Alone in the Shadows
by Blue Ten
Summary:
Robin has been alone all his life, even in the presence of his mentor he felt isolated. The Titans take a break from crime fighting to go camping in a beautiful forest and Robin is not too thrilled by the prospect of leaving his city behind. When a bizarre turn of events finds Robin and Starfire lost deep in the woods, can they save themselves from a strange new enemy? RobinxStarfire
Disclaimer:
I do not own Teen Titans.
Chapter 7: You Are Not Alone
Starfire strained to get up, the chilling surface of the lake hindering her movement. Lifting herself from the ice-cold ground, she looked up at Cross whose eyes seemed to be wandering frantically. Turning away, she looked back to Robin; his face carried the same detached expression as before as his gaze remained fixed on her. She wondered, as she looked into his mask, if the Robin she knew still existed within the seemingly empty shell this man had created. It wounded her deeply to think that she would lose him this way; finding him, without ever truly reuniting. Steel boots crunching against the ice, Robin walked forward, stopping in front of Cross.
"Step aside, Cross," he said. Pausing for a moment, Cross looked Robin in the eyes and slowly stepped away from Starfire, watching as he continued. Standing up, Starfire began backing away from him, keeping her eyes set on his. She glowered, unwilling to let this man use Robin like this. Charging up energy in her hands, she raised them above her head.
"Haven't we done this before?" Robin asked, grinning in an atypically menacing fashion.
"Robin, you must fight him," said Starfire, sending more energy into her hands.
"Your voice cannot be heard... by the deaf ears of the dead," he responded chillingly, calmly walking toward her.
"Please, forgive me," closing her eyes and turning away, Starfire hurled her starbolts at the ground in front of Robin. Caught off guard, he was thrown backward by the force of the blast. As he continued to drift across the frozen plane, he growled as his face scraped against the jagged surface; slamming the fingers of one hand into the ice, breaking the surface with supernatural vigor, he abruptly yielded his movement. Raising himself up by his arms, he shot an infuriated glare at Starfire, wiping the blood away from his mouth. Starfire felt a pain in her heart as she saw that she had physically harmed him, which is exactly what she was trying to avoid.
"I cannot believe you did that. You must not care for him at all," Robin growled, one eye wincing from the pain.
"It is because I care for him that I am prepared to take action. Now release him," Starfire demanded, generating more energy in her palms. Seemingly unaffected, Robin laughed. Raising his fists in the air, he brought them down swiftly, shattering the ice and sending water into the air with a loud crash, blocking himself from sight. Soon the water fell, revealing Robin standing directly in front of Starfire, staring her directly in the eyes.
"Robin is alone. Why do you think he allowed me to possess him?"
Suddenly, Starfire threw herself at Robin, locking him in an embrace. "But Robin is not alone!" she cried. Robin stayed still for a moment, his arms shaking by his side. "Robin, you must--" Starfire stopped, suddenly pushed away. Regaining her composure, she looked up. Suddenly, Robin thrust his hand forward, grabbing Starfire by the throat and lifting her above the ground. Grasping his arms, she attempted to hold up her own weight. "Please..." she struggled.
"Stupid girl. Did I not tell you he was dead? Perhaps you should join him," with an empty look on his face, Robin pulled his free fist back. As he threw his punch forward with that menacing look on his face, Starfire looked away, shutting her eyes tight. When she felt nothing, she turned back to Robin. His eyes were wide while he held his trembling fist inches from her face. Robin released his grasp, causing Starfire to fall to the ground, coughing and gasping for breath. She looked back up at him as he held his position, his face keeping an expression of regret and worry.
"...Starfire... Run!" he fought his words out in his normal voice, a battle obviously raging within. "On the island... touch the crystal. You... can leave."
"Robin! I won't..."
"Please. I don't want to hurt you," he said, backing away. Suddenly gritting his teeth, Robin brought his hands to his face and yelled out. "Damn you! Persistent little brat! Stay out of my mind!" his words shifted back to the strange reverberating voice he had before. Looking up, he glared back at Starfire through angry, twitching eyes. "You will not be leaving this place... it shall be your grave!" Robin charged at Starfire, readying his fist for a deathblow.
In an instant Robin was stopped and thrown backward as he slammed into a wall of white energy. He shook his head, turning to see Cross, holding a glowing hand in front of herself, the energy radiating brightly from her palm.
"You said no one would ever be trapped here again... you promised me," Cross spoke, fighting tears from her eyes.
"So in the end, you betray me too. You are no better than they were."
- - - - - -
Hidden away deep in the woods, the lights of a small village dotted the night within like fireflies. The voice of the forest whispered softly through the trees, bringing the night to life with the sounds of leaves shifting and rustling in the wind. The trees reached to incredible heights, spread out far and wide like columns in a massive conjunction of hallways. A river cut through the forest floor, the sound of rushing water breaking over rocks and winding its way down the stretch adding to the symphony the forest was conducting. Clad in black robes, a young man traveled beside the river, his dark red hair stood out like blood illuminated in the moonlight, his pitch black eyes intense and focused on some unknown goal. Silently he followed the watercourse to a place that held a great significance in his heart. As he stepped beyond the border of trees, leaving his village far behind, he gazed at the lake before him, its surface frozen solid from the cold of winter. Letting out a long held breath, the man turned his attention to the island that stood in the heart of the lake. The blossoms on the trees had long since fallen, leaving the bare skeletons to reach up into the night sky, grasping at the stars with their brittle fingers.
Surefooted, the man stepped on to the surface, making his way to the island, determined to accomplish his deed. Climbing on to the shore, he focused his sight on a circle of trees which surrounded a single gray stone. He stepped beside the stone, staring solemnly down at it. Kneeling down, he reached into his robe, removing a necklace which housed a spectacular shining jewel. He looked intently at the clear gem for a moment, marveling as it sparkled brilliantly in the haunting moonlight. Setting the adornment down on the smooth marble surface of the circular stone, he sighed, looking to the sky.
"Soon we will be together again, my love," he said as he closed his eyes. The man placed his hands together in front of himself, pointing his index fingertips up as he inhaled deeply. "What has been taken will now be returned. From the ashes of fire may your flesh be unburned. Here I offer my soul to the shadows--"
"My God... Raze, what are you doing?" came the voice of an older man, obviously horrified by what he had just heard. He stood in front of a group of priests, all wore the same robes as Raze.
"You cannot stop me. You cannot keep me from her," Raze responded, standing up and turning around to face his opponents.
"Raze, there is a reason why that magic is forbidden. Step away now, and you may still repent," the old man advised.
"No."
"I understand your sorrow, but I cannot allow you to do this. You have no idea what you might unleash--" he started, stepping on to the ice.
"You do not understand! Take one more step, and your blood will paint the ice," Raze turned away from the priests and continued to speak his incantation.
"Stop this madness!" the old man shouted, running further out on to the ice. Quickly, Raze turned a fierce eye to the old man; whipping his arm out, he aligned it with the approaching priest, forming a ball of dark energy in his palm.
"I warned you," Raze growled, narrowing his eyes. Pulling his arm back, he hurled the energy in the approaching man's direction. As the orb of darkness struck him, the priest made no sound, his entire body quickly becoming black, shattering into ashes which spread across the surface of the lake.
"Black magic... Raze, you fool!" the other priests ran out on to the lake. "Bind him!" the leader shouted. Before he could respond, Raze found himself paralyzed, bound by bright white energy. In one infuriating instant, he fell to the ground.
- - - - - -
"He is too dangerous... we must do this, for the good of our home."
"With black magic at his disposal, he is a threat to the village... to the world. We have no choice."
"Then it is decided."
Raze listened as the priests planned his demise. He laid on the ground beside the grave stone now, staring at the jewel he placed on it. He was still bound by the white energy as he listened to the approaching footsteps of his executioners. The priests surrounded him and one stepped forward, looking down; Raze glared angrily at him. He found that he had been overtaken by rage, losing sight of his true intentions. All he desired now was revenge.
"For as long as I remember, you have been like a brother to us. But your mind has been clouded by shadows through the actions you have taken. So we do now, only what must be done..."
"..." Raze was silent, simply glowering at the priests.
"Your mind has been your greatest weapon, so shall it be your prison. Here you will lie, may you remain, never to be risen," the priests spoke together. Suddenly, the ground below Raze began to glow as the wind picked up.
"Banishment? Cowards. Afraid to kill me?" he asked in slight amusement.
"To kill you would be to have mercy on you Raze."
"Your prison cannot hold me. I will return stronger... I will spread this magic you fear... and you will know me as the King of Shadows!" he yelled. Looking down, the priests watched as Raze's form slowly faded from the world, his final words sending certain fear into their hearts.
- - - - - -
Raze wandered the forest for countless years. As time progressed he saw that his body decayed more with each passing day, becoming black and formless. In time, he came to regret his actions in the past, hardly remembering his anger. It was at that moment he discovered the lake. As he approached the familiar circle of trees on the island, he saw the jewel he had placed so long ago. The crystal had grown, sparkling brighter than he remembered. Gazing at the gem, Raze saw the outside world in the reflections. He knew, simply by looking at it, that the crystal was a way to leave. Soon, after several attempts, he came to realize that the portal was a way for mortals to leave. Raze knew that he had already died--long before he found the lake. He then came to a horrifying conclusion... he was no longer mortal, he could never leave.
Raze stared into the crystal for what seemed like an eternity, gazing out into the world. Eventually, he watched as a girl with strange powers frequented the lake. Her powers were out of her control and she was ridiculed for it. Raze found that the girl's abilities were the same as the priests who trapped him in his prison. She harbored the same white light that was scorched into his memory. Seeing her, he remembered his anger, but no longer desired vengeance, he merely wanted to die. He continued to watch, learning of her name, and the full extent of her gifts.
When Cross stumbled upon Raze's world, he decided to teach her to control her abilities. He felt that one day, she could help him leave... she could help him find death.
- - - - - -
"You betrayed yourself..." Cross brought her hands together, creating a column of white fire around Robin which lifted him up into the air.
"Cross!" he yelled, slamming his hands against the walls of fire, finding himself powerless to escape. In one quick motion, Cross separated her hands, pulling Shadow from within Robin, sending them both soaring in opposite directions.
Author's Note: Phew, thanks for reassuring me, for a minute there I thought I was losing my readers. I hope you guys decide to review the finale next time. I'd really like to know what you think about it :). -bows in respect to the all powerful reviewers-
To answer a question, if I may, the repeating of scenes from Chapter 5 in Chapter 6 was simply to retell them in a different order, revealing certain aspects that were intentionally left out in Chapter 5.
Wow, Shadow's story dominated this chapter... The next and final one is all about Robin and Starfire, so don't worry, I haven't forgotten them.
(Edited on 5/23/06)
Small changes were made, mostly to the faulty grammar. I swear, I'm gonna write quotations properly from now on so I never have to do this again with another story. Also, just as in the other chapters, plenty of things were added to the paragraphs to clarify those unintentionally vague details.
Next Chapter Preview: Thanks to Starfire and Cross, Robin has been released from the Shadow King's grasp. But when they discover that only one person can leave, Robin and Starfire are faced with a difficult choice. The finale, Chapter 8: Sakura Rain.