Okay, this chapter's a little short, but it's chock full of expositionary goodness!
Once again, thanks to all ya folks who've read and reviewed. You're the reason I do this at all, really! Hope ya'll enjoy!
Chapter 14: The Stars are Right
"Wakey, wakey!" a sing-song voice cut through the darkness in Beast Boy's mind. Slowly, the green titan opened his eyes and groaned softly, looking about him curiously. "Where am I?"
"Someplace where we can be alone," Harbinger stated with a smile playing over her lips, one hand on her hip, "Sorry I had to wake you, but you must be conscious for the ritual." She shrugged her shoulders lightly, "I know, who is it that makes up these rules, eh?"
Beast Boy struggled but found himself tied spread eagled in a pentagram traced on the hard concrete floor. The cavernous area was full of oppressive darkness, the only light coming from a series of candles arranged on each point in the pentagram and from starlight filtering through a large skylight above him. Beast Boy squinted his eyes to peer into the darkness and could dimly make out the collection of artifacts taken from the cultists earlier that night.
Harbinger caught his glance and smirked, chuckling softly, "You're wondering how I got all those artifacts, aren't you? A simple recall spell. After casting it, I could bring them all to me with a thought. Your gullible friend Raven thought it was to prevent the Church of Starry Wisdom from completing their ritual."
Beast Boy glared at the dark demon woman and attempted to shift into a form – any form – which could help him escape the bonds. Harbinger laughed shortly then clucked her tongue while shaking her head, "Uh-uh-uh. We can't have those wicked superpowers of yours interfering with the ritual, now can we? They're nicely disabled."
"Why are you doing this?" Beast Boy asked, frowning, "I thought you wanted to save the world."
"I wanted to prevent Ba'Cthuga from manifesting," Harbinger clarified, "Which, thanks to your help, I did. The Church of Starry Wisdom did most of the work retrieving the artifacts and, again thanks to you Teen Titans, I was able to gather them all at once. To bring forth my god, the one I serve in the depths of dimensions unperceived by you mortals." She laughed viciously, the sound echoing slightly in the cavernous chamber and sounding even more malevolent, "I am the Harbinger. The Harbinger of Eternal Darkness, of Pain, of the Void. All that see my visage will despair and know that their doom is neigh. All will tremble before the might of my Master, Uog-Slooth the Unseen as eternal night washes over this pathetic world!"
"Dude, you sound like a villain on a Saturday morning cartoon," Beast Boy retorted, sounding much more brave than he felt. In all honesty, her little speech gave him the willies.
Harbinger smirked and chuckled lightly, bending down to brush her claws along Beast Boy's cheek in a parody of a lover's caress, "That's why I like you, BB. Always willing to see the humor in any situation. Such a pity you have to be killed and your soul sent to feed the Void. I would have liked having you as a pet in the brave new world we shall forge on the broken ruin of your home."
"You won't get away with this!" Beast Boy called out, struggling against his bonds some more.
"Now who's sounding like some cheesy television show?" Harbinger asked with a smirk, moving to the carefully arranged pile of artifacts. She selected a wicked curved dagger of black obsidian which seemed to glow with a sickly purple light, "But perhaps you think your friends will save you? Unlikely. I've faced down entire armies on the worlds I've conquered. A handful of brats don't stand a chance, even if they could find where we were." Harbinger grinned broadly, teeth flashing like daggers in the dark, her long prehensile tongue slipping from her lips to lap at the obsidian blade, "Once the ritual is complete and this dagger is plunged into your heart, the portal to the Void will be unable to be closed by any power you or your friends possess. My Master will come through and lay waste on all you love and hold dear. And your helpless, rended soul will bear witness to the destruction wrought on your world for eternity." She smiled viciously again, looking up through the skylight, "Let's begin, shall we?"
A stabbing pain punched through Raven's skull and she winced, doubling over in the T-Car and clutching her head tightly.
"Raven!" Starfire shouted, turning in the seat towards the other girl and folding comforting arms around her.
With a shaky breath, Raven lifted a hand and waved Starfire away, "I'm okay. I just... we have to hurry. Something very bad is going to happen soon, I can feel it." Raven pressed her lips together tightly, "A factory. They're in a factory. Turn left here!"
Cyborg cast a worried look at Raven and Starfire through the rear view mirror, but did as told. As his eyes flickered back towards the windshield, they widened with shock. "Yo, Robin! Look up at the sky... are you seeing this?"
"Yeah, and it doesn't look good," Robin's voice came through the speaker in the car. Curious, Starfire turned to the window and gasped at the sight.
The stars and moon were all a blood red, making the dark sky seem like some blood-splattered bit of cloth. The stars themselves seemed to waver and dance along the crushing darkness of the night's sky, gibbering with vicious glee. The heavens seemed anything but in place, and a pervading sense of evil covered the entire area.
"It's an old toy factory," Raven stated flatly, though she still clutched her head tightly, "Something called... called... I can almost see it..." Her dark blue eyes flashed open, "West End Toys! That's where they are!"
"You hear that, Robin?" Cyborg asked the radio.
"Yeah," Robin responded, "Five one twelve Mullholland Drive. Let's get there fast!"
Cyborg grinned broadly, "Fast I can do! Meetcha there, Robin!" And with that, he floored the gas pedal, speeding off towards the address.