Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.

A/N: Scar and Siberian-Tigress, many thanks for reviewing my latest chapter! X Acheron X and Dark Shadows, I was hoping that someone would think the anagram was a stroke of genius! Thanks for noticing, you guys! Pyro, congratulations for being right about Malchior! Thanks again for reviewing! I appreciate it.

I hope everyone enjoys the next chapter. It's actually going to come in two parts, so here's part one!

What have I gotten myself into? Robin thought as his left arm waggled, limp by his side. Bruises littered one side of his face, sending tingles through his cheek. Nonetheless, he felt the necklace intact around his neck. Steadying himself on the dirt wall of the underground cavern, he breathed laboriously.

Witnessing her Boy Wonder aching, Raven felt tortured. "Robin, just leave. I can take care of it myself." However, doubt existed in her tone.

"No, Raven!" he screamed, dodging Malchior's vicious jabs. "I…let you get away…from me…too many times…before, Raven, and…I won't…let you go…now." Robin snatched a torch, shaking it threateningly. His knees wobbled, but he did not allow himself to fail.

"Pathetic," Malchior muttered. "If you care for your safety, Robin, I suggest that you leave…" He directed the door with his tail as he inhaled the flame from Robin's torch, extinguishing it.

Shaking his head, Robin offered a solid "No". He added, "I prefer death."

"Very well," replied Malchior, eyeing the necklace adorning Robin's throat. He circled the wounded mouse while Raven's eyes glued to the battle. A dancing flame fled from Malchior's jaw, aiming at Robin. The attack succeeded at singeing Robin's whiskers.

Robin locked his masked pupils with Malchior's red slits, disgusted.

Malchior led Robin around in a complete circle. "I'm warning you again to leave while you can," he announced. Recognizing the Boy Wonder's refusal, Malchior attacked. Smashing his skull against Robin's chest, Malchior sent his enemy crashing through the door, transforming the entry into splinters.

Robin thumped into a mud puddle with a plop. Face-down and drowning in the muck, Robin remained in that position.

Raven extended her neck, peering through the tattered entrance to catch sight of Robin. Although she was desperate to detect movement in her hero, Raven discovered none. "Oh, no…is he…" she whispered, unable to utter the four-letter word.

Malchior replied in triumph, "Indeed," and sneered, sliding toward the still figure to rip out the necklace before he slithered back into the cavern. "And you thought you could stop me!" accused Malchior, looking at Raven. "It was too easy…I almost feel sorry for you, Raven. We could have been friends, but I guess not."

Raven glared at Malchior in pure hatred. All her hairs stood up. She was unable to combat the situation at hand. Three words replicated in her mind: Robin…is…dead…Robin…is…dead. She could not believe it, but it became even more real when Raven glanced back at her beloved sinking in the mud, immobile.

"Once I destroy this necklace," informed Malchior, "I'll need to kill you, too!" He flicked out his tongue, taunting the helpless rodent. Beaming, Malchior revised his previous statement, "Better yet, I'll kill you and the necklace all at once!" The serpent almost patted himself on the back for his brilliant notion. Inching toward the imprisoned mouse, Malchior threw the necklace around her neck.

Raven queried, "What are you doing?"

Malchior declined his opportunity to answer while smoke rolled from his nose. Eyes narrowing, Malchior bent back his head, mustering all of his energy.

He's not going to…Raven gulped. No…he is. He's going to flame me…Images of burning flesh mingled with heat manifested in Raven's subconscious mind. She visualized conflagrations fashioning barriers around her as they rose higher, constructing a flaming dome above her head. Choking, Raven glanced at Malchior as a meager flame protruded from his throat. It developed into a massive sphere after five seconds.

"Good-bye, Raven," Malchior said with false humanity. The fireball wobbled in his mouth, threatening to escape.

Raven closed her eyes, bracing herself for the definite agony that would follow. Instead, a screeching voice whirled in her ears as the head in the room subsided. Peeking, Raven saw the fireball in Malchior's mouth dissolve as he glanced at the damaged entryway.

Loath reflected in his eyes. He hissed, "What are you doing here," at the intruder.

"I came for the necklace," the person at the door poke. "Remember our deal?"

From her position, Raven could not perceive the identity of the person.

Tripping over the planks of wood, the person entered the room, the light capturing her face.

Raven frowned. Oh, it's her.

"Hand it over," Ruth held out her hand toward Malchior. Although she was a human, Ruth's size resembled Raven's size.

The snake snarled. "There's been some changes, my dear."

"Changes?" Ruth's frustration grew.

"Yes. I've decided to destroy the necklace instead."

"But Malchior, we had a deal!"

The serpent shrugged. "Sorry." He sneered. "I had plans of my own."

"You inconsiderate JERK!" shrieked Ruth, stomping the ground. She cussed at him openly.

"If you don't mind, Ruth," Malchior said, displaying his casual tone, "there's something I need to do." Before Ruth opened her mouth, Malchior swung his tail at her, but she jumped from the attack, landing next to Raven.

Ruth remarked, "I see that you want to be unfair. Fine, that makes two of us." Turning toward the bones strapping Raven to the wall, she bellowed, "Sohtniz Noirtem Htaraza!" Raven broke free without uttering a "Thank you" after Ruth murmured, "This doesn't change anything."

Raven charged out of the cavern in pursuit of Robin.

"When I'm done with you, Ruth, you'll never see the light again!" promised Malchior. He shot toward her head with an open mouth.

All Raven heard from the outside were scraping and biting noises, in addition to panting and hollering. Fearing that Malchior would chase her, Raven scampered ahead, passing a puddle of mud.

Halting, she thought, This must be where Malchior threw Robin, as she noted the dots of mud speckling all around the obscure shape of the puddle. Raven recognized her Boy Blunder's cape slouched in the brown pond. Poking it, she uttered, "Robin?" even though she was fully aware that he would not respond. Raven poked the cape again, harder this time, and she popped an air bubble underneath it. Robin can't be dead…he just can't be… Raven snatched the cape, sending it flying toward a field of grass. Although Raven did not notice since the vacant mud caught her attention. There was nothing in the mucky puddle…not even Robin.

He was gone.

Somebody took his body! Raven exclaimed.

Before she could do anything else, a hand clamped Raven's mouth while another grabbed her firmly around the waist. She wiggled about, attempting to fend off her attacker with her tail. Smelling blood, Raven fainted.

Malchior smirked at his struggling opponent. "Have you had enough?"

Malchior's immense strength amazed Ruth, but she refused to admit it. "No," she managed, keeping a hand on her gaping wound in her belly. Blood stained her palm as if someone painted it. One had to wonder why she had not fainted yet. Ruth's bruised eye throbbed as she imagined its puffiness and purple hue, despising Malchior even more. "I should have never let you out of that book," she breathed, barely skipping from Malchior's blows.

"We all have our regrets, but I will never regret breaking the deal," he declared. Hissing, Malchior dove to bit Ruth's pale leg.

Screaming, she rolled onto her back. No…he's bitten me twice now…

A/N: I'm sorry I didn't add this earlier when it first came up, but "Sohtniz Noirtem Htaraza" is pronounced (SOT-neez / no-EER-tim / tar-A-za).

Once again, DUN DUN DUN!

And sorry about making the fight scene between Malchior and Ruth near the end very short. I'm not very good at them (fight scenes).