What is there, after the end?
Is it the end of an empire?
Or of a relationship?
Do we fear the things to come?
And forget the things that ended?
What is there, after the end?
"Go forth and conquer. One by one worlds shall fall, until every being in this entire dimension bows down to worship Trigon the Terrible!" - Those were to be the last words to haunt her that night, before jolted awake. The sun had not yet risen; she was sweaty and tired, but she could sleep again. Trigon was defeated. She had friends. She was happy, yet there was a fear in her heart that would not disappear.
Robin awoke soon after, and made his way to the top of Titans Tower to watch the sunrise. When he arrived, Raven was already there.
"So you're here again," he said cheerfully.
"I want to talk," she replied quickly. Her pace was agitated and hurried. "I think, Trigon might still be alive."
"I know. Don't worry. Everything will be fine."
"You're optimistic as always."
"Of course, because of you. You've beaten him before, you can do it again. I believe in you. And, if you ever meet trouble, I will be there, fighting at your side."
"Thank you."
"Have you told any one of the others?"
"Not yet. I don't want to worry them."
"I think they would want to be worried. We are your friends; you don't have to hide anything."
"You're right. Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me. I owe you more than you think."
The third to awaken was Starfire. Today was the anniversary, the anniversary she had been waiting for 364 days. She had hoped to surprise Robin early in the morning (she knew most of his habits), but when she left her room she saw Robin and Raven walking together, laughing.
"Um! Robin!" Starfire said suddenly, "I wanted to prepare for you the breaking of fast."
"Oh, well... I guess that's okay," he answered hesitantly.
He was right to be hesitant, as she zealously presented a stomach-turning glorg. Robin slowly brought his fork closer to the green substance; profuse sweat was causing his hair to flatten. Starfire watched with innocent anticipation, and Raven peered from the sidelines with fear, like the friend of an actor performing an out-of-this-world stunt.
As he opened his mouth, his taste buds screamed in terror. He decided to end it quickly, swallowing it with one fatal gulp. He did everything he could to hold in his reaction. He could see Starfire glaring at him, waiting for a response.
"Well," he said nervously, "it was better than Raven's pancakes?" Now there were two girls glaring at him.
All the Titans had now awaken and had breakfast, eggs, bacon, and toast (and tofu). Raven and Robin volunteered to clean the dishes, so Cyborg and Beast Boy happily went about their own business. Starfire followed, walking heavily up the staircase.
"So, BB, how bout we play video games?" asked Cyborg excitedly. "I'd be happy to beat you, again."
"What if we played a new game," Beast Boy suggested. "You call out an animal, and whoever does the best transformation wins! So, afraid you're going to lose?"
"Human."
"What? Human's not an animal."
"Am I permitted to play," intruded Starfire, "though you may deem me alien."
"Starfire, just the gal I was looking for," Cyborg said. "C'mon, let's play some video games! I bet you could beat Beast Boy."
"I would gladly accept your offer, but I have a favour to request first."
"Go ahead, ask anything!"
"Take me to Raven's mind."
"Actually, I meant anything except that."
"Beast Boy told me of your excursion through the depths of her psyche. I would like to go there."
"Beast Boy?"
"It may have slipped," he said defensively, "but she pressured me into it! You don't know how scary she can be!"
"C'mon, how bad could it be."
Starfire's eyes were glowing red. Flames surrounded her body causing Cyborg's internal coolant pipes to overheat; Beast Boy transformed into a camel but still couldn't handle the heat. "YOU WILL TAKE ME THERE," she demanded.
"Oh, that bad."
They entered Raven's cautiously, inspecting and sneaking in like thieves (even though they knew she was still washing dishes). Her room still had the same decorations as before, but somehow, it felt less dark and possibly hospitable.
"Last time, we entered through this mirror," Cyborg said, "but I really don't think we should be missing with it."
Starfire ignored him and lifted the mirror to gaze at it. In her reflection she saw herself, but with an evil aura that resembled her sister's. A vortex appeared and she was taken inside; Beast Boy and Cyborg tried to run, but too were caught.
They were once again in that familiar creepy place. Starfire went ahead without warning to their alarm. "You have to be careful," Beast Boy shouted. "We almost got lost last time. We've been here before so you better let us guide you."
They chased after her, but the ground beneath them suddenly gave way and they fell. Suddenly they found themselves standing upside-down, unless they had been standing up-side down before and this was actually the correct way to stand, although the correct way to stand could be standing upside-down - it was too confusing for them to process.
"I forgot about that," Beast Boy said gloomily. "Anyway, we've gotta keep going. Starfire's probably ahead of us."
But Starfire wasn't ahead of them, since she hadn't fallen.
Raven suddenly gasped and dropped a dish.
"What's wrong?" Robin asked, worried.
"Robin, do you remember when I told you 'There are places in my mind where no one can ever go,'" Raven told him seriously, "because now, I will open that place for you. I sense a disturbance."
Starfire stood at one end of a thin rickety bridge. It looked like even a feather could cause the bridge to break, and send any unlucky person who happened to be crossing, down into a black pit below. The bridge let to a dark castle Starfire found frightening, yet comforting. On the other side of the bridge stood Raven, wearing a red cloak. She had four eyes and a hideous glare for a smile.
"Welcome," she beckoned, "I've been waiting for you. Come this way."
