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Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans so don't even try suing me for the minuscule property I have.
Ch. 35: Unimaginable Reality
The members of Titan's East stared at Robin as he finished speaking. Each one of them was noticeably paler and it almost looked like Mas was going to be physically sick any moment. The whole room was completely silent as the true reality of the situation hit Titan's East like a ton of bricks. Eventually Bumble Bee managed to pull her mind together to speak.
"So your telling me we are going to fight Lucifer to save the entire universe and all existence?" Robin grimly nodded.
"And your telling me that he's in control of SoulBurn's body who happens to be a fallen angel himself?"
"Mostly in control of SoulBurn. Not completely," was Robin's response.
"Yeah and are main goal now is to save SoulBurn so we have to be careful we don't kill him in battle though he probably won't hesitate to cut us in half."
"That is correct."
"And we also only have about what, 6 hours before we have to go do battle."
"That sounds about right." Bumble Bee stared at Robin who in her mind was handling all of his far too well.
"And what makes you think we have any chance of surviving this. I mean we're up against friggin Satan who's in control of a guy who took out a super powered Slade. How the hell are we supposed to stand up against that?" Bumble Bee's voice raised considerably venting the fear and frustration that was building in her. Robin did not say anything knowing she had every right to act this way.
"I really don't know Bumble Bee but the fact of the matter is we have too. We have no other option but to fight and win, or everything will fall." Bumble Bee let out a deep sigh of frustration.
"So does this guy have any weaknesses?" Robin nodded his head slightly.
"I know of two things that may help us in battle. As I said earlier, the use of SoulBurn's power takes a toll on his body, it hurts him greatly to use his powers too much. Now I don't know exactly if that has changed since Lucifer's emergence in him but it may be the advantage we all need. If we can force him to use his powers over and over again, it may cause him to weaken significantly. The other important fact is that Lucifer is not in complete control of SoulBurn. SoulBurn is still fighting the darkness that is trying to fully consume him. He could have already tried to destroy us but he hasn't and hopefully he won't be able to do it now.
"So we're not completely sure about anything. All we have is hope in that he won't be able to destroy us all." Starfire surprised everyone by speaking.
"I believe hope is all we will need." Everyone stared at the alien girl who had a warm smile on her face. It was definitely a calming sight for the entire room.
"So um, how's Blackfire doing? Is she all right?" Starfire's eyes softened at the mention of her sister.
"I believe she will be fine once we return SoulBurn to her." All the members of Titan's East nodded their heads in a quiet understanding.
"So I guess we should discuss some strategy huh?"
The only sound in the quiet infirmary was a soft sob coming from Blackfire. She was still very exhausted from her ordeal and despite Raven's healing touch, she still felt some pain in her body. She had fallen asleep for a few hours after talking with Starfire but now was wide awake after having a horrible nightmare. She tried to fight back the tears but found that it was impossible. The nightmare had been horrific. Her ordeal had been played over again in her mind, and just as before, she had been unable to do anything to stop it. She could still feel the man's knife slicing into her body even though the cuts were gone and the man was probably still laying dead in the street. She wrapped her arms around herself as she shook every so slightly feeling a nonexistent chill. The worst part of the nightmare had been that it had not been that sick bastard hurting her but rather SoulBurn.
She again fought against the images that were still lingering in her head, trying to banish them from the surface of her mind. She so badly wanted to see SoulBurn but these images in her head were far from what she wanted to see him as. She knew he would never hurt her like that.
She was so worried about him. She needed him now more than ever, to remind her that things would get better but right now he was as far away as he could. She felt more tears forming in her eyes. Damn Lucifer! Why wouldn't he just leave SoulBurn alone. Why did he have to keep suffering? Blackfire knew that the only reason she hadn't been completely overwhelmed by what happened to her was because most of her time was spent thinking of SoulBurn. She would truly face what had happened when he was back holding her, making her feel safe. Blackfire noticed the door opening slowly as her little sister peaked her head in. She had a strange look on her face.
"What is it Kori?" Starfire smiled slightly.
"I…I have come to tell you good bye. We are all leaving now to the location of the coming battle and I wanted to see you before I left." Starfire slowly floated over to her sister.
"Is it really time already?" Starfire nodded slowly. "I guess I was asleep longer than I thought." Blackfire tried to smile at her sister but just couldn't do it. She looked down away from her sister.
"Do not worry sister. We will return soon and we will bring SoulBurn with us and then you and him can be together forever and everything will be glorious." Blackfire now found herself smiling at her bubbly sister. Blackfire was not surprised at all when she watched her sister reach out and pull her into a tight hug. She quickly returned the embrace.
"I love you sister." Blackfire could tell that Starfire had started crying and she couldn't help it and started crying too. She squeezed her sister tighter.
"I love you too Kori. Please be careful." The two sisters eventually pulled away and Starfire gave her sister one more warm look and she floated out the door.
Blackfire let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. That would have been a lot harder had Blackfire not had the intention of showing up at the battle. She knew she would be unable to fight at all, her body right now told her that, but she would be there. She needed to be there. She would wait until she was sure the Titans had left and then she would go change into her uniform and make her way to the fight. She knew it would be slow moving for her but it would happen. Her will was strong and her desire to see SoulBurn was stronger.
Starfire eventually made it back to the main room and noticed all the grim looks on everyone's faces though she did notice they brightened at her arrival. Robin was the first to speak.
"Everything okay Star?"
"Yes Robin and it will be even better after we save SoulBurn." Everyone smiled.
"Yes it will. All right everyone, its time to go." Despite Starfire's words, everyone felt like they were walking in a funeral procession as they walked out of the tower.
Robin looked up at the sun again which was now slightly past half way in the sky signaling that it was now past noon. He could feel the nervousness in the air as they all waited for Lucifer to appear. They had been waiting for probably a half hour and still Lucifer had not arrived. They all stood in fairly close proximity constantly glancing around having no idea where Lucifer would come from.
The city was dead quiet, all the people successfully evacuated. It would have been an impossible feat had Jump City not been prepared for such a thing ever since the first time the name Slade was mentioned. Again Robin eyed his surroundings, silently hoping that maybe Lucifer had decided not to try and destroy the universe and would simply disappear. Not even for a second did Robin actually believe that was a possibility.
Suddenly, he spotted a person walking toward them down the street. As the person got closer, it became obvious it was SoulBurn's body which meant Lucifer had come. Lucifer casually walked down the middle of the street with his hands in his pockets. He had an enormous smile on his face. Had it not been for the four glowing red eyes and SoulBurn's white hair, it would have looked as if he was just a normal person out for a stroll around town. As he got closer and closer, Robin could feel a spike in the nervousness and fear in the air. Lucifer stopped about twenty feet in front of the group and seemed to look each of them up and down.
"Well I should be flattered. I mean bringing all your friends to meet little old me or maybe you just felt more comfortable dieing all together." His smile grew. "Either way this does make me very happy. This should ensure that I can cause enough pain to satisfy myself." A few of the Titan's could feel themselves shudder as they stared at that malicious smile, listened to the terrible words spoken as if this was nothing but a casually conversation. Robin stood firm.
"Your not the one I want to talk to right now asshole. I'm here to talk to SoulBurn." Lucifer laughed.
"Oh I don't think you will be talking to Azrael anytime soon. He is firmly under my control. His body is now forever mine. He will remain locked within his own body as he watches me destroy you all. He will watch as I conquer this universe. He will watch as I wage war on Heaven itself and there will be nothing he can do about it." Dark laughter filled the quiet city. Robin only smiled.
"Oh I beg to differ. I know for a fact that you don't have complete control of SoulBurn." Lucifer's eyes thinned slightly as he glared threateningly at Robin who simply continued talking. "I guess you aren't as powerful as you want us all to believe." Robin could feel the anger coming from Lucifer as he mocked him. Lucifer's voice came out as more of a hiss.
"You know nothing mortal." Robin took the moment to test his plan.
"SoulBurn! I know you're in there. Fight against him. Don't let Lucifer win. Don't let him use you to hurt more innocent people. Come back to the light. Come back to Blackfire. She needs you right now SoulBurn. She needs your love." Robin watched as Lucifer flinched at Blackfire's name. He could tell that her name caused something to stir within Lucifer. Lucifer grabbed his head with one of his hands as he took a step back trying to maintain his balance.
"I know you love her too SoulBurn. Think of what he will do to her if he keeps control. Hasn't she already suffered enough." Robin watched as the four red eyes flashed to two blue ones, just as Blackfire had described. They seemed to go back and forth between the two colors, as the two essences inside battle against each other. Robin could hear SoulBurn's real voice for just a second though it sounded labored. He only said one name…Blackfire.
Robin smiled believing that SoulBurn was gaining control when suddenly the demon eyes returned and with a bellow of anger that shook the entire city, a scream of rage that caused the titan's to cover their ears, Robin knew Lucifer was back in control.
"ENOUGH!" Once again the burning red eyes were affixed upon Robin. "I am in control here. I am the most powerful being in all existence. I am perfect! I will not be defeated by anyone and the whole universe shall crumble beneath me. Your pathetic lives will be the first extinguished by my glory. Now Titans, it is time to die." The twisted grin on Lucifer's face caused a shiver of fear to go down Robin's back. A blade of blue energy and twisting, burning fire extended down the right arm of Lucifer. The time had come.
"Titan's Go!" In an instant, numerous projectiles ranging from energy beams to an arrow were fired at Lucifer. He simply stood there smiling and right before they all converged on him, he disappeared in a flash of blue and reappeared 10 feet to the left out of harms way. Robin gritted his teeth and charged in. The battle had begun.
The attacks came from all sides on Lucifer but he amazingly was not even harmed yet. He dodged attacks with speed and fluidity that amazed even Robin. He blocked all manner of attacks with his energy shield and used well-timed teleportations to avoid flawlessly executed attacks and the whole time he never once attacked back. Robin felt himself growl in frustration. Even the speedy attacks of Mas and Menos seemed to be seen coming by Lucifer.
The entire time the smile on Lucifer's face had never left and Robin knew that he was only toying with them all. Robin was starting to feel very much outclassed and could tell the other Titans were getting as frustrated as he was, their attacks becoming more direct and powerful, strategy breaking down.
A blast from Cyborg's ion amplified sonic cannon hit Lucifer dead on but as usual, it was either blocked or absorbed by Lucifer's shield though it did push him back several feet. Robin watched as Aqualad used his powers and ripped dozens of pipes from the very ground, causing a massive stream of water to form together creating one solid, crushing body of water. With a yell, he sent it streaming at Lucifer who had now recovered from being pushed back. Robin could see fire erupt from Lucifer's entire body as the wave hit and so intense was the heat that the water on contact turned into harmless steam.
The battlefield was now covered in a shroud of steam with everyone looking around frantically for any approaching attack. Aqualad was the most afraid as he had been the closest to Lucifer when he watched him disappear into the steam. Aqualad caught a flash of something to his right and felt only briefly a strange burning in his neck. The steam finally dissipated enough to see and all the Titan's gasped in horror as Aqualad's head rolled from his body, his body then collapsing into a heap as blood continued to poor from where his head once sat.
A few feet away stood Lucifer who was now openly laughing, his eyes wide with pleasure as he admired all the blood. Robin could only stared in horror...maybe SoulBurn couldn't be saved, maybe he would have to break his promise and kill him.
Mas and Menos were the first to recover letting out screams of anger at watching their friend die so horribly. They grabbed hands and charged forward and once again found they could not land a direct hit, though a few made it through Lucifer's defenses. They started running around Lucifer in a circle, with Menos on the inside, faster than they had ever gone before, looking for an opening. Lucifer only closed all his eyes, extending his senses. Mas suddenly found himself slowing back to normal speed as he crashed to the ground losing his balance because of the speed change. He still felt his brother's grip in his hand but only took him a few seconds to realize that the only part of his brother that was there was his arm.
He heard his brother cry out and what he saw brought tears to his eyes. Lucifer stood with his foot on his maimed brother's head, slowly pushing down. Menos continued to scream as the pressure slowly increased and the bones of his face and skull began cracking loudly. A blast from Cyborg's sonic cannon came out of nowhere slamming full force into Lucifer who continued to laugh manically as he crushed Menos. Lucifer flew through the air crashing into a building with such force that the entire side of the building collapsed on him burying him in concrete and steal. Cyborg stared with an angry look in his eyes as Mas ran up to his bleeding brother.
"Go back to hell you sick bastard." Mas looked down at his twin brother whose head and face were now beyond recognition, as blood continued to come from his shoulder where his arm was severed. He knew his brother would not make it.
"Adios, mi hermano. Ti amo." Menos's chest stopped moving as Mas's anguish echoed through out the city. Some of the Titans could feel the tears starting to fall as they watched the small form of Mas holding his brother's body, clutching it tightly to his chest. Robin had walked up next to Cyborg who now realized that he probably had killed Lucifer, but with it, killed SoulBurn.
"I'm sorry man. I know you wanted to save SoulBurn but I couldn't let that continue. This needed to end." Robin looked up at his friend hearing the regret in his voice.
"I know Cy. I know." They were interrupted by the sound of shifting rubble coming from where SoulBurn was buried. A blast of energy erupted from the pile of concrete scattering the debris everywhere. All the titans struggled to avoid the flying rock. When everything cleared, there was Lucifer standing in a small crater. Everyone looked on in horror though it was Cyborg who voiced everyone's thought.
"Oh my God." Lucifer laughed.
"Yes, yes I am." The blood that dripped down to the pavement from some of the wounds Lucifer had was the only sound in the city at that moment. A metal pole had impaled Lucifer through the stomach though he barely seemed to notice. His right arm was bent at an impossible angle, obviously broken. There was a deep gash on his forehead and his shirt and been nearly ripped off revealing numerous gashes on his chest, along with SoulBurn's terrible scars.
The titans watched in horror as Lucifer grabbed his right arm with his left and with a sickening twist, snapped it back into place. He seemed to shift his arm to test it out and then proceeded to pull the metal pole out of his own stomach without even a grunt of pain. Terra found herself nearly vomiting. Robin also noticed that the visible gashes were slowly closing up and soon Lucifer looked like he had never been injured. The only proof was the torn shirt and a bloody metal spike on the ground. Lucifer laughed as everyone stared at him.
"Its amazing that regeneration and healing powers come from Hell, not heaven. Isn't that right my daughter." Raven felt herself shiver as Lucifer's attention was now one her.
"One would think angels would be the one to wield such a power though I believe SoulBurn did use it once somehow to heal you my daughter." Robin felt his mind frantically taking everything in. He had been unable to reach SoulBurn, to make him take control and now, obviously, the use of SoulBurn's power would not serve to weaken his body like they normally did. It was at this very moment, Robin knew they would all die.
Before anyone could react, a massive blast of blue energy laced with fire erupted from Lucifer's hand aimed directly at Cyborg. Cyborg barely had time to blink before the blast hit him in the chest, piercing straight threw his power core, continuing straight out the other side. His body immediately sparked and turned gray, his robot eye fading away, his human eye still locked in horror as he collapsed to the ground. Bumble Bee screamed loudly.
"NOOO!" and she quickly gave way to more tears. She collapsed to the ground next Cyborg. She was in a complete state of shock. She would be of no more use. Once again Robin yelled.
"Titan's Go!" The situation felt hopeless, but they would never give up. Again projectiles flew at Lucifer who Robin did notice seemed to be moving slower, nearly getting hit on many occasions. He seemed distracted as if he was busy with something else other than the battle. Whatever it was, it was giving him a small bit of hope that they would survive this. He hoped that maybe SoulBurn was fighting within again.
He jumped up and swung down as hard as he could with his bo staff at Lucifer only for the staff to meet a blade of energy. Robin's eyes widened as instead of stopping his staff, the blade simply pass right through it, cutting the staff in half. Robin found himself off balance, struggling to avoid impaling himself on the blade, managing to slide just in front of it but found himself in a bad situation.
A second blade formed down Lucifer's other arm and though Robin tried to move he couldn't get his entire body out of the way fast enough. The slash missed his body but severed his arm at just below the elbow. He screamed out in pain as Lucifer kicked Robin with a side kick sending him flying away from him. Starfire caught him in the air, preventing him from landing on to the pavement. Robin could feel the blood flowing from his wound, not being able to understand why it simply had not cauterized as the flaming energy blade passed through. He looked up at Starfire who had a worried look in her eyes and he knew what he needed to do.
"Star…I need you to stop the blood flow. I need you to seal the wound." Starfire was confused.
"I do not understand Robin. I don't know…" Robin reached up and grabbed Star by the front of her uniform and in a very low voice, fighting off the pain, spoke.
"I want you to use your Starbolt and burn this wound shut. Do you understand?" Robin hated to be stern with Starfire but his time was short. She nodded in understanding. She powered up the energy in her hand and looked away as she placed the green energy on the wound. Robin screamed in agony. It was that scream that finally set Raven off. She watched Robin get injured and could feel her demonic anger building in her. She wanted to run over to him but her friends needed her right now. Her powers were helping to provide invaluable shields to protect her friends from Lucifer's sadistic attacks. Beast Boy needed them the most as he fought close up.
However, it was that scream of pure agony from Robin that pushed her over the edge. She could feel power flowing through her, increasing her own power to incredible levels. She had one purpose in mind. Destroy her Father. The remaining Titans seemed to understand that they needed to get the hell away from Raven and Lucifer. They pulled back as black energy started swirling around her. Her voice came out distorted.
"Father! This ends now. I will destroy you." Lucifer grinned as he looked into his daughter's now red and very angry eyes.
"Oh hello there daughter. Isn't it ironic that you chose this moment to embrace your demonic heritage." Raven's response was grabbing Lucifer with a massive black talon grabbed and slamming him into the ground repeatedly. Raven did not stop there and continued her massive attack on her father, throwing him into walls, viciously pelting him with all sorts of objects. The rest of the Titans looked on as Raven fought and realized she indeed was winning. A small twinge of hope had found its way into them all.
A final slam into the ground occurred and Raven stared down at the body that her father was inhabiting. She could feel her anger leaving her and the power leaving with it but it had to be over. Nothing could survive what she had done. She slowly approached the prone form of Lucifer with a small smile of satisfaction on her face.
"This is where you belong father. Laying dead in the stre…" Raven's eyes widened in shock as her father quickly stood up and grabbed her by the throat. She could hear several bones cracking from Lucifer's body as he moved. She found herself quickly losing air as her father lifted her up by the throat. She looked on in terror as her father's eyes glared up at her.
"And this is where you belong daughter. Dying within my grasp." Raven could feel herself fading into darkness, but she suddenly found herself dropped to the ground, a birdarang now imbedded itself deep in Lucifer's arm. A blast of green energy soon hit him, sendingt him flying back. Lucifer landed hard on the street.
Raven looked up at Robin who helped her up, though carefully as he only had one hand now. She was amazed he could even throw a birdarang in his condition. Meanwhile, Lucifer was rising to his feet. He was becoming very angry at this point as he ripped the metal weapon out of his arm. These insects continued to oppose him and he could feel SoulBurn growing stronger within him. It was distracting him, making it difficult for him to attack. He had the chance to kill Robin but found himself only being able to sever his arm.
Lucifer quickly moved his head to the side as an arrow flew by. He glared at the archer flanked by the green changling and the blonde Earthmover. In frustration, Lucifer unleashed a massive wave of fire at them though they scattered to avoid it. Lucifer let out a scream of anger as the ground around him cracked and the buildings shook.
"Why do you continue to oppose me!" Speedy was the one to respond.
"Because you killed my friends. Because you're a twisted bastard. There's plenty of reasons." Anger spiked within Lucifer at his pathetic mortal's insolence. Lucifer fired two quick energy blasts at Speedy. He easily dodged the one but noticed the other one was far too high.
"Nice aim loser." Lucifer only grinned. It took Speedy a second to look up just before part of the building he was standing by that had been caused to fall by the second blast crushed him. Lucifer smiled even louder when he heard that innocent alien cry out for his latest victim. She quickly flew over trying to dig out Speedy, hoping he was still alive.
Lucifer took the moment to study his surrounding. That one twin was of no consequence. Bumble Bee had not left the side of Cyborg, in a state of shock, unable to move since he had died. Robin was too weak from blood loss and his Daughter was of not much use right now due to her massive power use, choosing to use her leftover power to heal Robin. Lucifer glared at the changling and Terra who eyes him angrily. Terra used her power to use the various debris around her to try and hit Lucifer but his speed and his teleportation ability made her powers against him pretty useless. She never could land anything.
Beast Boy finally let himself completely go, dropped every inch of restraint in his body and mind, and transformed into the beast. He charged forward with a snarl, pissed off not even coming closing to describing the rage fueling him, expecting to tackle Lucifer but instead he met only a massively strong punch straight to his face. He immediately saw stars and flew back from the impact that would have put CinderBlock to shame. Terra looked wide-eyed as Beast Boy slammed into her instantly knocking her out. The two lovers landed in a heap together, both alive, but no longer awake.
Lucifer grinned. That left one. The one in this little group of attackers that SoulBurn fought the hardest to prevent him from attacking. The one who stood the strongest against everything he truly was. The innocent one. The shining light. Starfire. He growled as he watched her continue to try and dig Speedy out. He so badly wanted to destroy her and her pathetic sister, wherever she was.
In a flash he was next to Starfire. She had no idea he was there as she frantically continued to dig through the pile. Raven called out to Starfire who turned around and found herself staring directly at Lucifer. She looked at him with scared eyes and all he wanted to do was cut her apart but again SoulBurn's essence fought and all he could do was backhand her. The impact was strong and Starfire flew through the air landing hard on the ground, though the attack barely hurt her. She rose to her feet getting into a defensive stance as Lucifer slowly walked toward her.
"You know, I thought it would only take a few deaths to stop SoulBurn from fighting against me. One more innocent's blood on his hand before he would finally crack and give up all hope of fighting for control. But I was wrong. It is your death that is required. You do not know how highly he thinks of you. You were the first one to make him feel like things would be all right. You made him feel good. You are one of the main reasons he was able to find the strength to beat my emissary and stop my release into this world. Even now, he continues to fight to protect you and the hope he sees you as. That is why you must be destroyed."
Starfire realized that Lucifer was saying that SoulBurn was still fighting, that he still could be saved.
"If you believe what you say, then you know that SoulBurn will never harm me and I will never stop until you are stopped. It would be best if you just give up now and release my friend. Release my friend who I love so much."
Lucifer could feel SoulBurn increase his efforts to resist as he neared Starfire. Starfire watched as once again Lucifer was halted by the raging turmoil within him. He grabbed his head with both hands and screamed in pain. Starfire watched his eyes turn back to normal, and remain that color for almost two seconds before they reverted though the struggle did not stop. Lucifer fell back on the ground, slamming his fist into the ground, fighting to maintain his control.
"You will not win Azrael. I am greater than you. I am more powerful than you." Lucifer pulled himself to his feet. "And I shall prove it." A blade formed on SoulBurn's right arm. He turned to Starfire with a crazed look on his face, slowly losing his grip on everything. Starfire stared at him with her beautiful, innocent eyes as Lucifer charged forward, trusting in SoulBurn to win. It was a bet she wasn't going to win but right before the blade reached her midsection, a purple blur zoomed in, taking the stab that was meant for Starfire. It took Starfire a second to realize what happened.
"Sister…" The blade pierced Blackfire's stomach as she fell over on to Lucifer whose eyes were wide in shock. Her face was right next to Lucifer's ear. She spoke only a few words.
"I love you SoulBurn." Her eyes closed and she fell into unconsciousness. Lucifer stumbled backwards and Starfire caught her sister before she fell to the ground. Raven flew over from Robin's side as he was now stable, intent on healing Blackfire as she felt her aura fading. A strange blue energy seemed to surround Lucifer's body and the voice that spoke was not Lucifer's but SoulBurns.
"Damn you Lucifer. Her blood is now on my hands. You made me hurt Blackfire. This ends now." The voice changed back to Lucifer's who was laughing hysterically.
"Oh listen to you, caring so much for these mortals. They should all be dead by now but you continue to resist. You hated mortals as much as me once and I know you remember everything now. You know who you truly are. You are just like me." SoulBurn's voice was heard again.
"No Lucifer. I may have been forced from heaven but I was never like you. I was never that monstrous. I was never that evil." SoulBurn's voice became progressively louder. "You put this darkness in me. You are the reason for everything that has happened. You are the reason so many people are dead. You are the reason these people here are dead. You are the reason Blackfire is dead! You killed my mother you bastard!" The yell echoed through the entire city. A dark laugh came again.
"Yes I did. To make your father pay for not seeing the perfection of my vision, of me. And I am not the only one to blame. Your weakness is also to blame for these people's death." Again SoulBurn's voice returned.
"There is darkness within me and I know it will always be a part of me but the darkness that is you I can rid myself of. The reason I was sent to the mortal realm has been fulfilled. I have learned to appreciate all life. I have learned to appreciate mortal beings. I no longer see myself as above all as you do. I have even found love in many forms." Starfire watched as SoulBurn's blue eyes returned, burning bright. White energy outlined his body.
"And now Lucifer. Get out of my body. Go back to Hell." SoulBurn let out a scream as his body was hit with pain. He clenched his fists feeling incredible power flow through him. He tilted his head back and screamed again. The Titan's that were still aware watched as what appeared to be red smoke poured from SoulBurn's mouth. The smoke seemed to also come from his entire body, fleeing the white light that seemed to radiate from him. Eventually it stopped and all was quiet. SoulBurn stood there for a second before collapsing to the ground. It was at this moment that Terra and Beast Boy, now in his human form, woke up. They both slowly rose to their feet and noticed that SoulBurn was lying on the ground and something else very strange.
"Where did all this red smoke come from?" Robin who thanks to Raven had improved enough to be completely aware again noticed it too.. The red smoke was still hanging above them, seemingly coming together. Everyone watched in horror as the smoke gradually took on a large, humanoid shape, towering over the city. As the forming being came into existence, Raven realized what it was.
"Oh God no." Starfire looked at her friend and saw the raw terror on her friend's face. A deep laugh interrupted Starfire from asking what was wrong, a laugh that seemed to come from everywhere all at once, a laugh they had heard far too much today. Now standing fully formed, towering over the landscape, radiating pure malevolence and evil that far surpassed what they had felt from SoulBurn's controlled body, was Lucifer. The massive red-skinned demon raised his arms in triumph as he surveyed his surrounds.
"All shall suffer! All shall die!" Somehow, things had found a way to get worse.
