Unsuspected Heroes

An alternate look at the Prophecies Universe

"Hey…Kaku. Wake up." Templar looked over to the passenger's seat where Ker was napping most undignifiedly.

"Murfle?" questioned Ker. At least that's what it sounded like. Templar had a hard time believing that the noise that came out of Ker's mouth actually had any meaning.

Templar returned his attention to the road. It didn't really matter. They were close enough to their destination that there was no point in trading off positions now. He'd wake the swordsman when they got to whatever hotel they'd be setting up shop in.

Still, night driving was exceedingly boring. He could use the other boy's conversation, but he didn't see much point in begrudging the other boy sleep. Instead, he let his mind wander, figuring that it was better than trying to stay focused on a mindless task. His brain decided to settle on the subject of his fellow vigilante. This was not a new subject, and with good reason.

Firstly, though the guy wasn't a demon…or even a half-demon, he did set the enchanted crucifix that hung about Templar's neck to warning him of the presence of something demonic. That just didn't make sense…and Kenkaku didn't seem to have any explanations. Actually, for a guy who was now in the business of fighting demons, Kenkaku was remarkably knowledge-poor on the subject…his drawing a blank at Trigon's name being a prominent example. He wasn't clueless, but he sure wasn't an expert.

But what he lacked in background knowledge, he more than made up for in pure fighting prowess. He and his blades were death on the battlefield, pure and simple. He also held strong conviction, not in any faith, but simply in the warrior code and creed. And he was a good person, as much as he seemed to be borderline obsessed with his warrior philosophy not fitting in with the mores of modern society.

Templar could have done with a partner that shared his faith, but as it went, Kenkaku was a much better one than he could have reasonably expected. It was good to fight alongside a friend.

"Ker tells me you know about prophecies," stated Raven flatly.

Sarah jumped and whirled on the other girl. "AH! Would you not do that? You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Nonsense. You couldn't possibly have a heart condition at your age that would translate into a heart attack." Despite herself, Raven gave a slight smile. She almost felt like Rachel again.

"Yeah, yeah. How'd you get in my room anyway?"

"Shadow-warped."

"Huh…so you can teleport." Raven sensed something behind that statement, but decided to just let it be. Sarah continued. "Anyway, Ker's right. My little name, Soothsayer, remember?" Raven nodded. "Well, it comes because I'm something like an oracle. In my mind is every prophecy ever written into the weave of reality. It's actually pretty useless, though. Most of them don't clear up entirely until the prophecy is taking place, and all of them are cryptic. It does mean that I'm a perfect linguist. I can speak, read, and write fluently in any language. So yeah, I know about them."

Raven nodded. That much made sense. "Ker told me that prophecies are always uncertain…but that makes no sense. I always thought the definition of a prophecy was that something would come to pass. Care to explain that?"

Sarah sat down. "Well, both are true. Prophecies are the foretelling of events…but only to a point. You could think of them like decision points for all of reality. What the outcome is…that's never decided. But pure prophecy is almost never heard. Almost inevitably, the original meaning is twisted by bias, conscious or unconscious."

"Okay…Ker said something along the lines that Trigon would come to Earth…"

"That's the decision point."

"Right…and his taking Earth?"

"That's the question, now isn't it? For the record, the prophecy Trigon uses isn't the real one. In fact, it's pretty far off from reality. The original language is actually Japanese…like every other one that involves the Kaze Rei Bushi. I bet you know who that is."

"Ker."

"Yeah. That's what he's been called before. He's got a big part to play in this one, as do you. As do we all."

"So…what's the prophecy?"

"It's still too covered in mist on the Fields for me to give you a coherent version…sorry. But as soon as I can, I'll tell you, okay?"

"Thanks, Sarah." Raven disappeared into a shadow-warp.

"I only wish I could feel justified in taking your thanks, my friend," lamented Sarah to the empty space where Raven had stood.

"So, how's Jinx?"

Cyborg turned from the computer to see Robin standing in his doorway. "Well enough, dawg. We'll be waking her up soon. The nannies really did a first-class job on her. She should be good as new…physically, anyway. She'll need therapy, but that was obvious from the moment we saw those wounds."

"Tell me about it. So what's got you worried? Her mental state?"

Cyborg gestured helplessly. "What else? Not to mention the fact that waking up in Titans' Tower won't exactly be a synonym with 'safe' in her mind. Add to that the fact that she considers me a betrayer…I really can't say I'm too sanguine about this whole situation."

"Well, the whole situation is plenty sanguine on its own," muttered Robin.

"Eh?"

"Sanguine doesn't just mean hopeful, it also means bloody," explained the Teen Wonder.

"Wonder how those two got connected," mused Cyborg.

"Something with an old Greek philosopher and the balance of 'humors' in one's body. Doesn't matter. Personally, I've got a really bad feeling about this. More blood is going to be spilled…mark my words." He sighed. "It almost feels like I'm back in Gotham again…but it could be worse. It isn't anything like Bludhaven."

"Yet," remarked Cyborg pessimistically.

"You've been hanging out with Raven too much, buddy. But yeah, yet."

A gloomy silence hung in the air between them until Robin backed out of the doorway and it closed behind him.

Loud grunts and yells emanated from the main gym as Starfire floated down the halls, prompting her to investigate.

"Hello, Friend Ro…Beast Boy."

Indeed, sweating and panting in front of a heavy bag that Robin normally assaulted was Beast Boy. His drenched body was trembling as he stared at the punching bag, seeming to accuse it of some injustice it had done him. It was a long few moments until he unclenched his fists…now bloody from the abuse he had put them through, and turned his head enough to greet her. "Hey, Starfire."

Before she could say anything, he slammed a side kick into the weighty canvas bag. If the alien girl was any judge, the changeling's foot was more affected than was the bag. But the elfin boy didn't stop, following up that strike with a clumsy but passable roundhouse kick. Gritting his teeth, he clenched his fists and started in again with them, throwing in a few thrust kicks that finally set the bag to swinging.

Screaming, the changeling smashed his forehead into the oncoming bag, sending him to the floor, dazed. Gasping, the Tamarenian bent down to examine him. "Friend…"

"Heh," spat Beast Boy bitterly, "They tell you to take life head-on…and look where it gets you."

Ever since the internet, libraries had become somewhat underused. Hence why George Pence spent so many quiet days. Well, quieter than usual…or less eventful, whichever one preferred. He didn't mind it so much, but it was depressing in more than a few ways. A good appreciation of books was so rare these days.

"Excuse me, sir? Do you have a section on the occult?"

The graying librarian looked up, startled. Standing with an inquisitive look on her face was a rather attractive young lady. Medium-length strawberry-blond hair framed a heart-shaped face with aqua eyes and a pert nose. "Yes, yes. I'm sorry, you startled me. Not many people your age visit here, anymore."

"Well, I have a report to do for school…"

"Of course." He stood and gestured. "If you'd just come this way Miss…"

"Delacroix. Cerise Delacroix."

"Miss Delacroix. Our section on the occult is this way." Leading the young woman there, he paused only long enough to make sure that she was having no obvious troubles, then walked back to his desk…only to find that two young men were standing there.

One was large, much like the football players that had caused so much havoc in the library only a few weeks ago. But if he shared their body type, he did not share their expression. Instead of a sneer of contempt for the knowledge contained inside the building, he had a look of respect on his face. And if he was a football player, he had been in one rough game in his past, considering the claw-mark-like scars that ran down his face. Blonde-haired and blue-eyed, he emanated virtue.

The other practically screamed 'dancer', slender and toned…if it wasn't for the warrior's fire in his eyes and the way he held himself…as if ready to slide into the flow of battle at any second. THAT screamed 'martial artist'. His decently long hair was gathered into a ponytail at the nape of his neck that was short now but promised to grow longer. He was also quite good looking, with tanned skin and a pair of intense storm-blue eyes.

The slender one spoke first, in a voice that was accented in way both like and unlike a native Japanese speaker who had acquired English as a second language. "Excuse me sir, would a strawberry-blonde girl about half a head shorter than me have come into here? She'd likely have asked for the occult section?"

"Oh, you mean Miss Delacroix? Yes, she's in the occult section. Why? Are you two partners with her on her school project?"

"Sort of…" replied the big one.

"We have similar interests and were hoping to team up for the project with her. Could you please point us to that section?"

George pointed it out. "Please do keep quiet. And good luck on your project."

"Thank you, sir."

"We'll do our best to keep quiet."

With that, the two of them walked off, leaving one George Pence with a renewed hope for the intellectual health of the youth of America.

"Was it really necessary to lie to that guy?" asked Templar in a low tone as they walked out of earshot.

Ker shrugged. "Well, what did you want to say? That we're a pair of demon hunters? True as it may be, I personally think it's better to just let the guy think we're a pair of normal students. Besides, it's not as if we lied to him…"

"You sure mislead him."

"Well, yeah. But when you really look at it, reality is formed by one's perceptions of it. He's happy as a normal librarian. Why should I inject demons into his reality?" The pony-tailed swordsman held a hand out and flipped it back and forth. "It's a case of the lesser of two evils."

"Still…"

"Consider this then. What if he was a cultist? We aren't carrying our blades, considering that they're so conspicuous, and if he had a way to call on demons, we'd be pretty well screwed, wouldn't we?"

"A very good point. My crucifix would have detected him, though."

"Yeah, well, I'm not all that trusting of that thing, considering it pegged me as a demon. Besides, sensing magic can be shielded from…that's just good sense."

"Oh, come on Kaku…its HOLY magic." Templar snorted and walked on ahead, entering the occult section first.

Ker shook his head and followed him.

"Miss Delacroix?" asked Templar. "We'd like toOOF!"

Ker executed a turning side step as Templar stumbled back at him, courtesy of a thrust kick to the gut. The girl matched Talon's description, albeit in street clothes. She had adopted a slightly side-on stance with her right hand leading…her power hand, guessed Ker, judging by it's slightly more developed knuckles, and with her elbows tucked in, protecting her lower torso.

Locking his vision onto her solar plexus, Ker let his peripheral vision go to soft focus, letting him watch her entire body at once. Her feet switched places rapidly, presenting a confusing picture to even well-trained opponents. And they were quickly coming at him.

Right-hand vertical fist! Reacting quickly, he turned his head out of the way of the strike, not taking his chance to trap her arm and joint lock her. Talon quickly withdrew her strike and transferred into the next.

Spinning back kick! A powerful attack by any standard. Not feeling like getting hit with it, he flowed out of the way and brought himself into a stance not unlike the one his opponent had chosen. "It's not nice to sneak up on a girl," taunted Talon, working her way speedily left around Kenkaku, to no avail. Ker pivoted, keeping his guard facing her.

Disruptive low kicks! Talon's feet lashed out in a series of low strikes meant to mess with an opponent's footwork, but Ker was up to the task, neutralizing each one with mild kicks of his own that left no doubt that he knew what he was doing. "That wasn't really the idea…but one should remain quiet in a library, neh?"

Chain punch! The blonde's fists licked out in a lightning-fast succession, not meant for power, but for sheer overwhelming quantity. Ker started an evasion and blocking routine that kept her blows from his body, but still left him pinned by her attack, unable to do anything proactive. "Yeah…you're right. So be quiet when I gut you, demon. I don't know how you corrupted anyone who wears a holy symbol like that, but you aren't getting me."

Ker slap blocked one of the punches in the chain wide…very wide. The next one impacted on his shoulder, but then he had Cerise by the wrist. This he parlayed into a joint lock that spun her around, along with a knee strike that put her on her knees. "Dammit!" he hissed into her ear, "I'm not a demon! Fates above…I fight them! Get that? We're in the same business as you, and we might just need your help with a big situation."

"So you're what? A half-demon? Fighting against your worse nature? Or are you just trying to get in that Raven girl's leotard?"

Ker's jaw dropped, then quickly shut, the long-haired swordsman gritting his teeth as he kept himself from inflicting more pain upon the girl. "Taken in order…I'm human…and that's it. I accept my warrior nature for the good it can do, and not that it's any of your business, but yes, I am in love with Raven…though that has nothing to do with WHY I'm doing this."

"He's telling the truth," cut in a returned Templar, holding his gut. "He'd probably already be in her leotard if he wasn't doing this, actually. Nice kick, by the way."

Ker blushed. "Shut up, Templar. Please…just shut up."

Templar grinned evilly…or as evilly as the righteous boy could. "Oh no, Kaku. I've got this one chance to embarrass you…and I'm going to use it."

"I know that the Fates are impartial in how they mete out Balance, but sometime I do have to wonder if they aren't possessed of a sick sense of humor." Ker sighed. "Look, can I let you go without you trying to take my head off, or some other thing that would force me to send you flying into a bookcase?"

"Yeah…so what do you need my help with?"

"Well you see…" started Ker, before Mr. Pence's voice cut in.

"What's going on in there?"

"The boys just startled me!" called back Cerise. "There was a little trouble in here, but we're all fine now." She raised an eyebrow. "You going to let me up yet?" she asked Ker quietly.

He did. "Yeah, sure. Anyway…we've got some business with the Scath worshippers."

The blonde whistled. "Trigon, eh? You two are sure playing in the big leagues. So you're recruiting, right? So what's his plan now?"

Ker frowned. "Beyond what's detailed in his version of the prophecy…we have no clue."

She froze. "No way…it's come? The end of humanity's reign? Trigon is coming to Earth? How soon?"

Ker shook his head. "There's no way to tell. Templar and I found a group that Scath was using as a conduit for a 'scouting party' so to speak…"

"Gateway-vessel summoning?" she asked, nodding.

"Yeah. We shut that down, and when I did some reading of their stuff, we found out that they were devoted to Trigon…well, Scath. Raven filled us in on the connection between Scath and Trigon."

"And I filled you in on who Trigon was," interjected Templar.

"Shut up. Anyway, the prophecy was mentioned during all this, in vague terms. I assume we're talking about 'The gem was born of evil's fire, the gem shall be his portal. He comes to claim, he comes to sire, the end of all things mortal.'"

Cerise took a deep breath. "I don't know how you can say that so calmly, but yeah."

"Mostly because I have more of an understanding of prophecy than you do. Besides, that isn't a doom sentence. Even assuming that's the whole prophecy, which I don't, it doesn't actually explicitly say that he will 'sire the end of all things mortal', only that it's his purpose."

Cerise nodded. "So you want help with finding and destroying this…gem? And cutting through the ranks of the cultists and demons that'll be protecting it, of course."

Ker shook his head. "No. 'The gem shall be his portal,' remember? He's coming, and there's nothing we can do to stop that. I'm recruiting for the fight against Trigon when he comes through his portal."

The girl sighed. "You're insane…but on the off-chance that you're right…sure. But I've got to know. Why the hell do you set off demon detectors if you're not a half-demon?"

Ker shrugged. "I have no idea. Perhaps it's because I love Raven?"

"It's about the only thing we can think of," added Templar.

"Wouldn't do it," responded Cerise. "The 'love' part in detection spells refers to the embracing of what demons represent…which Raven is in direct opposition to. I wonder though…you could be a Precursor."

"A what now?" asked the two boys as one.

"A Precursor," she repeated. "Demons and humans aren't really that different…along with angels there's a triangle of interrelation. So, by the specific breeding of humans, it's possible to create new bloodlines of angels or demons. You could be a naturally occurring Precursor, though it's impossible to determine if you're a celestial or infernal. This special breeding builds up to a kind of 'critical mass', and if the right trigger comes along…"

"Ken no chi…" muttered Ker to himself in Japanese. "I guess that would explain it. So I'm human…but with the potential to become something more."

"Exactly. Precursors also often exhibit powers without any visible changes to their form…it's a kind of clue as to what they can become."

"Well, I'm not bothered by weather extremes…"

"Somehow, I doubt that's a clue to your power. Anyway, the actual trigger determines if you'll turn out celestial or infernal."

"That's for the future," said Ker heavily. "Let's just get on with what's happening now.

"Right." The three of them headed for the exit.