Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.

A/N: Pyro, whoa! Long review, but thanks for not resorting to violence haha. Big things are coming in this chapter…BIG THINGS…X Acheron X, agreed…it IS an evil camping trip of doom…muahahaha!

Short chapter ahead…

Robin clenched his fist, sensing the dried blood crackle.

Eyeing the crust of blood clinging to his palm, he smashed the ground with his other hand. I should have stopped that thing, he growled. I'll never forgive myself if something happens to Raven. Tears threatened to vanquish his eyes. Wait, don't pity yourself now, Robin! You need to save her! Glancing up, Robin sucked in a gust of air after lying face-down.

Something winked at him from under a shrub.

"Forget it," he shoved, but the glowing object seemed to haul in the Boy Wonder until he stood one foot away from it. Cupping it in his hand, Robin gingerly peered at it. "I know what this is," he muttered. "It's Raven's necklace…must have fallen off." He examined the snapped chain.

Gripping it, Robin zealously charged wherever his nose directed him, tracking Raven's sweet fragrance. Love flashed in his eyes.

I'm coming.

Raven froze with her mouth hanging agape, eyeballs bare.

"Really, Raven, it's very rude to stare like that," her captor elucidated.

Disregarding the remark, Raven continued to observe the specimen before her. The creature rose up, exposing its lavender belly. Its eye color alternated between red and blue, penetrating through Raven's fur like knives. The line of white dots speckled on its bluish-purple scales shone against the conflagrations of the torches. Hissing, the animal revealed its curled fangs while smoke inched from its flared nostrils.

"You can't be who I think you are," blurted Raven.

The beast slithered closer to her, saying, "But I am."

"Get away from me," she spat.

"That's no way to treat an old friend, Raven."

"We were never friends."

"Stop being so sore about the past," the creature chastised. "Besides, there's something much more important…"

Raven seethed, "You're not interested in deceiving girls anymore, huh?"

"Actually, that was quite fun." The animal sneered.

"You're sick, Malchior, very sick. I can only guess what you've planned this time…" Raven rolled her eyes. She held only contempt for this monster.

"For your information, my dear, you were too easy to fool…I couldn't resist. It seemed like you preteens would fall for anything…even a fake letter about a free vacation."

"That was you? You're Carl O'Imh?" accused Raven, shooting a finger at him.

"I'm surprised you haven't already figured that out, you silly girl. However, you were never that intelligent anyway."

Raven thrashed in her captivity.

"You, Raven, especially needed a lesson about not trapping me in that dreadful book."

"But why did you include my friends in this?"

"I needed bait…some fun…" A demonic chuckle rang from Malchior's lips. "While you and your boyfriend were gone, I've been feasting on your friends."

"Feasting!" A vein exploded in Raven's temple.

"Certainly. One by one, I've been biting your friends. So far, I've bitten the robot and the green boy once, but I had two helpings of the alien." Malchior licked his lips. "Here's a note: three bits is all it takes to kill them."

Raven grit her teeth, envisioning blood overflowing Malchior's accursed mouth. "But you still haven't told me how you escaped the book and why you're a snake…"

Malchior exclaimed, "I was getting to that, you twit! Scoffing, he explained, "I can imagine the pain you felt when you saw Ruth walk in here, hmm? Well, thanks to her, she let me use her book as a little gateway to get out. She pulled some strings, but they still wouldn't let me emerge in my full dragon form, so I escaped as a skimpy serpent."

"Oh" was Raven's one-word answer.

"Don't you have any compassion, Raven?

"Probably, but none for you," she retorted and turned her head.

Malchior announced, "Let's stop this chat and get to the point. Raven, give me your necklace."

"Why?"

"Must you ask questions? Just hand it over!"

Raven placed a hand at the bottom of her neck. Groping, she was unable to detect her necklace. It's gone! she trembled. But I can't let Malchior know…

The serpent recognized Raven's worried complexion. "What is it?" he demanded. "I need that necklace!"

"WHY?" Raven reiterated insistently.

Malchior stated, "It's none of your concern."

"Yes, it is! It's my necklace!"

Sighing, Malchior began, "If you must know, I must destroy your necklace."

"Why?"

She's at it again with the questions, he groaned, controlling himself from annihilating Raven in that instant. "It's made of the Gnizoija stone…"

"Okay…"

"…which is the same stone found in the pages of the book you trapped me in." Malchior scowled at the memory. "Now give it to me!"

Raven held back.

Slithering toward her, Malchior stuck his face before her own. "If you won't give it to me, I'll get it myself!" He charged toward her neck but found nothing. "You're hiding it from me, huh? Well, I'll force it out…"

Raven sensed Malchior's fangs closing around her throat. His steamy breath teased her. "NO!" she screamed.

Another person joined in Raven's hollering.

Malchior ceased his pursuit to look at someone stationed by the door. "Nice of you to join us, my boy," jeered Malchior.

Robin spat on the ground, watching his saliva bubble.

Malchior tossed his head, aggravated. "How stupid are you…coming here with no weapon…?"

"I do have a weapon," confirmed Robin, winking at Raven. "Love."

"Love!" Malchior cackled and snorted, his forked tongue flopping inside his mouth. "How cliché…"

"And this…" Robin held out Raven's necklace.

Malchior attempted not to appear intimidated and laughed. "That little thing?"

"Stop pretending. I heard you and Raven talking."

"Aren't you sneaky…" Without warning, Malchior dove for Robin, fangs bared.

"LOOK OUT, ROBIN!" cautioned Raven.

A/N: "Carl O'Imh is an anagram for "Malchior". Mount Wyrmormr comes from the words "wyr" meaning serpent and "mormr" meaning dragon.