Chap. 6

Journey

Soon, the heroes entered the city. But this was not like anything they had expected. No one walked the streets, no birds sang in the trees. The silence hung in the air, like an unwanted guest. They walked through, hesitant and fearful of what might come from the silence. Their hearts were filled with suspicion and fear; even the bravest among them jumped at every sound. "Where is everybody?" Starfire said softly. Sara answered, "Trigon's taken them, Star. Their souls belong to him." "He can take souls? How can we beat him?" "We don't have a choice." Brett coldly interjected. "Don't start talking about what might fail. I don't want to hear it from anyone here." With that, he moved off. The others stood silent surprised at the bat's demeanor. Normally, he was fairly upbeat about facing danger. He had always had a belief in success and was able to support his friends. Now he was demanding their courage, and refusing anything else. But while they were surprised, Sara was not.

She knew this part of her husband; she'd seen it before. He couldn't let himself feel sorry for them because then he would feel sorry for her. And do so, would make him vulnerable to something he couldn't face until his task was done. This had always been the difference between the two of them. Sara was always been willing to aid other people, in fact she enjoyed it. She wanted to help them to solve their issues. Brett did as well, but only to a point. After a time, he saw the solution at the edge of his sword. Sara knew it was not a solution he enjoyed, but he was always ready to deal it out. Yet it was only part of their distinction, because Sara had always been more willing to help 'obvious' paragons then Brett was. She was also more willing to destroy beings of darkness, like she had almost done with Raven. She knew that sometimes that the only way, but Brett was usually more intuitive into those beings then she was. But if the time for those beings to die, he was far quicker to accept it then she. She just hoped that hastiness and what came with it wouldn't lead them down the wrong path.

"We're not getting anywhere like this." Whimpernel said after a fruitless hour. "Maybe we should split up." "Very bad idea." Brett replied. "It makes it easier for something to get us alone, as opposed to a group." "But we have searched much of the city, and found nothing." Starfire argued. "I think Brett's right." Robin countered. "We stand a better chance as a group. Besides, we don't know what is in here now." Suddenly, Whimpernel cocked his ear to the side. "What is it?" Beast Boy asked. "There's something moving. About three buildings down." The young hero answered, straining his ears to their fullest. "I'll go check it out." Neuron said, speeding off before anyone could stop him. "Neuron! Damn fool!" Brett cried as he ran after his teammate, the others following behind him.

Neuron sped into the building; his eyes open for any sign of life. Slowing to normal speed, he took a look around trying see anything. But the store seemed completely empty. After a moment, he started to think that it was just a false alarm. But then, he saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. Neuron whirled around, just in time to see the door to the back room close. "It's ok, I'm here to help!" he yelled as he moved towards the door. Pulling on the handle, the hero found it pull back easily. Looking into its depths, he saw nothing but a deep blackness. "Hello?" he called into it. But his response was two pairs of blood red eyes opening in front of him.
"He's gonna get himself killed." Brett muttered as he raced towards the building. "He can take care of himself you know." Bartman panted as he ran alongside the Elemental. But suddenly, an explosion rocked the front of the storefront and a figure was shot out a high speed. As it crashed into the building across the way, Bartman ran to check on him. But Brett stood there, staring into the cloud of dust as though he saw what was behind it. Slowly he reached behind him, and drew his sword. Sara and the others reached him then, and while a few went to check on Neuron, most stayed with him. As Sara drew the Lightblade on her gauntlet, she stared into the cloud, trying to see what Brett saw. But she didn't need to, because a voice rang out, "Hello, my friends."

Slowly, something made its way through the smog and rubble. As it came closer, they saw what it was and gasped in horror. Raven stood before them, but not the girl they had known. Her skin was blood red, her cloak mirroring the color. Her hair was long and flowed over her shoulders. Her hands had become talons, but most striking of all was the second pair of blood-red eyes that had sprouted on her forehead. Smiling, Raven said, "I am pleased to see you again. I had need of your help." But the others stood silent, in total shock at what had happened to their friend. "Do I startle you?" she hissed. "A pity. I happen to like what my father has done to me. Frankly, I wish I had allowed it before." "Enough." Brett said, stepping forward. "Don't speak like you really are her." "Oh but I am." Raven said pointedly. "This is the real me, not the pitiful child that you knew." "You are a corrupted image, a defiler. I will not let this stand." "Do you think that you can stop me, Knight?" "I have no other choice, demon." "I happen to think differently. You will be made to serve my father, and rain his destruction down upon this world." "Never. We will destroy him, and return him to the hell he was dammed to. Let him create offspring with the creatures there."

"So be it." Raven hissed and let loose a blast if dark energy. The heroes managed to dodge it, and then went on the offensive. Robin leapt up and fired off a pair of explosive disks in unison with Starfire's starbolts. But Raven just smiled and with a simple gesture, caused the attack to halt and return to them. Robin and Starfire cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Neuron and Beast Boy, in the form of a cheetah, attempted a double charge but Raven simply threw them back. The demoness then whirled around and threw a pair of dark bolts at Cyborg and Whimpernel. Cy cried in pain as the dark energy burned his systems and Whimpernel was hit with the sonic fury of a thousand dark screams. Both collapsed to the ground, and Raven cackled at their pain. Suddenly a steel grapple wrapped itself around her, pining her arms to the side. Turning, Raven saw Bartman and the remaining BRATS holding the cable. Smiling, she suddenly infused the cable with dark energy, which shot through the line before the heroes could drop it. They screamed as the darkness seared through their bodies and they blacked out from the pain. As the cable fell away from her, Raven looked around at the bodies of those who had been her friends and began to laugh.

But suddenly a gold and black beam of energy laced into her from the back. Raven collapsed to her knees and turning her smoking form, saw Nightstalker and Lightweaver standing before her, their weapons clasped together. "It ends demon." Nightstalker said. "You will torment no one else today." Lightweaver added. Raven roared and began to charge them. The two Knights sheathed their weapons and met the demoness hand-to-hand. The two of them had centuries of experience behind them, and they knew each other's moves better then anyone else. But Raven had new, raw power and the insatiable need to use it. The battle was almost even between them. 'Stalker landed a blow, but Raven knocked his feet out from under him. 'Weaver tried to bring her armored hand onto Raven's head, but her enemy caught her attack and threw her back. The demoness paused a moment to smirk, but that proved her downfall. 'Stalker flipped upwards and grabbed her in a full nelson. No matter how much Raven struggled he would not relinquish his hold. 'Weaver then leapt up and let loose with a focused beam of light. It struck Raven dead on and she howled in pain. Nightstalker kept her still, allowing the full burst of energy to strike her, despite the danger to himself. Finally, it ended, and she slumped down, almost dead in his arms.

"Chains." He said. Lightweaver began to move her hands, and suddenly a beam of light went from Raven's hand to connect all her appendages. Slowly, she was lowered to the ground, as the chains of light bore into the ground. As she began to come awake, Nightstalker stood over her and held his sword up. "Right through the heart. That's how it ends." He said. Flipping the sword down, he raised it above his head and prepared to put all of his preparation to fruition. But as he was about to bring it down, Nighstalker saw something. Raven's normal eyes glowed blood red at him. But the eyes on her forehead were the violet ones he knew. It's a trick. He thought, shaking it off. Again he prepared to bring down the sword, but then he heard a voice in his head. Brett. It said. Raven! He thought for a brief moment. No, she's dead. It's another trick! But if so, it had done its job. Brett could feel the blackness around his heart begin to crack. The memories were starting to leak out. Soon, he would not be able to do this. Letting out a primal scream, Nightstalker drew his sword up and drove it down……