Whew! I survived finals, along with my first year of college. It wasn't easy, and there were many sleepless nights involved. I did manage to keep up a few notes during some of my less hands-on classes, however, so there was a rough outline waiting for me once I returned home and sat at the computer. I started off with no idea how to approach this chapter, but it hadn't taken long for outside influence to worm their way in, giving me a direction I'd never even considered up until that point.

There were also several revisions made in the process. In fact, the final result looks almost nothing like its first two drafts…including one scene I rewrote after a special request from one of my friends and fellow authors.

Notes for this chapter:

1) For those of you who may be wondering why the name Ka'ragos sounds so familiar…I based it off of the character Karras, one of Starfire's husbands from the original comics. I was originally going to use that name, but then I realized it might end up too misleading to some of my more -enthusiastic- readers. The ones who look too much into every little thing in trying to decipher my intentions and plot (you know who you are).

2) To those who asked: as a matter of fact, I did get an A for English this semester, even though it mostly involved boring analysis papers of various reading selections. Next semester, I signed up for a creative writing course with a guy who's said to guarantee an improvement in writing. Here's to hoping!

3) Whose side is Blackfire on? The hell if I know! As far as I can tell, Backfire is on her own side. And she doesn't really have an interest in Robin—that's just her flirtatious/sadistic nature playing around.

4) I don't expect reviews to consist of perfect grammer and spelling, or even complete sentences. But can you people PLEASE at least try to write coherently. I can't read 733t-speak very well, and I'm not even sure some of the reviews even qualify as that.

5) After re-reading over the chapter, I realize that I might have been more influenced than I though from my recent binge in Japanese slasher/horror films (including Battle Royale, Suicide Club, & Ichi the Killer—all of which I highly recommend), so things came out much darker and a bit more graphic than before (though I tried to keep it toned down as possible to maintain a T rating). Expect very little fluff and a lot of drama.


Chapter VI


The span of a Tameranian week passed by in a blur of metal, blood, and battle cries. Robin knew it had been a week because he'd counted the sunrises and sunsets. In that time, he and his young teammates had witnessed things more horrific than anything they could possible face back on Earth. Battling crazed super villains that looked like they belonged in a comic book was on thing…but this was all-out, interplanetary war. No rules and no mercy. As it was, only Raven remained visibly unaffected by the carnage.

For the moment, the dark of night provided a temporary blanket of peace, thwarted only by the occasional moan of pain or snore from one of the nearby shelters. The Titans' barrack was somewhere in the middle of it all, having once been a lovely gardening area before the spill of innocent blood poisoned what few floras hadn't been trampled. An oversized shed, though hardly in one piece anymore, provided shelter from the oncoming rain.

Robin stared out the glass-less window, barely paying heed as a few drops of water hit his face. How depressingly cliché, the Boy Wonder thought to himself. The atmospheric weather matches the atmospheric mood.

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, as if agreeing with him.

It was nearly an hour since sunset, since the fighting had come to a halt for the day. Both sides, despite their advanced technological developments in other area still fought primitively on the battlefield. In place of guns and cannons, there were swords and arrows. This, in itself, was a small blessing. At the very least, there was no fear of being bombed in one's sleep, and only one battle had lasted after dusk. Warrior races as they were, the people of Galanga and Tameran still believed in honorable fights.

But in return, Robin reminded himself, Starfire had witnessed both the merciless death of a lifelong friend (by means of a slit throat), and her own beloved k'norfka, Galfore, receive a dangerous gash in his side that required immediate medical attention. Even her own father, leader of the army, was resting in the nearby sick bay for the third time in four days after being hit with a poisoned arrow, suffering from a high fever and minor blood loss.

Shivering at the memory, he shifted in his position against the wall, unable to sleep. Most of the others were scattered about the shelter, though his gaze almost immediately fell upon his Tameranian teammate. Starfire remained curled in fetal position, her head resting in her mother's lap. His eyes softened at the sight; she had always been exceptionally emotional, even by Tameranian standards, and events of the past seven days had been almost more than the fragile girl could stand. Twin streaks of dried tears trailed down bother her cheeks, and her face and hands were smudged with blood. The poor girl was so distraught, she hadn't been able to fly for the last four days. Her starbolts, on the other hand, had been shining exceptionally bright.

Not that anyone else was faring much better. Blackfire was also passed out right next to her sister, exhausted from fighting. Robin noticed the black-haired Tameranian's unusual hatred towards those she fought against, and thought that perhaps she was taking the war a bit too personally. Then again, she was first princess to the Tameran royal heritage. Cyborg, too, had opted to shut down for the night, conserving what little power he had left. Beast Boy and Ryand'r were both awake on the other side of the room, the former anxiously pacing the room while the latter would occasionally off up a few words. Robin couldn't make out what was being said, but whatever it was seemed to do little to ease the changeling's mind.

It was no secret as to the cause of his distress, given the noticeable absence of their remaining member. Raven had set out on a stealth reconnaissance mission less than a few hours prior to sunset, hoping to locate the Galangal prince (who hadn't been seen since war was declared). They hadn't heard from her since.

Luand'r, the only other person still awake for the moment, noticed Robin's distant gaze and smiled. Whether or not the boy realized it, he had been staring at her daughter for the past few minutes. "You care a great deal for my daughter, do you not?"

Robin's head snapped up at the sound of her voice, though he was quick to avert his eyes from embarrassment. A slight blush spread across his cheeks, one he hoped the darkness would conceal. The Tameranian Matriarch's smile only widened at his tell-tale silence, and she raised an eyebrow in amusement. Earth boys were no different from those of her own planet it seemed, especially when it came to matters of the heart.

The girl in question stirred lightly in her sleep just then, drawing both of their attentions. Luand'r stared down lovingly at her youngest daughter, gently brushing away a few strands of hair from her face in a motherly fashion. A few murmurs escaped the girl's lips before she hiccupped once, then snuggled deeper into her mother's hold before falling still once more.

"A mother wishes for nothing more than to keep her children from experience pain of any kind," Luand'r sighed softly, gaze altering between the two girls and her son on the other side of the room. "But it would seem I only ever manage to be the cause for mine."

"That's not true," Robin shook his head. "Leaders always bear a heavy burden, and yours is one most people couldn't dream of experiencing. As much as you'd love to shelter your children and your people from the horrors of the world, sometimes things like this are simply outside your power. Shigata ga nai."

"It can not be helped," Luand'r stated softly, then noticed the surprised look on Robin's face. "One of the many Lanterns who have visited Tameran spoke remedial Japanese, and that seemed to be his favorite saying. I must admit, I am greatly amazed at how many languages your planet is capable of producing. I do not believe there are that many dialects in the entire Vegan galaxy."

"It surprises me too sometimes," Robin admitted with a smile.

Together the two shared a small laugh, in which time he had a chance to observe the Tameranian women more closely. He was almost certain that she should have been with the main troops in her husband's absence. But for some reason, she had insisted upon remaining with her children, a trait which only helped to strengthen the admiration he had for her.

A far cry from the paragon of elegance he'd first met, while her voice remained as calm and soothing as ever, it was clear she was dressed for battle. In place of the gown skirt was a pair of skin-tight, yet flexible pants that disappeared into shin-high black boots. Her top was near identical to that of her daughter's, though she lacked the Titans communicator signal jewels and wore her metallic band on the opposite arm (he's asked about this some time earlier, and was surprised to learn the band to be a symbol of marital status). A thick tie held back her auburn hair, which was pulled into a high ponytail to keep it away from her face. A dented sheath remained attached to her belt, holding a magnificent double-bladed sword.

As her laughter subsided, Luand'r offered the boy a warm smile. "Now that I consider it, this is perhaps the first time you and I have been able to converse together in such a manner, an opportunity I hope not to waste." She motioned to the vacant spot next to her. "Come. Sit beside me, Robin."

The blush returned, though he otherwise nodded obediently. "A-alright." Rising from his current position, the boy stretched out his taut muscles before repositioning himself so that he sat to the matriarch's immediate right, on the opposite side of the two sisters.

There was a moment of silence between the two before Luand'r spoke up. "I can not begin to express how much I appreciate all you have done," she began softly, "for both Tameran during these past few days, as well as my daughter on Earth. It was not a lie when I said that she spoke often of you, and there was always great pride in admiration behind her words. She told me of how you offered up your time and efforts to help acquaint her with the ways of your planet, and how patient you were with her when she did not understand something, or did something wrong. How you and your team dedicate yourselves to protecting your city from those who wish harm upon others, a cause she was more than willing to offer her help in."

"It's not that big of a deal, really," Robin managed, his face growing hot from all the compliments. Starfire had often praised him for one thing or another, but there was something different about hearing such things from a motherly figure, particularly one of such high authority. "I'm sure anyone else would do the same if they were in my place."

"Perhaps, perhaps not." She stated. "But I have seen with my own eyes the degree of your loyalty and devotion, and I feel such pride in you as I do in my own children. You and your teammates were more than welcome to return to the safety of your own planet, away from the horrors of a war that has nothing to do with you. Yet you all chose to stay and fight alongside our people without hesitation."

"The Titans would never abandon one of our own," He insisted. "Starfire's battles are our battles."

Luand'r smiled. "Wise words for one so young," she chuckled softly, "Though I suppose I am hardly one to speak of age."

o*0*o

Unbeknownst to the pair, Blackfire chose that moment to slowly awaken from the sound of their voices. She cracked her eyes open, but otherwise did not move as her mind registered where she was and what was happening. The sounds of her mother and Robin talking softly drew her attention, and while she did not intend to eavesdrop, she couldn't help but quietly listen in on their conversation, quickly closing her eyes.

o*0*o

"Forgive my asking," Robin spoke up hesitantly, as if afraid of offending her, "but how old are you?"

The Tameranian Matriarch leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling in thought. "I do not mind. If I recall correctly, given the slight difference in Earth and Tameran star rotations, I suppose that would make me about thirty-three in Earth Years."

She's even younger than I thought, Robin mentally noted, glancing down at the two Tameranian sisters before he realized what he was doing. He knew that Starfire was the same age as he, and Blackfire a little less than two years older. And unless he was mistaken, that would mean…

"I know what you are thinking, Robin." Luand'r interrupted his train of thought. "Yes, that would place me at a mere sixteen Earth years when I gave birth to Komiand'r, an age considered too young even here. I was not crowned for another two years, when Myand'r and I were officially wed, and Koriand'r was born."

"Does Blackfire know about this?" Robin asked

The Matriarch shook her head. "I have never told her personally, though it would not surprise me if she had heard it elsewhere." She lowered her head, "I suppose you need not be told that Komiand'r has not exactly experienced the most wonderful childhood. She had her friends, and the best tutors on the planet, but there were those who scorned her appearance and…birth defects."

Robin nodded sympathetically, understanding that this was hard for Luand'r to talk about. "Prejudice is something we're all familiar with, sadly enough."

"I am not even sure if would quality as that," Luand'r sighed. "I am well aware of the whispers that continue to this day; that I still hold the reputation of something of a flirt; that it was not uncommon for me to be seen in the presence of a Lantern around the time of Komiand'r's conception. Her inability to fly at birth was something the doctors attested to my having her so young, though her physical appearance is something even I cannot explain."

Robin and Blackfire remained silent, the latter of the two trying hard to come to terms with everything she'd heard. It was one thing to hear it from her k'norfka and the other attendants of the house, but hearing her mother admit everything was still a bit of a shock.

"Sometimes I feel as if I am the constant cause of her pain." Luand'r stated sadly. "She does not like to show others that she suffers so, but a mother can always tell. Why else would she choose to travel to other galaxies, rarely spending time around those of her own race?"

"You shouldn't think like that," Robin shifted in his seat to better face her. "Sure, maybe you weren't ready to become a mother when you did, but that didn't stop you. Even with all the challenges you faced, between your age and inheriting the Tameranian crown, somehow you still managed to become a wonderful ruler and raise three amazing children with hearts of gold." He decided not to bring up Blackfire's rather colorful history then. "If anything, it only proves how incredibly strong you are, and how lucky they are to have you."

Luand'r smiled warmly, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Thank you. Just as I am certain that your own mother is lucky to have you for a son."

"She would," Robin stated hesitantly, "if she were still alive."

"Oh, forgive me!" Luand'r was taken aback, instantly regretting her previous statement. "I did not know; Koriand'r never mentioned any of your families back on Earth, and I so merely assumed—"

"No, that's all right," the Boy Wonder cut her off. Heaving a sigh, he stared aimlessly at the floor in front of him. "I don't really talk about my past much, not even to the Titans. A lot of times, I just want to forget."

"But you can not?"

"Couldn't if I tried." He gave an ironic smile. "In many ways, it's because of everything that happened to me that I became Robin in the first place. I took up the mantle so that no one else would have to go through the things I have, seen the things I've seen."

Luand'r nodded in understanding. "It would seem that you and I have something in common," she commented, "We both know what it means to hold the responsibility of leader and protector. Though, I must admit, of all your experience and knowledge, you were wrong about one thing."

"What's that?" Robin asked.

The Matriarch smiled knowingly, and for a brief moment, Robin was reminded of the commanding presence he had first come to associate her with. "One can not be a leader every minute of every day, Robin. After all," She continued, "A good leader knows when to separate one's work and personal life…but a great leader knows to never sacrifice one for the other

And before the Boy Wonder had time to consider her words, a piercing scream rang out in the darkness.

o*0*o

The shackles binding him cut deeply into his wrists.

The metal chains had long since rusted from the cool, damp environment.

The only light in the room came from cracks under the single doorway.

With a circumference of less than ten feet, the small, round room had quickly grown in humidity since his initial imprisonment. He was both feverishly warm and unbearably cold all in one. The only way out was nearly a foot off the ground, and the floor itself was made of rough granite that scratched and irritated his skin. Weak from lack of food, he drifted in and out of consciousness, and could no longer remember if it was day or night, or how many of each had passed.

Ka'ragos visited once in that undetermined span of time, though the brutal encounter was now little more than a blur to the Galangal prince. Dried blood trailed down the side of his face from where his skull had harshly made contact with the ground, and his wrists had been rubbed raw. The only thing that still held him up were the chains binding him to the wall, now supporting his full dead weight.

In his delirium, he failed to notice as the room very briefly took on a strange hue, the low ceiling being overwhelmed by an eerie black glow. The light moved and shifted, taking on the shape of a series of spirals centering in on a black hole-like middle from which a cerulean figure emerged. Within seconds, the light vanished as quickly as it appeared, and a rich female alto called out to him in the darkness:

"Prince Ta'ragn?"

He moaned softly in response, mind neither able to register what was happening nor offer a coherent response.

"It's all right. I'm here to help." A cool hand brushed against his feverish forehead, and suddenly the humidity lessened into a warm, tingling sensation. As he felt his strength mysteriously return, the voice spoke up again. "Can you understand me?"

He nodded weakly. "Who—" His voice cracked from lack of usage. "—oo are you?"

"A friend."

Ta'ragn slow grew more aware of his surroundings, and finally lifted his head to look at the figure kneeling before him. His first thought was that held a very exotic look about her, one neither Galangal nor Tameranian. Skin so pale it almost glowed in the darkness, hair an unusual shade of lavender, and dark clothing. Her face held no smile, though her eyes were trusting. He followed her gaze to the shackles around his wrists, and was shocked to find that not only where her hands glowing the same eerie shade of black as the ceiling had moments prior, but that his wrists were now both free and almost completely unscathed.

He pulled then down and observed them closely for a moment, rubbing his fingers over the smooth skin. "How did you do that?" He asked without looking up.

"I'm a healer," the girl simply stated. "My name is Raven. Princess Koriand'r sent me."

"Kori?" His head shot up at the mentioning of the girl, eyes widening. "Is she okay? Has Tameran gone under attack yet? What day is it?"

"Whoa-whoa. Calm down." Raven stood up, dusting off the lower edges of her cape. Ta'ragn quickly followed suit, and she turned to face him. "Yes, Tameran and your planet are at war with one another. You've been held prisoner for nearly seven Tameranian days now. And last I saw her, Sta—Koriand'r is fine. Rather distraught emotionally, but physically unharmed."

"Which is more than I can say for those who intrude upon my lair."

Raven spun around with a start at the menacing voice, positioning herself so that she would be able to better guard the prince, who was still too weak to fight on his own. Her eyes narrowed at the Galangal standing in the now open doorway. She recognized him at once, and quickly raised her hands.

"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!"

But Ka'ragos merely scoffed at the display, mirroring her actions. "Sohtniz Noirtem HTARAZA!"

Before the half-demon could register what was happening, a frighteningly pale shimmer of white engulfed her magical aura and exploded in a flash of light, throwing her into the back wall. She slumped to the ground, and remained still for a moment before wincing from the pain of contact. A hand went to her head.

Meanwhile, recognition dawned on the Galangal prince. "I recognize that style of magiks…" his eyes widened and he turned to the assailant in horror. "But rhe-flic'tian is a forbidden art in this system!"

"Re-what now?" Raven asked as she tried to sit up

"Rhe-flic'tian." He repeated, glaring at his former second-in-command with unmistakable hatred. "Most magiks are normally frowned upon anyway, but this is one of the few forbidden. It is a powerful art meant to turn any magik user's own powers against him or her, no matter what the spell, magnifying it ten-fold."

"A rather defensive style," Ka'ragos commented lightly, stepping down into the tiny prison room. Raven wasn't sure exactly why, but something made her press up against the wall further, as if desperately trying to get away from him. "But containing the necessary basics if one is to master the more difficult style of mah-ni'pulaet."

This time, both Raven and Ta'ragn were quick to recognize the name, a form of magik only those who mastered it could understand precisely how it worked. Several systems, and in fact dimensions, deemed one of the darker arts. It was almost impossible to detect, save for hints of magik residue one would have to search for in order to find, and dealt with matters of mind and conscious manipulation.

"Is that how you've managed to turn my advisors against me, Ka'ragos?" the prince demanded to know. "Are you so desperate to rid yourself of me that you would slay an entire innocent race in senseless warfare!"

"It is your own fault they suffer!" Ka'ragos nearly shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. "Had you simply gone along with the intended proposal, there would have been no need for such things. We would be rid of you once and for all, and you would be happier than a daemon like you could ever deserve to be, ruling over a foreign domain."

Raven's eyes darkened considerably with every passing word, though she still found herself unable to stand. The blow previously delivered had indeed been a great deal more powerful than what she'd initially dealt out, and she winced as a warm trickle of blood trailed down her leg. She could feel her powers weakened considerably, no doubt a side effect of being hit with rhe-flic'tian magiks

"Even now, your mere existence results in the suffering of others," she heard him continue, and the sound of footsteps grew closer. "Because of you, this girl will have to be dealt with accordingly."

With a gasp, she looked up just in time to see the Galangal grab her by the throat, lifting her to a standing position pressed against the wall. Raven struggled desperately against his hold, breaths becoming shorter and harder with every passing second. Her communicator fell from it's location on her belt, opening upon contact with the hard floor. At that point, she did the only thing left she could possibly think of.

She screamed.

o*0*o

Those who had already been awake shot up with a start at the horrific sound, instantly jumping to their feet, and the few still asleep were jolted awake. Everyone knew at once where the scream had come from.

"Raven!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

Before anyone could stop him, he transformed into a jaguar and dashed out of the room. Ryand'r was quick to follow, foregoing his flight powers to instead run after the changeling, at a surprising pace given that he was the only sibling who lacked any extra powers. The remaining occupants of the room rushed to the nearest window

"Beast Boy! Ryand'r!" Robin tried calling out to them, with little success.

"Don't bother." Blackfire quipped. "They're long gone."

Starfire spoke up, still blinking the sleep from her eyes. "That is not quite true. I can still see them heading over that hill in the distance."

The elder sister rolled her eyes, but chose to remain otherwise silent.

"You know, Ryand'r always was an exceptional foot racer," Luand'r commented lightly. "Though I do not believe I have ever seen him run quite so fast before."

"Obviously." Blackfire answered back, "You haven't watched one of his races since Koriand'r left for Earth."

The Matriarch looked thoughtful for a moment. "Has it really been that long?" she asked to no one in particular. "I suppose that is true."

Blackfire smacked herself in the head.

In spite of himself, Robin couldn't help a tiny smirk from tugging at his lips. He lightly shook his head in amusement at the family, but then froze when something in the reflection of Luand'r's arm band caught his eye. A dark shape seemed to move every so slightly, growing larger with every passing second. His eyes widened when it finally came into view.

"Look out!" he cried.

Luand'r barely had time to think before she rolled onto her side, just as an arrow struck the bottom of the windowsill in the exact spot she'd been seconds prior. Two more followed before she managed to land in a position kneeling on one knee, sword unsheathed. Using the weapon, she successfully blocked the next three offending arrows; first, holding the sword horizontal in front of her eyes, followed by pointing the blade down across her body towards the left, then slicing the third arrow in half. All in less than a second.

"An ambush!" Luand'r cried out to the others. "Prepare yourselves!"

Outside, Robin could hear the surprised cries of other barracks as they fell under attack as well. He muttered a series of curses under his breath. They discovered Raven, and are now using that as means for attacking after dark! He thought to himself.

But there was little time to do any more thinking, as the archer sniper quickly vanished only to have several warriors crash through the flimsy shed roofing, bringing with them a shower of tile and rainfall. The two sisters quickly rose into the air, firing off green and violet bolts of light at as many as they could, though some managed to either block or avoid them with surprising ease.

Cyborg was—strangely enough—having the least amount of problems fighting head on. One of the Galangals charged him head-on, only to gape in awe as his sword chipped off upon contact with the robot-human hybrid's shoulder. He stared stupidly at it for a moment before glancing up at a smirking Cyborg.

"I got two words for you: Boo...yah."

With that, the soldier was sent flying through the air with one punch.

Robin, unfortunately, wasn't as lucky. His small frame and agility allowed him easy enough mobility that he was able to avoid most of the large Galangal's swings, but he soon realized that he didn't have enough room to properly swing around his bo staff. Sparing a quick glance to his right, he noticed Luand'r slowly getting backed into a corner, despite her otherwise effortless defense against the two swordsmen she fought.

"This is—ugh—ridiculous," the Boy Wonder muttered to himself, precisely calculating a jump-spin in the air just in time to avoid a double-sided blade to the ribs. "We need to move this outside! Now!"

"You got it, hun!" Blackfire called out to him, and plowed through three soldiers before firing up a bolt.

The wall furthest away from everyone exploded outward, leaving a wide hole. She then grabbed Cyborg and Robin in each arm and flew them out, while her sister and mother followed close behind. Cyborg dropped down almost as soon as the first drops of rain hit his skull, but Robin insisted the girl carry him a bit farther.

"Take me over towards that hill area!" he shouted, motioning towards where several Tameranians appeared outnumbered.

She nodded without hesitation, catapulting him right into the middle of the fray. Robin somersaulted in the air a few times before landing skillfully on one of the Galangal's heads. His staff was out in an instant, and he quickly spun it around and jumped back into the air before the warrior knew what was happening. Falling straight down, the Boy Wonder landed a powerful blow to his head, knocking him down, before jabbing another behind him in the ribs; then immediately falling to a low sweep that succeeded in knocking a good majority of the remaining soldiers off their feet.

Spinning the staff artfully in one hand, he paused to wave to the girl above. "Thanks, Blackfire!"

The Tameranian girl saluted him with her pointer and middle finger before flying off to help her sister, who was still having difficulty flying. Smirking, she flew down and grabbed Starfire by the arms from behind. The girl gave a slight shriek of surprise, then looked up.

"Need a lift, sis?" Blackfire grinned down.

Despite the fact that she couldn't fly on her own, Starfire returned the smile. "Yes," she glanced up, then down at the battlefield. "Let us kick some 'the butt'!"

"You said it! …I think," the dark-haired girl shouted back, then swooped down for an attack.

Soldiers below were greeted with a shower of green and violet bolts of light, all powerful but just barely lacking in the force to kill. In spite of all that the Galangal army had done to them, Starfire was still completely against killing anyone, even in times of war. Claiming that she had seen enough death in the past week to last her a lifetime, Blackfire was inclined to agree.

A few other Tameranians still able to fly zigzagged through the air around them, so fast that they almost seemed to be manipulating the direction of rain flow. The next few minutes seemed to pass by in slow motion for each of the Titans. Cyborg, despite lacking the energy to fire his plasma cannon, was able to block off most attacks from the Galangal's swords and arrows, being almost a full head taller and composed of metals stronger than their weapons. Robin was assisting with the disarming of several of the enemy's soldiers, currently teamed up with a Tameranian who had also studied some form of martial arts.

Blackfire and Starfire, meanwhile, were plowing through the battle lines as if they were nothing more than bowling pins. The Galangals were slowly catching on, though, and sent more and more troops at a time to try and take them out; arrows in groups of ten to twenty would come flying at them; every time Blackfire flew low, Starfire would use her starbolts as a shield to ward off oncoming sword attacks, melting more than a few swords in the process.

The two shared a knowing glance and nod of acknowledgement, then Blackfire halted in mid-air. Spinning around a few times for momentum, she tossed her sister high in the air and then went in for a swoop-dive. Starfire threw a series of starbolts and eyebeams as she flew up while Blackfire met the warriors below head-on.

Applying more than a little of her previous trainings, she immediately delivered a series of jabs and punches before landing a spinning back-kick on one of the larger Galangals, then jumping to split-kicking a soldier on each side. Five more soldiers ran up to her, foolishly holding their swords high. Blackfire saw the openings and effortlessly kicked the lot of them with both feet, propelling herself back into the air. She met her sister at the halfway point.

"Hey, we make a pretty good team, eh sis?" Blackfire looked down with a smile and wink, which Starfire gladly returned.

But their triumph was short-lived as a sudden cry echoed across the battlefield nearby. The sound was bone-chilling, even more terrifying then the scream that had previously come from Raven via the communicators, and sent shivers down the spines of Tameranians and Galangals alike. All eyes instantly went to the unmistakable source.

The two sisters simultaneously gasped in horror.

Less than fifty feet away, Luand'r held a frozen expression of shock and fear. Her entire body twitched once before going limp, head rolling back, and she slumped forward on the sword impaling her through the chest. Ka'ragos stared down at the lifeless form with a blank expression on his face before wrenching back his sword.

"Mother!" Blackfire cried out, tears blurring her vision.

Starfire suddenly no longer could find her voice.

Blood spurted out of the wound and trickled down the corner of her mouth, drenching Luand'r's battle uniform before her body hit the ground. The Galangal former second-in-command hardly blinked as a few spots of blood landed on his face. He continued to stare down at his victim for a moment longer, almost as if silently reveling in the kill.

Robin and Cyborg were frozen with utter disbelief, mouths open in horror but unable to speak. The few Tameranians still left in the sky very rapidly floated back to the ground, no longer finding any traces of happiness left. Even those who had participated in the whisperings and believed the rumors were devastated—none of that mattered during this moment. All they could think of was that their beloved Queen had just been killed on the battlefield right before their eyes.

Blackfire was still in shock, holding tightly to her sister as her depression lowered them both to the ground, that she didn't notice the assailant until it was too late. Whether having received some indiscreet signal from Ka'ragos or just not wanting to waste such an opportunity, a random Galangal soldier stepped forward and struck both girls with the flat of his sword when they were within range, sending them both sprawling.

The younger sister flew farther, until her back hit the remains of the garden shelter they'd been staying in that evening. Dazed and confused, she moaned a little and held a hand to her head, desperately resisting the urge to vomit. Blackfire had fallen less than a few feet away, but hit her head on a sharp rock in the ground and currently lay unconscious, a dangerous gash streaked across nearly half her forehead.

Ka'ragos's head snapped up at the movement, his eyes immediately focusing upon the redhead. For the first time since appearing on the battlefield, his eyes filled with intense emotion.

Anger.

"You…" he practically whispered to Starfire in Tameranian, slowly walking towards her. "You're the one, aren't you? The one who put those ideas into his head, made him suddenly question the Galangal counsel." His red eyes nearly glowed with a crazed hatred. "The one who ruined everything."

Starfire wasn't aware of his presence until he was nearly on top of her. She shook her head to clear it, then opened her eyes and looked up just in time to see him remove the excess blood from his sword with one violent flick of the blade.

Her mother's blood.

"W-why?" the girl stuttered out, pushing herself further against the wall in fear.

"Why? I'll tell you why," he spat out, lifting his sword above his head. "To finally rid Galangal of horrid demons like you!"

"STARFIRE!" Robin cried out from his position on the battlefield. He made a running dash, trying to surprises the overwhelming dread that came with knowing he wouldn't make it in time.

The Tameranian Princess shut her eyes tightly, awaiting the inevitable. She tried to scream, but it came out as little more than a squeak.

Blackfire was still unconscious and bleeding dangerously.

Cyborg was running on the last of his reserve power.

Robin was still too far away.

With all his might, Ka'ragos used both hands to strike down…

…only to witness the sparks that resulted from clashing metal.

Hearing the sound, Starfire cautiously opened one eye. She was shocked to find a sword successfully holding back the Galangal's finally blow, but even more so to see who was holding the sword.

Robin froze on the spot.

Filthy, sweating, and barely able to stand, Ta'ragn somehow managed to find the strength to fend off the assailant one-handed. The weapons held just above his head, he was close enough to stare intently into Ka'ragos's enraged eyes. Blue met red in a lightning stare, the former having just three words to say:

"Leave…her…alone!"


TO BE CONCLUDED…