Disclaimer: Still don't own Teen Titans.
A/N: So, I hope everyone enjoyed the interlude. Thanks again for the reviews! You guys are great. Please let me know what you think of this chapter.
Today's Poll: Where is the Blade of the Pure? Who has it?
Demon Hunters
Chapter 18: The Hunt
"He's moving east." Robin's voice came over the communicator with only the slightest disturbance of static.
Across town, four other Titans and two Demon Hunters changed the directions they were going and headed towards the center of town.
Raven kept her concentration on flying. These powers felt exactly like her own, in fact, as Lunis had explained, the powers were hers, but the demonic energy used to fuel them had belonged to someone else. While it didn't feel any different, it still seemed disgustingly similar to using someone else's toothbrush.
The ceremony had seemed simple enough. Raven, now technically 'human' enough for the Immortal Blade to allow her to touch it, had held the hilt. Lunis has put her hands over Raven's, and suddenly a flood of power had coursed through her body.
She had expected to collapse, or feel weak, but instead she had felt better than she had in days. Energy filled her so completely that she nearly thought bright jots of power would slip out of her mouth when she talked.
But then her body had settled down and accepted the power. Even then, Robin had insisted that she try out her powers.
Raven could vividly remember stepping out onto the obstacle, the foreign power twisting and forming to her will. Robin had sent everything at her: projectiles, lasers, even attack robots. And Raven had crushed them all with a thought. Her power instantly bent to her designs; the usual struggle for control was nonexistent. With a black orb, she had shielded herself, and then with a series of sharp black projectiles, she had finished off the robots.
The expressions on her teammates' faces after that little display were impossible to forget. They had been impressed, but something a little more than that was there: they were afraid. And, Raven had to admit, if she could have been, she probably would have felt the same.
After a few more practice rounds and a day or two of research, it was time to start the hunt. Raven was ready, more than ready. She felt stronger, quicker, and certainly more in control. She was ready to take on Pax.
"I have spotted him!" Starfire came across tersely, jarring Raven out of her thoughts. "Next to the store for the renting of videos."
That was nearby. Raven flew down towards it, coming to a halt when she saw the fight already in progress.
With gleaming red eyes, Pax threw dark bolts of power at Starfire and Robin.
Raven tried to center herself and concentrate while finding an opening to attack. Of course, she could simply throw a bus at Pax, but that would be just as likely to hit Starfire or Robin, particularly if Pax saw it coming and decided he wanted to get rid of one of them.
Raven saw a break in the concrete where Trigon's power had shattered the sidewalk into sections. Azarath, metrion, zintohs… Starfire went down, black energy crackling across her body.
"Starfire!" Robin shouted, running to catch her.
Raven pushed her growing concern for her friends to the back of her mind. It was strangely easy to do. Normally, she had to fight against her fear of losing them, of helping too late, while she found her control. This time, it came to her instantly. She vaguely made the connection that perhaps this might be due to her utter loss of emotions, but even that thought took a backseat to the fight.
Using her demonic power, she picked up one of the pieces of cement and hurled it at Pax.
The piece came from behind him, but he turned in time to see it. He blocked it with his fist, shattering the cement.
Raven narrowed her eyes and sent five pieces of concrete sailing towards him from different directions. At the same time, she threw a protective sphere around Starfire and Robin, since Starfire still seemed to be dazed.
Raven could have sworn that Pax actually grinned at her as he dodged and destroyed all of her projectiles.
He wasn't grinning for long.
Cyborg and Beast Boy showed up, with the Hunters not far behind them.
Cyborg sent a barrage of sonic blasts at him while Beast Boy morphed into a wolf and leapt at the half-demon.
Pax twisted around and grabbed Beast Boy by the scruff of his neck and sent him hurling into Cyborg.
Then the Hunters attacked.
In a swift series of attacks that were impossible to follow, they backed Pax into a corner.
-Careful, Solaris,- Lunis said. –He is our brother.-
Raven heard Lunis's mental reminder for her sister, but she was nearly certain that Lunis had intended for only Solaris to hear her. What bothered her more was that they were still referring to Pax as though he were alive.
And maybe he is alive, beneath Trigon, Raven reminded herself. She sent out a slight empathic inquiry, just brushing against the consciousness of the entity they were fighting, but she could find no trace of Pax. She dove a little deeper, still without any sign of him. She pulled back before Trigon would notice her presence, feeling even more concerned.
The demonic possession could give all the signs of life to the stiffest corpse. If the Hunters still thought Pax was alive, what would they do if Trigon left them with a very dead brother?
No. Surely the Hunters know better, Raven told herself, concentrating once more on the battle.
Lunis was desperately trying to stab Pax with the Soul Sword, but he managed to dodge her every attempt. The sisters exchanged glances, and Raven distinctly heard a mental countdown before Lunis tossed the Soul Sword to Solaris and the two sisters attacked as one.
Pax's eyes flared angrily as he cast his dark power out to grab them.
Raven sent her borrowed power out to stop him.
The two powers hit, and Pax overwhelmed her easily. It was like trying to stop a dam from collapsing. Raven felt herself nearly crushed by his incredible strength. Wherever Raven's power had come from, it was no match whatever power Pax was using.
But it was all the distraction Lunis and Solaris needed.
Lunis pressed the Immortal Blade to Pax's forehead, siphoning off some of his power and then Solaris stabbed the Soul Sword through his left foot.
Pax froze, pinned by the magic in the sword.
Raven knew the feeling. She landed beside Robin and Starfire as Beast Boy and Cyborg walked over.
"So just like that, it's over?" Cyborg asked.
"Once he's stabbed with that sword, he's immobile," Raven said, without any sympathy.
"Thank you for your assistance," Lunis said softly. She elbowed Solaris.
"Thank you," Solaris agreed tersely.
"No problem," Beast Boy said with a grin.
Lunis frowned. "He does not have the Blade of the Pure."
"He'll tell us where it is," Solaris promised, glaring at the boy.
"So what happens now?" Robin asked.
"We'll take him back to our temporary base here and try to exorcise Trigon. There's got to be a way to do it, but it may take some time to find," Solaris said.
"It may take awhile," Lunis said. "But he is our brother. We'll find a way to save him."
"You'll take care of that, right?" Robin asked.
Lunis nodded. "We have to do this ourselves. It'll be long and tedious work, but we're the only ones who know demon physiology well enough to try something like this."
Beast Boy stretched and grinned. "Well, then… if there's no way we can help, it looks like it's time for breakfast."
Raven felt contentment ripple through her, along with some excitement over the prospect of food. "Yeah," she agreed. "Let's go home."