Stars of the Dark: Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I may not own Teen Titans, but I'm much better than you so I don't CARE! (Kidding)

"She went down to easily…" thought Legaj "IF she was the source of those chaotic waves that we detected from this planet, she should be more powerful."

"Perhaps she was caught off guard?" Replied the symbiotic spirit that Legaj shared his body with.

"I don't think you can be caught off guard when you receive such an obvious trick… WHOA! DID YOU FEEL THAT BRIGHT-LANCE?"

"Yes I did, Legaj. That's a very powerful chaos signature. More powerful than anything that girl could conjure." Thought Bright-Lance.

"That means that… CRAP WE GOT THE WRONG ONE! DAMN IT!"

He flipped an unconscious Raven from his shoulder and laid her carefully down on the ground. "Are you going to try and wake her up? What if she attacks us again?" Asked Bright-Lance.

"We need all the help we can get, so shut up and let me concentrate." Legaj placed his index and middle fingers on Raven's forehead, and focused his whole and entire mind on a single overriding command: "wake up."

Her eyes snapped open and she inhaled deeply. "YOU" Raven hissed as she raised her right hand.

"No more of that," said Legaj, "I'm not going to hurt you… yet"

"Why should I trust you?" she hissed not moving her hand.

"You shouldn't" Legaj said simply.

Raven stood, with no small degree of difficulty, and faced Legaj. "Why did you wake me up?"

"PLEASE tell me you can sense that mental signature." Said he in exasperation.

"You can sense mental signatures?"

"All Carcians can, here it comes."

The source of the evil signature had arrived, and Legaj had to admit to himself he didn't look half bad for the emissary of darkness. The being that stood before him was even taller than Legaj, wearing black amour all around, except for on his face, his mask was half black and half orange.

"Slade!" Cried out Raven

"Slade? What a stupid name…" Rebuffed Legaj.

"So," said Slade, "the Keepers of Carcia have found our little backwater."

"You didn't think you could hide forever did you Emissary? Oh no the Keepers would have found you eventually. Fool."

"Keepers of Carcia? Emissary? What are you talking about?" asked Raven

"Later, right now I need you to help me kill it."

He charged the messenger of Trigon, and attempted to land some very slow and apparently week blows on the dark being's body, which were, of course, dogged easily by it. Slade then grabbed Legaj by the shoulders and attempted to crush him with his bare hands. "So," said Slade, "what have you to say now Carcian?"

"Nice blood rune."

Legaj drew his gun and, in less than a half second, blew Slade away from him. Wasting no time he fired a flurry of energy bolts at the despicable being who absorbed them all with a fire shield. He then closed to mealy and began a bizarre form of martial combat, which involved using the gun as a close quarters blocking weapon as well as firing it at point-blank range whenever he got a chance. Slade was having a considerably more difficult time at this point, which seemed to indicate that the first few attacks from this "Carcian" were only used in order to test Slade's limits.

Slade narrowly managed to escape this close quarters fighting style by distracting Legaj with a fire apparition. After disposing to the apparition easily, Legaj put away his gun and closed his eyes. Thinking that this was an opening Slade thought to incinerate this new obstacle to Trigon's plan with purest fire. As the fire reached Legaj his eyes (which were now glowing with an inner light) snapped open and an impenetrable shield of coherent light appeared to block the fire. Bright-Lance had come out. "Hello dead man." Said Bright-Lance.

"A bonded?"

Slade never got an answer, at least not a verbal one, as Bright-Lance Hior was not one to talk much during the middle of a fight. He immediately attacked Slade by firing a massive barrage of light beams at the horrible being. He could not doge them all, three impacted and were harmlessly absorbed by his amour, however four passed straight through his body. He staggered, bleeding, and attempted to remain standing. He was further frustrated by a bus, covered in black, flying out of no-where with intent to hit his head. He had had enough however, and teleported away to inform Trigon of this new threat.

Bright Lance returned control of the body to Legaj, who immediately drew his gun and pointed it at Raven. "You're the Portal." He said.

Raven, taken aback, said "What?"

"You're the Portal." Replied Legaj, "You're the one who will bring Trigon into this world."

She looked away, ashamed "How did you know…"

"I read his mind right before he ported"

"No, I mean how do you know about Trigon…"

"My race had know about Trigon for over 15,000 years, and have been preparing for his arrival for just as long, however if I were to kill you here, and now…" He lowered his gun, "But I sense no malice in you, you do not want to open the gate-way, and I could not call myself a self-respecting Carcian if I were to kill you."

"Be careful Legaj." Thought Bright-Lance, "She might be hiding it"

"I know it's a long shot but… The Keepers are supposed to protect the innocent, aren't they?"

"She is not innocent" Replied Bright-Lance sternly.

"Guilt by association is not guilt at all."

Bright-Lance was silenced by this, he could think of no retort to such a true statement.

"Someone is coming," they said together.