Thanks guys! I love all of your compliments; it's eternally appreciated, truly. Thanks. And here's the update! The big battle scene! It's Karras butt-kicking time! But don't worry though. This isn't the last chapter, there's one more left
Chapter 15: To Have and To Hold Part 2
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"You…" Karras roared at Robin, who held Starfire protectively in his arms.
At that moment, the doors behind them exploded open and all of the guests started screaming. They flew over the group and broke the windows so they could escape this place of the insanity.
By the doors though were the other Teen Titans. They approached Robin and Starfire with just a few bruises and cuts over their faces and arms, but all in all, they were alright and they were determined for battle. They stood close beside Robin and Starfire as Karras wiped his chin. His soldiers walked in a straight line in front of Karras, their eyes flashed in yellow as they held up their spears.
Starfire took out her tiara and tossed it aside as she was engulfed by a ray of green light and when it faded, her wedding gown was tear into pieces and what was revealed was her purple, Tamaranean style uniform she had used for a year since she had became a Teen Titan. And right now she was standing beside those who had loved and treasured her since day one. Her eyes flared as they turned bright green and her fists glared with this same light.
The others prepared themselves as the soldiers moaned and tore off their disguises to reveal themselves as Gordainians. Starfire was shocked by this but Robin touched her shoulder in understanding of her old childish fear and his touch gave her strength.
Karras' glowed as he pointed his arm at them and he opened his mouth wide as he commanded, "Attack!"
Robin growled and screamed out his order, "Titans, GO!"
Eyes glowed, bodies burned up with kinetic and electrical energy, black lightning flashed over their heads, animals roared, voices screamed, and feet made earthquakes as they stomped over the floor, charging sharply toward their target.
Raven mumbled a spell under her breath. Her eyes glowed brightly and her fists shined as black disks came from behind her. The spikes cracked lightning in between each flash and hummed against her pale skin as she released them as fast as bullets.
The Gordainians were faster and much more experienced than the ones they've battled just moments ago. They dodged them swiftly, flipping their bodies sideway although they were as big as houses and as tall as giraffes. Their tatooed eyebrows burrowed down to the center of their foreheads as they roared like the mountain lions.
Their mouths bubbled as they came back on their feet, standing firm, and they spitted our their guts from their throats and their green slim flew toward Raven.
Starfire gasped, "Raven! Look out! Their slime is toxic!"
Raven gasped and she was engulfed in black light and she vanished from sight, out of harm's way.
Redfire looked over the Gordainians with his glowing, orange eyes. He glanced at the ground and kneeled down. He screamed as his fingers dug into the tile and concrete floor, groaning loudly as the floor began to crack loose. Starfire saw this and understood his plan and helped him along, with her eyes straining.
Together, they lifted the floor up, waving their arms, making the disoriented and partly removed tiles look like waves or a rug being cleaned out from dust and dirt. The Gordainians struggled to keep in balance, but they kept tumbling back and forth--left to right--until their legs had crossed and they couldn't move any longer.
They fell on their sides, dropping their guns to their sides. Karras was flipped over and he crashed over the Alter. Wood and bouquets of flowers fell on top of him, filling him with the sweet smell of roses. But he spitted them out in disgust and growled as he scratched everything off of him.
Starfire's eyes shined lime green as she lifted herself higher and higher to the sky until she was nothing more than a little dot. When she dove back down, she yelled out a Tamaranean battle cry as she tossed sphererical starbolts at the Gordainians.
They dodged them still and fired at Starfire with their lazer guns. She flew in between each shot and flew down.
Beast Boy's eyes dilated until his eyes were completely black and a small growl escaped from his lips as his DNA rearranged itself and he literally transformed into a large ten-foot gorilla. He pounded his mighty fists against his chest before his knuckles came to the floor and accerelated him to charge at the Gordainians.
He punched one hard across the face while one tried to grab him from behind, but Beast Boy transformed into a slithered snake and moved away from his reach. The Gordainian turned around to shoot him, but then a Raptor jumped on top of him, piercing its sharp toenails into his skin. The creature screamed in pain as another Gordainian took the opportunity and shot Beast Boy off of him.
Beast Boy flipped backward and his feet skidded a few feet back. He transformed into a mountain goat and he baaed(sp?) as he charged again, with his head first. Right when the Gordainian was about to shoot, Beast Boy came to his stomach and the Gordainian's aim turned sloppy and he shot up to the ceiling, with debris falling on top of them.
Cyborg charged his sonic cannon quickly as he continued to shoot blasts at the Gordainians, countering their attacks with a mighty blow. Smoke sizzled in the air after the explosion when the blasts collided. Cyborg screamed loudly as he emerged from the smoke and punched a Gordainian in the face.
The Gordainian came back and started punching Cyborg by the jawing and kicked him hard by the stomach. When he was seemingly helpless on the floor, the Gordainian approached him. But then Cyborg's eyes opened wide and he raised his leg up.
"Boo-yah!" He shouted and a charged up blast knocked the Gordainian away from him and he fell on his back, defeated. He dropped his gun by his side. Cyborg came by his side and stomped the gun into pieces.
Robin and Karras stood a couple of few apart from each other, their eyes locked on to each other like stone figures. Robin crouched low to the ground while Karras prepared himself to fight as well. Both of them charged at each other, screaming at the top of their throats. Robin started punching and kicking Karras, but his body felt like trying to go through solid rock. Karras chuckled as he punched Robin across his face, cracking his nose and jaw. But Robin didn't give in and kicked Karras' stomach with his knee.
Karras groaned and tumbled back as he tried to take a deep breath. When he looked up, Robin had forced himself off of the ground, gliding down toward him with his arms spread out and his cape flapping against his back. Robin cracked his knuckles, and with quick reflexes, he took out his bo-stick from his belt and it extended long. He gripped it tightly as he swung it over his shoulder like a bat and he screamed as he crossed it at Karras' skull.
Karras screamed with pain, rubbing his cheek where a large bruise swelled from his forehead to his chin where the steel stick had hit him. He growled under his breath, his ears steaming with hot anger as Robin smirked at him and twirled his bo-stick in between his fingers, mocking his cocky attitude.
"You're really good." Karras admitted, but with a dry voice.
"So are you." Robin answered right back, with that same dry attitude.
It was true though, he was extremely strong, for a Tamaranean. His body was well built and he had already the natural support of the Tamaranean sun to regenerate his powers. He had to think of a weakness from him, somehow.
Robin charged again, swinging his bo-stick at Karras, but he dodged them, with his long hair blowing in front of his face. Robin grippe his bo-stick tightly and continued on anyway until he was frustrated and he swung his bo-stick to Karras' legs. Karras tripped, caught off guard, but he quickly got up and came at Robin, his eyes amber-green eyes flashing in gold.
Robin backflipped away from him, although he had tried to kick him. When he did while Robin was on a handstand, he pushed himself off of the ground and came over Karras. Before he had came over Karras, he had taken out his bird-a-rang.
Robin landed behind Karras, posing very still until he heard Karras scream.
And yet another wound from Robin came upon him, with blood streaming down his face. He covered his right eye, gagging with tears that his face was turning into this, almost in a shape of a monster. Some of his hair gracefully fell to the ground and blood spotted the tiled floor like paint.
A long scar was right over Karras' right eye and he growled at Robin with bloodshot eyes, tighening his fists and his muscles were revealed on his arms and his chest, flexing them as if he was generating himself for a big attack. But instead, Karras stormed at Robin and started swinging his legs at him, but Robin barely dodged them and ducked when he tried to punch him at the face.
"Why did you kill Starfire's parents? Why did you frame me?" Robin shouted as he punched Karras.
He moved back from the impact and looked at Robin sharply. "I'm surprised that it isn't obvious to you, BirdBoy. I wanted power. And by framing you, I knew that I would be on the throne sooner and Starfire would not want not one pluck of your hair to be touched.
"So if she wanted you to be alive, she would listen to me. But you already knew that. I also knew that she helped you escaped, the poor soul. Couldn't stand to see her friends being tortured. And yet she risked to marry me, I wonder why?"
"Because you would kill her people if she'd refuse you, you disgusting piece of--" Robin charged at him with his bird-a-rang handy. He had his weapon by the level of his eyes, ready to attack. But then Karras grabbed his wrist and twisted it hard, and he winced in pain and groaned. It was the same wrist Redfire had used to harm Robin to convince him to save Starfire.
Karras saw the wounded look, even through his masked eyes, and smiled as he lifted Robin off from the ground and he swung his body all around and tossed him over his shoulder like some rag doll. Robin screamed as he was slammed against the wall and he slid down to the ground, with his back aching and his mouth clogged with dust.
He coughed as he tried to wipe his bloody nose and he looked up.
Karras levitated himself off of the ground and crossed his arms in front of his chest as he stared at Robin mockingly.
Robin searched his pockets to find the gumballs that Redfire had given him, but then he realized at that moment that he didn't have any with him. He had already used the last one to be able to reach the palace.
Karras saw the look on his shocked face and started laughing at him. "It looks like you ran out of juice to fly."
"Yes, but I haven't." A voice came from afar. Karras turned his head around and his eyes widened as a bright green light flashed and he was sent flying to the wall. Robin stood up, with an arm around his chest, and he moved out of the way as Karras fell, leaving a dent mark on the wall.
He turned his head around as Starfire slowly came from the sky and landed by his side. Her eyes dimmed and they returned back to their original, fair colored eyes.
"Thanks..." Robin panted, his ribs ached each time he tried to breathe.
"You are welcomed, Robin."
Starfire was about to say something else when both of them heard groans coming from Karras. He stood up slowly, shaking off the debris from his body. He looked up and his eyes locked to Starfire, but she didn't fall under the spell of his captivating eyes. Karras' eyes blinked as one by one, the other Titans joined Robin and Starfire.
Karras looked around and his eyes were beaten by the shock of all of the Gordainians who lied unconscious on the ground. Their blue blood pooled under them, some of them gone forever. Smoke and dust filled the air around their bodies and columns had collapsed to the ground, cracked right down the center.
He growled as the Teen Titans stood in front of him, ready and armed for battle. He looked at them. "Six against one? That doesn't seem fair."
"Since when do you play fair, Karras?" Cyborg asked coldly.
"You've crossed the line, Karras." Redfire said.
"Crossed it since the moment we saw you." Raven replied.
"Crossed it so much that it's off the planet now." Beast Boy said, with Raven and Cyborg looking at him with sweat dropping from their foreheads.
"You will pay for the crimes you've committed." Starfire said.
"And you're going to deliver that?" Karras said, arching his eyebrow and shifting his body to the side to show that he wasn't afraid.
"Yes." Robin replied for her.
"Well then..." Karras lifted his arms up as he slowly levitated his body off of the ground. His brown hair flowed around his bruised, yet strangely serious face as he looked down at them with his arms crossed. He looked at them hard, showing no sign of anxiety, fear, tension, or anything.
This worried Starfire, shocked by the fact that he was so calm. His army was defeated despite their brutal strategies and their incredible strengths. He had something planned and her heart started pounding against her chest hard and a ringing song screeched in her ear with an anxiety tension of her own.
"Let's play." Karras said as his eyes bubbled in gold and suddenly and shockingly, his eyes fumed out lazers and everyone with wide eyes moved out of the way.
Starfire rolled across the floor and looked up with white eyes. Beast Boy was behind her and with his loud mouth he spoke, "Dude, since when he did have that kind of power?" Speaking out the same question that was tormenting her mind right now.
Hardly any Tamaraneans were allowed to gain this kind of power, unless they were to suffer a painful and horrific death. Starfire was sure that she and her Blackfire were the only Tamaraneans who were granted starbolts. But apparently not as Karras' hands charged up in gold.
"What? Do you think that I was going to miss out on the ability to blast you all?" He said with a chuckle as he started shooting starbolts at the Titans like a machine gun. Robin twirled his bo-stick all around in front of him to counter the blasts, but the steel melted away and when another starbolt hit him, he fell off of his back.
Cyborg approached him with fierce eyes. "Well, can't your little starbolts outmatch this?" He said as he used his sonic cannon at Karras, with the mix of green and blue light flashing across the room, brightening everything in sight. But Karras used a strong beam of golden light to counter it and for a while, their powers were evenly matched, but not for long.
Cyborg strained as he was forced back, lowering his guard by mistake. He screamed when a storm of starbolts exploded all around him and he was shot by one. An electric pulse ran through his body with pain, his screams so loud with agony. His circuits were snapped apart and he fell to his knees, barely online still.
"Cy!" Beast Boy roared as he transformed into a hawk and started flying toward Karras, while he shot starbolts at Beast Boy. Beast Boy glided swiftly and quickly around the starbolts until he was close enough to Karras' face and he transformed into a chimp, attaching himself to Karras with his screeching call.
"Get.Off.Me!" Karras shouted as he used his lazer eyes to blast Beast Boy away from him. He fell to the ground, but Raven was able to catch him before he made the tall impact.
Her eyes glowed black as she carefully placed him aside and she levitated off of the ground, along with Starfire who joined her. Both of the girls were static by the powers they were building up inside of them. Both of them screamed as they shot out a beam of black and green light at Karras. But he dodged them and when the smoke cleared, he was gone.
"Over here." A voice whispered in their ears. They turned around only to be blasted by a great golden light. Both of the girls screamed as they tumbled back to the ground in defeat.
"Starfire!" "Raven!"
Redfire growled as he stormed into the sky and charged at Karras with the element of surprise. Karras looked down and his eyes widened as Redfire punched him right in the face. Karras flipped back a couple of times before he was able to make himself steady in midair. But Redfire came right at him, with his eyes burning in orange.
"This is for my parents!" He shouted as he gave Karras a punch across his face, blood gurgling from his lips. His bruise already started to form around his upper lip and around his bloody nose.
"This is for my friends!" He screamed again with his eyes slowly gleaming in red and he kicked Karras in the stomach, blood spitting out of his mouth and he wheezed for air. Redfire gave him no pity as he grabbed him by the legs before he was able to recover. He swung Karras a couple of time, his eyes on fire.
"This is for me!" He said and threw Karras across the room, shooting like the stars in the skies. Karras groaned, but his eyes were still glittering in yellow as he looked up to see Redfire charging toward him with his fists up and ready.
"And this is for my sister, you creep!" Redfire said as he pinned Karras against the wall and started hurting him. But right when he was about to punch him, Karras' hand suddenly appeared and he grabbed his fist strongly. Redfire's eyes looked at him in disbelief as he tried to relief himself from Karras, but Karras held his wrist tightly, his fingernails dug into his skin painful.
Redfire looked at Karras with his aqua, frightened eyes as Karras' own eyes started to glow brightly. "See ya." He said simply and flashed his lasers at Redfire right in the face. Redfire screamed as he was engulfed by a bright light too great and his body burnt with pain until he was too weak to stay afloat. Robin saw this from below and he widened his eyes as he saw Redfire starting to fall.
"Redfire!"
At the sound of his name, Starfire slowly opened her eyes and groaned as her muscles strained to help her stand. She looked up and her eyes turned white when she saw Redfire fall flat to the ground.
"Ryand'r!" She shouted and started running toward him.
Redfire's eyes were puffy and red and closed. She could see this from a distance and she feared that he will no longer see. He didn't move and just laid there on the ground like a helpless being.
Starfire and Robin started running toward him when Robin noticed something from above and his eyes widened and he continued running, but toward Starfire instead.
"Starfire! Watch out! Behind you!"
Starfire looked up and everything seemed fuzzy and out of focus when suddenly someone grabbed her and pushed her through the air, with the wind whistling in her ear. She screamed loudly as she was forced against the wall so hard that it exploded behind her and the person who held Starfire didn't let go, crashing into other rooms in the palace.
Starfire groaned and struggled to break free until she finally used her lazers to blast him off of her. Both she and Karras groaned as they fell to the ground inside a big, yet empty and dark space. Smoke sizzled in the air and a dim light from the fire that was blazing back in the ballroom was the only source of light in the room, and what was the windows beside them that revealed the clear day.
Starfire moaned as she tried to stand up, but then footsteps came closer to her and Karras grabbed her by her hair. She twitched her eye with pain as Karras raised her up to his eye level. She slowly opened her green eyes as he looked at her hard and carefully.
His hand glided down and he cupped the back of her skull, not releasing her from his grasp. She whimpered as she tried to concentrate on her starbolts, but they wouldn't charge up and Karras pulled her against him, forcing her to raise her arms up and for her hands to touch his bare chest, dirty with dried blood and dirt.
"What...are you doing?" She said, trying to clear her throat from the decay that was fuming inside of her mouth.
Karras gave her a small smirk, looking deeply into her eyes. "You know..." He started, changing the subject. He tapped his finger to her lips and it made her body shiver as she continued to try and pry him away from her. "I remember looking at you in space. When you refused me, you had that same look in your eyes. Determined. Strength. Courage. I remembered it clearly."
"W-What? In space?" Starfire widened her eyes when she heard these words.
"Don't you know?" Karras looked at her as if he was shocked that she didn't know.
He leaned close to her, but when she had regained her strength, she pushed him away from her and touched her hair, twisting it around her fingers where he had brushed his hands through her hair, caressing the back of her neck with his unclean fingers.
Karras looked at her, loving the look in her curious, frightened eyes. "It was me who attacked you and your friends on your way here."
"Why?" Starfire's eyes widened in shock. "You were the terriorist who tried to capture me?"
"Not exactly a terriorist at that point, but yes. You were really brave." He said sweetly in admiration and he stepped closer.
Starfire stepped back and charged up her right fist with a starbolt and her eyes flared with that same glow. "If you believe that you will talk your way out of this, you are wrong. Why? Why are you doing this?"
"I've said this before, Starfire. I wanted power." He leaned to the side, with a hand on his hip and some strands of his hair fell to his glittering eyes as he looked at Starfire who still felt uneasy.
"I had made a deal with the Gordainians years ago to help me take Tamaran. And in return, they wanted a slave or a sacrifice who would act as their slave for eternity. So they've threatened your home and demanded a sacrifice unless they wanted to go to war with them, which is unlikely since Tamaran isn't exactly a war-like planet. The Gordainians wanted the eligible heir.
"But...they didn't get the first child...they got you, since your oldest sister--Blackfire I believe--was not worthy."
Starfire gasped, but at the same time, she growled under her breath as she tightened her fists, intensively glowing in lime green. Memories of her dreaded, painful past flashed inside of her mind, of the screams and the whips that were thrashed on her back and across her face, forcing her to fight for her little life.
"And that's not all. When word reached that you were returning to Tamaran, I sent out an assassin to kill you since I believe unforunately your brother was too young at that time to be considered as a heir."
Starfire's eyes bubbled with anger, but her feet were pinned to the ground. She took deep breaths to try and calm her raging nerves. But as she tried, sweat beaded down her forehead and her fingernails dug into her skin; a small sign of blood was already on her fists.
"You..." She said, trying to take it slow before she lost control over herself. "You were the reason...why...I was taken away from my family?"
"Yes. But that wasn't until I've realized your potential."
"My potential? What do you mean?"
Karras started walking around Starfire, observing her as her eyes were trapped in his stare, but not because of her attraction to him or her anger, it was because she wanted to know. Although her blood rushed through her veins with the adrealine to attack him and tear him apart. She stood still, her eyeballs following wherever Karras went.
He came close to her, but she didn't move. Although her body shivered as he brushed his fingers through her hair and he rubbed his hand on her shoulders. Starfire gulped inside, trying to clear her mind, but again her body was tempted to harm him for good. But she was afraid of losing control again over herself.
"I've learned about your life on Earth and how you've gained these starbolts." As he said this, he lightened up his hand, glowing in bright yellow like the sun that was blazing outside of the room.
"After a few twists and deals with the Gordainian, I have finally convinced them to experiment on me so I too could have these powers."
"But many have failed, Karras! That's a risk worse than any kind of death, Karras! You don't understand the torture you must cope trying to gain starbolts and even if you've tried, you're risking your life. And for what? For this?"
She lighten her hand as well, her face scarred with many memories of the electric pulses the scientists had put in her and also the extremely hot and hostile temperatures of solar energy in order to see how much Tamaraneans can withstand.
Karras grabbed her hand as their palms continued to glow in a mix of green and golden light. Karras looked at her tenderly, with his amber eyes looking at her the same way he had looked her when they had first met.
"There are certain risks worth taking." He said.
Starfire was disgusted and she jerked her hand back. "Not this, not this..."
Her anticipation started to build inside of her as her palms started to dimly glow a green color. "It's not worth it, Karras. So much pain and for what? For power?"
"And for you." He replied.
"For me?" Starfire said. She lost track to where Karras was because she was focusing on dimming her starbolts, but for some reason, they continued to glow, as if they sensed the hate building inside of her.
"I had made another deal with the Gordainians once you came here with your friends. I said that if they could help me get us together, I will give them your brother and your friends. The plan was golden." He said this, his breath steaming inside of her ear.
She was having difficulty breathing and her throat was clogged with mucos. She coughed as she felt hands grasping by her waist, pulling her back. Her insecurity built in, strangely in pity for Karras as she tried to pry him away, in fear of what she'll do if her anger was to awaken again.
"I had loved you ever since I first saw you in space. You were precious." He slid his hands down her bare arms, feeling the fine hair in between his fingers as her skin rose in goose bumps. She tried to jerk him away, but he pressed her against him. And she moaned.
"As precious as emeralds. I had to have you."
"You never will, Karras."
"Oh I will, Star. I will."
Starfire closed her eyes for the moment and when she opened them, they were flashing red. Her hands tightened into fists as she grabbed Karras' wrists and a small growl escaped from her lips.
"Don't you ever...call me Star..." She said and flipped Karras over unexpectedly.
Karras groaned as he sat up, rubbing his head. He looked up as Starfire approached him, with her eyes bubbling in red and her fists glowing in a secondary color of green mixed with orange.
Karras gave her a sinister smirk across his lips, with his perfect dimples on each side of his cheeks. "Why, because he calls you that?"
"You will never have me, Karras. You will never have any part of me. And I will not endure this any longer."
"Will you lose your temper?" He said, chuckling.
Starfire gulped. "No, because all of my life I had to cope with it all. Having decisions being made for me, being forced and tortured as a slave and an experiment as if I am some sort of--of an animal! As if I am a nothing! A Troq!
"But I am not a Troq." She said softly, more to herself than to Karras.
Her eyes shifted up for the moment and then a smile came to her face as she kneeled down, with her eyes still glittering in red and her cheeks were pale from her abrupt, short breathing. Karras was confused by her stare and since her eyes were still glowing in her anger, he seemed a little more distant and even afraid.
"You know, Karras..." She said slowly and softly, "If you had not commanded those things to happen to me." A flash of an image of her friends crossed her mind. "If you had not made my parents sent me away, I wouldn't have become the person that I am, my real self. Someone who has found who they really are, someone who has found friendship, truth, justice, love."
"And who might you be, Koriand'r?" Karras asked softly, gulping hard as his eyes dimmed from their pride.
Starfire stood up as finally her red, evil eyes dimmed and returned back to the peaceful eyes that were truly green and truly hers.
"No, Karras, that's when you are wrong. I am not Koriand'r. I'm Starfire. And I am a Teen Titan." Starfire looked ahead with a light smile, looking away from Karras.
He couldn't help but be curious as to what she was staring at. And as he turned his head, he had thought that he saw a red fireball coming at him. But instead, he saw Robin and a white light flashed in front of his eyes as Robin punched him back, forcing him back. But then he felt hands grabbing him and tossing him to the wall.
He groaned and didn't have the chance to stand as green starbolts came all around him. He screamed with pain as he placed his arms in front of his face for protection. But it did little good for him as someone punched him again and this time left him unconscious.
"Did...did we...kill him?" Starfire asked as Robin kneeled beside Karras to check his pulse. Robin used his first two fingers and pressed it against Karras' neck. He shook his head. "No, he's alive."
"So, that means we didn't kill him?" Starfire asked, relieved.
Robin smiled as he stood up and looked at her. "No, Star. You didn't."
"Robin..." Starfire said as she glided to him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. He wrapped her arms around her waist as one had felt through her hair. Starfire hummed as she thought about her life.
"Oh Robin, if it weren't for you and the others, I could have lost control...I almost--It almost controlled me again." She whispered as small tears slid down her cheeks. Robin hushed her to be silent as he gripped her tightly in his arms.
"But you didn't. I'm proud of you. I really am."
"Oh Robin..." Starfire said as she continued to stay cuddled in his arms. Both of them stood there only, their features brightened as the sun came from the windows and lightened up the room with its brilliance.
"You're coming with us." One of the remaining Gordainians said to Karras, pointing his large finger at him.
Karras widned his eyes in shock by this, raising his hands up which were handcuffed by the Tamaranean police. For the pass couple of hours, under the command of Chief Galfore, he restored what was left of the ballroom and some other remainder of the palace that was destroyed during the battle.
Peacefully and shockingly, Galfore talked to the Gordainians who were as tall and big as he was. The Titans were in the other room for a long time when Galfore and the Gordainians finally returned.
"W-What? What do you mean?" Karras said, whimpering tears and they slid down his bruised cheeks.
A Gordainian grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and made him stand, although Karras had struggled to break free. But Gordainian pierced his fingers to his broke collar bone and Karras screamed in pain.
"You did not fulfill your end of the bargain as we have, Lord Karras. You promised us servants and we didn't get any." The leader said, with a large black tatoo on his left eye, symbolizing that he was Second in Command of the entire planet and army.
His companions smiled as they encircled around him and Karras. "So we're taking you instead as our prize for our services."
"No! No! You can't do that!" Karras yelled out, trying to stand, but the Gordainian reinforced him by grabbing him by the arms and the other Gordainians followed in pursuit toward their ship.
Karras groaned as he struggled to break free. "No! Release me! Release me at once!" He looked up with wide eyes as the Teen Titans stood beside Galfore, looking at him pitilessly as he is being dragged by the Gordainians to aboard the ship. Starfire held Robin's hand tightly as Karras' amber eyes looked at her with such plea she couldn't help but pity him.
"Please! Help me! Save me!" He shouted, with his arms outstretched. But before he was able to even finish the sentence, the door was shut and already the ship started to arise from the ground, creating a breeze all around them that blew their hair and their capes in front of them. Their eyes watched silently as the ship soared through the skies, higher and higher into the air until it was lost by the thickness of the clouds and the outstretch depths of outer space.
"I guess that he got more than he had bargained for." Cyborg replied. Everyone nodded in agree.
Starfire nodded as well. "Yes, but I cannot help but pity him."
"What? Why?" Redfire said with his eyes shocked.
"After all he had done to you, you still pity him?" Raven said with an eyebrow arched high.
Starfire nodded still. "Yes, just because he was a criminal and a murderer, sometimes I nor anyone can help but feel pity for those who had chosen the wrong path to follow. Karras was certainly one of those. They did not know any better. No one ever does when it comes to these decisions.
"Whatever choice we make, there shall always be consequences. Some of them are worth going through because we learn from them. Perhaps Karras will learn from them such as I have."
"Amen to that, sister." Beast Boy chuckled.
Starfire was about to turn to her friends when Galfore touched her lightly by the shoulder. She turned her head toward him with his light eyes looking down on her with gratitude and with the true care of a guardian.
"Galfore."
"Princess Starfire, now that our beloved king and queen have deceased, it is time for you to take the throne."
When these words came out, everyone's faces fell with disappointment and sadness. Starfire bowed her head down, her eyes watered with the thought of being separated from her friends. But she took a deep breath, feeling that after all that had happened to her these past weeks, she could surely speak up for herself here now on her home planet.
"Galfore...I am honored to be granted this rank, but unfortunately...I am not worthy for it."
Galfore widened his eyes. "Why is this, princess?"
Starfire smiled at him softly. "Because I already belong in another place. Earth is my real home." She gave her friends a nice glance, but as she did, she noticed a sad look that crossed Redfire's sweet eyes. His face fell even more to wrinkles as he wrapped his arms around his chest. Beast Boy noticed this and gave her a nudge on the head to Starfire to catch it.
Starfire approached Redfire and took his hand gently in hers. Redfire looked at his older sister, his aqua eyes almost tearing up with crystalline tears. He quickly wiped them with his palm and he sniffled.
"Ryan--Redfire...I want you to come with us. Come with us to Earth."
Redfire widened his eyes and he looked deeply at Starfire to see if she wasn't being serious. But knowing Redfire too well, the look in her eyes told him that she was being sincere and truthful. "R-Really?"
"Yeah buddy!" Beast Boy said as he locked an arm around Redfire, dragging him away from Starfire. "You kicked some major Karras-butt back there. We need someone like you as part of the Teen Titans."
"W-Wha-Really? A Teen Titan?" Redfire said and looked up with gratifying light eyes as he looked over the other Titans for approval. All of them smiled. Robin approached him and took his hand away from Starfire's. Robin grabbed something from inside of his belt and it Redfire gripped it tightly.
Redfire looked down with dreamy eyes as he looked down at the object that was placed in his palm. What he held was a small yellow communicator with the letter "T" in its center; bold, large, and black.
Redfire looked at Robin with watery eyes as they exchanged smiles.
"You deserved it, Red." Robin grinned. "Welcome to the team."
Everyone patted him on the back, all except Raven who gave him a sweet approving smile. Redfire and Starfire hugged each other tightly for a long awhile before they embraced. Redfire grabbed Starfire's hand and together they approached Galfore with strong looks in their light, beautiful eyes.
"Galfore...since Starfire has refused to take the throne...I refuse too." Redfire decided.
Galfore looked at him surprisingly while smiles and soft whispers came from behind by the Titans. He looked at Starfire and Redfire slowly and carefully. "Are you certain that this is what you want?"
Starfire nodded and placed a comforting arm around Redfire. "Yes. We have found a good place, among good people. They will take good care of us."
"But, what about Tamaran?"
Starfire and Redfire make quick glances at each other, smirking as the same idea came into their minds. Both of the youngsters floated in midair and came by each of Galfore's broad shoulders. Redfire leaned over him and smiled.
"I think that'll be your job now."
Galfore widened as even his own eyes started to form tears and one slid down his cheek as he grasped both Starfire and Redfire into his arms and held them tightly in a traditional Tamaranean hug.
"I will not fail you, your highnesses." Galfore said with his eyes closed. "I will not fail you."
Traveling through space has been a long journey, but it was well worth it. Redfire and Starfire guided the T-Ship along through the distant and foreign planets. When they had ran out of fuel and other simple supplies, they had explored through other planets, observing the creatures who dominated the planet. And for Redfire and the other Titans, it was a great experience.
They took the same route Starfire had taken when she had wandered through this vase of empty space and cold air all alone. But now she wasn't allow as she was flying beside her brother and was followed by her beloved friends.
Starfire looked up as a familiar, heart warming feeling slowly returned to her heart and filled her with happiness and relief. The golden sun of the Milky Way Galaxy was on the other side of the planet, its crest of light beautiful as its rays stretched across the planet, bringing the sunrise of a new morning.
Starfire tapped Redfire on the shoulder and pointed out to him the small, but relatively bright blue planet as blue as the small blueberries from the bushes that was just ahead of them. Redfire opened his mouth in awe as the planet was glowing from the brightness of the sun.
Starfire smiled as she spoke, "Welcome to Earth. Your new home."