The beginning of the End

Chapter 2- A deal with the devil

"Preach all you want but who's gonna save me?

I keep a gun on the book that you gave me,

Hallelujah, lock and load"

-My Chemical Romance, Thank you for the venom

Echoing footsteps interrupted the silence of the dark tunnel like dripping water in an empty house. The heavy steps moved forward purposely, the owner of these steps was hidden in the blackness of the path. He strode on quickly, his beady dark eyes straining to see with only the dim glow of his flash light to guide him. He brought his wrist up close to his face and pressed a small button on the side of his sports watch. Bright blue light erupted from the watch's face. 8:43 stood out in bold black numbers. Shit, he'd already been walking for an hour and still no end to the dirt tunnel. If he wasn't back with an answer for his master in another hour there would certainly be hell to pay. He shuddered with the thought of making the master angry; as, he was sure, all of his masters servants would have if they were in his situation.

His mission was certainly not perilous, but he did hope it would be quick. His mind was focused on his objective, but his heart secretly hoped the target would deny his masters offer. How he longed to wrap his hands around her slender young neck. How he wanted to feel his grip tighten, to squeeze the life from her small body. A dark grin spread across his lips and his eyes narrowed. Fear kept him in his place, but his serial killer instincts still pulsed in the back of his mind. kill her, the master will never know you lied. Just kill her. You know you want to feel that rush. You know you can't resist. Her neck in your hands. Her life in your hands. "No, He'll know. He knows everything." The dark man whispered to the voice in his head. He won't know. Anyway's, whose fault would it be? The natural killer or the man who sent the killer? He should never have assigned you to this mission, where you can only kill under a certain circumstance; he's set you up to fail. He must know you can't resist. "No...No I promised him. He let me go and I promised him. He'll know, He'll know!" He cried, his flashlight crashing to the rocky ground as his hands shot up to either side of his head. KILL HER. He pressed his palms against his temples; his eyes squeezed shut and his head shaking from side to side violently as if he was trying to shake the voice from his mind. "Get out! Get out!" He sobbed "I can't. He'll know. He'll know!" The voice didn't argue. The dark man sighed in relief and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt like a child. "I can't. Not unless she refuses to come. That's what the master said. That's what he said" He spoke to himself in an assuring voice that gave him a renewed sense of confidence. He even smiled as he bent down to retrieve his fallen light. "That's what he said, and I do what master says".

Terra sat in darkness. She couldn't feel, see, hear, or speak; but she could think. And that's exactly how she had spent every moment of this lonely isolation. She didn't know how long it had been since the whole incident with Slade. It could have been a day ago, or a year. All she knew was that she had counted on her friends to help her. To think of a way to save her. And they probably did try. She had felt, very early in her arrival to this dark existence, Raven's presence, weak, but there. She felt the witch trying to reach her mind, reaching for any consciousness, and just skimming the back of Terra's mind where she was prisoner in her own head. Raven was so close to reaching her, but all Terra could do was call for her to reach just a little deeper. As soon as Terra thought Raven might just reach her, Raven pulled out, and Terra could do nothing but scream for her to come back. It was like she was a child watching her parents driving away from the gas station, forgetting she was in the bath room.

Now, Terra just spent her time going over every thing she could remember about her short life, spending an exceptional amount of time thinking about her time with the Titans, and her time with Slade. Which did she now regret more? If she had just stayed with Slade, then this would have never happened right? She was all alone. And she was beginning to feel something familiar towards the Titans, her friends. Yes, she had definitely felt this way about them before... what was it? A sense of jealousy, anger,...abandonment?

Before she could finish answering her own thoughts something happened that hadn't in such a long time she barley recognized it. There was something in her head other than her own thoughts, the sound of something crumbling. Her conscious self leaped with hope. She was hearing, what could that mean? Did the Titans find a way to help her? Did that change how she felt?

The sound continued for a while, and Terra waited impatiently for something more to happen. When it did stop and nothing happened, Terra felt her heart sink. Maybe she was going crazy? Or... what if she was dead. What if this was hell? She had no time to think more about this as a strong smell struck her like lighting to a metal rod. Her eyes shot open and she began to cough uncontrollably. Her sight was hazy and blurred. Every thing she did see moved by in slow motion, her world spinning. She felt hands on either side of her shoulders holding her up in their tight grip. She stood like that for a few minuets before she noticed that her name was being called. She weakly lifted her head up and waited for her vision to come in focus. A man was standing in front of her, holding her up. His face was thin and sunken, his shoulder length dark hair untamed and knotted. He was tall, at least six feet, and had a skeleton like look to him. His eyes were small dark beads, looking her up and down, lingering on her throat for only an instance. "Terra?" He said again, his voice was raspy and deep. Terra heard him perfectly clear this time, and she nodded in response. His smile was thin and unpleasant. "You can hear me now?" He asked. "Yes" Terra said, her voice just above a whisper. "Good, can you stand alone?". Terra nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure that she could in fact stand alone. She was happy to feel her shaky legs strengthen a little under her weight.

"Who...Who are you?" Terra asked in a small voice. The dark man was standing before her, looking at her like that was the most absurd question he had ever been asked. "That really doesn't matter much, does it Terra? You're free, aren't you? Isn't that what you should be asking about?"."Fine, then why did you help me? Are you with the Titans?" She asked even though she knew someone like this man could never be associated with the Teen Titans, not in a million years. She wasn't surprised in the least when she heard the man burst into a fit of laughter. "Me... with the titans? The... The very people who locked me up?" He laughed, and then stopped abruptly.
"No Terra, I'm not with the Titans. I work for some one much more powerful than them. Someone who helps people like you and me, who will give you shelter and protection and even a chance for revenge in exchange for your loyalty. Some one who considers you a very important girl". His eyes flashed dangerously. Something about him made her uneasy, but for now Terra pushed the thought aside.

"What makes you think I need shelter and protection? And why would I want revenge?" She asked more strongly now, her voice slowly coming back to life. "My master knows how the Titans have abandoned you, left you for dead, and moved on with their self righteous lives. After all, it has been three years since any of them have come to visit you. Look around for yourself". He motioned with his hands to the debris surrounding them. Underneath all the ruble and crumbled rock lay dead flowers and dusty gifts. A glass box in the shape of a heart lie broken on the floor a few feet away, covered in dust. It did look like the shrine to the fallen titan had been forgotten for years. "See Terra, you saved them and they have forgotten you. Even Beastboy, your little green friend has grown up and replaced you. I hear there's something going on between him and the witch now." The dark man's eyes searched her face, waiting for a reaction from Terra. And a reaction he got. Terra felt her eyes begin to water. Three years? They had left her here to rot for three freaking years? And while she was left alone in darkness, Beastboy and Raven, of all people, had been fucking around? Terra felt her body shaking in rage and hot tears made clear tracks down her dirty face. "My master has sent me to make you an offer. Your soul, your life, in exchange for your revenge. Do you accept?" He asked. "And if I don't?" Terra growled, earning her a strange, hopeful glance from the man. "Well, if you don't I'll be forced to end your life right here, with my bare hands." He smiled and cracked his knuckles on each fist. Terra searched for any power she could muster, but it was hopeless, her powers were drained. "Fine, my soul for my revenge. Your master's got himself a deal" She said, her voice full of all the hate and sorrow she now felt towards her old friends. The man nodded and turned away, but not before he could hide the disappointed look in his eyes. Who are these people? And what have I gotten myself into now? Terra thought, though she supposed it didn't matter much. All that mattered now was her revenge, and if this guy could help her get it, then her soul is a fair price. Isn't it?

Thank you for all your Reviews . The plot will start picking up in the next few chapters, but they probably wont be up for a little while. Thank you for reading!

-Black Broken Wings