Chapter 3: The Second Coming
The whole ride to the crime scene the Titans were wondering why Ternion, the fused being of Plasmus, Overload, and Cinderblock, was tearing apart an abandoned district of the city. "Regardless of the reason, he won't be doing it for long." was Robin's response to the Titans' queries.
Cyborg brought the T-car to a screeching, just in time to miss the falling wall of an old building. On the other side of the fallen wall stood Ternion, with his usual rage filled expression. The Titans piled out of the T-car and commenced their attack, hitting the abomination with everything they had. Starfire circled above him launching star-bolts left and right, while Robin showered him with explosive disks, Cyborg let out repeated blasts from his cannon, Beast Boy took the form of a T-Rex swinging his massive tail, and Raven hurled rocks and other debris at the monster.
Then out of nowhere a blast of red light sent Cyborg flying through a few walls and buried him in a pile of rubble. This caught the attention of the other Titans, distracting them long enough for Ternion to swat Starfire to the ground and grab Beast Boy's tail, then hurl him through a pillar. Cyborg slowly crawled out from underneath the rubble and raised his head to spot a cloaked figure, who proceeded to drop his cloak revealing red cybernetic implants all over his body. "Blood!" Cyborg growled. "Hello my dear Cyborg." He responded with a smirk as a symbol began to burn red on his forehead. Cyborg wasted little time in getting to his feet and charging the H.I.V.E. headmaster. With Cyborg's attention focused on Blood, Ternion had one less Titan to worry about as he grabbed Raven and tossed her aside down a dark alley way, then focused the brunt of his attacks on the three remaining Titans.
Raven stumbled to her feet and was about to rush back towards the battle, when a shadow emerged from one of the alley walls and sent her flying even further back in the alley way and out of sight of the team. She raised her head off the ground to behold Slade's cold eye staring down at her with his symbol burning red on his forehead. "You know I am very hurt Raven. I don't recall getting a thank you card for the nice birthday gifts I gave you." He said in his cold manner. Raven leapt to her feet with her eyes glowing white and immediately began surrounding what ever she could find in her black aura and sending it in Slade's direction. Slade's hands glowed with fire as he destroyed every object that she sent his way, and then he rushed forward ramming her into the alley way's dead end wall. "You really are a stubborn child Raven. Things would be much easier if you just accept the inevitable." Raven surrounded him in a black bubble, but before she could do any more he burst free with a roar of flames that lit up the alley way. Then he grabbed Raven by the throat and held her in the air for a few seconds glaring at her, then threw her back to the ground.
Meanwhile, Cyborg continued to duel with Brother Blood while Robin, Starfire, and Beast Boy tangled with Ternion. Beast Boy had just dodged one of Ternion attacks when he noticed the alley way off to the side light up. 'Raven!' he thought as he realized she had never reemerged from the alley way she was knocked into. He turned into a hawk and swiftly flew over to the alley way. He became enraged when he spotted Raven on the ground and against a wall with Slade hovering over her.
He landed in between them and morphed back to his normal state. "Beast Boy?" Raven was able to choke out. His eyes filled with rage as he stared down Slade, bearing his teeth. "Awe. Did I do some to upset you?" Slade asked mockingly. Beast Boy felt his mind snap and all he saw was the image of Slade hurting the one he cared for the most. He once again felt the primal rage that was thought to have been locked away inside him break loose and surge through his entire body as his bones crackled and he transformed into his Werebeast form once again.
Slade let out a small chuckle. "This ought to be interesting." He remarked. In a full state of primal fury, Beast Boy leaped at Slade swinging his claws. Slade evaded the onslaught and countered with his flaming fists, sending Beast Boy through a wall. Beast Boy was up again in a split second, attacking once again and once again Slade beat him back. This order of events repeated itself a few more times before Beast Boy got a hit in, running his claws across Slade's chest. Now quite irritated, Slade began to pummel Beast Boy and after his flurry of blows ceased he held Beast Boy in the air by the throat and used one of his flame blasts to send him crashing to the ground right in front of Raven.
After hitting the ground Beast Boy's body changed back to an unconscious and very bloody version of its normal form. Raven stared down in horror as Beast Boy remained still. "Too bad." Slade mocked. "He put up a decent fight, but in the end there is nothing that he or any of your other friends could do to help you." Just as he said that Brother Blood and Ternion appeared at the alley way's entrance, dragging the other Titans behind them. Raven noticed the same mark glowed on them as on Slade as they tossed the other Titans by her side.
She looked down at Beast Boy's body, feeling utterly helpless, and then she remembered the small sword that was given to her. She had worn it hidden under her cloak in every battle ever since she had received it. Rising to her feet, she unsheathed the sword, stepped in front of Beast Boy's body and held it in front of her, ready to attack. Slade merely chuckled. "Is that supposed to frighten me Raven? Cause if it is, then you're going to be greatly disappointed."
He took a few steps forward, but then he was sent flying backwards into Brother Blood and Ternion by a figure that leapt down from the top of one of the buildings. Slade and the others got back on their feet glaring at their mystery guest. Blood rushed forward with a powerful punch that missed and was meet with a low punch to the stomach followed by a spinning round house kick to the head that sent Blood into a wall and to the ground. Slade's fiery fist was caught by the stranger, who in turn landed a blow in Slade's face, so powerful that Slade was sent through Ternion and a building at the alley way's entrance. Ternion was charging himself up for an attack when a brilliant beam of white light, shot from the top of a building by another dark figure, engulfed him and in an instant his body was nothing but ash. Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg had come to while this was taking place and watched the whole thing in awe. "You have been successful in delaying the inevitable a little longer Raven. I look forward to our next visit." Slade's disembodied voice echoed through the alley way. Raven looked over to where Blood had fallen and saw that he had vanished along with Slade.
After the sinister echo faded Raven dropped to her knees beside Beast Boy and began to lightly shake him in an attempt to wake him up. But when nothing worked, all she could do was hold him close to her and look up at the mysterious figure that had saved them.
As the man turned to face the Titans, Raven noticed something familiar about him. He wore a dark navy blue shirt underneath a black gi. His hands were covered by black gloves as was the lower half of his face by a black cloth tied around his face like a ninja and twin ancient roman style swords were strapped to his back. But what most caught the attention of Raven, as well as the other Titans, was the man's short dark brown hair that hung at the sides of his head and his piercing pale blue eyes. "Akuma!" she whispered in surprise. The other Titans heard this and turned their heads towards Raven, and then back towards the former god of thunder and lightning himself.
A/N: PLEASE R&R!