1Chapter Five: First Blood (The blade is thrust)
"WHAT?"
Robin's yell brought every one in the room's attention to him.
"When? How?"
The titans were there in a second, Einderan standing a little bit away, curious as to what was going on.
"A symbol burned into the floor? No... Are you sure? Alright, good bye."
"Alright man, spill it. What was that about?" Cyborg asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"The prison... The Jump City Maximum Security Prison has been... broken out of. No alarms, nothing. All of the inmates just dissapeared. The guards are still unconscious. The only clue that they could find was a symbol on the floor. An 'S', with a dot on the top and in the middle."
"Kirheinse." Einderan shot out suddenly, "Alright, how bad were these people?"
"Bad dude, real bad." Beast Boy said in a low voice.
Einderan sighed, then smiled bitterly, "The clever little devil. He's gone and raised himself an army. The people there, no matter how bad they were, are now several times worse. They are like the man 'Slade' you keep telling me about."
"You mean they're invincible?" Robin exclaimed.
"Ha, hardly. No, they are not invincible. But they are more powerful, and in the service of Mael. They will obey his commands without question. However, his bond will not be as strong as with Trigon, if you do enough damage it might brake it. If that fails though, it will take a spell. Raven, come on I'll teach it to you. Robin, go on patrol, and keep me posted. If anything, and I do mean anything happens, tell me. Cyborg, go into the camp where our people are, tell the soldiers to be on standby. Starfire, be a dear and tell Frista to set up a guard around the tower."
They all walked off to perform their duties, leaving Beast Boy, "Yo! What about me?"
Einderan turned, "Go with Robin, and don't get killed."
It was at that moment all heck broke loose.
The alarms starting ringing, the warning lights started flashing, and everyone started to scramble. The titans looked at their communicators, and were left speechless.
"This world is now under the control of Lord Trigon the Great! You can't escape us, you can't hide from us, you can't resist us! THIS WORLD IS OURS!"
The view switched from Control Freak to a view of almost every villain the Teen Titans had ever faced, smiling, laughing, taunting. Until it focused onto one face.
Mael Kirheinse.
"Surrender now, and your lives will be spared. Come, bow down before us, kneel before Trigon! HE IS YOUR GOD NOW!"
Einderan clenched his fists together, watching the broadcast on Raven's communicator, "Blasphemous dog. There's only one God, and I'm going to personally make sure that Kirheinse never even gets to the pearly gates."
"So Einderan, what do we do now?" Raven asked, as Mael continued his speech about sparing humans if they come and surrender peacefully.
She expected an immediate answer. She got an uncomfortable silence. Finally, he said, "Praying would be a very good course of action for the moment."
"What?"
"You failed to mention how many of them there were. They outnumber us considerably, even with my soldiers. And they won't go down easily. So, we are going to need some divine intervention about now."
"Einderan, have you forgotten we're half demon?" Raven asked, "Why would God send us divine intervention?"
It was a joke really and truly. He had found Raven alone and crying once in Azarath, and found himself faced with that same question, almost to the word. Einderan smiled, and responded the same way he had when Raven asked that same question years before, "Yes, we are half demon. But we're also half human right? The demon in us proves God exists, because it confirms all of the stories that have been told. So then, I say we ask for forgiveness for our sins, and pray as if we were human, and not be like, well, him." Einderan said, motioning to the communicator, "After all, if it comes down to it and we burn in Hell beside father in the end of days, so be it. But if we burn because we never asked for forgiveness, just assuming it wouldn't be granted, then I say we are very much deserving of our fate aren't we? Besides, what harm can it do to us in all honesty, believing what we know to be true and having hope in our hearts?"
"You really like to hear yourself talk don't you?" Raven asked, a small smile on her lips.
"Only when I'm talking to you, because you always have a face of sheer awe and belief. It's rather priceless."
"So, did that little speech give you any ideas?"
"Actually yes, it did. If your friends can find some Holy Water and sprinkle it on these criminals that should destroy Mael's control over them. Unholy magic after all..."
"Can be dispelled by Holy magic. Alright, I'll tell them. What about that spell you were going to show me?"
"We haven't the time now sister. I'll show it to you when this is all over, I promise. Now then, I have to go and take care of some business. Keep your friends alive alright?"
"Right. Good luck."
"You to."
LATER...
"Holy crap..."
For once in his life, Beast Boy didn't know what to say.
However, it wasn't like he didn't have a good reason. He was currently staring down Mad Mod, Mumbo Jumbo, and Johnny Rancid.
"Back again you little snot?" Mod asked, but there was a deeper, sadistic tone under his voice, as if someone else was talking with him, "Well then, I think it's time I teach you you're final lesson!"
Beast Boy took a step back, glancing around the wide, deserted street. He was alone, didn't that figure. Not that there was much choice. The attacks were so widespread they had to split up.
Mumbo waved his wand, "Hocus, pocus!"
A huge boxing glove fired out of the wand, surrounded by flames and energy. Beast Boy screamed, and held up his arms defensively.
But the blow never came. He looked, and saw a cloaked figure standing in front of him, projecting a black shield. Another landed nearby.
"Hey, are you some of those guys that came with Einderan?" Beast Boy asked.
"Yes."
Beast Boy looked to his new allies, then back to the awaiting villains, "Three on three, sounds fair enough."
Johnny Rancid laughed, hopping onto a bike that appeared from nowhere, revving it up, "You can't ride with me! Make way for Johnny Rancid!"
He charged strait for Beast Boy, who turned into a Gorilla and tried to knock the bike away. However, the bike was stronger, and tossed the changeling aside. While he was in mid-air Johnny took out his pistol and unloaded into him.
As he neared the two sorcerers though, Johnny realized something was wrong. They jumped to the side, using their magic to form a black rope like thing between them. Johnny ran strait into it. It stretched for a little bit, then flung him back to the other villains, his bike crashing down the street.
Mumbo stepped forward, "Sorry, this city isn't big enough for the three of us."
"Guess you'll be leaving then won't you?" One of the sorcerers shot back, whipping out black tendrils of energy at the magician. Mumbo smiled and waved his wand, turning the magic of the sorcerer into a long piece of rope, which fell harmlessly to the ground.
The now very confused sorcerer looked down at the rope he was holding, "What in then world?"
"Ha, you think that's good, just wait till my next trick! Abra Kadabra!"
The rope suddenly turned into a rather large and angry snake, which whirled around and started trying to bite the sorcerer, who found his magic ineffective.
The other one was about to go help his comrade, when he felt himself lifted by the back of his neck. Turning, he found himself staring strait into the eyes of Johnny Rancid.
"Where do you think you're going pip squeak?"
"Up."
The sorcerer flew upwards, dragging Johnny up with him, holding on for dear life. He was screaming various profanities, and the sorcerer was desperately trying to knock him off.
Mod smiled evilly, and pressed a button on his cane. Suddenly he was sitting on a huge anti-aircraft cannon (Strait from Britain of course), and aimed it at the sky, firing flak into the air.
The sorcerer had no idea what was going on when explosions just started happening all around him. He tried to weave between them, but Johnny was struggling, added with his weight made it impossible.
Finally, one of the explosions hit with close enough proximity to knock the sorcerer out, causing both to fall very quickly towards the ground.
Mumbo waved his wand, and a net popped out which caught Johnny, but the sorcerer hit the pavement hard.
"Well now, I don't guess we should be expecting an encore from them should we?"
Finally, the other sorcerer smashed the snake that had been trying to bite him's head with a rock, killing it. It dissipated slowly back into nothingness. He got up, swept back his hood, revealing eyes that burned with fury.
"Insolent swine. You have no idea who we are do you?"
The villains prepared to fight, when the other sorcerer got up, bones snapping back into place, and though he was grunting in pain every so often after a few seconds stood tall. Completely unaffected by the fall. He dusted off his cloak.
"That hurt slightly."
"These little snots don't know when to quit!"
The sorcerers froze for a moment, then teleported away. The villains looked at each other, confused.
"Yo idiots! Time for the Beast Boy super ultra Whale Slam of Doom!"
They looked up, and watched in horror as a green whale appeared above them. It rocketed down, then slammed on the villains with a loud crash, raising up a huge cloud of dust. When it settled, the changeling switched back to human form, holding his stomach. The two sorcerers came back, mildly impressed.
"That was good. Very wise use of your powers green one."
Beast Boy rolled over, still holding onto his stomach, "Duuude!"
"What?"
"Belly buster! That hurt! What'd I land on?"
They looked, and saw Mumbo's wand snapped in half. They heard a groan, and looked over to see some debris shifting. Mumbo stepped out wearily, the symbol on his forehead blazing. Then, it, shattered off his forehead. The red magic glowed in mid air for a moment, till it shot into the shattered wand, whose pieces promptly exploded.
"Whoa, that was weird." Beast Boy commented as Mumbo changed back into an old man, slumping unconsciously to the ground.
Pulling out his communicator, he tried to call Robin, but found nothing but static. Then Control Freak's face appeared, "I'm sorry, the number you are calling has been disconnected. In fact, all of them have been disconnected!"
The communicator exploded in Beast Boy's hand, and he sighed, "I should have seen that coming."
"Uh, green one?"
"Ya?"
"I think we still have enemies to fight."
Beast Boy furrowed his eyebrows, then looked up, "No way, that was the most damaging thing I could... think... of."
Johnny and Mod were standing, glaring at him, "That hurt you little punk!"
"You little snot! That's it, you are officially expelled!" Mod smiled and pressed the button on his cane. Suddenly huge, red British soldier robots exploded out of the ground. However, each now had the 'S' symbol on their chests. They leveled their rifles, and the first line went down on one knee, allowing the second row to follow suit.
"Ta-ta you little brats! Fire!"
The robots began to fire in an almost continuos volley. Beast Boy ducked, but found that one of the Sorcerers was projecting a barrier to hold the incoming projectiles back.
"Mians, take him and go!"
'Mians' wasn't going to hear this, and shouted at the one holding up the barrier, "I'm not leaving you! Last time I left someone behind I never saw them again!"
"Don't make me say it again!"
"I'm staying right here Kians." He said, crossing his arms stubbornly.
Mains looked over at him, "You idiot! I meant go get help so that we can fight the huge army in front of us!"
"You can't hold them off alone!"
"Fine! Fine! You, go get help, we'll hold them hear, ready, go!"
The barrier shrank, till it was a black sheild on the sorcerer's arm. He used his powers to produce a black whip in the other hand. The other sorcerer did likewise. They stood, putting the shields together to form a wall. They were glaring at each other.
"I could pull rank Mains!"
"Sorry Kians, but just because you're higher up in the army than I am doesn't mean I'm going to leave you here!"
"Not military rank! I'm your older brother, you're supposed to listen to me!"
"But that's also why I'm staying."
Beast Boy looked between them, also hiding behind the black sheild. They stared at each other a minute, then the older one nodded, "Right. Thank you."
"A blood bond is too strong to break between Mystellians right?"
A shot nearly hit Beast Boy, causing him to scream and scramble closer to the shield. They both glared at him.
"What are you still doing here? Go get help!"
"I can't teleport! And they're firing so thick that it doesn't matter what animal I choose I'll be Swiss cheese before I go ten feet! Those guys are really accurate!"
"Well we can't just sit here and be shot at forever!"
"I'm open to suggestions!"
Suddenly, the bullets stopped coming. They just, ceased fire. They glanced at each other, then the two brothers looked to Beast Boy.
"Well, take a peek and see what's going on."
"Me? Why me?"
"Because, you're smallest, you'll be harder to hit. Besides, if what I've heard about you is true, if they shoot you in the head it won't matter. Nothing important in there anyway."
Beast Boy was fuming, "Who told you that?"
"Frista."
Rolling his eyes, the changeling stuck his head tentatively above the sheild. His eyes went wide.
"What is it? Are they gone?"
"Dude, you wish."
Four tanks had rolled up the street, side by side, and they leveled their cannons at the huddled group of good guys.
"Well what you you waiting for? FIRE!"
"RUN!" Beast Boy screamed, turning into the fastest animal he could think of (Road Runner?) And high tailed it out of there. The two sorcerers were blown back by the force of the cannons, and landed a short distance away, dazed.
"Hahahahahaha! Lesson one my duckies, never stand in the same place! Let's go lads, crush them!"
The tanks rumbled forward, but soon the sorcerers were back on their feet, and lashing out with their whips of magical energy, which sliced through the tanks like hot knives through butter. The tanks exploded, but robotic soldiers filed in behind in their wake, firing. The sorcerer brothers blocked the bullets with their magic shields, lashing out every so often with their whips, decapitating and cutting them like dolls.
Once the first wave had been taken down, Beast Boy jumped out from behind the rock he had been hiding behind, laughing, "Dude! You guys are so bad!"
"What?" They asked, looking at him very confused.
"Oh, uh, when I say 'bad' like that it means good!"
They shook their heads, mumbling something about 'No wonder Raven is lonely' and 'Stupid people on this planet...'. Then they turned back to another wave of approaching robots. This one was led by Johnny Rancid himself.
"All right you stupid oversized trash cans, let's total these idiots then go rob a McDonalds!"
The sorcerers glanced to Beast Boy, who shrugged, "You get food there."
Looks of realization spread across their faces, then they turned serious again, "Hey green one, why don't you take out the one with the weird accent. We'll take care of the big guy and the robots."
"Gotcha. Taking down weird British guys with tricked out canes is my specialty."
"You have a very strange specialty then. Get to it."
MEANWHILE...
Cyborg looked up in horror. It was huge, slimy, and had an 'S' on it's, uh, thing...
You couldn't really call it a forehead...
Anyway, he was staring down the most disgusting of any villain or monster they had faced.
Plasmas.
The huge slime ball was currently ingesting every form of liquid it could, and was getting bigger by the second. Cyborg started blasting it, but Plasmas seemed not only unaffected, it looked like he didn't care at all. Even when parts of it started blowing off.
Finally, as if noticing the half-robot was there for the first time, Plasmas turned, and roared. Cyborg narrowly dodged a ball of slime hurled at him. He was preparing to shoot back, when the slime next to him formed into a smaller version of the big Plasmas.
"Well, that's new."
All of the pieces Cyborg had blown off turned into small Plasmases. Cyborg began to back away very slowly.
"Alrighty, I'll be going now." He said with a grin, turning on his heel. But he ran strait into an all to familiar form.
"How's it going kludge head?" Gizmo asked, looking down on Cyborg from his mechanical backpack, which had four sharp metal legs.
"Dude, I thought we got rid of you after you fixed me of that virus."
"You rickin, raffin snot eaters left me in that stupid puddle with the virus! Now, it's payback time."
The 'S' symbol burned on the midget genius's head, then a huge cannon popped out of the back pack, aiming at Cyborg.
The metal man looked behind him. Plasmas and the, uh, Plasmites...
Then he looked in front of him again. Gizmo and a huge cannon.
Decisions, decisions...
Cyborg smirked confidently, then aimed his Sonic Cannon right at Gizmo's gun, barrel to barrel, "Hey shorty, if you fire, I fire. The chain reaction that occurs overloads and destroys us both."
"You're bluf-"
Cyborg took the opportunity to blow the cannon off while Gizmo was distracted, then fired at the small mechanic.
"Who's the kludge head now little man?"
Gizmo looked up from his position on the ground, smiling. He pointed, "You are!"
Cyborg looked behind him, as a huge wave of crud was about to wash over him. Then Gizmo realized it would wash him away to.
"Oh crap."
They both began to run as the foul smelling, worse looking, tongue numbingly bad tasting liquid began to rush from Plasmas at them...
ELSEWHERE...
Starfire dodged to the left as Dr. Light fired continuously at her. It was proving increasingly difficult, as the beams would bend and twist after they flew by, coming back to try and strike her again.
Two convicts, hard core assassins, pulled out machine guns and started firing at her as well. Starfire looked around her, to see she was completely surrounded by energy and unable to dodge either that or the bullets. She closed her eyes, preparing herself to absorb the shot.
But it never came. She opened her eyes, and found all of the attacks bouncing off a pale gray shield. The sphere expanded slightly, and a hooded figure appeared out of a portal next to Starfire.
"Are you alright?"
"Friend Frista!" Starfire yelled, hugging the Azarathian tightly. However, this completely broke her concentration, and they were nearly killed by bullets and energy. Starfire let go, embarrassed. "Sorry, I was merely glad to see you."
"I'm glad to see you to. Now then, who is this idiot who thinks he has skills over magic?"
"Magic? Ha! You don't need magic when you're Dr. Light!" the light-crazed man yelled, gushing forth a huge beam of energy that almost broke through Frista's new shield.
"Your sheild is strong. But nothing can stand before the power of light!"
Small, bright spheres of white shot out of the doctors hands as if they were machine guns, smashing through Frista's sheild. She and Starfire had to weave to avoid being hit, and probably blinded.
"You know, the bad thing about light is..." Frista said, conjuring her powers, "It's bad for your eyes!"
She opened a portal, letting the energy pour into it, then opened a smaller one above it. The light poured back out, strait at Dr. Light. He stopped firing, and tried to raise a barrier against his own onslaught. However, the light hit Dr. Light full on, and left him temporarily blind and out of commission.
Oh the irony. Taken out by your own attack, light. Especially when your name is Dr. Light. Priceless...
The other criminals glanced at each other, then opened fire again. However, the girls flew out of range of the weapons.
Starfire's eyes glowed green, "Shall we friend Frista?"
"After you, Starfire."
SOMEWHERE ELSE...
Robin rode his R-cycle down the street. He was looking for someone, who he was quite sure would eventually find him. Someone that twisted the boy wonder's gut with hatred, anger, and revulsion.
An explosion that incited him to leap from his bike confirmed Robin's suspicions. He looked around, but saw no one.
"You're all alone Robin. You don't stand a chance by yourself. I'll tell you what, I'll let you live, if you become my servant."
"Slade..." Robin growled, taking out his staff, setting himself into a fighting position, "What happened to 'apprentice'?"
"Oh Robin, you should have known that offer passed long ago. You see, you are no longer worthy to be my apprentice. However, servant, cleaning the floors, serving the food, that seems right at your level."
"Come on out and fight!"
"Robin, you are far to eager to die. But, if that is your wish..."
The boy wonder knew where the blow was coming from, and ducked. He reached down to his belt, activated an exploding disk, and slapped into onto Slade's arm. Robin rolled away, and turned.
Slade looked down at his arm, then commented, "Clever Robin, you would have made a wonderful apprentice. However, this little toy doesn't work on me anymore."
"Oh? But this is a new toy. I'd like your opinion on it."
The disk exploded, creating a fine mist of some sort. Slade screamed in agony, shock, and fear. He fell to his knees, still screaming.
Robin stood up, smirking to himself. It only faltered slightly when Slade jumped out of the fog. Because Slade leaned up against a wall heavily, his breathing erratic, "You little punk!"
Robin shook his head, crossing his arms confidently, "Slade, where's the cool? Where's the confidence? Anger just doesn't become you."
Slade relaxed, "That was extremely clever Robin. Holy water wasn't it?"
"Well, the only thing keeping you around is demonic magic isn't it?"
"So you finally figured it out. I'm impressed Robin. But, it will take more than cheap blessings on stale water to stop me."
"That's what I'm here for."
Slade looked, and watched as an elderly woman in a loose robe stepped out of the shadows. Slade looked at her skeptically, "Who is this Robin? Cyborg's dear grandmother?"
"Didn't anyone ever teach you 'respect your elders'?" Robin taunted.
"I am Saetai, Priestess of Mekio. Or, you know him as God."
"Oh? And why should I be impressed by you?"
"Because, I bring divine wrath upon you!" Saetai raised her hands, softly speaking words. Suddenly two white columns of light erupted from her hands, hitting Slade, who screamed again. This lasted for several minutes, until Saetai's energy was sapped. She went down on one knee, but Robin caught her.
"There, I think I broke the spell..."
They both looked up when they heard a foot crunching ground underneath it. There stood Slade. There were what looked like red cracks all over him, but he was still there.
"Think again. It's seems God has left you doesn't it?"
"Blast this old body! Five years ago and he would have been..." Saetai mumbled under her breath.
Robin stood up, "She's not strong enough to destroy you. Now it looks like I get to finish the job!"
IN ANOTHER PLACE...
Raven bashed two convicts into each other, but after being unconscious for a few minutes they got back up, completely unharmed. It was frustrating to no end! She would get done with a few, only to have the ones she had just beaten attack her from behind!
And slowly, she was losing ground. In fact, they were all being forced back, little by little. Einderan's sorcerers were all faced with the same problem. Their opponents wouldn't stay down!
Suddenly Raven felt strong arms grab her from behind. Her concentration broke, and she was dragged to the ground, and pinned there. They swarmed over her.
"Hehehehe... Gotcha now!"
One of them pulled out a switchblade, while another pulled Raven's head up, exposing her neck. They began to laugh harder as the blade came closer and closer to the sensitive skin.
A black wave washed them away. Literally. A wall of dark energy swept down the street, leaving only Raven untouched. She looked up, to see what looked like a cloaked knight, in completely pure black armor.
"Who are?"
One of the convicts opened fire, hitting the knight. The bullets bounced off without even leaving marks on the armor. The villains just stared after this.
The knight flipped back it's hood, then the helmet just faded away.
"Einderan!"
"You should have known better than to try and face so many on your own sister." Einderan scolded.
"Sorry..."
"Ah, you were doing quite well until a few seconds ago. I'm afraid I was wrong before. It seems no amount of punishment has any effect whatsoever. The damage is temporary, and the bond is seemingly permanent."
"The spell you were going to teach me?"
"I already tried that. It didn't work. I don't get it..."
"So, what do we do now?"
"Well, fight them as best we can until I figure out a way to make them stay down." Einderan bowed, motioning with his arm, "Ladies first."
"Idiot."
Part Two, complete.
Next time: First Blood (The Wound is Cut)
BEAST BOY HAS A BRAIN?
Sorry about the lateness. I said it would be up earlier, but it got hectic with my cousin coming in from out of state, and hanging out with him, and it was crazy, I couldn't make it. Plus it took longer than expected to write this, and that bug thingy wasn't helping either...
Oh ya, probably out of character. But that's probably been like that for a while now, so...
And yes, I do believe in God. Everyone should try going to church at least once, you may find some answers there. Just my advice though, no offense meant to anyone...