Sirenmergirl: Thank you very much for pointing that out. I went head and fixed the problem so now it should be just fine. Thanks again, really.

Ameoba2: Thanks, I'm glad I finally got around to updating this.

StarfireLover: I would be most happy to give you more. Here your's update.

SeverineFlower: Thank you Thank you Thank you so much for liking my story. However I must beg your forgivness for not udpating for such a long time.

Roi-Tan: Silkie I'm afriad just faded out of the story for now, I'm sorry if you wanted to see more of him. And 'Dick' is short for 'Richard'. Hope you continue to like it.

Realfanficts: You know you have every right to be sooo pissed off at me for my monstrous lack of updating. Please feel free to say whatever you wish for keeping you waiting for months and months on end. Please I beg your forgiveness.

AN IMPORTANT NOTICE to everyone intested in this story. Due to historical accuracy I have had to change the god the Order worships to the goddess Isis. I also wish to make a profound apology to everyone for not updating this story for half a year. I just thought poeple weren't interested in it anymore, which was a big let down for me because I was pretty excited about this when I started it. Anyway, hope you like it. Laters!

Chapter Twelve

A beautiful/terrible place

Two lanes of candelabra lit the hall of worship for a lone man who knelt before a tall statue. He softly chanted under his breath creating a chilling atmosphere throughout the whole room. Off to the side a zealot stepped into the chamber and bowed before him.

"I beg forgiveness for the intrusion my lord."

"What is it," replied the Arbiter sharply.

"The Titans have acquired the first marker and are planning for the other two as I speak." The Arbiter turned his blackened hood in his servant's direction.

"Was it not your responsibility to ensure that didn't happen?" the zealot began to sweat from pure fear.

"It w-was Meric's duty to intercept Grayson and dispose of the Titans before they"-

"Silence!" Hissed the Arbiter. "You will not speak to me about Meric, I trust Meric. As it is, I am relived that Grayson hasn't been eliminated."

"My Lord?"

"Contact whoever is closest to them and have Grayson and the girl brought back to me; kill the others."

"Why the girl my lord?"

"I require Grayson to bend to my wishes, he has a strong will. However, given the proper incentive the strongest of souls will break!" The zealot bowed and backed out of the room. When he was sure he was alone again the Arbiter spread his arms out to the statue.

"Great goddess Isis hear my call! Give me the strength to smite all those who seek the Eye and are unworthy of its might! Grant our noble brotherhood the sacred right to unleash your divine powers! For soon we shall once again be re-united in loving fellowship! Soon our reign on this world shall once again be SUPREME!" His maniacal laughs echoed up and down the sinister corridors.

BACK IN PARIS...

A sizable swimming pool lay at the top of the roof at the hotel the Titans had situated for the night. A few night lights had come on to illuminate the depths of the pool. In hte water's reflection appeared Robin's face. He gazed down steadily at his own facial characteristics and nearly mistook himself for a total stranger. It had been such a long time since he had looked at himself in the mirror, os much about him had changed in the past weeks. He glanced over at the hot tub and noticed that it was still on from the last user and decided to take advantage of this short reprieve. He slowly set himself in the bubbling waste deep tub andlay his head back. It was surprising how welcoming a little thing like a hot tub was right now. He was about to drift off when the bubbles stopped and the water calmed back down. He irritably opened his eyes and groaned.

"Great. insert four more coins for another thirty minuets," he whined. Before he could get up however the jets started up again and thetub was once again a bubbling spa. With a perlexed brow he looked aroundforwhoever had paid for his relaxation time and sawStarfire over bythe meter. "Starfire..." She wore a white hotel bath robe.

"May...I join you," she asked going beat red. He looked around for a second.

"Sure, If you want." She smiled and stepped forward. She took off her robe andRobin did aquick double take. She wore a neon green two peice swim suit. Where she got it God only knows, but all Robin could do was stare.She saw hisvacant gaze and examined herself.

"Is my appearence displeasing?"Open mouthed he shook his head.

"No, pleasing-I mean!-You look really nice." Robin scratched his head to try and hide his reddness. She dipped her foot inthe water and gasped slightly and stepped in. As soon as she did she let out afaint gasp. "What is it," he asked.

"Its so warm," she said with an entertained smile. The Titans had a pool backhome but were without a hut tub, thus this was a new experience forher. Sheleaned back and let her head lie limply. She then let out a content sigh and closed her eyes.He chuckled to himself.

"You having a good time over there?" She nodded with her eyes still closed.

"Yes, it is most soothing." A moment of welcomed quietpassed along, allowing them both to think of good conversation strikers. "We have managed to translate the next riddle for the second marker." Robin looked at her with an anxious glance.

"Really? What is it?" She took a momentto collect her thoughts and recited;

"The point of origin lies where theSpanish three ventured to seek a world anew."She finishedand racked her brains to remember if that was all, it was. Robin paused for a moment.

"Is that all?" She nodded. "Great, what's it mean?" She looked up and shrugged.

"We do not know. AsI said we onlymanaged to translate the Latin text, decipheringthe riddle itself haspresented itself to be 'the horse of a differentcolor'." Robin nodded his headin slight disappointment. "I was hoping you could offer your own insight as to how it fits into our quest." Robin raised hisarms in confusion.

"Sorry Star, Iat just a loss as therest of you."

"I see,I thought that perhapswith your mastery of languages youcould figure outits meaning." He chortled at her patronisation.

"Well I'm not exactly a master of all languages on this earth. I mean, on this planet as a whole there are hundreds maybeeven thousands of languages."Her eyes then noted their distinct curiousity.

"MayI hear one of these ways of speaking?" Robin thought for a moment then snapped his fingers. He cleared his throat and spoke very softly;

"Vous êtes la fille la plus belle que j'ai jamais été assez chanceux pour me réunir." ('You are the most beautiful girl that I have ever been fortunate enough to meet.") A small smile crept across her face though she still did not understand him. He finally smiled and cleared up her incomprehension. "That was French Star. It's been called 'the language of diplomacy."

"It is a most beautiful speech, please what did you say to me just now?"

"Well Star, I've always found its so much more fun to find out things for yourself. You should try and learn it, its a nice language." She slowly nodded and inched closer to him. She sat next to him and rested on his shoulder. "You guys shouldn't have to be here," he said quietly.

"Why Robin, do not want us by your side?"

"Oh yes Star, I do. Its just that...alot of what's been going on could have been avoided, if I had made some better choices in the past."

"But Robin what is in the past is in the past, you can not blame yourself for somthing that is no longer in power to change. I believe you are performing admirably to rememdy the situation we are in." He smiled and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Thanks Star." She looked up and gazed up at the stars and then out at the millions of lights brighting up the nightime city.

"It is during moments such as this that we must remember somthing Robin..." She drew his attention. "That in the worst of times it is important to remember that the world is a beautiful place." Robin closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. She hinted at his response and looked up at him. He looked down at her.

"No its not." She seemed saddened slightly. "Once you've seen the world the way I've seen it then you know that it can be a very terrible and cruel place. One must do what they must in order to survive or more importantly protect the ones that matter most to him." Starfire placed a hand on his cheek.

"I amsorryyou feel this way. But I have hope Robin that you will come to see the world through my eyes, the new worldI have come to know." Robin then stopped and looked straight ahead as if he had jsut realized somthing. "Robin? What is it?"

"Whatdid youjust say?" Starfire glanced about.

"I said I hope you seethe world through my eyes-"

"No no no the last part."

"I simply reffered to this planet as a new world to me." Robin then looked up and laughed out a good chuckle. He then spun around and gave Starfire a loving kiss. He pulled away leaving a stunned but satisfied look on Starfire's face. "Well I am certainly elated to see you happy agian." he stepped out of the hot tub, which had died down minuets ago, helped her out and retrived her robe for her.

"Star, your an absolute genius!" She looked down with a flattered smile.

"Oh thankyou Robin, but I am curious as to why I am the genuis." Robin took hold of her shoulders.

"Starfire, you just figured out where the next marker is!"

"I did?"

"Yes! Come on, we have to get back to Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy. We don't know how far along the Order may be at finding it themselves, so there's not a second to spare." With that Starfire hastily followed the estatic Robin down the elevator to thier rooms.

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From a rooftop not far from the hotel Meric lowered a set of binoculars and handed to the man on his right. He then took out a small camera and began taking snap shots of all the street signs and ally ways adjacent to the hotel. He looked to his right and watched his partner putting together his signiture sniper rifle.

"Ich hole unseren alten Mitschüler und seinen Damefreund zurück. Sie konzentrieren sich auf das Herausnehmen die anderen vier." ('I will retrieve our old classmate and his lady friend. You concentrate on taking out the other four.') The man nodded while looking through the scope and lining it up properly.

"Fein." ('Fine'). Meric then popped a couple of pills in his mouth and crushed them to bits.

"Und Elan... there hatte, besser keine Fehler zu sein dieses mal. Es gibt eine Zeit, als Sie nicht durch Ihren Titel geschützt werden, da Sie gut bewußt füehlen." ('And Elan...there had better be no mistakes this time. There will be a time when you will not be protected by your title, as you are well aware.') Elan looked up to respond but saw that Meric was gone and knew that there would be no sign of him. He took a look through his binoulars and spotted his three targets in the window of thier hotel room. Cyborg and Beast Boy sat playing the in-room video games while Raven attempted to convince them that this was hardly the time for thier immiturity to show. Lee merely sat on his bed and did dare give Raven the 'I told you so' look. Elan set his binoculars down and cocked his rifle.

"Sehr gut." ('Very well.')

I am so sorry you waited all this time only to be given a super super short chapter, I've just been away from this story for so long I need to get my thoughts about it back together. I promise it will continue soon. Once again I am very sorry.