Memories Burning in the Dark (Part 2)

The entire cathedral was burning. Raven, even though she was actually quite safe, was suffocating. Trigon's large palm moved to grab her, but the monks fought desperately to fend him away. Even though they were risking their lives and fighting bravely, and getting hurt, Raven could not move a muscle for fear? disbelief? uncertainty?

Finally, when parts of the cathedral began to collapse and threatened to crush the monks, she was able to gather her strength and summon the strongest "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" spell she thought and hoped she would ever have to cast.

She did not know she had this power, and it was the first time she had ever used it, the ability to stop time. Everywhere suddenly became cold; she didn't like it and wanted to never use the power again, and wished to forget it ever existed. She was beginning to wish none of it ever existed: her powers, the portal, herself.

When she exited the cathedral, she saw that Azarath was empty. It was already quiet enough with the darkened night sky and time unmoving, but many of the people had already evacuated, fleeing from Trigon, she assumed.

She didn't know what to do. She was alone and confused. Time stood still. She saw frozen fires burying the cathedral. Time stood still, maybe forever. She wouldn't mind that.

But Trigon burst free, with flames erupting from his body. The air grew warmer but she still felt bitter cold.

"All of your powers came from me," He bellowed. "There is nothing you can do to stop me!"

She didn't refute the statement; she simply ran. She ran in any direction, not knowing where to go, but she had to keep running. She was chased by fiery hands and every time she managed to get away the hands would pass through a timeless building and light it on fire. Soon all of Azarath was engulfed in fire.

She was running out of places to hide, so she picked a random building and passed through its walls by using her magic. It must have been either chance or fate that drew her to that house because it was the house she had once lived in, with the family she had once cherished so. The building was on fire and soon it would collapse, but there was a woman, moving in this timeless world like one that was punished to life-in-death or to purgatory.

"Mother! Mother, what are you doing?" Raven asked frantically. "We have to get out of here! Everything is burning!"

"My husband died in a fire just like this," she said sadly. "He died saving me. I saw him die. He did it to save me. And then He came, in that form, and I thought 'Maybe he managed to survive!' or 'Maybe he came back to life!' That was what I thought. Even though I knew it was impossible, I let Him into our life. It is too late for Azarath, as it will be too late for the rest of the world. Everything is my fault."

"No, no it isn't mother! It's mine! It's mine! I'm the portal! I'm the gem! It's all because of me! Everything is."

All the walls of the house as He intruded, laughing, "What a rare delight, it is to see my entire family all together. Though I did detest you, you were a good wife. You served me well."

A large fireball approached her, but it was deflected just off course by the Azarath monks. He turned angrily, blasting them away with fire. Raven saw them in their pain; she didn't want anyone to get hurt again.

"You want me, don't you," she said, "then I will go with you. Just leave everyone else out of this."

"Yes, that is my good daughter," He chuckled. "Have you finally accepted your destiny?"

He moved toward her, but was suddenly halted by Arella, mustering all of her strength to protect her daughter.

"You dare defy me, wife?" He shouted.

"I am not your wife," she replied fiercely, "and you are not my husband. My beloved save me from fire, and you are nothing like him. I've lived through pain and suffering and futility, but I want to believe that there is hope yet."

She began to gather immense energy, borrowing from the fallen monks. Even the great Trigon was staggering at her exceedingly powerful display of magic. After a long chant and complicated chakra seals, a small portal appeared.

"Go," she told her daughter quietly.

"But..." she tried to protest, but was quelled softly.

"I have already given up, but you must keep fighting. No matter who tells you your destiny, do not listen. Neither they nor Trigon nor I can say to you what is yours to say. And if you find special people that stay by your side, fight, and risk their lives to protect you, then, never lose sight of them. Now, go."

Raven was teleported through the portal, but her path was dark and turbulent. She stumbled in the darkness, stumbling to remember the kind words of her mother, the kind words of the monks, but she stumbled. She did not see her mother, with the last of her magic banish Him to the fiery prison; it may have given her hope, hope she seemed not to have. Hope was for her to find, somewhere in the darkness. Fire, the suffocating fire enveloped the darkness and the only words she remembered were those of her father, prophesying her destiny.