ok... I want to apologize to everyone for how long it took me to do this. I've gotten a few emailed complaints on how seldomly I update. I'd promise to be more on top of my pathetic scrap of a story but we all know by now that I say next week and mean sometime in the next six months. I will try and write more regularly, but this will probably end up being a short beice of stoopid story any way so don't stress.
Disclaimer: You'll find one in my pants if you care to look.
Before the bleak and dreary picture could fully come into focus the three companions were hit with a stench that rolled over them, causing Cyborg to retch violently and Starfire to land as her head swam. Raven plunged forward tying to ignore the smell that threatened at any moment to overpower her senses. The scene swam into focus for Raven as she took a final step forward. A river of boiling blood stood a few feet away, weak ashened bridges spanning the terrifying red liquid that bubbled up, splashing rope and wood. All up the river's length grasping, blistering hands shot up desperate to grip their freedom from their eternal torment.
"The river Phlegethon, where the violent boil in the blood they have spilled. Its also your first obstacle in the seventh level... I suppose if you feel like your strong enough the two ofyou could just fly Cyborg across the river... If little Starling can manage." The blood red phantom cooed as she flew mocking circles around Starfire, who sat on her knees, hands splayed on the ground for support as she tried not to vomit.
"I am not so weak." Star climbed shakily to her feet and swayed there a bit before taking to the air.
"I am." gasped Cyborg as he emptied the contents of his stomach yet again.
"Then be my guest. Fly over the river Phlegethon and into the wood of the suicides." The Blood Raven said as she leaned back in the air as if to watch a show.
Raven swooped over to cyborg and gripped his arm, but Raven glanced at her twin suspiciously, "Why can't we fly him over? What's the catch"
"Oh! No catches my sweets. You just go about your merry way. Nothing to worry about at all. After all, getting through Hell is like a walk through the park. A dark, dreary, horrifyingly gory park, but a park none the less"
"I don't trust it." Cyborg said, as he spat the bile from his throat onto the steaming ground.
"I too do not trust the Red Raven." Star said as she released Cyborg's arm.
A shadow loomed up behind the unknowing Cyborg and Starfire. The glint of a large blade caught Raven's attention as she opened her mouth to question their tour guide further. She reacted instantly, using her power to wrench an impossibly large ax from the attacker's large, brown, fuzzy hands. Cyborg and Starfire turned, readying themselves for a fight. Behind them loomed a strange man like creature, with the head of a bull on the massive fur covered yet well muscled body of a man. Cyborg fell to his knees retching again but Starfire proved more useful. She released a stream of her green fire on the beast putting all the anger and confusion she had into her attack, as Raven tossed the ax into the Phlegethon. A pale hand shot out and gripped the ax, pulling it permanently into the depths of the blood-filled river. The beast retreated, having no weapon to fight against it's more then adequately strong opponent, who was violently tearing at him with hands and magic in her fury, and the battle end as swiftly as it had begun.
Starfire glided down panting, sweating, and exhausted.
"What a dissapointment my minotaur turned out to be. Oh well. Are you satisfied now that it is safe to proceed, Raven my love?" soothed the demoness.
"No. But what choice do we have? Cyborg you think you can hold on long enough for us to fly you over the river?" Raven said as she glided over to Star and Cyborg, who still looked severly ill.
Cyborg belched and held up his arms to be grasped by his two dear friends, "Ready when you are"
Raven and Starfire gripped Cyborg's shoulders and carefully lifted him from the ground. Starfire wavered slightly as the two slowely started forward towards the mighty river, Phlegethon. The began to gain altitude as they reached the blood covered bridge and boiling liquid, trying to fly safely through with out being splattered, like the decaying bridge beneath them. They reached the half way point when a flame covered arrow whizzed by, singeing Raven's hair. She glanced about frantically for the attacker and saw a herd of centaurs on the opposite shore, all armed with an arsenal of arrows.
"Drop me onto the bridge, Star!" Cyborgyelled as he wriggled about trying to avoid a fresh wave of arrows swarming towards them.
"But friend Cyborg, that bridge appears to be unsafe for the crossing, yes?"
"That bridge won't support you!" Raven screamed as she pulled them into a quick dive, towards the bubbling river and away from the assailment of bolts.
"Just drop me!" Cyborg cried as he tried to free himself from the hands of his friends.
"No!" Raven and Star cried together as they pulled up from the dive and hurtled toward the centaurs.
Raven felt her sweaty fingers loose on the burnished metal surface of Cyborg's shoulder, "Star! Fly towards the bridge!"
Starfire and Raven veered sharply to the right trying desperately to reclaim a firm grip on Cyborg's impossibly smooth shoulders. Raven'shands hands slipped away too early and Starfire was left tocling aloneto Cyborg but here strength was drained and she was forced to let go. Cyborg plummeted towards the crimson rill letting out a gasp of suprise as he saw the river rushing to meet him. He flailed helplessly in the air for a moment before his arms hit the fraying ropes of the bridge. He grasped them feeling the weak ropes begin to give under his wait. The boiling liquid coating the ropes heated his metal hands. The heat waves radiating from the boiling liquid scorched the skin on his arms and face. He used his pain to motivate himself, pulling his large metal body up onto the splintering wooden boards of the bridge. The wood bent and cracked under his weight as he lifted his foot too take a slow cautious step forward.
Raven and Star hung, suspended and motionless in the air. It felt as if time had stopped as they saw their friend fall and cling to the ropes of the bridge. Raven felt petrified and helpless as she saw him struggle up over the ropes. She hardly noticed when a flaming plume struck her in the arm, begining to boil the blood under her skin.
"Cyborg, Run!" Star screamed as she seemed to wake from her trance. She grabbed Raven and pulled the arrow from her arm, leaving a gapping, blackened hole behind. She plunged towards the bank on the other side and the two girls hit the ground and rolled away from the coursing red fluid next to them. Cyborg began to sprint across the bridge as board after board gave way under his corpulent metal feet. He dove for the browned grass that lay mere feet away as he stumbled forward. He missed and hit the last board of the bridge, gripping it and taking it with him as he plummeted towards the depths of the river below him. Starfire screamed as she saw Cyborg fall, but Raven scrambled to her feet and pulled the board Cyborg sought to cling to up with her powers and onto the bank.
The centaurs belowed as the three friends stood, shakily, and brushed themselves off. The centaurs lowered bows and bowed their heads quickly, conceding to the determination of the three. The largest from the herd stepped forward and bowed low.
"We yeild to you, strangers. Give us your names so that we might grant you passage in this, the seventh level of hell"
Raven looked suspiciously at the centaur and the herd behind him, which pawed at the ground nervously waiting for a response. She put her arm out to stop Starfire as she stepped forward to introduce herself to the beasts.
"Why do you need our names?" She asked.
"With them I can spell you for safe passage through these woods. There are strange bird likecreatures there called Harpiesthat would seek to harm you.", the centaur said, straightening up to stand at his full height.
"If you can use our names to protect us what gauruntee is there you can't use them to harm us?" She said.
"Oh... What a clever witch you are!" The red wraith spat as she floated down to stand next to them, "That will be all, Bohdan. Send your herd back to their posts", she waved her hands dismissivly at the towering centaur.
The centaur, Bohdan, belowed and reared and the herd slowely broke apart walking up the banks of the river, Phlegethon, to gaurd those who might try to escape their punishment.
"What would have happened if we had given them our names?" Cyborg asked as he stared off after the retreating centaurs.
"Oh! They would have sent you into the boiling depths of the river to blister and burn eternally." Blood Raven said wth a gleeful glint in her eye.
Cyborg turned away from the centaurs and the river to face the edge of the woods they would soon have to enter. Starfire and raven followed suit, gazing at the twisted gnarled trees of the wood of the suicides. Large beautifully red apples hung from the tree nearest them and glistened all through the branches of the trees beyond. Starfire reached out to take a gleaming apple from the branch only to have her hand snatched back by Cyborg.
"I'm gonne take a stab in the dark here and say that eating the fruit of Hell is not a good idea", Cyborg said averting his tired eyes from the tempting fruit, "Let's find Robin and get out of here"
They walked together towards the trees keeping their eyes averted from the fruit laden branches. A few feet in, a foot hit Cyborg in the head as they wandered through the trees. Cyborg looked up and imediatly wished he hadn't. Hanging amidst the fruit was a body and, as if that wasn't enough, a large vulture like bird with the head of a beautiful woman was tearing at his eyes with her clawed feet.
"How do we find friend Robin? There are many trees..." Star said nervously walking on with Raven who both had yet to spot the body hanging from the branches.
"W-we should hurry up and find h-him though, if we w-want him in o-one peice." Cyborg said, pointing up at the foul Harpie, shredding the corpses face.
"R-R-Robin?" Starfire sobbed as she looked up into the tree.
"No... But Cyborg has a point. We have to hurry."
I'd say this chapter was a bit longer. not much but it's gettiong better right?I'm actually enjoying writting it a bit now too which is a plus. I'm totally messing up Starfire's speech patterns! I apologize to all you Starfire fans. I don't know why I can't make her talk right today. But this chapter was actually a bit fun to write... Did you like the wussy Minotaur? I always picture him running away screaming like a girl when I read this chapter. more to come now that I feel inspired! We still need to find Robin and Beast Boy! And how will our heros escape from Hell? Find out next time in Chapter 4!
Disclaimer: You'll find one in my pants if you care to look.
Before the bleak and dreary picture could fully come into focus the three companions were hit with a stench that rolled over them, causing Cyborg to retch violently and Starfire to land as her head swam. Raven plunged forward tying to ignore the smell that threatened at any moment to overpower her senses. The scene swam into focus for Raven as she took a final step forward. A river of boiling blood stood a few feet away, weak ashened bridges spanning the terrifying red liquid that bubbled up, splashing rope and wood. All up the river's length grasping, blistering hands shot up desperate to grip their freedom from their eternal torment.
"The river Phlegethon, where the violent boil in the blood they have spilled. Its also your first obstacle in the seventh level... I suppose if you feel like your strong enough the two ofyou could just fly Cyborg across the river... If little Starling can manage." The blood red phantom cooed as she flew mocking circles around Starfire, who sat on her knees, hands splayed on the ground for support as she tried not to vomit.
"I am not so weak." Star climbed shakily to her feet and swayed there a bit before taking to the air.
"I am." gasped Cyborg as he emptied the contents of his stomach yet again.
"Then be my guest. Fly over the river Phlegethon and into the wood of the suicides." The Blood Raven said as she leaned back in the air as if to watch a show.
Raven swooped over to cyborg and gripped his arm, but Raven glanced at her twin suspiciously, "Why can't we fly him over? What's the catch"
"Oh! No catches my sweets. You just go about your merry way. Nothing to worry about at all. After all, getting through Hell is like a walk through the park. A dark, dreary, horrifyingly gory park, but a park none the less"
"I don't trust it." Cyborg said, as he spat the bile from his throat onto the steaming ground.
"I too do not trust the Red Raven." Star said as she released Cyborg's arm.
A shadow loomed up behind the unknowing Cyborg and Starfire. The glint of a large blade caught Raven's attention as she opened her mouth to question their tour guide further. She reacted instantly, using her power to wrench an impossibly large ax from the attacker's large, brown, fuzzy hands. Cyborg and Starfire turned, readying themselves for a fight. Behind them loomed a strange man like creature, with the head of a bull on the massive fur covered yet well muscled body of a man. Cyborg fell to his knees retching again but Starfire proved more useful. She released a stream of her green fire on the beast putting all the anger and confusion she had into her attack, as Raven tossed the ax into the Phlegethon. A pale hand shot out and gripped the ax, pulling it permanently into the depths of the blood-filled river. The beast retreated, having no weapon to fight against it's more then adequately strong opponent, who was violently tearing at him with hands and magic in her fury, and the battle end as swiftly as it had begun.
Starfire glided down panting, sweating, and exhausted.
"What a dissapointment my minotaur turned out to be. Oh well. Are you satisfied now that it is safe to proceed, Raven my love?" soothed the demoness.
"No. But what choice do we have? Cyborg you think you can hold on long enough for us to fly you over the river?" Raven said as she glided over to Star and Cyborg, who still looked severly ill.
Cyborg belched and held up his arms to be grasped by his two dear friends, "Ready when you are"
Raven and Starfire gripped Cyborg's shoulders and carefully lifted him from the ground. Starfire wavered slightly as the two slowely started forward towards the mighty river, Phlegethon. The began to gain altitude as they reached the blood covered bridge and boiling liquid, trying to fly safely through with out being splattered, like the decaying bridge beneath them. They reached the half way point when a flame covered arrow whizzed by, singeing Raven's hair. She glanced about frantically for the attacker and saw a herd of centaurs on the opposite shore, all armed with an arsenal of arrows.
"Drop me onto the bridge, Star!" Cyborgyelled as he wriggled about trying to avoid a fresh wave of arrows swarming towards them.
"But friend Cyborg, that bridge appears to be unsafe for the crossing, yes?"
"That bridge won't support you!" Raven screamed as she pulled them into a quick dive, towards the bubbling river and away from the assailment of bolts.
"Just drop me!" Cyborg cried as he tried to free himself from the hands of his friends.
"No!" Raven and Star cried together as they pulled up from the dive and hurtled toward the centaurs.
Raven felt her sweaty fingers loose on the burnished metal surface of Cyborg's shoulder, "Star! Fly towards the bridge!"
Starfire and Raven veered sharply to the right trying desperately to reclaim a firm grip on Cyborg's impossibly smooth shoulders. Raven'shands hands slipped away too early and Starfire was left tocling aloneto Cyborg but here strength was drained and she was forced to let go. Cyborg plummeted towards the crimson rill letting out a gasp of suprise as he saw the river rushing to meet him. He flailed helplessly in the air for a moment before his arms hit the fraying ropes of the bridge. He grasped them feeling the weak ropes begin to give under his wait. The boiling liquid coating the ropes heated his metal hands. The heat waves radiating from the boiling liquid scorched the skin on his arms and face. He used his pain to motivate himself, pulling his large metal body up onto the splintering wooden boards of the bridge. The wood bent and cracked under his weight as he lifted his foot too take a slow cautious step forward.
Raven and Star hung, suspended and motionless in the air. It felt as if time had stopped as they saw their friend fall and cling to the ropes of the bridge. Raven felt petrified and helpless as she saw him struggle up over the ropes. She hardly noticed when a flaming plume struck her in the arm, begining to boil the blood under her skin.
"Cyborg, Run!" Star screamed as she seemed to wake from her trance. She grabbed Raven and pulled the arrow from her arm, leaving a gapping, blackened hole behind. She plunged towards the bank on the other side and the two girls hit the ground and rolled away from the coursing red fluid next to them. Cyborg began to sprint across the bridge as board after board gave way under his corpulent metal feet. He dove for the browned grass that lay mere feet away as he stumbled forward. He missed and hit the last board of the bridge, gripping it and taking it with him as he plummeted towards the depths of the river below him. Starfire screamed as she saw Cyborg fall, but Raven scrambled to her feet and pulled the board Cyborg sought to cling to up with her powers and onto the bank.
The centaurs belowed as the three friends stood, shakily, and brushed themselves off. The centaurs lowered bows and bowed their heads quickly, conceding to the determination of the three. The largest from the herd stepped forward and bowed low.
"We yeild to you, strangers. Give us your names so that we might grant you passage in this, the seventh level of hell"
Raven looked suspiciously at the centaur and the herd behind him, which pawed at the ground nervously waiting for a response. She put her arm out to stop Starfire as she stepped forward to introduce herself to the beasts.
"Why do you need our names?" She asked.
"With them I can spell you for safe passage through these woods. There are strange bird likecreatures there called Harpiesthat would seek to harm you.", the centaur said, straightening up to stand at his full height.
"If you can use our names to protect us what gauruntee is there you can't use them to harm us?" She said.
"Oh... What a clever witch you are!" The red wraith spat as she floated down to stand next to them, "That will be all, Bohdan. Send your herd back to their posts", she waved her hands dismissivly at the towering centaur.
The centaur, Bohdan, belowed and reared and the herd slowely broke apart walking up the banks of the river, Phlegethon, to gaurd those who might try to escape their punishment.
"What would have happened if we had given them our names?" Cyborg asked as he stared off after the retreating centaurs.
"Oh! They would have sent you into the boiling depths of the river to blister and burn eternally." Blood Raven said wth a gleeful glint in her eye.
Cyborg turned away from the centaurs and the river to face the edge of the woods they would soon have to enter. Starfire and raven followed suit, gazing at the twisted gnarled trees of the wood of the suicides. Large beautifully red apples hung from the tree nearest them and glistened all through the branches of the trees beyond. Starfire reached out to take a gleaming apple from the branch only to have her hand snatched back by Cyborg.
"I'm gonne take a stab in the dark here and say that eating the fruit of Hell is not a good idea", Cyborg said averting his tired eyes from the tempting fruit, "Let's find Robin and get out of here"
They walked together towards the trees keeping their eyes averted from the fruit laden branches. A few feet in, a foot hit Cyborg in the head as they wandered through the trees. Cyborg looked up and imediatly wished he hadn't. Hanging amidst the fruit was a body and, as if that wasn't enough, a large vulture like bird with the head of a beautiful woman was tearing at his eyes with her clawed feet.
"How do we find friend Robin? There are many trees..." Star said nervously walking on with Raven who both had yet to spot the body hanging from the branches.
"W-we should hurry up and find h-him though, if we w-want him in o-one peice." Cyborg said, pointing up at the foul Harpie, shredding the corpses face.
"R-R-Robin?" Starfire sobbed as she looked up into the tree.
"No... But Cyborg has a point. We have to hurry."
I'd say this chapter was a bit longer. not much but it's gettiong better right?I'm actually enjoying writting it a bit now too which is a plus. I'm totally messing up Starfire's speech patterns! I apologize to all you Starfire fans. I don't know why I can't make her talk right today. But this chapter was actually a bit fun to write... Did you like the wussy Minotaur? I always picture him running away screaming like a girl when I read this chapter. more to come now that I feel inspired! We still need to find Robin and Beast Boy! And how will our heros escape from Hell? Find out next time in Chapter 4!