Wow, you ever write something you know is good and then when you put it up people still blow you away with admiration? My deepest thanks to Bleeding Wings, Raven'teacher, and everyone else who has and will review this story. Hearing those comments from you guys reminds me of why I started doing this. And to answer you, yes once I get this story and another one finished, I will go back to original stuff. I"ve even got some stories with my characters from this! Anyway, that's enough o' that, now let's get back to what you're reading for.
Chap. 10
Bargain
For a long time, no one moved. No one spoke. They simply stood there, the beings who had saved the world, mourning one of their own. They wept for a long time, and the crowd of people, for once, actually gave the heroes their privacy. They all dispersed, gone back to their homes. The heroes stood alone, as some wept for a friend and others wept for a dream that could never be made real now.
Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps on the rubble. The heroes turned, expecting some sort of blood sucking leech, come to view their pain. Instead, they saw two figures dressed in robes. Once was dressed in purest black, the other in purest gold. Their faces were hooded, but they reached up and pulled the hoods back. The black figure was a woman of an indeterminate age, pure white hair going down her back. The other was an older man, his face lined, a white beard covering his face. The two of them stood there silent, as they looked the heroes over. Finally, the dark woman spoke. "We are sorry." She said simply. "We know you loved her." the man added, his voice echoing his friend's pity. "Who are you?" Beast Boy asked. Before either could answer, Brett said, "In this world they're called Ralin and Rastler. In Hyrule, they are Rarau and Impa. In both, they are our Mages."
"My Knight speaks the truth." Rastler said. "We are two of the Sages that you met within Hyrule. We have left our world to offer our condolences." "It is rare that we do so, but the pain of this day was too great for us to ignore." Ralin added. "We wish that we could help you. We know that much is owed to you for your help before. But this is a force beyond us." The Titans and BRATS nodded their thanks, still to distraught to speak of what had happened. But the Knights were not.
"Don't feed us that bull." Sara snarled, the anger in her voice shocking those around her. "Sara, what are you talking about?" Bart asked, not understanding why she was so angry at the Sages. "Ask them." Brett answered, his voice equally caked with rage. Placing Raven's body down, he continued, "Ask Light and Dark. Ask the beings who hold the power over life and death, who feel so sorry for us." Rastler sighed and said, "This is also why we have come. We know of the thing you would wish of us." "If we could, we would bring about the girl's re-birth." Ralin explained. "But you both know that we cannot interfere with fate. What is done is done."
"Bullshit!" Brett snapped. "This is what you tell us? After all the centuries of service and sacrifice we have done for you!" "We have given up everything for you!" Sara argued. "Our humanity, our family, our friends, and we've never asked for anything. Now we want some of that back and you deny us." "Do you not think we want to give this to you?" Ralin asked. "We know everything you have given up for us, and all that we have regretted taking. But this is not within our power. To interfere with the fates is the greatest danger that exists. If it would be done, it would have to be for the most dire reasons, the highest stakes. Trigon is gone now; there is no longer any need."
"Oh? What about this?" Brett snarled. Both Knights reached for their weapons, removed them, and hurled them at the Sages' feet. "You bring her back, or you go find yourselves some new lap-dogs." "You would do this?" Rastler asked in shock. "Give up all your powers, your immortality, everything, for this girl's soul?" "That and more." Brett answered. "If everything we've done means that you won't help her or us, then fuck your gifts." Sara added. Both Mages looked at each other, a silent communication made. They stayed as such a moment, then turned back to their Knights. "It is not only for fate that we do this." Ralin said. "We do it for Raven as well." "Don't you dare say that!" Brett cried. But then, Robin came to the forefront, stepping in front of the bat. "She was our friend too." He said. "We deserve a say in this so we're going to hear everything."
Turning back to the Sages, Robin asked, "What do you mean?" "Her soul was enthralled to her father all her life." Ralin explained. "A part of her always belonged to him. Now that he is gone, her soul is free." "That doesn't make any sense." Beast Boy argued, as he too stepped to the front. "Why wouldn't she be free alive?" "Her soul does not contain the demon part of her. Her body does." Rastler answered. "If she is reborn, she will be re-combined with that part of her being. Raven's father cannot use her to escape any longer. But his influence remains. Alive, Raven would still be prey to the dark side of herself; she would be subject to the same conditions as before, though they would be lessened. She is free now. Would you trap her in that cage once again?"
The heroes were quiet then. None of them had expected to hear that. The same thought ran through each of their minds; Should we bring her back, just for that? If that was the cause, what was the point? Why should Raven be brought back from relative peace, to be cursed again? Even the Knights were at an impasse, their anger forgotten in the wake of this news. Neither of them wanted to subject her to that, and they wouldn't be able to live with themselves if they damned Raven to that life for their own wants and needs. Finally each person there closed their eyes and sent forth a thought. Each one sent it differently, but it all read the same; Whoever is up there, tell me what to do.
After a moment, they opened their eyes. They all wanted a sign, a way to see that one option was the right one. But nothing happened. For a grim moment, they thought that they were to do nothing, that fate would not be denied its' newest soul. But then, there was a cooing noise from Raven's body. They all turned, wondering if they had questioned needlessly. But all it was was a bird that had landed on Raven's body. Bart went up to it, and kneeled down. The bird did not fly away. He held out his hand; it hopped into it eagerly. Turning around, the boy held it out for all to see. "It's a sparrow." Beast Boy said. "It's a psychopomp." Neuron said. "A what?" Cyborg asked. "In some myths, it's a bird that guides spirits from the land of the dead. And it came to us without hesitation, to the living." "This is it, isn't it?" Starfire asked. "This is the sign?" "It has to be." Brett answered.
Turning back to the Mages, he said, "Do it. Or we leave." The two mystics finally nodded, knowing that this decision could not be changed by any force they could use. It was not the rash decision of children in grief; it was one of people who loved and wanted to love. Against it, they had no choice. "Mortals, gather around the girl in a circle." Ralin said. "Link hands." Save the Knights, each hero did as the Mage asked. Turing back to their charges, the mystics said, "An immortal is needed to channel the energy. However, this will take a greater power then either of you alone to direct it." The two charges nodded, knowing what that meant. They combined hands, and the unlight spewed forth once again. When it cleared, the Almagan stood, this time in the real world. It spread its wings, and lifted into the air, landing inside the circle of its amazed friends. Spreading out its mismatched hands, the being waited for the Sages to speak.
"The girl's essence has been extinguished." Ralin said, as he walked to the circle with Rastler. "It will take part of each of you to rekindle it. But to do so will diminish each of you." "Do it." Beast Boy said simply. Ralin nodded. A small ball of light appeared between his hands. It flew away from the Sage and through the body of each of the heroes. As it left them, they felt pain, but the circle did not break. As this happened, Rastler drew her hands up and a pool of blackness appeared at her feet. Suddenly a black sphere appeared from it. It floated out and intercepted the ball of light just as it touched the last hero. The two orbs combined and unlight spilled out from both. The Almagan reached up and took it in its hands. Without hesitation, it slammed the orb into Raven's chest. There was a blinding flash, which quickly vanished. Everyone looked, waiting to see what would happen. At first there was nothing. But then her chest hitched once, twice…. Then Raven began to breathe again. "It worked!" Beast Boy cried out. Starfire let out a joyful cry and hugged Robin. The other were joyful as well. But then they noticed that breathing was the only change.
The Almagan reached down and took Raven in its arms. Standing up, it looked at the Sages. "Her body is slow to awaken." Ralin said. "She will wake up within a week. Watch her." With that, the two Sages vanished, back to their own world. The Almagan stood silent for a moment, then turning back to its friends, it said, "Let's go home."