Deep beneath the city of Jump, below the headquarters of Wilson Enterprises, in the lair of Tartarus, it was beginning. In one of their side rooms, clear of all furniture and debris, a runed circle had been drawn into the ground with dust grounds from the bones of wolves, surrounded by candles made from the fat of slaughtered animals. As was necessary for the ritual. The rune pulsated with eldritch power as Blood held high the white book he'd obtained from Raven's possession. Behind him, his cohorts and companions stood or floated, watching and waiting with baited breath. He intoned the magic that would give their final member life once more.
"Ti evol dna yrots siht daer lliw uoy. Leiryt inuorur esiarp lla," he chanted, holding the book up high. "Weiver a evael dna!"
The others behind him picked up the chant as the words grew louder, resonating with magical power. The whole room seemed filled with wind as energy seemed to take hold in every molecule of the place. The glow of the runed circle grew brighter.
"Ti evol dna yrots siht daer lliw uoy. Leiryt inuorur esiarp lla. Weiver a evael dna!"
Energy that coalesced around the book in Blood's hands, and lifted it from them as he released it. The book glowed brightly, so bright that eventually even Blackfire had to avert her gaze or have her retinas fried. The book exploded then, soundlessly, the pages bursting forth like a flurry of leaves, swirling around the circle like a hurricane of white paper. They then seemed to fly together into the center, and in an instant, none could see what lay within. And in the next, the papers had vanished, and something stood in the circle where before there had been nothing. A man. As the figure stood, the papers fell away, turning to fine ash and vanishing, as the wind died down and the rune vanished alongside them. The light from the candles were instantly snuffed out.
Blackfire held up a hand, filling with a starbolt to properly illuminate the room... and the figure that had now joined them.
The man was white haired and pale-skinned, with crystal blue eyes. He wore black, skin-tight robes underneath a suit of archaic armor bearing a stylized 'M' symbol upon his breastplate. A sash of purple was slung across his waist, and a similar swath of silk was wrapped around the lower part of his face, obscuring his features below the nose. He had the high cheekbones and slanted eyes that bespoke of an exotic origin. As if his clothing and entrance hadn't been enough.
He seemed equally surprised to see the four members of Tartarus standing before him. For a moment, neither side moved. None spoke. Then, the Ravager slid forward, moving past Blood and extending a hand to their equally white-haired friend.
"Welcome... Malchior," she said respectfully.
"Who are you?" asked Malchior, glancing around suspiciously. "What manner of place is this?"
"We are Tartarus," replied the Ravager. "You would do well to be respectful, for it was we who freed you," she added, indicating Brother Blood, who smirked despite himself.
"Freed me! Freed me from a book and chained me a prison far worse!" roared Malchior, stomping forward. The members of Tartarus behind her readied themselves for a fight, Brother Blood and Blackfire filling their hands with energy, Deathfang reaching down to his belt to grab a serum. But the Ravager did not even flinch, not even when Malchior was right in her face.
"Imprisoned me in the body of my own worse enemy!" roared the former dragon.
For dragon Malchior was, truly. Centuries ago, he'd been an unstoppable black lizard who had breathed fire upon all who had crossed his path, who'd hunted down wizards and stolen their spells and books, amassing a great deal of power unto himself. In the end, he had only narrowly been defeated by a novice sorcerer named Rorek, who had sacrificed his life to seal Malchior away in the very book he had next been pursuing.
"It could not be helped," replied the Ravager calmly. "The original spell was greatly altered by your conflict with Raven. Count yourself fortunate we could free you at all," she added darkly. Malchior growled, and again moved as if to press forward, but stopped abruptly... and glanced down. The Ravager had just poked him in his unprotected stomach with a small dagger... not enough to pierce his armor, but to serve as a warning. Reluctantly, he calmed himself down and stepped back. Behind the Ravager, she could sense the others were doing the same, relaxing their combat stances. Blackfire continued to illuminate the room so they could speak face to face.
"However... we understand you do not wish to remain this way forever," she said, a smile coming to her lips. "So we offer to assist you in removing this burdensome curse," said the Ravager, again offering her hand.
"In return for what?" replied the former dragon, on the verge of snorting smoke despite his new forms limitations.
"Your assistance. Tartarus has need of you," she said.
"And what care I for you and your Tartarus?" he asked darkly.
"Because we are the sworn enemies of your enemies," she replied. "The Teen Titans. Surely, you wish an opportunity to repay them for imprisoning you once again...? And in particular, repaying a certain gothic witch?" she asked, grinning wickedly.
Malchior growled behind his veil. "Raaaveeeen..." he hissed out, somehow managing to make that one word sound like the most hated thing in existence.
So he considered his options. He could sense instinctively he still had a lot of his power in this form. A lot of Rorek's power, actually. It was nothing compared to his true power, however... and even that was nothing compared to the body of a dragon as opposed to the weak, squishy sack of flesh he was forced to inhabit now. He could always find his own way to break the curse, now that he was free to wander where he pleased. But still... Tartarus presented a most tempting offer, truly. Their resources would be invaluable. And they would make welcome allies in his battles with the other Teen Titans.
"Promise that when we are finished, Raven is mine, and I will fight beside you," replied Malchior, as always trying to get the best possible deal as he extended his pale human hand.
Brother Blood wisely chose to make no comment, though his expression darkened at Malchior's additional term. Not yet, he decided. Now was not the time. If he'd learned anything from his failure as a father, it was never to strike too soon. Patience was a much more vastly preferred weapon to haste.
The Ravager smiled, taking Malchior's hand in hers and shaking. "Welcome to Tartarus."
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It was many hours yet before morning, but Starfire had woken earlier than usual today, sliding off her bed and making her way down the hallway to find a caffeinated beverage, which would help wake her up. Unfortunately, the Titan's fridge was poorly stocked today (likely Beastboy's turn to go to the store) and she had to settle for water as she made her way back to her room and activated the view screen occupying the east wall.
It was a daily routine for her. Wake up, get a drink, return to her room and check her mail. Starfire may have decided to live indefinitely on Earth but she still missed her friends and family on Tamaran, and thus sent them mail at least once every day to keep them updated on her exploits, always hoping to receive some mail in return. However, today she had no mail from Tamaran, but a curious message at the bottom of the list caught her attention. It was addressed to her, but she didn't recognize the e-mail of the individual who was contacting her.
Starfire reached out and clicked open the vid-mail, allowing an image to come forth across the screen. Instantly the image of J'onn, the green-skinned martian from the Justice League, took place on the screen. She gave a smile, but wondered what could be so important he would contact her?
"Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran," came the Martian's solemn voice. "I have most disturbing news. Please contact the Watchtower at your earliest convenience. It... it would be best I tell you what I have to say directly."
Curiouser and curiouser.
Closing her mail, Starfire hesitantly typed in the key code that would allow her to contact the Watchtower. Though the Teen Titans and the Justice League were autonomous organizations... working independently from one another... the nature of their goals and general attitudes had them set up lines of communication early on, so that one could aid the other and vice-versa as the situation was needed. The League had even said something to the effect of offering membership to the Titans when they were off more appropriate ages. But that day had come and gone. They had declined the League's generous offer and stayed their own separate team.
J'onn's face again appeared on the vidscreen, but this time it was a live-feed, not a recording.
"Princess... it is good to see you again," said the Martian Manhunter.
"You as well, J'onn," she said, managing to pronounce his name correctly. Being some of the only aliens in the organizations, some of the few aliens on Earth, had made them natural friends, even though the Martian was cold and quiet while Starfire was his polar opposite.
"I am sorry to inform you of this bad news, Princess Koriand'r," he said solemnly. "But the League received a report from the Lantern Corp a few days ago. The Green Lantern in the Vega System had most disturbing news."
Vega, thought Starfire, her heart feeling like it was clenched in a grip of ice. For a moment, she couldn't breath. Instinctively, she almost knew what was coming.
"The planet Tamaran was... destroyed," said the Martian reluctantly, none-too-surprised by Koriand'r's reaction. She nearly fell backwards in shock. But she was no child, no simpering damsel who could not fend for herself and take what life gave her. She did not faint. But she came damn close. Losing her home world. The place she'd grown up.
"... how...?" she finally managed to utter, her voice soft and near inaudible.
"A Sun Eater," replied J'onn, equally quiet. "The threat was not foreseen until it was almost too late. The Lantern Corps have already mobilized, and they plan to destroy the beast in a day or so once they can lure it away from an inhabited star system. There won't be any other casualties."
"Were... were there any survivors?" asked Starfire, desperately clinging to her one last hope.
But J'onns impassive visage told her everything she needed to know.
"I am sorry, Princess," he said, in a most soothing tone. Like a father would use for a daughter who has just lost her favorite puppy. "I know I can offer no words of consolation for you in this time of grief. But I can offer myself, someone to listen, if you should need me. I understand all too well the pain of losing one's home and family."
"T-Thank you," stuttered Starfire, without another word (uncharacteristic of the usually jubilant and talkative Tamaranian) she shut off communications and buried her face in her hands, letting her tears come. For her home, for her people, for the man who had been like a father to her. All of it gone. Destroyed. Now the Titans were all she had left. Her only friends... her only family.
Starfire threw herself onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow, letting the tears come, let herself mourn for her people. Tamaranians were an emotional breed. They did not hide joy, they did not suppress anger.
They could do no less with sorrow.
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"Popcorn anyone?"
The Ravager quirked an eyebrow above her mask, glancing over at Deathfang, who chuckled mightily at his own joke. She was unimpressed, and she made that very clear with a dark glare she sent his way. He instantly shut his mouth.
The members of Tartarus were gathered around the council chamber, but their attention was not on one another. Now they watched the view screen that the Ravager had for many days. But it was not playing footage of the soon to be defeated Titans. Now it showed their Tower. Sitting in the middle of Jump City's bay. And now they were waiting... for just the opportune moment. Brother Blood was not present. Most of them were almost growing impatient, including Blackfire, who was examining her nails for the ninetieth time, and Malchior, who was fidgeting in his chair, as if anxious to be elsewhere. No doubt back at his books. Slade's former collection of spell books had, of course, been legally passed down to his only remaining child, and the Ravager had happily passed them along to Malchior. She could decipher a few spells herself but she would need his power to actually cast them.
Which was, of course, more of Tartarus's plans. She kept them deep in the labyrinth of her mind, not ready yet to share them with her colleagues.
Soon.
The door slid open, and idly Ravager swiveled her chair around as Brother Blood rejoined Tartarus... a changed man.
Gone were his gauntlets and hands, replaced they were by steel claws capable of tearing through iron with ease. He still wore the red fighting robes of the Blood priest, but beneath his chest had swelled, no doubt replaced by a steel breastplate. Like his father, he had foregone changing his legs, keeping them limber and human. But his face was truly where the mark of the machine lay upon him. Half of his face, the left half, was the face of a machine, steel chrome and red glowing eye. The other was his normally handsome, dark-haired visage.
Like his father, Brother Blood the eighth... had become a cyborg.
Professor Chang scurried behind Brother Blood, no doubt pleased by his latest work. And perhaps the fact that, this time, he hadn't been forced to do it by mind control. He was being paid and was most eager to serve for the masters of Tartarus.
"Excellent work, Chang," intoned the Ravager. "You have outdone yourself."
"Of course, of course," muttered Chang, bowing his head. "Always glad I am to serve such wonderful masters, yes."
"Ah yes... about that," said the Ravager, taking delight as Chang's head snapped up, his eyes suddenly wide. "It seems that with this latest development... that Tartarus has no further need of your services."
Chang stepped forward, about to offer a half-hearted protest, but not a word passed his lips. Instead, he spat out blood as a steel claw found it's way into his back and through his chest, the claws twitching obscenely as they held his heart in it's hand. Chang himself watched as the heart stopped beating... and he slumped to the ground as Brother Blood withdrew his steel-taloned hand and cleaned it on the bio-suit of Chang.
"Ravager..." said Malchior, getting her attention. He seemed upset. "That was cold and ruthless, betraying your own henchman like that."
A beat followed, in which silence reigned.
Then Malchior smirked behind his veil. "I like it."
And Ravager returned the smirk. "Then I imagine you shall like what comes next," she said, spinning her chair back around to face the view screen and the image of Titan's Tower contained therein. "Brother Blood, are you prepared?"
"I am," he said. He did not need a switch, he did not need a controller. With his new cybernetic enhancements, Brother Blood need only think... and it would all be over. The other members of Tartarus crowded around behind the Ravager's chair, facing the screen, eagerly anticipating the show to come.
"Do it. And let us watch... the Beginning of the End."
Brother Blood did not hesitate. With little effort (a twitch of his eye, really) he activated the hidden bomb in Titan's Tower, and they all watched gleefully as it went up in smoke in seconds. Zinothium being the unstable element that it was, the explosion was truly a sight to see, fire and smoke tinged with crimson as the entire Tower was engulfed in flame not unlike the bowels of Hell. To the members of Tartarus, it was a sight many had waited much of their lives to see. And as they watched, the Tower began to topple, to wobble, and eventually fell with a crash onto the island and part of the ocean as it crumbled like a stack of cards. In the end, it was a mess of steel and mortar barely recognizable as a 'T' shape any longer, the top having partially sunken into the waves.
The Ravager smirked wickedly.
"It... has... begun."
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Author's Notes:
Though chanting nonsense magical words, I slipped in a silly message if you read them backwards, a la Zatanna's magic. Malchior, of course, most of you all know and love (or loathe) from 'Spellbound.' Obviously his curse has been made at once better and worse now with current events. In the comics, Tamaran (and new Tamaran) both suffered horrendous fates, leaving the Tamaranian people exiles the first time and dead the second. The destruction of Titan's Tower is new. In both animated and comic series I don't believe (I could be wrong) it's ever been destroyed. Invaded and messed up a bunch, but this is a step up. As with many elements of my story, that will come into play later on. Next time: What will become of Jump City, now that Titan's Tower no longer watches over them?
Yomiori-Wolfdemon: Malchior, yes. The dragon from 'Spellbound.' As you can see, you were indeed correct.
Blackbird: Darn, should've omitted that from author's notes to keep you guessing. Pick up? More like… blow up! Muwahahahaha!
Ultimate R-Man: It is troublesome to wait for new episodes, but that's what fanfiction is for. Glad you're enjoying the new Blood. Of all the characters, his portrayal was the one I was most worried about, since I didn't want him to be an exact duplicate of the old one.
TDG3RD: What sort of tips? Offer flowery words and then stab 'em in the back? Besides, you'll find those two more likely to come into conflict for their individual goals. Poor Robin indeed. And he isn't alone. All the Titans will suffer before this story ends.
Tigress419: Did I forget to mention the bomb is shielded by low ultraviolet light? Yes, I did, but the principle is sound. It's out of the way and hidden. And yes, Malchior has returned to continue wreaking havoc on the Titans lives.
Todd fan: You got it.
J: I'd like to think they're all a little more mature than they used to be. BB and Star the most, since they were the least mature in the animated series. As for the Ravager, you'll find out plenty in time. No Mumbo Jumbo… 'fraid he's not a serious enough villain to consider for the line-up. Malchior it is.
Pnaixrose: Not so hard to believe. They're just kids, after all. The Ravager/Rose/Robin angle will be more important later, but let me just say it has a surprisingly interesting twist to it. Where they went? Why back to their hideout to laugh maniacally, of course!
Ray1: So did I… so did I.
Elrohirthewriter: As I write this story, I am assuming Raven and the others defeat Trigon in 'The End' but she stays blue, regular Raven, since the series leads on into a fifth season. As of now, she's about as powerful as she's always been in the animated series. However… if you're asking how powerful she would be without Anger… well… you'll find out.
Sympathique: Difficult, yes, but not impossible. Still, when has impossible ever stopped the Titans? Glad you're enjoying the story and all the wonderful work I put into it.
ViciousAssassin: Just you wait. Plenty more of those coming up. But I won't keep you all in suspense too long. It is indeed the spellbook from 'Spellbound.' Hope you enjoy the story as it continues to unfold, there is far, far more to come.
Comet-hime: Of course she's still human. I'm tired of the countless fanfictions that have Raven suffer some strange demonic disease/growth spurt/mental inbalance. She's human enough, I say. And yeah, I needed to keep her out of the main conflict but don't worry now she's back and ready to play.