Once Broken, Twice Shattered
Part Two: Malchior
It was fairly easy for the white haired sorcerer to find Jump city. There was so many unique individuals focused in the place. Their auras made the city light up. The problem was locating the 'T' shaped tower. Since he was blind he couldn't see the building. He could see the essence of the structures around them, but they were fuzzy and they always looked more like circles than like real buildings. The only reason he knew what they looked like at all was that he could sense what others perceived about their surroundings. It was the way he saw the world.
He knew that the tower he was looking for was large and there were five people living in it. That was about all. It wasn't much to go on. He sighed deeply. Closing his eyes he reached out with his power. He could feel the red aura of what he was seeking, but he couldn't pinpoint it exactly. He was distracted by a small boy's voice.
"Are you a Teen Titan?"
The sorcerer opened his eyes, and looked down at the boy. He appeared to the sorcerer as a ball of light in a shade of pale gold. Next to him was a slightly taller ball of pale blue light, another boy. This boy spoke next. "He's not a Titan. Beastboy, Robin and Cyborg are the only boy Titans."
"Pardon me, but may I ask what is a 'Teen Titan'?" He asked through the gray cloth wrapped around his mouth.
"They're super heroes! Don't you know anything mister?" The blue light spoke.
"He must be new to town Johnny," The golden boy said.
"Yes, I am new to this place. My name is Malchior of Noll, from the line of Rorek of Noll," he bowed slightly and the two boys giggled. "My young sirs, can you tell me where I might find a building in the shape of a 'T'?"
"I told you he had something to do with the Titans!" The golden boy said eagerly.
Malchior paused. People who called themselves 'Teen Titans' living in a 'T' shaped tower. He almost laughed. "You say they are super heroes? What do you mean?"
"They go out and save the city with their special powers!" The blue boy, Johnny, said eagerly. "I wish I had special powers," he added sullenly.
"The Titans live over there-" The boy pointed and Malchior had to focus his mind to see what the boy was seeing, "-on that little island in the river."
"Thank you," he bowed again. "I am indebted to you. Tell me this though- has there been a dragon seen nearby?"
"A while back the Titans fought a HUGE dragon. It was black an purple and it breathed fire and everything," the golden boy said eagerly. "It was so cool!"
Malchior looked very worried. "Thank you again young masters. I wish you a long life and good fortunes." Without any further conversation Malchior lifted off of the ground and sailed through the air towards Titans Tower.
"Wow! He can fly!" The golden boy gushed.
"Hey, Tommy?" The Johnny said, "What's 'indebted' mean?"
Tommy shrugged. "Beats me."
----------------------
When Beastboy entered the tower he was tired, hungry, and scratched up. Robing Cyborg and Starfire all stared at him. Then Robin turned to Cyborg. "Pay up," he said.
"Aw man," Cyborg moaned, pulling twenty dollars from a compartment and handing it to his friend.
Beastboy became very angry. "You took bets on this?"
"Only on which one of you would be back here first," Robin said.
"You know, this isn't funny!" Beastboy said furiously. "That Malchior creep really did a number on Raven! She's still really upset about it."
"Is that why you are all in a hurt way? Your scratches are numerous Beastboy," Starfire said. She surged into the air eagerly. "I shall go get the antibiotic!"
"Don't bother Starfire. I'll be fine," Beastboy flopped down on the couch. "I was just trying to be nice. I was just trying to get to know her and she took it the totally wrong way. She thought I was trying to pick her up because I lost Terra and I thought she would be on the rebound from Malchior."
"Ouch," Cyborg whistled.
"I mean, I think Raven is-"
Suddenly klaxons went on all over the place. "Intruder!" Robin shouted. "On the roof!" Starfire grabbed Robin and they were out of the window and on the roof first. There was a figure with his back towards them, staring out at the water. "Hey!" Robin shouted. The man turned. Starfire gasped and Robin's eyes went wide. "It can't be!"
Malchior blinked. There was a girl with a vibrant orange aura and a young man who's aura was a stunning red. He had to dim down his second sight a bit. They were surely powerful individuals. "My name is Malchior of Noll-" he began.
"You garrabork!" Shrieked Starfire. "How dare you show your face outside of that book!" He hands glowed green and her eyes blazed.
"We're going to put you back where you belong- in the recycle bin!" Robin shouted. He readied his staff.
Malchior threw up his hands. "Please! There has been a mistake made here! If you are talking about the book that I think you are then you have realized that my name is the same as that of the dread dragon imprisoned there! I am from the line of Rorek of Noll, the man who defeated the dragon!"
"Is this another one of your tricks? Why are you trying to hurt Raven again?" Robin roared.
"Raven? Who is Raven? This is my first visit to this planet I assure you." He held out a magic talisman. "Weeks ago this talisman started glowing a bright green, which meant that the dread dragon had escaped his prison. See that it still glows now? That means the spell my ancestor Rorek put on the book that held him has not been put back into place by a sorcerer of our line. I'm to help you defeat the dragon and seal him away for good!"
"The dragon was sealed away by Raven," Starfire said, her eyes no longer glowing but her hands still blazing with green light. "But you look like the person from the book and you have his name too."
"What?" Malchior said. "I have been told that I look like Rorek of Noll, but I share my name with the dragon."
"Why is that?" Robin demanded.
"The name was given to me by my mad brother who seeks only power. He had hoped I would be as evil as him and gave me this foul name for that purpose. I prefer to be called 'Mal'."
Robin was bout to ask more when out of nowhere a green gorilla charged at Malchior. The young sorcerer was staring right at him, but didn't realize the threat because he could not see. It only looked like to him that someone with a blazing green aura was walking towards him.
"Beastboy! No!" Robin shouted. Beastboy connected with Malchior and he went flying. Starfire flew to catch him. She set the young sorcerer down on the tower roof again. Malchior grabbed his aching chin.
"Please stay here Mr. Malchior," She advised him. "We are going to have to calm Beastboy down."
"Calm down? You want me to calm down? This is the monster who broke Raven's heart!" Beastboy shouted.
"No it's not!" Robin said. "Cyborg- hold him!" Cyborg, who had arrived with Beastboy, obeyed, but he looked almost as confused and angry as Beastboy.
"Broke Raven's heart?" Malchior said, baffled.
"That book, with the dragon in it-" Robin began, "-Raven has it. While she was reading it Malchior the dragon used his name but your grandfather's form to trick Raven into helping him escape the book. He made her fall in love with him, and then devastated her."
"Good lord," Malchior's face fell. "Will the line of Noll be again sullied by evil?" Malchior shook his head, and then turned to face Beastboy. "My sincere apologies to your- oh! Your friend is dying!"
Everyone suddenly looked panicked. "Who? Raven?" Beastboy asked. "Oh no! It's all my fault she out alone!"
"No! The man holding you! His aura is splintered- broken! His life is only partially there." Malchior said. "I am no great healer but I will do what I can-" he held his hand out towards Cyborg. The robot man looked startled.
"I'm fine. My systems say everything's a-okay."
"Systems?" Malchior looked totally confused.
"I'm part robot," Cyborg said, releasing Beastboy and holding out an arm. "See?"
Malchior shook his head. "Look at my eyes. They have no color, no pupils. My sight was ripped from my eyes by my brother. The most powerful spells cannot be recited without activating them. Therefore they are written in books to be memorized. When I realized how evil my brother truly was I tried to blind him so he could read no more spells. I scarred the skin of his eyelids and around his eyes but he was able to protect his sight. In his rage he reversed the spell, plucking my vision from my orbs. I see only through second sight, which lets me see auras, essences, and perceived what others perceive, but no more."
"So how did you find us?" Robin asked, putting his staff away.
"I felt for the aura of the book, and I asked directions," Malchior admitted. "But I must warn you, that book, even with the dragon sealed away, is most dangerous. It is the most powerful book of spells in the world. Rorek of Noll placed all his knowledge into that book. Through it you can travel to a mystical place that hold every book he ever read, and some books that his ancestors read. Its a massive library of spells, and the only way to it is the book-"
"So people are gonna come after the book in order to get to the spells," Cyborg assessed.
"Yes. That is why I need to take it with me. My brother is close behind me, because he is always trying to kill me. If he gets to this planet and realizes the book is here he will surely destroy you in order to take it."
"The book is in Raven's room," Robin said. "But I don't think its a good idea that you go anywhere near there, just in case Raven comes-"
There was a horrible shriek of rage that sounded half human, half like the warped cry of a bird. The sky directly above Titan's Tower was filled with the looming black from of a giant telekinetic bird. In the center was Raven, her hood lit up by four red, glowing eyes. "You! I thought I had sealed you away forever!" Raven roared in unnatural tones. "How dare you show your face again! I'll tear you limb from limb!"
Malchior threw his hands in front of his eyes and screamed. "Please! Your fury is blinding me! Your aura blazes so brightly- it is consuming my mind!"
"I'll do more than blind you, you cursed beast!"
"Raven! This isn't Malchior the dragon!" Robin cried. "This is a descendant of Rorek the sorcerer! His name is Malchior, but he's not evil!"
"He lies!" Raven shrieked.
Starfire and Cyborg threw themselves in front of the cowering Malchior. "Robin speaks the truth Raven!" Starfire shouted. "He is not here to hurt us! He is a man in form, not a dragon! Can you not see this?"
"Another of his tricks!" Raven landed and the dark bird around her faded, but she loomed up unnaturally tall. Beastboy jumped in front of her. "Out of my way!"
"No, Raven! This is my fault. I made a mistake bringing you out tonight. I thought it would help but it only hurt you more. You're letting your anger take over right now, is that what you want?" Raven shrunk slightly. "If he was the dragon we would have all been toast by now. Malchior couldn't have escaped the book unless someone let him out. None of us could have," he gestured at the other Titans, "and unless you did again, no one did. No one else has that kind of power."
Raven shrunk significantly after that argument. Her eyes changed to normal. Cyborg and Starfire relaxed as Malchior pulled himself up. Robin walked over towards Raven and Beastboy.
"Malchi- uh- Mal is here because he thought that no one outside his family could seal Malchior the Dragon back into the book once he was released. He came to help, though it wasn't actually needed. Now he wants to take the book away from here so his brother doesn't get it."
"No," Malchior said.
"No?" Robin raised an eyebrow.
"I must redeem the name of Noll," Malchior stated flatly. "I must redeem my name and form to this wondrous lady. I have never seen an aura so powerful and yet so beautiful as hers. That something that shared my name and form could do her such harm is- it is a crime. I will not leave here until I have done something in exchange for her forgiveness."
"Go away," Raven said weakly. He eyes glowed white with fury, but they faded and then surged again as if she couldn't quite keep her powers working. "I don't want you here. I don't care if you're not the Malchior of the book. Your armor, your hair, your voice- everything about you is the same. Get out of here, get off my planet!" Her powers surged above her as an angry raven. "I don't-" she wavered, her powers fading. Malchior saw her aura fading rapidly, a sign of sudden exhaustion. Her eyes stopped glowing and the bird around her vanished. "Get off-" Raven fainted, falling into Beastboy's arms.
Malchior could see a change in Beastboy's aura, a sign of a surge of emotion. When Starfire and Robin were near each other their auras got the same extra glow. Malchior knew what it meant. He had learned how to read the way people's auras changed a very long time ago. Cyborg's aura was different. It disturbed him, but if only half the man was really alive it made sense. It was something new. This planet was sure to hold many surprises for him.
The other Titans watched a bit surprised as Beastboy stroked Raven's hair, then picked her up and began walking back inside the tower with her. "Man. I've never seen Rae lose it like that," Cyborg said.
"Is this how date are supposed to end?" Starfire asked curiously. "If so dating on Earth is not very pleasant."
Robin shook his head. "No, that's not how dates are supposed to go." He turned to Malchior. "Why don't you come inside?"
Malchior bowed. "I would be honored. I'd like to learn more about you. From what I can perceive, you are powerful individuals protecting many people. It intrigues me."
"I'll set up a computer rundown of some of our cases," Cyborg offered. "A verbal one," he added thoughtfully.
"Thank you," Malchior nodded.
"Would you care for a traditional Tamaranian welcoming feast?" Starfire said happily. "I am sure I could cook some up for you!"
"Star, I don't think that-" Robin began, but much to his surprise Malchior smiled.
"Tamaranian food is one of my favorites in the galaxy. I would be delighted."
Starfire lit up like a beacon. "No! It is I who will be delighted!" She began to drag Malchior inside, much to his surprise. Cyborg and Robin looked at each other.
"Hey, if he can deal with Star's cooking, he's gotta be a saint," Cyborg pointed out.
"It's not Mal I'm worried about. It's his brother- and Raven." Robin's eye's narrowed in thought. "I've never seen her eyes like that."
"I have," Cyborg admitted, "and it's not a good sign, but I think Raven will be okay. She just needs some rest. The Dragon really left some open wounds, but they'll heal." Robin still looked skeptical. "She's got BB."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Robin asked curiously.
"You were the one who mentioned Terra before and you didn't figure this out?" Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Terra betrayed BB just like Malch- that crazy dragon betrayed Raven." Robin blinked. "They make an interesting couple, don't they?"
"I'll say. . ." Robin shook his head. "I have a feeling this is going to be a long couple of days."
-------------------
Raven's head was pounding. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was back in her room. She couldn't quite remember how she got there. She sat up, which made her head hurt even worse. Placing a hand to her head, she felt something in her hair. She pulled it out. It was a small blue dragonfly hair clip with pearly wings.
The past day's events came rushing back to her in a flood of raw emotion. Before she could suppress it, her powers had cracked the large vanity mirror on her wall. Raven got up out of bed and charged towards the door. The sky outside her window was pitch black. It had to be a few hours after she had gone ballistic on the roof. Raven threw the door open with her power, turned to charge down the hallway, and nearly tripped over the sleeping form of Beastboy.
"What are you doing?" Raven demanded. She was still furious about dinner, but part of her knew it wasn't his fault.
Beastboy shot up, startled. He gulped as he found himself sitting up right between Raven's slender legs. Raven looked down at him, her eyes blazing. He turned into a mouse and scurried out from underneath her, turning back into himself a few feet away. "I'm sorry! I was just waiting to see if you were okay and I must have dozed off," he said in a panic.
Raven looked at him with a very odd expression. "You were worried about me?"
"Well, yeah, duh!" Beastboy said. "I was the one who started that whole thing at dinner, and if you had hurt yourself by using all that power it was totally my fault!" He smacked himself in the head. "Raven, I totally didn't mean what you thought I meant. I was hoping that we could share feelings, you know? It wasn't that I wanted to 'get you on the rebound!'"
Raven paused, then smiled faintly. "It's okay. I- I'm sorry that I blew up like that. I've been holding all of the emotions back because I was worried what letting them out might do, but I probably just caused them to become more powerful." She suddenly looked very grave. "I almost gave into Him last night. . . I haven't been that mad since Terra-" she trailed off. Suddenly her head swiveled. "Is he still here?" She said acidly.
"You mean Mal?" Beastboy said. Raven's eyes glowed. "Yeah, he's still here. Raven, he's not like Malchior. He's a good man, and he wants to prove that to you any way he can. He's spent the last three hours listening to every file he can about us that isn't restricted and trying to think up something."
"He can think up leaving," Raven said furiously. She began to storm down the hallway.
"Raven!" Beastboy shouted, "You forgot your cloak!"
Raven stopped, suddenly feeling very under clothed. She hadn't even realized she was without her cloak. She immediately backtracked to her room. "Why didn't you say anything before?" Raven snapped.
"I was enjoying the view-" Beastboy began, then realized how that sounded. He quickly recovered, "I mean, you're always hiding under it, you look nice in something different for a change."
Raven gave him an odd look. She slipped back into the room and came out with her deep blue cloak on, hood pulled up and all. She was toting the large white book. Beastboy looked at it and felt a mixture of anger and shock. Raven walked right past him without saying a word, her expression her usual impassive one. Beastboy smacked himself mentally. Idiot!
Don't do that.
Beastboy turned to stare at Raven's retreating form. Where had that come from? He almost wanted to call out to her, but he had the feeling that it was better to let her go.
"I hope Mal survives this encounter," the changeling murmured.
--------------------
"Please, if you could tell me more about Terra-" Malchior was saying to the computer when he felt the powerful aura of Raven approaching him. He turned around to face her. Her aura wasn't nearly as bright as it had been hours earlier, but it was still brighter than any of the other Titans'. She was holding the book, which was glowing its usual red, reflecting the dragon within its pages. Malchior stood up and bowed. "Lady Raven," he murmured, "I am at your service."
"If you're at my service, then leave," Raven said.
Malchior shook his head. "I cannot. Honor demands that I make amends for what you believe I did to you."
"You are forgiven," she said shortly and shoved the book at him. "If this is what you want then here, I clean my hands of it. Take it where you will and get off this planet."
Malchior pulled the cloth from around his mouth, revealing chin that completed the handsome face well. He was frowning. "You have powers that reveal to you the minds of others if you so wish it. My powers are much the same, though they are not nearly as extensive. I can see that this is not going to heal the hurts you suffered in any way. Despite what you think you want, I know there is a better way of dealing with this."
Raven's eyes glowed. "Who are you to tell me what to do?"
"I am Malchior of Noll, and my line has been sullied by the Dread Dragon. My honor allows me to do nothing less than redeem myself. That is why I travel the universe trying to do good. I'm trying to redeem my family name from being forever darkened by my brother's shadow." Malchior looked dead serious. "Even if you do not wish me to, I will stay here until this evil had been undone."
"Get the hell out of this tower!" Raven yelled. Light bulbs around her exploded.
"You are not angry at me lady Raven, but at what I remind you of. Look at my eyes. Are these the eyes that betrayed you?"
Raven looked into the blank white expanses, and felt somewhat soothed. Although the markings around Mal's eyes were the same as the markings that had been on the image of Rorek- the image she associated with Malchior the dragon- the white could not be mistaken for the gray catlike eyes of the book. Mal was slightly shorter than the image of Malchior had been, though he had the same build. "Why do you wear armor so much like your grandfather's?"
"To remind people that the line of Noll is a benevolent one, and that my brother is not representative of the whole family."
"But you wear dark gray instead of black," Raven said, a bit irate.
"Black is associated with the evils of my brother," he said flatly.
Raven snapped, "How can we trust you are who you say you are, with a brother who you freely admit is so evil?"
Malchior sighed. "You cannot. That is the worst part of my dilemma. No matter how hard I try to earn the trust of others, my name and my association with my brother will forever overshadow me."
"So why are you even bothering with me?" Raven growled. "You don't have the best track record of getting people to trust you and it's not your brother I hate- it's you. Just leave here, and we'll all be much happier." She thrust the book at him again.
'I cannot do that-"
Raven had to struggle to keep her powers under control.
"-until I have freed your friend from her stone bondage," Malchior finished. Raven's expression changed to one of total shock.
"What?" Raven said. She was absolutely floored.
Malchior gestured at the computer. "I've learned all about your friend Terra and how she was turned into a statue while tying to save your lives. I wish to help you revive her."
I don't want Terra revived! Raven's thoughts shouted. She betrayed us and if she comes back Beastboy will- her thoughts cut off. Why was she concerned with how Beastboy would react? He paid no attention to me last time Terra was around, she told herself. But why was that a problem? He was annoying. He constantly flirted with her and told her jokes and tried to cheer her up and help her cope with the problems in her life, that was all. Something in that line of thought made her do a mental double take. Beastboy was- is- in love with Terra. It's only because she was turned to stone that he ever paid attention to me.
Oh? He flirted with you before Terra ever showed up, another little voice in her head pointed out.
Mal had watched quietly as Raven's aura twisted with an emotional problem. "Have I said something wrong?"
"No!" Raven said, entirely too quickly. Her aura flared up in nervousness. If Beastboy loves Terra then- then freeing her would make him happy. Raven frowned. She didn't care about making Beastboy happy, she had told Starfire so. She didn't want to free Terra. Terra's words to her had left wounds almost as deep as the wounds left by Malchior the Dragon. She had insinuated that the Titans had liked her better than Raven, and Raven had taken it to heart. Terra had been manipulated into it by Slade. Raven tried to convince herself that the control Slade had exerted over Terra was also hypnotic, that she really hadn't wanted to betray them, but somehow Raven wasn't sure. With Terra alive again, Raven was setting herself up for another emotional roller coaster. With everything that had gone on today she wasn't sure she could handle that.
"You look worried," Malchior said.
Raven looked at him impassively. "How can you tell that if you can't see?"
"I see auras. Yours is twisting in such a way that I can tell you are worried."
Raven suddenly felt more uncomfortable around Malchior than she did angry. "How could we reverse the effects?" She asked tentatively.
"We would have to use a spell in the library," he gestured at the book.
"Library?" Raven said, baffled.
"Yes. The book acts as a doorway to a mystical library. I forgot, you weren't there while I was explaining this. That was before you flew down and wanted to kill me," Malchior said, with traces of amusement in his voice. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but your fried Beastboy practically beat you to it. If your other friends hadn't interfered I would be broken and resting at the bottom of the river." Malchior rubbed his jaw, which, now that Raven was looking closely, did seem quiet a bit swollen. "Anyway, the library, presumably, carries all the knowledge from all of the sorcerers from the line of Noll from Rorek to the beginning of our line. I don't know for sure because I've never been there. It's supposed to be a dark world filled only with books."
Raven knew what he was talking about instantly. This Library was where the dragon had taken her so she could learn spells. Then it hit her what he had said before that. Beastboy had attacked him, no doubt trying to protect her. That didn't disturb her though. Malchior's mannerisms had. Until that moment Mal had been almost Robin-like in his serious way of stating things, but then that humor- it was like the Malchior that the Dragon had presented her with. The one she had laughed at. The one she had loved.
Malchior saw a rapid change in her aura. "I'm sorry, I just keep on saying the wrong things don't I?" He looked terribly chagrined. "Or am I saying the right things?" He asked curiously. "I mean, last time I had only shown up and you were raging at me. You're very clam right now."
That because I'm trying to sort through all the emotions you keep bringing up! Raven thought sharply, but said nothing.
"Perhaps we should talk later. You probably need more rest, and I promise you I'll be here when you wake up."
The computer screen exploded. Malchior threw his arms over his head to avoid debris.
"Good lord!" He said. "That was clearly the wrong thing to say." He plucked glass out of his hair using magic. The pieces tinkled to the floor.
Raven couldn't control the surge of emotion that swept over her. Malchior could see her aura triple in brightness. Her powers reached out, but she tried to direct them in a nondestructive way and suddenly-
There was two small boys, one with black hair, one with white. Besides the hair they looked almost identical. The older brother had eyes like ice, and the darker hair. He was much taller than the younger brother with the white hair, who's eyes were much darker, almost a midnight blue. They were alone in the world, but they were both very powerful for their age. The older brother was fearless, the younger idolized him.
Ten years passed by in an eye blink. The older brother was well into his teens, the younger just hitting preadolescence. They were arguing. The older brother had just admitted to murdering their father. He wanted his brother to come with him on a quest to seek out the most powerful magics in the universe so that no one could harm them. He wanted to find their great (several times over) grandfather's book with all the spells they would ever need. The younger refused, recoiling from his brother like he was a venomous snake. He accused his brother of being a monster and (rightfully so) a murderer, then flew off as far and as fast as he could.
The next time jump wasn't nearly so long. Both boys, though, were now wearing armor. The younger brother was clearly Malchior. The older, who was still much taller and much lankier had grown a goatee and pulled his hair back. His armor was silver and black. He looked deranged, and was smiling the whole time. Again he was trying to convince his brother to come with him. Again Malchior refused because he had murdered his father, and in his quest for power had harmed others. The older brother got angry. He made several violent motions. Malchior struck out with a spell against his brother eyes, trying to cripple him from learning more magic. The older brother protected himself, but the spell left a wound that would clearly leave a scar across his eyes. There was a sudden surge of fury in the older brother. He thrust his hand forward, fingers spread out wide, then balled them into a fist as if grabbing something and jerked his whole arm back. It was the last thing Malchior saw as the endless pain exploded in his eyes-
Raven silently screamed, clawing at her eyes as young Malchior's scream invaded her mind. The older Malchior was gasping in mental pain, finally closing his thoughts to the dark young woman across from him. He collapsed to his knees and began sobbing.
"I didn't know. I didn't know," he wept. "I'm so sorry. I sound, look, act- he was exactly like me- and I said the same exact thing he did. . ."
Raven, recovering from her unexpected foray into the mind of the alien was stunned. While she had relived his most painful memories he had seen hers. He saw everything that had happened between herself and the dragon, and now she knew how he had been blinded so violently. She felt a wave of sorrow come over her, focusing on the young sorcerer as he cried for her.
"He is a monster. You didn't know," Raven said, her voice surprisingly even despite the thousands of emotions she was feeling. She placed a hand on his shoulder. Malchior placed his head in his hands.
"Is there nothing I can do?" He murmured. Then again. "Is there nothing I can do-?"
Raven paused. She knelt down and looked him in the eyes. "Help me free Terra from her stony prison," she said quietly. A part of her ached at the thought of how Beast Boy would react. He would never ask her out to dinner again. Then again even if Terra remained a chunk of granite there was no reason he should ask Raven out again anyway. Not considering the way she had acted at dinner. Freeing Terra would be the only apology she could give him.
Malchior nodded. "I will try," his head tilted up and Raven's heart stopped. Malchior didn't know it, but their noses were so close they were almost touching. He looked exactly like Malchior the dragon had, but backwards. When Malchior had taken his manlike form from the pages of the book, the only feature there was his eyes. Mal's eyes were not there, just white hollows, while the details of his body were. Raven's heart pounded. Malchior noticed a waver in her aura. He tuned out his second sight, making the world black. He reached out with his hands and found Raven's face. She jerked back in surprise.
"I want to see you," he said quietly. "Please, I don't want anything more."
Raven hesitated. "Okay," she said, feeling very awkward. Malchior's fingers traced the contours of her face with a feather-like touch. She shivered when he touched her eyelids and her lips.
"The dragon did not tell you all lies," Malchior said. "You are beautiful. Outside and within. Your aura is so pure and beautiful- I have seen none that compare with it."
Raven felt hot blush swell up in her cheeks. "I- I'm sorry about the way I acted."
"It was understandable. I would have reacted as you did, though, being on the receiving end, I can't say I enjoyed it."
Raven chuckled slightly, then blushed again. Malchior helped her to her feet.
"In order to free your friend Terra, we are going to have to locate the proper spell in the library. However, I cannot read, so I am almost as useful in this situation as a net is at picking up sand. Books of magic are never written for the sightless," he touched Rorek's enchanted book, and it flipped open to a certain page, which had illustrated on it an elaborate door. Scrawled upon the door, in silver ink and alien script was a short phrase that radiated power. "The words on the door are the words of entry. You must recite them, then the door will open. To return simply chant the spell backwards. I'm afraid the spell only takes one person through the doorway. I cannot follow you."
Raven could feel his deep regret. "How am I supposed to find what I need?"
"There is supposed to be a librarian of sorts within the library," Malchior said. "I think that if you ask for help, he will appear."
Raven nodded. Ten minutes ago she would have never done this. Now- well now she had seen the recesses of Mal's mind and she knew he wasn't going to hurt her. She touched the picture of the door and chanted the words on the paper. Almost before the last syllable was out she found herself in the same library she had visited with Malchior. The books were stacked up high, but they weren't swirling around like they had when the dragon had dragged her in there.
"I had hoped you would come."
Raven spun around, ready to strike out at the speaker, but he held up one hand. The other held a book. Raven looked him over and pulled her hood down off her head. "You're-"
"Rorek of Noll, the man who defeated the Dread Dragon Malchior," He gave Raven a half-bow. "Welcome to my library, fair lady." He frowned. "I daresay this visit will be more pleasant than your last ones were." He dusted off the cover of the book he was holding. "I must apologize. If I had been paying more attention I might have been able to spare you a lot of pain. Malchior is the only other who can visit the library without the book itself, and he visits so often I had stopped keeping track of him. I didn't realize he had been bringing a visitor in until he let himself out. You can rest assured that I will monitor all activity in my library from now on."
Raven looked around. "So you live eternally?"
"Only in this place. My physical body is long since gone, but a part of my mind is here," he gestured. "All of these books are a part of me."
"What is that one?" Raven asked, pointing to the book he was holding. "It looks exactly like the book on the outside."
Rorek laughed. "Yes, I feel more comfortable with it looking that way. I carried my enchanted book until the day I died. Even now I appear to carry it. No, this book I'm going to particularly guard form Malchior from now on. It is a running history of the line of Noll, describing in details the exploits, personalities, appearance, and powers of all of the children of Noll. This is what he used to create the perfect man to lure you into his trap." Rorek flipped absentmindedly through the pages of the book. "Malchior perfectly imitated Mal, hoping that even if he didn't succeed in escaping he would cause more problems for Mal. He knew that the charm would activate if he ever did get free. He wanted you to destroy Mal because he much prefers Rorek."
Raven was suddenly confused. "He much prefers you?"
Rorek realized his mistake. "Malchior's brother is Rorek of Noll IV. More commonly know as Rorek the Black."
"He's named after you, " Raven said, suddenly comprehending.
"Yes. Quite ironic isn't it? The 'evil' brother is named after me and the good brother is named after Malchior. But back to business" Rorek's voice was almost the same as Mal's but deeper. He walked into the center of the circle of books instead of hanging on the edges. "So, you want to restore your friend's true form?" He waved his hand and a book came flying out of the recesses of the library. "There. That is the book you'll need." The book hovered in front of Raven and opened itself to a certain page. "You may spend as much time reading it as you need. This library never closes, but you can't take books out."
"Thank you," Raven said, looking over the spell. It seemed simple enough. She spent quite some time memorizing it. Rorek disappeared for the time being, toting the history of the line of Noll with him.
Several hours later and out of nowhere Rorek said "You must go, now. You are needed urgently."
Raven looked at him strangely but did not argue. Within seconds she was out of the book. Malchior looked terribly worried. She realized that she had materialized in the common room, and there was a scene playing on the TV. Speedy was shouting. "We can't hold off this psycho for long! He took out the twins in no time flat- we can't stop him Robin!"
"What's going on?" Raven demanded.
"Malchior's brother decided to take out his frustrations on Titans East," Cyborg informed her.
Robin shook his head. "It's a ploy to lure us away from this tower and the book as well. We can't not give help to the other Titans, but we can't leave the tower here unguarded and Jump City unprotected." Robin tuned to face his companions. "Star, Cy, you're with me. We're heading East for as long as we're needed. Raven, Beastboy, your job is to guard the tower here."
"I will help," Malchior said firmly. "I will make sure my brother does not get his hands on the book."
"Then you'll stay here too. That makes it even," Robin nodded. "To the T-jet!" He said. He, Starfire and Cyborg charged off.
Raven and Beastboy stared at the transmission from Titans East until the transmission cut off. Malchior's brother never showed up on the screen, but they saw black jets of light striking out at the members of Titans East. Raven couldn't believe the amount of power Rorek the Black was displaying. Beastboy saw the worry on her face and reached out to take her hand. Raven felt his hand brush up against hers and jumped away nervously. Beastboy, chagrined, watched as she backed away and stood next to Malchior.
The blind sorcerer was staring where the transmission had been playing moments before. His face was etched with worry. He could not see the damage his brother was causing but if he reached out with his mind he could feel it. There was a frenzy in Rorek's actions that had never been there before. If Malchior had thought his brother was dangerous before, he now knew that his brother was deadly.
He prayed for the safety of his new hosts, knowing there was nothing more he could do.
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A/N: Enter Rorek! I'm very proud of Rorek. I think he's going to surprise and startle the whole lot of you. His dialogue is going to be so, so much fun to write!
Ahem Anyway, Next chapter, you get: 1) One hell of a confused love triangle, which turns into a love square. 2) The Return of Terra! 3) To meet Rorek the Black face to face. How long can you keep your face in a maniacal grin? This guy practices. 4) The reason why this story is called 'Once Broken, Twice Shattered'. 5) One hell of a problem that threatens to destroy the titans from inside out! And possibly the Titans in some civilian clothes for once. Uniform 24-7 is so boring.
The total story is all ready longer than any of me XME: S5 episodes and I haven't finished it yet. Oops. Guess I was wrong when I averaged out how long this would turn out to be.