Disclaimer: I own no part of the Teen Titans or their associated canon nor, any other already copyrighted material.

(A/N): The 11th hour has arrived. Who and what will be sacrificed to save the world? Or is it too late already?


Chapter 9

The Gates of Hell

The attached courtyard of the building was massive. The vaulted ceiling five stories overhead covered a large open space within. It was built to mimic and surpass the Crystal Court. Glass walls and ceilings encased the area, reflecting the bloody sky light at a thousand angles. Planters and benches were placed in precisely calculated places all around the football field sized courtyard. They formed broken, concentric circles out to the glass walls. Trees planted on the outside ring had been left out of the closer ones, only enhancing the feeling of openness. It formed the extravagant entrance to the tower, and was currently guarded by a dozen Slade bots.

Standing in the center of this architectural masterpiece, Verge undid his coat and set his hat aside. Folding the garment he placed in next to the hat on the wide ledge of a planter. Out of habit, rather than necessity, he carefully checked both of his guns and the speed loaders at his belt. His powers now made the ability of the guns almost laughable. Still…it never hurt to be prepared. Stretching muscles and cracking bones he glanced around. In was doubtful that the architect who had designed the place had ever considered the possibility of a battle being fought here. Oddly enough though, it was perfectly designed for a Hollywood shootout.

Setting himself facing the doors and clenching his fists he waited as he heard the first robot explode. They were tearing through the artificial warriors at an incredible speed. He had waited for this moment for months. Supreme confidence in your own abilities was a wonderful feeling. Having a demon on your side was a bonus. He could feel the powers Trigon gifted him coursing through his body. He had only to wish it to utilize powers beyond most peoples' comprehension. The last pair of bots crashed back through the entrance and exploded. Through the smoke and fire five forms appeared and solidified before him as if specters turning human. They approached him as he scanned them.

Robin, Starfire, Cyborg…a girl with Blond hair…that must be this Terra person…and…who the hell was that? Beast Boy was no where among them. He scanned the fifth member of the party, surprised. He wore an outfit similar to the one Verge had just removed. He was tall, dark and deathly serious. His hat and coat fell heavily to the ground. Ice cold brown eyes looked him over as well. Verge thought he saw a touch of disdain as the stranger eyed his guns. So he didn't like guns huh? Too bad. Verge let his entire body flood with power as the titans reached the third of the nine planter circles. They stopped at the sixth and waited for a moment before Robin moved closer and spoke.

"Stop this Verge…or we will destroy you." Verge threw his head back and laughed. As his eyes came down they showed the same deadly seriousness as the other.

"If you want to stop me…you'll have to KILL ME!" On the last words he let loose the building powers within him. Winds rose form his left hand and fire from the right, blending into a firestorm that rose as a column from his body. Reaching four stories high the column split apart and dropped like and umbrella over the courtyard. A mere moment later the area was encased in a dome of fire and wind. Great swaths of fire formed the ribs of the cage while hurricane force winds tore between them, effectively trapping the titans.

The group looked around surprised, before one by one, their eyes focused on him. Robin spoke again. "Very well. Titans, GO! And remember the plan!" Pieces of planter began to tear free of their homes and flew at him accompanied by smoke grenades, starbolts and sonic blasts as the titans separated to surround him. Fire vaporized the fragments and grenades while wind canceled out the sonic blast and flung the bolts back at their owner. Starfire dodged the projectiles and took to the air. Had this been the best they could do, he wouldn't even have bothered continuing. It was the behavior of the fifth attacker that currently intrigued him. The man hadn't moved since dropping his coat. He merely studied, as in an instructor watching a training lesson.

Deciding to see what the guy was made of, a blast of air sent Verge rocketing toward him. It also had the side effects of causing the next round of projectiles to miss and Robin to over shoot his target. Kick turning off a bench he saw Verge's actions. "Hunter! Look out!" So, his name was Hunter.

"Hunter?" He landed a dozen feet away and charged, guns lifted through the air to his hands. "Should be Hunted." Hunter dodged the first two rounds he fired and rolled to the side. Whipping his guns around found a pair of blades bearing down on him. Blocking with his guns caused his shots to go errant as he furiously blocked the well choreographed assault. He could feel rather than see Robin bearing down on his back. Holstering his guns he back flipped away from the bladesman and evaded a sweeping blow from Robin's staff.

Grabbing the head of a sprinkler set in the planter he pulled and yanked out a six-foot length of copper pipe. Water began flowing through the hole his action had created and slowly spread across the floor. Robin vaulted over him as Hunter closed. Swinging the pipe as a quarterstaff he prepared for the melee. As long as he kept them close the others would be hard pressed to get a clean shot, effectively removing them from the battle.

At some unspoken signal the two descended on him in a flurry of blows. Swinging his weapon faster than a human could follow he parried a hundred attack a minute from the two warriors. Swirling through the thin layer of water and well rehearsed movements of his opponents Verge was unable to make any headway against them. Though stalling was an acceptable way to win the battle for his master, it wasn't one he was particularly fond of. Angling the pipe just so he got Hunter to cut it in half for him.

Spinning away again he flipped his grip on the broken pieces and wielded them as don fan. Going after Robin first he blocked the first blow, forced the staff to the side and drummed the titan's body from stomach to neck, finishing with a double blow to the head that spun the masked boy around and knocked his head into a planter with a hollow thud. Turning his attention to Hunter he blocked several lightning strikes before he could force the lighter blades apart and strike the man's vulnerable wrists. The sharp blows caused Hunter to reflexively drop one of the blades. Stepping back he cradled the wrist and defended with the other. Pressing his advantage Verge easily knocked the second blade away and tore it from Hunter's grasp with a rap on the hand.

Firestorms erupted from the weapons as he beat Hunter to the ground and laid him out with a vicious double strike to the chin. Hunter's incapacitated body twitched as he tried to move with half a dozen broken bones. Breaking away rapidly he charged the nearest Titan, which happened to be Cyborg, charging another blast. Easily dodging the shot he danced around the half man and struck several times to little effect. Cyborg caught both weapons as he struck down at the flesh of his head. Holding tight, the pipe began to bend and kink as they fought for control.

"What you gonna do now?" Cyborg's iron grip wouldn't release the pipes. To his surprise Verge released them and stepped back.

"This." His hand shot out; palm toward Cyborg and a blast of air threw the composite fighter back until he slammed into the barrier. The wind caught him and threw his form a dozen yards into a planter, where he slumped, stunned. Standing in the clear Verge knew it was only seconds before chunks of planter and starborlt rained down on him. Turning he dashed toward the focusing form of Terra who already had a dozen pieced of debris raised and began flinging them at him. Deflecting the pieces with air blasts he closed the distance as fast as he could.

As he neared her, the massive concrete panels that formed the floor began to lift up and form a wall between them. A hail of starbolts distracted him momentarily, forcing him to dodge as he reached the barrier. Vaulting over the vertical twelve-foot panels he landed on the far side, guns drawn. Instead of finding Terra waiting, she had ripped another panel loose and was flying away on it. Unable to get a clear shot due to the panel's movements he holstered his guns again and ran after her. Starbolts peppered the ground again as he emerged from the wall Terra had hastily erected. Following the platform he kicked off a planter, sailed through the air and caught the ragged edge of the concrete.

Flipping over the edge he landed facing Terra. The starbolts abruptly stopped as he closed in on her. A flurry of blows rained down on her as Verge assaulted her already desperate form. She blocked what she could, but her training in hand to hand combat was less than thorough. As he drew back for a massive blow she jumped back off the platform and landed on a second that had been part of the makeshift wall. Without he influence the panel began to fall. The danger of the crash landing however was superceded by the massive star blast bearing down on him. Starfire had also taken to the air and launched the blast as soon as Terra was clear. Diving off into a handstand flip he evaded the explosion a split second before it turned the platform to dust.

Drawing his guns he began peppering the area around Starfire in an effort to keep her head down. Launching into the air with a sustained blast of wind he flew at her. Speed loaders rose from his belt and seven new cartridges slid home in each weapon. Reaching her he again stashed the guns and his hands ignited in fiery bursts. The alien was much better versed in combat than Terra was, but she was still no match in technique. It was her incredible strength that surprised him. Through sheer brute force she was busting through his defenses. For every blow he landed and she shook off he seemed to receive two that he couldn't.

His head was ringing from the latest punch when he felt another threat coming from above. Pushing away from her he expected another flurry of projectiles from Terra. What he got, before he could fully dodge it, was a pair of bloody slashes down his chest from Hunter's blades. Shock and confusion stunned him as he observed the winged warrior rising for another assault. Too late he felt the kick from behind as Starfire's foot connected with his head. Wheeling through the air he slammed painfully onto something hard and flat. Shaking his vision to some semblance of clarity he saw it to be a concrete panel Terra was holding suspended. Before he could move a sonic blast hit him full force and blew him through the panel and across the courtyard. The force of the blast ripped his gun belt loose and flung his weapons to opposite sides of the courtyard. He could feel at least two fractured ribs as he forced himself to his feet and tried to see straight.

A green and red blur was on him in an instant. Every swing of the metal staff Robin was wielding one handed brought a new pain. Blocking the best he could he was still left with at lest three broken ribs and a shattered forearm when the assault let up. It was only for a moment that he could contemplate his situation though. A block of concrete tore through the air and smashed into the side of his head, flinging his body across the wet floor. Sliding through the thin layer of water his mind reeled and he passed through the barrier he had created as it began to break apart. Losing the ability to maintain it, the dome exploded outward, tearing itself apart. As it did so the force of the blast shattered the glass that covered the courtyard. Every panel exploded into the air and began to rain down on the people within.

Terra formed a shield out of concrete panels to protect the titans. Verge on the other hand was left defenseless as glass shards rained down on him. As the glass settled and Terra's shield dropped Robin retrieved one of guns and Hunter swept a powered blade through the other to destroy it. Leaving the broken form of Verge breathing heavily, covered in cuts and bleeding like a fountain, the titans headed for the stairwell. A minute after they had gone, Verge slowly forced himself to his feet, broken glass cutting into his hands as he pushed himself up. Reaching his feet he crushed the fragments that had stuck his palms, shredding his hands even more. Blood poured over his body from a thousand cuts, many of which still had glass embedded in them.

With a cry of rage his body seemed to pulse and the glass exploded away from him. A firestorm coursed over his body as the cuts cauterized and bound themselves. He had delayed them long enough. Now it was personal. "Lord Trigon! Give me the power to crush these foolish mortals who oppose you!" The warmth on his forehead as a blood read glyph appeared, told him his request would be answered.


Terra rose rapidly up the open stairwell followed closely by Hunter carrying Cyborg and Starfire hauling Robin. A blast from Cyborg's cannon tore a hole in the ceiling and the group shot through it to land on the roof. From this vantage point they could clearly see into the rift that had formed in the sky. On the far side was what they could only describe as a vision of hell. Islands of land floated through a blood red nothingness that seemed to be inhabited with shadows and ghosts. The portal itself was massive now. Easily a hundred fifty yards long it wouldn't be more than a few minutes before it reached the ground. As if on cue a massive shadow appeared at the gateway, waiting. Hunter turned to the rest of the injured team.

"I think we're out of time." While much of the team was suffering from fractures and trauma, he had at least three broken ribs, a concussion and he was relatively sure his jaw was about to shatter. His gaze turned and each of them followed his eyes to Raven. "We have to stop her. Now." Cyborg nodded on agreement.

"Anyone have any bright ideas?" They all remained silent staring at the figure of their friend and teammate hanging in the air. Robin turned to them, left arm hanging smashed and limp at his side,

"Star, Hunter…fly up there and do whatever you have to. Take her down."

"No, I don't think so." They all wheeled as the form of Verge rose above the roof ledge. He must have risen strait from the courtyard. He seemed to be carried on his own personally wind and hovered there. Blood red energy crackled over his body, coursing through his flesh and sparking in his eyes. Raw power emanated from him as his hand rose to gesture to the portal. His voice tore across the rooftop. "Behold! My task is accomplished. My master is come. Prepare to die." The massive shadow that had appeared on the far side of the portal seemed to move. Before they could see what was happening four of the team charged forward to attack Verge. As hard as they tried his newfound abilities were easily a match for them.

Robin alone held back. He watched as a massive red skinned, white clawed foot began to emerge from the shadow as it crossed into his world. He stared at Raven, the unwilling pawn. He watched the others, horribly out matched. His hand felt the gun tucked in his belt. Slowly his grip closed on the weapon and he raised its unfamiliar weight. Shakily he took aim. A heartbeat seemed to last forever as he locked out his arm. Trigon's foot touched down and scorched the surrounding earth, soon to be followed by the rest of him. Verge batted aside Hunter again and contemptuously slapped away a starbolt. "Raven…forgive me."

He squeezed the trigger

They all turned as the shot rang out. Verge's hand shot out. "NO!" The bullet ripped through the air and bore down on its target. Raven's eyes opened slowly, clear and lucid. Before she could move, the bullet entered her right lower back and tore through her chest, emerging just below her collarbone near her left shoulder.


Inexplicably, sunlight was pouring through the high windows on one side of the church as Beast Boy entered. Lacking other illumination it picked every speck of dust floating through the large space. Every detail of the building was perfect, from the vaulted ceiling to the hand carved pews. None of this made any real impression on the changeling as he entered. All he saw was the massive column of black and red energy and the circle of figures it was emanating from.

Running to the altar he came to a circle…of Ravens. All of her emotions were there, gathered around. Raven herself stood in the center, no emotion displayed on her closed eyes. Seven of her other emotions stood facing her in a circle. Each of the eight figures were serene and focused, hands out to their sides in Raven's traditional meditative pose. Her eighth emotion, Anger hovered over them, four red eyes staring at him, a wicked grin one her face. When she spoke it was in a double voice that sounded both as Raven…and her father.

"Beast Boy…or should I say Garfield. You're just in time."

"For what?"

"Why, to so see Raven's destiny fulfilled of course. Most would prefer a more…scenic viewpoint. But…if you wish die here instead…it's just as well."

"No…that won't happen. I will not allow you to use her to destroy the world."

"Use her? This is what she was created for. Her whole life has led to this moment. Would you deny her life its purpose?"

"That was your purpose for her life. Not hers. And I'll stop you. No matter what."

"Oh…and how do you plan to do that? You have no power here. Your vaunted abilities mean nothing. So tell me…mortal…what do you plan to do?" Beast Boy didn't respond to her. Instead he began walking around the circle of emotions, staring at Raven.

"Raven…I know you can hear me. I know somewhere in there you're still fighting this. I'll do whatever I can to help." He continued walking, still uncertain of how he could do anything. Time was running out, he could feel it. Something about the way the emotions were acting, or rather, not acting, caught his mind. All of them were serene, prefect imitations of Raven's normal look. Maybe…if he could disrupt that balance… He walked over and leaned close to Happy and tried to make his voice light.

"Hey Happy…remember that time I nailed Rob right in the face with that stank ball? Man the look was priceless! I thought he was gonna kill me for sure! Then when he came after me, you hit him in the back! And he thought it was Cy!" He waited a moment. Nothing. He moved on to Sorrow and tried to make his voice cold and harsh.

"You're killing them. You're killing them all! Everyone you ever cared for is going to die! And it's going to be all your fault!" He thought he might have seen an eyelid twitch…he couldn't be sure. Moving on he switched to a berating voice and spoke to Courage.

"You coward. You're just going to give up and let the world end. Don't even have the guts to fight it. You're pathetic." This he was positive he had seen muscles in her arms tighten and her face twitch. He was having some impact. Though if it would matter and be in time he had no idea. Passing Gross and Knowledge he moved on to Fear. This was the one he didn't want to do. Making his voice mean he said words that he knew would work, and would scar his heart as he spoke.

"I never loved you. It was all a game, just something to try. Any now that I've gotten whay I want, I'll be moving on. Terra's still available. I'm sure she'd be happy to have me. Later." The effect he had was immediate. Tears began leaking out the sides of her eyes and her face began to contort. Every action cut straight to Beast Boy's core…but it was nessasary. Looking up at the column he could see it to was twitching, flickering. He was definitely having some effect on it.

Moving on his voice and demeanor changed again. He didn't speak immediately this time. Instead he embraced Love from behind and laid a gentle kiss on her neck. He continued kissing while speaking to her. "I love you Raven, more than anything. I know you're fighting and I'm right here to help you. And when we beat this thing then we can…" his voice dropped to a shadow of a whisper and he finished the thought. Love's hands slowly fell and she melted back into Beast Boy, her head falling back onto his shoulder. The energy feed flickered violently and Anger looked down from her perch, eyes wide with hate.

"What are you doing? Stop!" Beast Boy kept right on with what he had been doing. Anger was beginning to lose her cool and Love had already dropped the serene act, turned around and was actively engaging in Beast Boy's activities. With both of them out the other emotions began to break free as well. Fear backed away, and began crying as his words sunk in. Happy laughed sharply and then laughed again in a more normal tone as more joyous memories came to her. Sorrow also began to tear up and fell to her knees. Courage began looking around with a light of determination in her eyes. Anger was raging now; she had had enough as the energy column began to collapse. Black taloned bracers appeared on each of her hands and she flew at Beast Boy slashing furiously.

Pushing Love out of the way he dodged to the side and avoided the talons. A second strike was blocked by a black energy sword that Courage summoned. Moments later, all of Raven's emotions were there, fighting Anger, forcing her back. Where the circle had been centered, Raven's eyes opened slowly and realization came to her. Anger was thrown back smashed into Raven. Instead of knocking her down, Anger faded and was absorbed. Raven jerked violently as she received the emotion.

As if on cue the other emotions all stepped forward and Raven accepted each of them into herself. When Love, the last to go, had been absorbed her cloak flashed to a bright luminescent white. Beast Boy approached her slowly, wonder in his eyes.

"Raven?" She turned her attention to him and a smile crossed her face.

"Gar…how…crap." He nodded and they both turned serious again. He was about to speak when a gunshot rang out. Wheeling around looking for the source Beast Boy became aware of the effects in a horrible second. A bloody bullet hole appeared in Raven's chest, just above her heart. Her face was in a strange sort of shock. Beast Boy rushed forward and tried to stop the bleeding anyway he could.

Raven grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away. "Raven! I have to-"

"Gar…there isn't time. There are other things I need to do right now. Don't worry, my demon half will keep me alive long enough." Beast Boy had no choice but to accept this, knowing it was the truth. "My father's coming, I have to stop him."

"I'll help. It should only take a few minutes to get back." He turned to leave. Her hand shot out and caught his shoulder.

"There's no time. You can help by staying here."

"How?"

"Close your eyes, and hold my shoulders." He did as instructed and waited. A moment later his eyes were opened for him and he could see the real world. He could also feel a terrible pain in his chest. Involuntarily he looked down and could see the wound. Only it wasn't his chest, it was Raven's. He was a passenger in Raven's mind, looking though her eyes.

In one sweeping glance she took in everything below her. The shocked gun toting Robin, the others…and Hunter…doing battle with a massively powered up Verge, the massive portal through which a large red foot had already appeared and finally, the Soul Sword in her hands. Somehow integrating Beast Boy's memories with her own she understood what was going on. It was on the last, the Sword that she now focused.

From behind her eyes Beast Boy could see her uniform flash to the same luminescent white and white energy begin coursing down her arms to the sword, wrapping it and expelling the power her father had dumped into it.


Verge let out a roar of rage and launched into the sky. Red energy blasts launched from his hands as he charged at her. Robin dropped the gun he was holding and watched in awe as a white uniformed Raven extended the staff and drew the blade of the sword. As she did so it became encased in white energy and shown like the noonday sun. Using the sword she easily batted away the energy blasts he flung. Drawing closer he launched one large beam from his hands. Countering with her own, red and white energy met and they fought a tug of war for the win.

It lasted only a moment before Raven surged forward and slashed through the beam with her sword. Surprised, Verge had no time to dodge the lethal thrust that tore through his chest and exploded out his back. He spasmed in agony as white energy began to spread over his body. He let out another roar as he was consumed by the sword and disappeared.

The others were all gathered at the edge on the building, watching a spectacle they were nowhere near powerful enough to impact. None of them could speak as they stood, cradling abused and broken limbs and watching the fate of the world be decided. They became aware of a slight trembling in the edges of the portal as Raven turned toward it. The shadow within continued to move and a massive red hand appeared at either edge, gripping the opening to pull the rest of the body through. The demonic face of Trigon began to form itself as his head moved through the gateway.

Raven wasted no time in confronting the great terror of her life. Sword forward she lunged at the demon. Surprise painted his four-eyed face as she approached him. Before he could react she buried the blade up to the hilt in the middle of his eyes. A massive explosion of rage exploded from him as his hands came to his face. As soon as they left the portal edged the opening began to twitch and shrink, collapsing. Charging the sheath with white energy as well she threw it like a javelin to embed itself half way in his chest. Summoning all of her abilities she targeted a blast of cataclysmic power at the makeshift spear and fired.

The blast threw him back through the portal and his shadow essence grew smaller as he fell away from the gate. The rift itself began to rapidly collapse on it self and the team could just see Trigon's shadow fail to reach the opening before it sealed itself once again. The whole city seemed to shake as a pair of black spheres collapsed form nearly the size of the world into Raven's body in a matter of seconds. When the team recovered from the shock waves they rose to see an incredible sight. Nothing had changed.

All of Jump City, from the foothills to Titan's Tower, was just as it always had been. People were going about their lives as if nothing had happened. Robin, Cyborg, Terra, Starfire and Hunter stared in wonder at the destruction the city didn't even realize it had avoided. It was Hunter who first pointed out the bloody form of Raven hovering shakily and then falling from the sky to the city miles below. He spread his wings and dove off the tower in a desperate race with gravity.


Beast Boy's eyes were closed again and when he opened them he was back in the church, holding Raven, back in her uniform, drenched in blood. She collapsed against him and he fell to his knees, allowing her to sit while he held her. The blood flow from her chest had dropped off considerably but her uniform was already soaked through.

"Raven…" Beast Boy could do nothing but hold her as her eyes opened and she stared weakly up at him.

"Beast Boy…you…you have to…get out…"

"What?"

"If you're here…when I…pass…you'll got too."

"I'm not leaving you."

"You have to…I won't take you with me."

"You're not going to die Raven. I won't let you."

"I don't think…it's your choice anymore."

"I'll be damned if it isn't." Tears were starting to leak out the sides of her eyes and he couldn't help crying as well. Not knowing what else to do he leaned down and kissed her with all the love he could find. He poured his very soul into her. When he pulled back he could still feel the life ebbing out of her, but she wore a contented smile. "I love you Raven."

"I love you too Garfield." Without warning he was pulled back away from her toward the entance of the church. He fought as he was dragged back through the air to the opening doors. "And I always will."

"Raven!" A flash of light blinded him as he was flung through the doors. A moment later he crashed onto something soft. Opening his eyes he found himself in Raven's room, lying on her bed. He glanced around and noticed everything was back in order, not a statue out of place. A second later he on his feet and running through the door. He had to get to Raven.


(A/N): If you feel it is warranted feel free to review. I welcome any and all opinions.