrive, slowly stopping near where she was. She watched as the figure slowly walked out.
Lightning streaked through the sky.
"My name is Jason," said the figure.
The moment she heard him speak, she glared at him: This man was…somehow a demon. Yet still a man…
"Jason Blood," the man finished.
"Who are you?" Raven asked suspiciously.
"I am old. Very old, yet you see not a wrinkle on my face. I am immortal, almost impossible to destroy. And I stand before you now."
"I said who are you?" Raven replied, her voice raising in silent rage. "Are you some kind of servant of Trigon?"
"Please," he said. "He is dangerous, and much more powerful, but I am not him, nor do I work with him. I am simply here to help. Now you must make a choice. You may come with me," he said, gesturing to the car. "Or you stay in your hell of a life, fighting back demons that you cannot stop without help."
Raven closed her eyes, thinking. How can I trust him? I don't know who he works for, or who he is. For all I know he could be Slade, somehow alive again. But if he's not…
"I'll go," Raven said emotionlessly.
Jason nodded, and Raven climbed into the black car as the rain fell…
---
"Something's wrong," Robin concluded. "Raven is never this late.
"Perhaps she has run into trouble," Starfire suggested.
"Likely. It's possible HIVE has her," Cyborg added.
Robin checked his computer. "There's a homing device in her Titans communicator. We might be able to uncover her location."
"Good. I was getting worried…"
---
The car trip seemed to take hours. Raven sat in the back, and watched the scenery go by. It seemed like a blur…one moment she was seeing a sign saying "You Are Now Exiting Jump City", and now the car whizzed past a sign that read "Welcome to Star City".
She stared at all of the enormous buildings, emotionless. At least, for now I am. Raven had a genuine sense of hope, that she would become more human…cleansed of the evil of her father.
The car came to an abrupt halt at what looked like an old, run down church.
"You may come out, Raven," Jason said. It was now that Raven first had a good glimpse of him. He was old, looking like he was in his fifties or sixties, and had strange, almost disturbing eyes. He had black hair with a streak of grey down the middle.
"Come, child," he said, leading her into the building.
Even Raven was a little scared as they walked in. There were disturbing paintings and photographs all over the walls of demons, monsters and even one of Trigon himself. There were strange symbols around as well, including some in which Raven sensed magic. There was an upside-down crucifix hanging somewhere, which greatly disturbed Raven: Was she being led into a trap?
They walked into a large, circular room.
Jason Blood smiled.
"Welcome to my humble abode."
"Explain," Raven said.
"My, you are persistent. Very well. But first…a test. To see if you are, in fact, strong enough to handle what I am about to show you."
Raven gritted her teeth as Blood raised his hands into the air, chanting:
"GONE, GONE, O FORM OF MAN!"
Raven saw that Blood was transforming. Fire began to surround him.
"AND RISE THE DEMON,"
There was a burst of flame, and Raven saw a huge, monstrous golden-scaled figure within the fire. A demonic voice came from the fire:
"Etrigan!"
End of Chapter 2
