Chapter 17

AS soon as the door was reduced to rubble, both the sight and stench of mutilation and decay hit the group full on.

"Raven has joined these unfortunate souls in their eternal slumber?" Starfire voiced the question which had been on everyone's minds, as she gazed transfixed at the literal rows of death in front of them.

"Yeah, that's why she's still talkin'." Lizia retorted irritably.

"We must rescue my love from death's final embrace!"

"Yeah, Troq, no shit. Yer 'ave a knack for statin' the obvious, do yer know that?"

Starfire's temper flared. "And you, Miss Lizia, have a knack for being rude and extremely outspoken!"

"It's me lot in life." The Cocknelian quipped

"Enough! We all came 'ere to this foul place to accomplish our goal of findin' Raven, an' defeatin' our enemies, an' all the two of yer can do is bicker like really annoying kids! Now do us all a favor, an' shut the 'ell up!" Kathrand'r spoke with anger, easily imitating Lizia's Cockney speech.

"Very well said, Kathrand'r." Raven's scratchy voice commented from somewhere in the middle of the rows, and was quickly replaced by gagging.

Robin, now in leader mode once more, commanded, his voice loud and clear: "Titans, follow that sound!"

"You mean we have to search through bodies?" Terra piped up, extremely unnerved by the prospect.

"We shall indeed." Starfire started forward, entering the rows, followed by the others into the unknown.

They followed the sound of gagging and choking until they found the reason for their coming. The demonic form of Raven hung suspended from the ceiling by chains, being choked by something, which at first glance resembled—

"Dude, is that a huge ravioli?" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"No, you fool." Kathrand'r effortlessly shoved corpses aside as she hurried to Raven's side. "Even though it possesses both the shape and coloration of the pasta known as ravioli, it is actually a form of egg-laying parasite which causes great amounts of pain for its host. It must be removed as soon as physically possible."

"And in order to accomplish this task Raven must be removed from her bonds, correct?"

"Yer statin' the obvious again, Starfire. Of course she bloody well does!"

The red-haired Titan glared hotly at the Cocknelian, before taking flight, heading straight for her hanging wife.

The Tamaranean stopped immediately when she saw the look of terror which Raven was aiming her way. "Metrion, I merely wish to aid you in your plight."

"Coddle an' croon over, more like." Lizia taunted from down below. "There's only one person 'ere that Raven'll take that kind of warm an' fuzzy shit from, an' it sure as 'ell ain't yer!"

Kathrand'r laid a heavily scarred hand on her friend's shoulder: "Indeed, Koriand'r, Lizia is right. You would do best to return to the ground and let me care for Raven. I have a great amount of expertise in that area."

Yes, but I merely wish to be of some assistance."

"You will be of great assistance by doing as I say. Do you not see her fear as she gazes upon you?"

Starfire looked into the elder's stern face, seeing the truthfulness of her words in those sapphire depths. With a heavy heart, she did as she was told, silently weeping.

Taking a hovering position behind the demon, the black-haired alien removed a razor-sharp dagger from the blue tunic which she now sported, and quickly cut the chains which held her pupil immobile. Cradling Raven, Kathrand'r rocketed towards the ground in a flurry of black and blue, landing in the midst of the assembled group.

"Lizia, I require your assistance." Kathrand'r called out.

"Right chuffed to give it, love."

"Good. You must hold her and keep her calm, for she will not enjoy this."

As Lizia took a seat on the filth-strewn floor and Raven was laid in her lap, she began to speak calming words in her now soothing Cockney twang. "S'all right, Raven, s'all right. Yer've been through worse then this, 'aven't yer?"

The demon gave a fierce nod, causing her to gasp and give an almost inaudible whimper of pain.

"Please, my friend, keep her head and neck still." Kathrand'r crouched next to Raven's pained form, and grasped the large red organism in both hands, gently beginning to pull. Ever so slowly, the parasite was removed from Raven's esophagus by Kathrand'r's skilled hands.

The demon suddenly gasped, taking in great lungfuls of stagnant air. She slowly sat up, having to rely upon the Cocknelian to support her. AS quick as a traffic light, the demon's face turned from red to green. She doubled over, clutching her throat and stomach, and vomited up large amounts of blood and gelatinous strings of eggs all over the floor.

"Yo, in case none of you haven't noticed, the ravioli's still moving!" Cyborg pointed out, as the parasite slithered across the floor on its phallus of a body, leaving a trail of red slime in its wake.

Starfire let out a squeal as the organism began to slither across her hair-covered feet.

"Oy, Troq, 'ere's a way yer can be useful." Lizia smirked. "Step on that thin', will yer? I want to see if it explodes."

"You do not call me that!" the Tamaranean shouted.

"Fine, I'll 'ave a go at it." The Cocknelian gently placed Raven in Kathrand'r's arms, before rushing towards Starfire. Placing her booted foot above the parasite, she quickly stomped on it, and was overjoyed when her hypothesis was proved true. "Wicked!" she crowed.

"Nice one!" Beast Boy complemented.

"Yeah, it was, wasn't it?" Lizia reaffirmed with a wave of her magenta fist.

"This banter is all well and good, but it is beginning to bore me." Came a voice from behind them. There was a violent clanging and creaking of chains, and someone very familiar flew out of the rows of death.

"Starfire?" Four of the original Titans stared in disbelief.