Break Shadow: Chapter 4
Disclaimer: DC COMICS owns "Teen Titans." I own whatever I write/create. Don't steal and don't sue.
Raven closed her eyes. The sun was cresting over the mountains just beyond Black City, and the light hurt her eyes. She had spent all night watching the sky, the moon, and the stars, and her eyes were too used to the dark. Her tears had stopped after a few hours. Time had dulled the pain to an ache under her skin, and her eyes had grown tired.
After a moment, she opened her eyes slightly. The sunrise was beautiful, and nearly made her tears start again. To think, that the person dearest to her would never see another sunrise, and all because of her. Because of her inaction. Because of her fear. Anger bubbled in Raven's chest. She hated herself for letting Starfire be killed.
There was, however, one thing—one person, that she hated more than herself at that moment. Chaos. Raven took a deep breath, her hands clenching into fists. When she looked at her hands, no shadows surrounded them. Calm. Control. Somehow she had control of her powers. Despite that, her rage continued to build. If ever she saw Chaos again—she was unsure of what she would do. Weary of the world, Raven stood up, intending to go to her room, and unsure what she would do next.
"What are you going to do?" Raven stopped moving for a moment, stopped breathing, wishing that she hadn't heard the painfully familiar voice. She turned, hoping that she had imagined what she heard. Chaos stood there, a stone's throw away from Raven. She stood, appropriately enough, against the backdrop of a still black sky, her arms crossed and the breeze pulling at her black hair.
"Well?" she asked. "What are you going to do?" She began to pace, left and right, watching Raven with blazing red eyes. "Here I am. The one who killed the girl you loved." She grinned wickedly. "What are you going to do? Well, little blackbird?" She never broke eye contact with Raven, staring at the lost young woman. "Attack? Run away? Or will you kill me, like you said you would?"
Raven's eyes narrowed and began to glow. She rushed forward, lifting off the ground and pulling back her right hand. As her fingers curled into a fist, shadows surrounded them. Chaos hopped backwards when Raven's arm started to swing about, the young woman's fist flying through the air where Chaos's neck used to be.
"It's a good start," Chaos chuckled. "But you're still not getting close enough. Again, little blackbird, and with some effort this time."
"This isn't some twisted lesson of yours!" Raven snapped. "I'm not five anymore, Chaos!" Chaos laughed, tossing her head back.
"If you want me to fight you like I mean it, then fight like you mean it!" she replied. Raven scowled and flew forward again, rounding her shoulder and concentrating on gathering enough speed in the short distance. The magic surged within her, shooting her forward faster than she had hoped for. Just before she crashed into Chaos, she grinned. Two loud cracks made their way out of Chaos's chest; the rush had snapped two ribs. As if unaffected by the broken bones, Chaos grabbed Raven's shoulders and threw her backwards over the edge of the roof.
Raven spiraled through the air a moment before righting herself. She hovered and looked up at the tower. Chaos had walked to the edge of the roof and sat down, smirking at the young woman twenty feet below. Two echoing pops suddenly rang out; Chaos's ribs had healed. Her fangs glinting in the light, Chaos abruptly pointed her finger down. Raven shot backwards instinctively, dodging an eruption of water from the bay below. When the water followed her, she waved her hands before her. The water smashed itself against the shield, falling back into the bay in a spray.
Chaos was gone when Raven looked back to the roof of the tower. She spun about, looking in every direction. A moment of silence passed, and when Raven blinked, a fist buried itself in her stomach. The strike bent her over Chaos's arm, pain flaring and radiating out through her body. Raven clutched Chaos's arm, gasping for breath.
"Come now, little blackbird," Chaos chuckled. "All that power in you, and this is the best fight you can muster?" She pulled back her fist and grabbed Raven's cloak, lifting her up to stare at her dark blue eyes. The pain had caused the magic to fade, breath still proving elusive to Raven. "I thought you had learned some control over it. Do I have to kill someone else for it to sink in? Don't tell me that the girl died for no reason."
"Shut up." Raven's eyes grew bright, strength and anger returning. Chaos laughed at her, throwing her back through the air a few feet.
"Or what?" Raven let her anger swell up, let her hands clench into fists. Her magic surged, but she held control of it. She glared at Chaos, shadows surrounding her body. Before Chaos could react, a clawed hand made of shadows grabbed her and pulled her close to Raven.
"I don't know what I'll do later," Raven murmured. "But I'm going to fight you until I know." The hand threw Chaos down into the water. The water surged back into place, flying up in a column that reached twenty feet. Raven watched, waiting to see what Chaos would do next. A moment passed, and then another. The water began to boil, and then to spread apart. Chaos rose up, looking up at Raven with a smile on her face. She lowered, the water gathering back under her. She stood on the water, smiling.
"Have you ever wondered what a demon looks like?" she asked. "A true demon—not the scant few you've faced and beaten in your short, sad life. Consider yourself lucky, little blackbird. I'm going to test your powers as I really am. Watch carefully. This is a once in a millennia event." She started to laugh. As her laugh grew louder, wickeder, black flames appeared from thin air. The flames grew and started to dance, flying around Chaos and hiding her from view as her laugh rang in Raven's ears. The inferno calmed, and Raven suddenly understood what Chaos had been saying.
Demons typically do not hide their true appearance, instead using how they look to intimidate and frighten humans to attain what they want. In Chaos's case, she had to use concealing magic. Six, diamond-shaped, glowing red eyes stared hauntingly up at Raven. Her lips were pulled in a feral grin, her fangs having grown even more pronounced than before. Her ears were just as pointed, and folded back against her head. Claws tipped her fingers and toes, and a dagger-ended tail swung twitching around her legs. Black-feathered wings came from her back, to complete the image of a fallen creature of Hell.
Raven's breath caught just behind her tongue. Fear swelled in her chest at the sight. Her hands began to shake, but the memory of Starfire's smile steadied them. She let her magic well up with her rage, calling up spells she had not used in years. With a simple thought, shadows created a sword in her hands, and she sank into a stance. Below, Chaos grinned wider, drew her sword, and settled into the same stance. She had, after all, taught Raven all that the heroine knew.
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Starfire woke up with a yawn, sitting up and stretching. She looked about and remembered where she was, jerking in shock when the memory hit her. After a moment of looking, she saw someone standing a few feet away with his or her back to the young alien.
"I see you've finally woken up," the person—a man with a deep voice—murmured. "My daughter has already gone back to face Raven again."
"But—why?" Starfire asked.
"She was going to wait for you to wake up and answer her question," he explained, "but she saw you smile in your sleep and guessed what your answer would be."
"Why is she facing Raven once more?" Starfire asked quickly.
"To test her powers."
"But—but—why?" The man chuckled softly, much to Starfire's confusion.
"Destiny."
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Thunderclaps rang through the streets of Black City. Had the windows in Titans Tower not been made of bulletproof, reinforced Plexiglas, they would have shattered. Hovering over the bay, Chaos and Raven dueled each other. Raven felt her arms vibrate every time she blocked one of Chaos's strikes. Whenever she managed to force Chaos into a defensive position, she could see no such response in the demon woman.
Both of them used the fluid, arcing style Chaos had created. Every slash flowed from the one before it, and every parry into every counter. Chaos had every advantage: she was stronger, she was faster, and she had been a warrior longer than Raven could comprehend. Raven, however, was driven by deep, searing anger and hate, and it made her almost equal in power. Almost.
Though she hated Chaos for what she had done, she still could not find it in herself to fight with everything she had. There was too much between them—a past Raven could not and would not abandon simply because of hatred. She managed to keep her focus, blocking and dodging attacks, but never truly tried for an offensive.
Chaos's tail wrapped around her ankle and flung her down through the air. She hit the water, creating a wave that splashed over the bay's shores. Chaos watched the water, chuckling when Raven eventually crawled onto a rocky shore north of the tower. She coughed up water, gasping for the breath she had lost in the impact. Chaos landed on the ground just in front of Raven and slipped the tip of her sword under Raven's chin. She lifted the sword, making Raven look up at her.
"You're holding back," she said simply. "I thought you were going to fight me until you knew what to do with me. Don't tell me you're suddenly getting scared." She chuckled again, grinning a wildcat's grin. "Better start fighting for real, little blackbird, or I'll send you to meet your dear Starfire."
The idea that Chaos would even say Starfire's name made Raven's hands clench briefly into white-knuckled fists. She slapped the sword away from her with one hand and put the other flat on the ground for balance as she swung her legs up and out from under herself. Her boot connected with the side of Chaos's head in a kick that sent the demon woman flying.
"Don't you ever say her name," Raven snarled, standing straight. She summoned the sword again, falling back into her stance while her eyes glowed brighter than ever. Chaos stood as well, letting her wings fade from existence now that she was standing on the ground. She tilted her head to the side and popped her neck, repeating the action for the other side of her neck immediately after.
"Why not?" she asked. "It's not like she thought as much of you as you thought of her."
"You don't know that!" Raven snapped.
"And neither do you." Chaos grinned again. "And it's your fault that nobody ever will."
"I know that." Raven's voice had calmed, though it still tore shreds out of her to admit it. Despite that pain, she had come to a realization—an epiphany that made a small smile appear. "I know what I'll do now." She lifted her sword in a dueling salute to Chaos. "I'm going to win this fight." When she rushed forward, Chaos smiled.
A release of self allows one to focus entirely on the battle at hand. Raven's epiphany was how to let go of everything. She let go of the pain of losing Starfire. She let go of her past with Chaos, of her fear of Chaos. The battle had to be won, and Raven suddenly realized that she could do so if she stopped laying burdens upon her back. Her speed, her strength, and her drive finally made her an equal opponent to Chaos. Raven found the power Chaos had so long spoken of and, her heart and hands lightened, took hold of it.
It was a great joy, Chaos found, to see Raven finally come into her own. For years she had labored over the girl, taking pride in her accomplishments and feeling the same kind of hurt at her failures. This battle, however, was what she had waited for. Even though she let herself be beaten, she knew the power was there. Chaos no longer had to worry about Raven.
Blow after blow was landed; slash after slash cut upon skin. Raven advanced, and Chaos gave ground with a smile on her face. A punch to the stomach made Chaos stumble back slightly, and Raven stepped back. Still smiling, Chaos sheathed her sword and spread her arms wide. Rage bubbled up inside Raven again. It would not be enough to simply claim victory, and her anger wanted Chaos dead. With a smile of her own, Raven rushed forward, sword up, to end the fight.
By then, the other Titans had crossed the bay (courtesy of a green whale) to stand on the shore. They arrived in time to see Raven's sword burst out the other side of Chaos's chest.
"You always did manage to make me proud," Chaos said. "Even after all that, you still didn't go for the kill." Raven smiled, letting the sword vanish from its place just below Chaos's collarbone. Though black blood pulsed from it, it was far from a fatal wound. When she looked up at Chaos, the demon woman had already worked her magic to show the face Raven knew well. Raven smiled, the sadness in her eyes belying such an expression.
"I couldn't," she murmured. "I didn't want to lose someone else after Starfire." She stood thinking a moment before continuing. "Even if it's too late, I'll say it now: I love Starfire." Chaos chuckled, and Raven looked at her with a small glare. She did not notice the darkening sky or thunder that rolled across the clouds. "What?"
"Well, I wouldn't say that you're saying it too late," Chaos replied. She reached up and laid one hand over the stab wound, putting pressure on it. Red and white lightning danced on the clouds, striking closer and closer to where the group stood. "I'd actually say you're a little early." The lightning struck the earth next to them, and the light blinded them.
When Raven opened her eyes, she found herself unable to stop staring. Starfire stood only a few paces away, smiling brightly. Not a moment later, Starfire had leapt forward and wrapped her arms around Raven in a tight hug.
"Starfire?" Raven whispered.
"Oh, dearest Raven, I am overjoyed to be reunited with you!" Starfire said with a giggle. Raven sat dumbstruck for a moment or two before tentatively returning the hug. Starfire was real. Alive. Abruptly, the taller young woman stood up and began looking Raven over. Finding nothing, she gave a small cheer and hugged Raven close once more. "You are uninjured! Wonderful!" Savoring the embrace, Raven turned to look at Chaos.
"You didn't hurt her at all," she murmured. Chaos shrugged with one shoulder and winked.
"Just a few tricks," she said. "I was only trying to help, little blackbird."
"I'd have to say you did a fine job, daughter." Raven looked to find a man standing next to Chaos, looking everything like the demon woman. The way he addressed her suddenly clicked in Raven's mind, and her eyes went wide.
"Lucifer?" she asked in a whisper. Lucifer Morningstar bowed his head with a gracious smile, and Raven returned the nod automatically. Chaos looked away suddenly, her smile falling into a frown.
"Gabriel," she grumbled. "What the hell do you want?" Raven followed Chaos's gaze to find another man, standing a few feet away. White wings were caped around his shoulders, equally white and immaculate clothing on his body. His long blond hair was neatly kept, and did not fall into his blue eyes.
"I am here to consecrate her," he said simply, pointing at Raven. "Heaven has decreed her power be permanently unlocked." He took a feather from one wing, walked to Raven, and passed the feather over the gem on her forehead. Raven felt the holy magic take effect, barely realizing that Starfire still held her in her arms.
"Just like Heaven," Chaos snorted. "Take all the credit for the hard work you didn't do." Gabriel looked at her a moment, refusing to let her jibs affect him.
"If you like, I can heal your wounds," he offered.
"Touch me and I'll rip your wings off." He nodded and looked to Raven.
"Use your powers well, child," he murmured. With another nod, he vanished in a flash of white light. Lucifer smiled at Raven, nodded, and vanished in a flash of red light. Raven looked at Chaos, expecting to receive an equally quick goodbye.
"Well, I suppose I should leave," Chaos said. "I need to find someone important." She started to turn, but stopped. "How about saying it now?" She winked and turned, starting off. "See you around, little blackbird." Starfire looked curiously at the young woman she still held in her arms.
"Saying what?" she asked. Raven looked at her—just looked at her bright, beautiful green eyes—and smiled.
"I love you," she murmured. She leaned forward and kissed Starfire gently. When they parted, Starfire's smile grew until she was beaming.
"Oh, this is wonderful!" she said with a giggle. "My feeling is the correct one!" She kissed Raven, and Raven gladly returned it.
—to be concluded—