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Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.
Ch. 24:Finding Answers
The only sound on the beach at that moment was the gentle rush of the waves. It seemed like nobody knew what to do or say, especially the members of Titan's East who really had no idea what was going on. Everyone simply stared at the now standing figure of SoulBurn. He was dressed in a pair of what looked to be workout pants and a long sleeve shirt, and hee also wore black gloves on both his hands. It was very unusual attire for the summer. SoulBurn seemed to curiously look around the large group that stood in front of him, uncertainty radiating from hin.
However, he barely had time to realize who was in front before a sobbing, red-haired blur flew toward him and enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug. SoulBurn was startled for a few seconds and then seemed to be quickly losing air though eventually returned the hug. Starfire sobbed loudly into his chest muttering "Thank you X'hal" over and over again.
The male members of Titan's East glared dangerously at the new comer who Starfire reacted so fondly too. As of knowing what they were all doing, SoulBurn gave a glare of his own at all of them that scared each of the young heroes, though none of them would ever admit that fact. SoulBurn's eyes held such a frightening intensity that it caused each of them to look away and fidget slightly. During this entire time, none of the other Titans had moved or spoken. They simply watched Starfire embrace their lost acquaintance tightly. Beast Boy and Terra were both excited to see SoulBurn. Cyborg was completely shocked. Robin and Raven eyed him suspiciously. It wasn't every day that someone appeared out of nowhere when you know they had been in Hell. In the end it was the Titan's new houseguest who broke the silence.
"Well I guess he isn't an enemy after all. And here I thought we might have a little excitement around here." S
hock was clearly evident on SoulBurn's face at the sound of the voice. He acted as if he was surprised to find a person standing behind him. He was in fact still confused that some one had been able to sneak up on him before without him at least feeling another presence, and it appeared that it had happened again. Something wasn't right here.
SoulBurn gently pulled away from Starfire and turned toward the mystery person. He found a tall, black-haired female standing there confidently in a very revealing black bikini. On further inspection, SoulBurn realized that this girl looked like an older, curvier version of Starfire though it was her eyes that were most blatantly different than Starfire's. Where Starfire had kind, gentle eyes this girl had a cold, predatory look in her eyes. Her eyes would have been unsettling for most men but they did not bother SoulBurn even as he could feel the girl's eyes moving up and down his frame. SoulBurn stared intently at the girl as a strange feeling of something being terribly wrong with her swept over him. His powers had been chaotic since somehow returning to the mortal realm so he simply chalked the feeling up to that. It was the girl who once again broke the silence.
"You know it's rude to stare," an arrogant grin graced her face, " though I can't really blame you." The young woman struck a pose pushing out her chest. Any other man would have blushed or started drooling which Aqualad, Speedy, and Beast Boy were doing but once again it seemed not to faze SoulBurn who simply continued looking at her with a questioning look. Terra slapped Beast Boy upside the head when she realized he was staring. Starfire was the next to speak.
"Please sister, do not behave in such a manner in front of our newly returning friend." At the mention of sister something clicked in SoulBurn's head. This would definitely explain why she looked like Starfire. SoulBurn remembered Starfire talking quite a bit about an older sister of hers who twice had tried to ruin her life since she had joined the Titans. SoulBurn recalled Starfire saying that no matter what she still loved her sister and hoped one day she would learn the error of her ways. Apparently she had though SoulBurn still felt something was wrong with, if he remembered her name correctly, Blackfire.
Starfire continued to speak as SoulBurn processed this new information.
"This should be a moment of joy and happiness for friend SoulBurn has come back to us. Allow me to celebrate by singing the Tamaranian Song of Happiness, all 400 verses of it." Even Blackfire's eyes widened in fear at this new claim but it was SoulBurn who came to the rescue as he gently placed a hand on Starfire's shoulder.
"That is not necessary Starfire. Simply seeing your smiling face is enough celebration for me." Starfire simply beamed at the comment and happily nodded her head. Robin was the next to speak.
"I really hate to ruin the moment but I have a lot of questions for you SoulBurn and I would like some answers. I recommend we go somewhere private and talk." SoulBurn slowly turned toward the leader of the Titans with a grim look on his face.
"I too think that is necessary Robin. I would like to speak to you and Raven alone if I could. I will have to ask her something that only she can do." Robin was curious about what he wanted to say to Raven but figured that could be answered when it came. There was no reason to push SoulBurn for answers in front of everyone, especially those who knew not who he was.
"Then let us go into the main room. Everyone else, stay out here, I'll call you up when we're finished. The members of the Titans nodded in agreement while the members of Titan's East simply stood in silence feeling they had no right to talk or interfere right now. Blackfire simply shrugged her shoulders and proceeded to walk away toward a beach chair,swaying her hips as she walked. SoulBurn walked toward the two birds, and Raven used her powers to teleport them to the main room.
Robin P.O.V:
Forty-five minutes later, SoulBurn had finished speaking. His story ended with him explaining that he had somehow found himself back in the mortal realm and that some campers found him. They had offered him water, food, and clothes and had allowed him to sleep by their fire for the night. Eventually he decided to come find us which is what brought him to the Tower though being knocked out by Blackfire was an unexpected occurrence.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't completely horrified right at this moment. I could feel all the blood drained from my face and felt like I could vomit any second. I instinctively had grabbed Raven's hand during the course of listening and felt her squeeze back in return. Her being there might have been the only reason I managed to keep my body from rejecting its content. I looked over to Raven who had an emotionless look on her face. What had been said to us was disturbing at the very least but I figured she would handle it better. She had seen a number of terrible things in her life, whether in her actions or in the visions she had been forced to see. What she had remembered about the Fate of Azarath as well as her mother was terrible proof of that.
However, even I could see her eyes held a softness as she looked upon SoulBurn, a look that was usually only reserved for me. I would have felt a slight twinge of jelousy normally but not for SoulBurn. I don't think I could ever be jealous of SoulBurn, not after what he had endured. My mind keeps thinking SoulBurn but I now know for a fact that his real name is Azrael. He asked us not to call him by that though. The sound of his own name only reminded him of his tortures as the only one to call him by that was indeed Raven's Father Trigon.
From SoulBurn's story, I quickly realized that Hell was truly as bad as it was made to sound and that Raven's Father was truly the greatest of evils. SoulBurn had been forced to endure terrible pain every second he could remember at the hands of the demons of hell and Trigon. There was never an end to the suffering. There was no sleep to relax, no water to quench thirst, no food to satisfy hunger. The fact that SoulBurn still looked strong and had in fact grown was a mystery in itself though I doubted anything in Hell would work normal. SoulBurn had reluctantly showed us his body, though only his chest. I quickly realized that no amount of scars I could ever obtain fighting crime would compare to what he carried on his body. Even Raven had gasped at the sight and I could immediately tell SoulBurn was very self conscious about it as he flinched when he heard Raven gasp. I could tell SoulBurn was waiting for one of us to say something and it was Raven who spoke first.
"I…I am truly sorry SoulBurn. I know nothing I can ever say can make what you endured any easier to deal with but if you need anything, I will help. I owe you that much because in the end, it is still my Father that did this to you." I was shocked to watch SoulBurn's eyes soften at Raven's comment though it was hard to tell. His one eye seemed quite distant and the black one really never seemed there at all.
"Raven, even after everything that has happened, I will never fault you for anything that monster has done. In my eyes he has nothing to do with you anymore so don't think you owe me anything." I was surprised by the conviction in his voice. I felt Raven squeeze my hand gently. I truly believe hearing those words from SoulBurn meant something to her that me saying it could never mean.
"However, I would like you to ask you for one peronal favor Raven. As time passed in Hell, a lot of it thankfully became a blur as a majority of what was happening has become nothing but one long moment of pain. I know that my returning here is no accident and I know the truth is locked somewhere in my memories. I want you Raven to go into my mind and find out what is going on. I fear that your Father is up to something again and I will not be used by him again. I need to know the truth." Raven and I listened to the words and I knew she would answer yes so I quickly jumped in.
"I would like a few moments to discuss this request with Raven if you don't mind SoulBurn." He nodded his head in approval. I turned to face Raven who had a strange look on her face. I gave her a pleading look and she seemed to accept it though I knew I would hear about it later. Raven was not very receptive to others trying to make decisions for her but I needed to talk to her about this. I got up and walked with Raven to the hallway where I knew SoulBurn would not hear us. Raven was the first to speak.
"May I ask what this is all about? I think that I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions Richard especially one that was specifically asked of me and not you." I looked at her stern face and let out a sigh. Here goes nothing.
"It's not that I doubt your judgment Raven, it's just I'm worried about what could happen if you did. It's the same exact worry I had the first time SoulBurn showed up. It's why I never asked then for you to enter his mind to try and find answers but now, I'm even more worried. I remember the strain entering my mind had on you, and I am only a normal human. Even now we don't know who or what SoulBurn really is, who knows what's locked inside his mind. I mean as far as we know he was thrown out of heaven and now he's returned from hell and comes back with enough scars that there should be no way he survived what he did. What lurks inside him could destroy you and I don't want to risk that." Raven's face slowly stopped looking so pissed off and eventually settled with a gentle smile. She did something very unexpected and hugged me tightly.
"I don't want to do this either Robin, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared but it needs to be done. My Father may have something to do with SoulBurn's return or he may not at all, but any connection needs to be discovered. I once almost let everyone be hurt because I kept what I knew about the prophecy to my self. I can't allow something like that to happen again if I have the chance to learn something."
"If your doing this because you feel guilty Raven…" I was cut off by her hand over my mouth.
"I am doing this because it's the right thing to do. I am doing this because it needs to be done." It was always moments like this when she spoke with such passion and conviction that made me respect her more. I could feel myself smile underneath her hand but it was for more for what I was about to do. Suddenly Raven let out a squeal and jumped back. She looked at me with a stern face.
"Richard, why did you just lick my hand." I smiled at her.
"I had to get you to move your hand so I could do this." I pushed forward and placed my hands on her hips. I brought my head down toward her surprised face and kissed her hard and full of passion. After a few seconds, I pulled back. The look on her face was priceless. Her eyes were closed and a small crooked smile graced her face. I laughed to myself. Maybe I really had a right to have a big ego if I was capable of making Raven look like that. Eventually she came too.
"You know Richard, that was totally inappropriate considering what we were discussing."
"I know Raven, but it needed to be done, just in case." She gave me a warm smile. She reached up on her toes and gave me a gentle kiss. Thanks to my recent growth spurt, she needed to reach to meet my lips.
"If the Apocalypse wasn't enough to keep me from you, then nothing will Richard." I looked into her eyes and saw that nothing else needed to be said. I knew this conversation was over and I knew she had to do this.
"Alright, let's go." I walked with her back to SoulBurn with my arm around her waist still not sure about what was happening but I trusted in Raven and that was really all I needed.
Raven P.O.V:
I told SoulBurn I was willing to help him, and he thanked me graciously. I assumed my floating lotus position and began chanting my mantra, feeling both Robin's and his eyes on me. I could feel the raging emotions within Robin as no matter what, he was tremendously worried right now. I pulled my thoughts from my love because the emotions were simply distracting me from my actual subject of interest.
Instead I focused completely on SoulBurn. I found it rather easy to reach toward his mind, most likely a side effect of him following me and Robin's link all those months ago. However, reaching toward his mind was far simpler than entering it. I had never encountered a mind that was so blocked off from my mental powers. I started speaking to SoulBurn through my mind.
"You need to relax SoulBurn. Your mental barriers are too strong. I need you to let down your guard so I can get into your mind."
"I am sorry Raven. I guess it's just a reflex. I will try and do my best." It took a few seconds but eventually I found an opening and entered.
I remembered when I had entered Robin's mind and encountered countless streams of memories but this was far different. There were almost no memories within his mind. There seemed to be only two small sections: one of happier memories when he was with the Titans and another darker side which could only be his time in Hell. I didn't want to go toward those dark thoughts but I knew that's where the answer lied that we all needed. I brushed my consciousness as little as I could against most of the memories though I did get brief glimpses of burning flesh and teeth tearing into his body but I managed to avoid most of them.
I approached the end of his memories of his time in Hell when suddenly my consciousness slammed up against some type of barrier. I noticed quickly that it wasn't a mental barrier but rather something beyond anything I'd ever felt before. I pushed against the barrier and found that it was indeed strong, receiving only residual feelings from it as I pushed. There were jumbles of thoughts and memories beyond that barrier, more than I had ever felt before, even when I had practiced this type of mental scan on my near ancient mentor Azar.
I pushed against the barrier again and this time I felt more of a direct connection though it was confusing. I felt complete chaos and order at exactly the same time. It was as if there were things beyond that barrier that should have never been together yet had found a way to coexist. In my own curiosity, I once again pushed all my mental power against the barrier and could feel the smallest of cracks form. Something started coming threw but it was not what I expected. It started as a low chuckle but kept getting louder. It was not dark but rather a mocking laugh and soon gave way to an arrogant, taunting voice that painfully reminded me of Malchior.
"I know this one though I think this is truly the first time I've encountered you. I thought you would be something special with your former destiny and all but from what I can see, you are just like all the other mortals in this flawed universe."
I could feel an icy presence pushing against my own mind but somehow it felt warm at exactly the same time.
"I guess though even you serve some type of purpose despite the end of the prophecy, all you creatures do despite a majority of them being beneath notice. What a strange conundrum existence is."
The slightly amused voice seemed to slowly regress and fade away from me as a new presence took its place. It was far darker than anything I had felt from the other presence but somehow it felt familiar. I quickly tried to close the crack I had formed in the barrier but found I couldn't. I tried to recede myself back to my body but found I was surrounded by this darkness. I could feel it closing in around me and a malevolent, booming laugh pierced straight through any mental barrier I had. It could feel myself fading into it and all I wanted do was scream, scream for Robin to help me but I knew it was far too late. Back in the main room, Robin watched horrified as my body collapsed limply to the ground.
