My apologies for taking so long- let us just say lightning and computers don't mix.
Chapter 14: Rise And Fall
It's all so peaceful, Aqualad thought, as his consciousness floated in blissful, painless darkness.
Recent memories flashed across his mind- the Deep Ones attacking the leading submarine, their seemingly primitive clubs bashing through the submarine's armour with distressing ease, the desperate melees that ensued aboard all the other submarines as more Deep Ones, far more at home in the water than even the Atlanteans, quickly joined the battle.
Then, the explosion above him…
And now… he didn't know where he was, neither did he care. All he knew was that he wanted to stay like this forever, and the odds were, that was exactly what was going to happen.
Suddenly, pain.
"Aqualad? Aqualad! Wake up, man!" he heard someone say. "Oh no… Aqualad!"
"Starfire?" he asked groggily. He opened his eyes, but the darkness remained. Ah, he thought, with a calmness that surprised even him, I'm blind, or dying.
He tried to get up, but something above him pressed him downwards.
Well, at least I'm not blind.
And judging by the growing pain he felt all over his body, it didn't look so bad.
"Please start with the 'holding on', Aqualad!" he heard Starfire say, before he felt something lifted off him with a creaking sound, and as he heard it clang next to him, he felt relieved of some of the oppressiveness on his body, and his eyes were flooded with a blinding light.
"Hey Starfire," he said, as he felt her pick him up. As she turned him over, he could not help but notice the effect the bright light and blurred eyesight had on what he saw: Starfire, looking as beautiful as ever, framed by a golden-white halo…
Then, as if on cue, the pain returned.
"Please, stay still, Aqualad," Starfire said, seeing the young Atlantean's eyes crease up in pain. She sat Aqualad down at the side of the corridor and reached for her communicator. "Robin! I have found Aqualad!"
But Robin did not answer. "Starfire? You have found my son?" she heard Aquaman say.
"Yes, your Majesty-"
"Is he all right?" he asked curtly.
"I'm fine, father," Aqualad said, trying his best to sound so. "Where's Robin, if I might ask?"
"He's busy repairing Cyborg," Aquaman said in the same brusque manner, although this time, there was a small touch of relief in his voice. "Wait there, I'll dispatch a medical team."
"Yes, father," Aqualad said, as Aquaman turned the comlink off. He gave Starfire a rueful look. "I'm sorry, Starfire. My father, well, he doesn't like surfacers much."
"I do not mind," Starfire said.
Aqualad leaned back. "No, you don't, do you?" he agreed. "Raven with you guys?"
Starfire shook her head. "I am afraid she is in the sickbay of the research station, Aqualad."
"That's a pity," Aqualad replied. "Some of that healing magic'd be nice right about now." He winced as pain spiked itself up his ribs. "Cyborg may not need it, but I sure do, and Beast Boy- Starfire?" he asked, his eyes widening.
"Yes, Aqualad?"
"Is Beast Boy With you?"
(scene change)
"All the survivors have been evacuated, your Majesty," the captain of the Atlantean flagship said, walking up to his King, who was standing at the head of the bridge, looking out at the wreckage ahead.
"Casualties?" Aquaman asked.
"Many injuries, a few fatalities- we do not have an exact count yet, your Majesty," the captain said, looking at his report. "All the group's crewmen have been accounted for, for what little consolation that may bring."
"Except for one of the surface dwellers who accompanied my son, correct?"
The captain winced. "Unfortunately, yes, your Majesty," he replied. "However, our investigations," by this he meant 'from what Robin was able to find out', but he'll be damned if he admitted he needed a surface dweller, "have revealed that the shapeshifter had managed to escape the ship before it retreated."
He walked closer to his King, his voice lowering as he continued, "Your Majesty, while I mean no disrespect by this, either towards you or your son, or the value of your son's friends-"
"Get to the point, Captain."
"Of course, Your Majesty," the captain replied. "We do not know why yet, your Majesty, but there is a strong possibility that he might have abandoned the ship to enter R'l'yeh."
Aquaman turned to his captain, incredulous. He knew surface dwellers, as a whole, were mostly mad or stupid (or both), but this- "Are you sure of this, Captain?"
"Yes, your Majesty. Very sure, which is why- which is why I believe you should prepare your son and his friends to mourn their teammate's passing."
"You are saying we should proceed as originally planned?"
"Yes, your Majesty?"
Aquaman looked back out the massive window in front of him. He knew about R'l'yeh; what it was, its history, and what it would mean for Atlantis if it were to rise again…
"No, captain."
"Your majesty?" his captain asked, incredulous (and not a little terrified).
"I am not saying that our original plan does not have merit, captain," Aquaman said semi-reassuringly, "and I intend to carry it out. However, we will mount a search-and-rescue mission for my son's friend to the best of our ability, surface dweller or not."
"But, your Majesty, R'l'yeh- we cannot-"
"I know, Captain," Aquaman sighed, as if regretting his decision already. "I know."
The captain took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, with all due respect, I don't think I can tell the crew that we would have to delay R'l'yeh's destruction even to allow for a rescue mission, much less one involving a surface dweller! Even if he is one of your son's friends!"
Aquaman smiled, but it was the smile of one who knows he is heading towards damnation. "Is that a threat of mutiny, Captain?"
The captain sighed. "No, your Majesty. We are your Royal Guard. We were faithful to you during your brother's rebellion, we are faithful to you now. But with all due respect, your Majesty," he said, with more focus in his voice now, "I hope you are making the right decision."
Aquaman fell silent for a moment, before replying, "To tell the truth captain, I hope so too."
(scene change)
It had been a long and tiring chase, but at least nobody was following Beast Boy anymore. It was this comforting thought that accompanied Beast Boy as he emerged from the small pool within the ruins.
As he sat back, trying to catch his breath, he tried to ignore the water dripping through the fallen masonry above his head. More to the point, he tried to ignore the masonry itself. Up close, it seemed even more- even more… wrong, than it had been at a distance, what with all the intricate, yet faintly nauseating carvings, the faded yet still visible paintings- even the writing seemed to flow within the eye as a poison would.
Of course, the fact that said masonry was the only thing between him and the unimaginable weight of the ocean didn't help his composure either-
He managed to morph into a rat and scamper behind a pile of broken stones in the nick of time. Led by a slender purple, tentacle-headed creature in thin robes, a group of Deep Ones marched past in perfect unison- too perfect. And what was that smell? It smelled… familiar, somehow. Foul, nauseating even, but familiar-
Then he saw the condition the Deep Ones' bodies were in, the narrow slit in the tentacle-headed creature's robes, the encrusted liquid around the slit…
Oh man, don't let me be right…
As the patrol passed, Beast Boy morphed into a hyena, and sniffed the air surreptitiously. Much to his horror, his hunch was correct.
Every single member of that patrol was dead.
Oh man, he thought, as he changed back, that's sick. This whole place is sick.
Suddenly, a loud, angry hiss echoed through the ruined halls, and Beast Boy, once more in mouse form, ducked into a small crevice.
(scene change)
"Your Majesty," the flagship's communications officer said, "we have received a transmission from the research station. It appears that the surfacer we left behind… has gone missing, your Majesty."
"Raven's missing?" Aqualad asked, echoing the concerned sentiment of the other Titans.
"What happened?" Aquaman asked coldly.
Even though she was at her console twenty feet below the bridge, the communications officer felt herself unconsciously backing away from Aquaman's glare. "I'm just reporting what they transmitted, your Majesty," she said. "They said the station went dark for a few moments when the power suddenly went out, and when it came back on, the surfacer was gone-"
"Enough," Aquaman said. "Tell them to mount a search. Have all available personnel, Atlantean or otherwise, search for her." He looked to the viewscreen. For now, it wasn't showing anything, but everyone on the ship knew that situation would be changing very soon… "As if we did not have enough problems," he muttered. "Captain?" he said suddenly.
"Yes, your Majesty?"
"Tell my son and the Titans to ready themselves."
"Yes, your Majesty- your Majesty, where are you going?" the captain asked, as Aquaman walked off into the corridor behind them.
"Is it not obvious, captain?" Aquaman said, smiling grimly. "I am going to join them."
(scene change)
In the years to come, long after Raven and Blackfire left, long after the Titans separated, Beast Boy would still find himself unable to explain just how he found his way within R'l'yeh.
But he remembered being awed. He couldn't help it.
After emerging from what seemed at first to be an endless maze of tunnels, Beast Boy found himself looking upwards into a massive pit, hewn from red rock. Looking upwards, Beast Boy saw long, thin bridges stretching across the pit, each bridge forming the connection between small doorway-like caverns, one of which Beast Boy had just emerged from. The top of the pit itself was a domelike structure. Unlike the roughly-cut sides of the pit, the dome itself, even from the distance Beast Boy was looking at it, was definitely built with care, and even provided some sort of light to the pit.
Of the bottom of the pit itself, Beast Boy saw no sign, save an impenetrable darkness-
"Enjoying the view, Beast Boy?"
Beast Boy looked across the bridge. "You," he spat.
"Why?" Legion asked. "Who else were you expecting?" He took a few steps forward, emerging from the darkness of the cavern behind him. "Planning to play the gallant hero, I guess?"
"Where's Blackfire?" Beast Boy asked angrily.
For his part, Legion didn't seem to hear Beast Boy. "You know, I wouldn't mind being rescued from here myself," he said, seemingly lost in his own world. "I hate this city- well, to be rather more specific, I hate the afterbirth that runs it."
He spat down the pit. "You were never in it to serve my Master's cause, were you?" he asked, poison (and perhaps a little jealousy) in his voice. He turned to Beast Boy, smiling bitterly. "You know, I always thought he was in it for the destruction, plain and simple-"
"I don't care! Where's Blackfire?"
"-and my Master's help was just a bonus, nothing like the great gift it was," Legion sighed.
Beast Boy was hit by a sudden thought- a possible reason for Legion's nostalgic ramblings. He quickly turned behind, watching out for any clones-
"Don't worry, Beast Boy," Legion said. "You won't find any of my duplicates running about. The now-sleeping- and hopefully soon-to-be-deceased- owner of this scrap heap made sure I wouldn't be able to do so while I was in his city." Legion's bitter smile grew wider. "His way of making sure I was where he wanted me."
He spat down the pit. "Now, he's practically in a coma, and his minions are dead and under my control-"
"Your control- you're doing that?" Beast Boy asked, incredulous disgust temporarily overrunning his desire to find Blackfire.
"Oh please, Beast Boy," Legion said, "don't be such a-"
His head jerked sharply upwards, and he whispered something Beast Boy didn't catch. "So… you're here to rescue Blackfire, then?" he asked slowly, looking back at Beast Boy. "You do realize I can't do that without at least some resistance?" he asked, raising his two blades and grinning widely.
"Yeah, I get it."
"Good."
(scene change)
Maybe I'll stay here.
Sure, it's a bit dark, but it's so peaceful.
Besides, it isn't as if I have a choice.
I mean, it isn't as if I'll miss anyone, or anyone will miss me.
Wait.
Raven.
I don't want to go.
I will not go.
I will…
I…
…
…
…
Raven?
Blackfire's eyes suddenly opened, only to be shut just as quickly as light quickly flooded them. Blinking rapidly, she looked around her cage, and the first thing that went through her mind as she looked around her cage was her pleasant surprise when she saw the glowing runes gone-
Oh no.
"Raven? Raven!" Blackfire shouted, seeing the figure lying on the cage's floor. "Raven!" she said again, as she took the Azerath's limp form into her arms.
"No, don't…" Raven whispered weakly as Blackfire picked her up.
"What are you talking-" Blackfire started, when Raven's hood fell, and the Tameranian saw something that almost made her drop Raven.
"It's this place," Raven explained weakly, as she barely lifted hr hood to cover her two pairs of red, snakelike eyes. "I can feel it- I can feel it trying to take over me-"
"Good enough for me," Blackfire said, standing up, Raven in her arms. "Let's go-"
"No," Raven whispered. "You have to help Beast Boy."
"Beast Boy? He's here?"
Raven nodded tiredly. "Help him," she repeated.
"Why? Raven, he's the one responsible for all this!"
"That isn't true, and you know it." Raven fell silent, and seemingly for the first time, Blackfire heard the sound of combat below her. "Please, Blackfire… help him. I'll be… I'll be fine."
"Raven, I can't leave you here," Blackfire said hoarsely.
"He needs you now, Blackfire… a whole lot more than I do."
"Liar," Blackfire replied, smiling, before placing Raven on the ground. With a heavy heart, she brushed her lips lightly against raven's, and flew downwards.
(scene change)
It was funny, how much Beast Boy could not remember about his time at R'l'yeh. First, he couldn't remember how he found his way to the Tomb Of Cthulhu, and neither could he remember what happened in those first few seconds of his fight with Legion.
But what he did remember, he remembered as if it were burned into his mind- the feeling of utter exhilaration as he rushed, screaming wildly; then, flashes of memory, of unleashing a hailstorm of claw and teeth upon Legion, as his fury and Legion's blades clashed in a deadly ballet.
And most sweetly of all, the look of sheer terrified astonishment on the demon's face.
From bear to velociraptor to panther, Beast Boy shifted from form to form with a speed that almost seemed liquid. He remembered the savage pleasure he felt when he saw Legion bleed; remembered the smell of Legion's fear. He would never feel so close to his animalistic nature again.
Legion, bleeding from myriad cuts and bruises over his body, staggered back. He had never expected anything like this happening to him- the very thought was ridiculous, Trigon's most favoured retreating from, from- from an animal, nothing more!
He wished he could shapeshift into his true form, then he'd be able to show this upstart a thing or two, but he needed all of his magical power and concentration to maintain his undead army.
He snarled, as he saw Beast Boy charging toward him, once more in the form of a velociraptor. No, a being of his stature shouldn't need to shapeshift against this human simpleton, he thought as he ran forward to meet Beast Boy's charge.
Beast Boy remembered leaping forward, claws extended forward. He remembered Legion coming towards him in mid-air, blades ready to strike.
He never remembered any pain. When he thought about it, it was probable that he never did.
He only remembered that, when he landed, he tried to get up for another charge- 'tried' being the operative word, as he tripped and fell. As Legion slowly walked towards Beast Boy, the green velociraptor tried once more to get up, but couldn't. Only then did Beast Boy look back, and saw the small but deep stab wound in his leg.
He shifted back into human form, hoping he'd have more luck with hands, but the damage was done. His blood was slowly pooling near him, and Legion was getting closer-
A blast of violet energy blew up the ground near Legion, and he was driven back. Beast Boy looked up- "Blackfire?"
"Yes, Blackfire," Legion said. To Beast Boy's surprise, he was smiling- not with the bloodthirsty smirk he saw Legion exhibit just a few moments before, but with the smile of the only one in the room to get a joke, a joke he told.
Either Blackfire didn't see it for what it was, or she didn't care. "Just so you remember," she said to Legion, "you started this."
And with that, she charged the demon.
Or would have, if Legion hadn't nonchalantly stepped backward over the bridge into the pit. Blackfire flew down, out of Beast Boy's vision as she looked for Legion.
Something behind her-
And suddenly, Beast Boy saw the two of them emerge from under the bridge, with Blackfire flying upwards as she desperately tried to pull Legion's hands away from her throat.
They continued to struggle as Blackfire flew upward at a blinding speed, the two of them twisting and turning in midair. Somehow Blackfire managed to flip Legion around to her front, and the two of them continued to trade kicks and punches in mid air, Legion using various leg and handholds in midair to keep himself with Blackfire, not an easy task considering he had to dodge her energy blasts as well as her blows.
And he succeeded. "It ends here, Blackfire," Legion whispered, as he caught Blackfire's neck in a tighter chokehold than what he started out with.
"Don't think so," Blackfire gasped out.
And with that, she stopped. "Wh- what are you doing?" Legion asked in that terrifying moment.
"Getting rid of some excess baggage."
And with that, Blackfire turned downwards. They didn't just drop; Blackfire actively accelerated, and before Legion could recover from his shock and do something, Blackfire turned on her back, and the two of them slammed, Legion first, into a stone bridge far below them in a cloud of red dust.
At first, nothing could be seen, when Blackfire was suddenly thrown out from the cloud to slam intone side of the bridge. Woozily getting up, she saw Legion emerge from the debris, bloody and battered, and screaming with rage.
Blackfire didn't even think twice. Just like Beast Boy had done, she ran to meet Legion, her own cry of bloody vengeance echoing through the pit's walls. Only Beast Boy, several bridges below them, noticed the glowing red runes appearing on the walls of the pit before flashing back into nonexistence…
Unlike the fight between Legion and Beast Boy, where there had been at least some element of art, the combat between Legion and Blackfire was nothing more than a barroom brawl. The two of them simply traded punches and kicks, the only goal being to overwhelm their opponent with sheer savagery-
"Gotcha now," Legion smirked as he dodged one of Blackfire's punches and seized her arm. "My turn."
And as he said so, he threw himself forward and downward bringing Blackfire crashing down with him into the bridge below them.
"Blackfire…" Beast Boy said, too weak to scream.
"Beast Boy!" Legion shouted triumphantly, leaning over the edge of the bridge. "You came here for Blackfire, didn't you? Well, here you go!"
And with that, he bent down and pushed the Tameranian over the edge of his bridge to crash in front of Beast Boy. "Blackfire… oh no…" Beast Boy began, when he saw Blackfire's eyes open slowly.
"Takes a whole lot more than that to kill me," she said weakly.
There was another loud crash, and she turned around, Beast Boy following her gaze.
Legion walked slowly toward them, idly handling his two blades, fangs bared. "You know, I really have better things to do, but I suppose I can spare some time. After all, it isn't as if anyone's coming for- k'tha-hsss!" he swore as he narrowly dodged a bolt of blue light by mere inches.
"BOOOOOO-YAAAAAAH!" Cyborg yelled fiercely as he launched another volley of ion blasts from his vantage point on a bridge high above Legion. "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, as Robin swung downwards, accompanied by Starfire, "the cavalry has arrived!"
"About time," Blackfire whispered with vengeful glee.
Not that the demon was paying any attention. "Come then!" he shouted back triumphantly as Robin's bombs exploded around him, enveloping in a hellish halo of dust and fire. "I am Legion! I am Trigon's most favoured! I am-"
"You are a monster," Starfire said, coming up behind him, her quiet tone somehow louder than the chaos around Legion. "Nothing more."
"So what are you going to do about it?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as his gaze met Starfire's.
"This," she said, with a tone of sorrow in her voice.
Starfire's eyes blazed.
And Legion fell into the darkness of the pit, shrieking in agony as smoke trailed from his ruined, empty eye sockets.
And Starfire looked down into the abyss, watching Legion fall screaming into the endless oblivion...
And it felt good…
"Starfire!"
Startled out of her musings, Starfire turned to face Robin.
"Starfire! We have to get your sister and Beast Boy out of here-"
"Guys?" Cyborg said from a nearby doorway, his voice the only thing emerging from the cavern's darkness. "I think we have a little problem."
"Cyborg?" Robin asked, Beast Boy on his shoulder, as Starfire picked up her sister. "What are you doing here? I thought you were up there-"
"Oh, he was."
Suddenly gasping for air, Cyborg emerged from the darkness, coils of dark energy around him visibly squeezing him slowly.
"Oh no," Blackfire said, seeing who emerged with him. "Raven-"
"Yes, Blackfire, it's me," Raven said, her voice echoing with the harmonics of a hellish chorus, her four eyes glowing red with unholy glee as she hovered across the bridge towards the Titans. "As you can see, I'm feeling much better now."
"Raven, what has happened to you?" Starfire whispered as she backed away.
"Isn't it obvious?" Raven replied. "I stopped fighting myself."
She looked upwards. "This place… it has power, so much power!" she said, laughing as she continued, "And all it needed was someone to use it."
"Raven, please, this isn't who you are-" Blackfire began, when she and the other Titans found themselves seized by tendrils of dark energy.
"Oh shut up, Blackfire!" Raven said, smiling cruelly. "You see, Blackfire," she whispered, drawing the wounded Blackfire close, "unlike you, I'm not so stupid I'd give up power, and I'm not so weak I'd be afraid of using it."
"Raven, please," Blackfire said, trying to ignore her friends' agonized gasps as Raven slowly constricted them, "I know you're in there-"
Raven burst into peals of delighted laughter. "Blackfire, Blackfire, Blackfire- you really have no idea, do you? Let me show you something."
Her eyes glowed brighter, and behind her, a portal opened up, and Blackfire saw Madness's realm- but Madness was obviously not in control, not anymore.
Madness was still suspended in the void, in the middle of a metal ring, but this time it was bound to the ring with red-hot metal chains, writhing in pain. Suddenly, its eyes caught Blackfire's, and the Tameranian was horrified to see that the Aspect's mouth had been sewn shut, its pleading eyes the only sign that it was crying out to Blackfire for help-
"Madness wanted to use me," Raven said quietly. "It wanted to make me bring my father into this, this existence, so he could conquer it, like he had conquered others." Her eyes, already narrow slits, narrowed even further. "It actually thought it could control me, that I'd give up all this," she said, holding up her hands, glowing with demonic energy, "all this power."
"Raven, don't do this-" Robin began, before a tendril wrapped itself around his mouth, along with those of the other Titans.
"Or what? You don't want to be forced to stop me?" Raven asked. "Looks like I'll have to kill you then. Can't have you trying anything 'heroic'."
She suddenly seemed to only just notice the look of horror in Blackfire's face. "Oh yes, Blackfire, just so you know, it's me speaking," she whispered. "Not Madness, not my father- nobody. Nobody's controlling my mind, Blackfire. I want this. This is my choice."
"You sure about that?"
Raven turned in the direction of the speaker. "Beast Boy?" she exclaimed in what sounded like pleased surprise as she floated to him. "You're still alive? If I had known, I'd have shut you up too," she said, indicating the other Titans
"You sure you want this, Raven?" Beast Boy whispered, ignoring her remark.
"Why wouldn't I?" Raven asked easily, placing a foot in the pool of blood beneath Beast Boy, and idly playing with it.
"You sure it'll be worth it?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Raven replied. "Come on, Beast Boy, you have to do better than that."
"I don't have to," Beast Boy said, his voice becoming quieter as his breathing became shallower.
"What, you think I should give up all my power just to save a few lives? I don't think your brain's getting enough blood, Beast Boy. You really should be worried about that. Besides- I thought all you wanted was for me to be happy."
"And are you, Raven?"
Raven opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
"Thought so."
"So- so what?" Raven said angrily, and the runes on the pit walls flashed red once again, "As if you know anything about making choices! Look at what's happening to you! You're dying, and soon all your friends will join you!"
"At least I have friends."
As Raven stood there, momentarily speechless, Beast Boy summoned his last reserves of strength. "Yeah, you'll be all powerful, a real Queen Of All The Cosmos- and you'll be all alone. Sounds like fun."
"Shut up," Raven said quietly.
"Were you happy when you were with Blackfire, Raven? Dunno about you," Beast Boy said, not noticing the tears that started to run down Raven's cheek as his head bent back, and darkness crept into his vision, "but now that I think about it-"
"I said shut up!" Raven repeated.
"-I think you were," Beast Boy said with a short, bitter laugh. "Weren't you…?"
"…tell me Beast Boy," Raven began, "when Legion gave you his offer, why didn't you accept? I thought you- I thought you loved me."
Beast Boy smiled; he couldn't even move his head to face her- he was so weak. "Weren't you listening, Raven? I aid 'no' because I… I…" he trailed off.
"Beast Boy? Beast Boy!" Raven shouted, the tendrils holding her friends disappearing as she ran to catch Beast Boy's falling body. "No- no, no, no," she repeated over and over again.
She looked upwards, eyes closed as she let out one last desperate, echoing cry of anguish, and her teammates quickly closed their eyes as the runes on the walls erupt into bright white light, therefore none of them noticed, as Raven's scream echoed through the cavern, those runes' outlines waver, before the runes themselves seemed to shatter upon the walls themselves.
All they saw, when the light cleared, was Raven kneeling, sobbing over Beast Boy's body.
Robin was the first to speak. "Raven? Are you-"
"I killed him," Raven whispered. "I killed-"
"No you didn't," Beast Boy said weakly. "Geez, Raven, I thought I was to be the screwup here."
"Beast Boy! You are alive!" Starfire exclaimed joyfully, as she ran to Beast Boy's side.
"Glad to see you're okay, buddy," Cyborg added, as he walked up.
"Beast Boy," Raven began. "I'm so sorry, I didn't-"
"Hey, no sweat. Like everybody keeps telling me, it's not your fault. Nice to see your eyes are back to normal again."
"I'm not complaining," Blackfire said, walking up behind them.
"Blackfire?" Raven asked simply.
"Don't worry, Raven," Blackfire replied, taking the Azerath in her arms and closing her eyes tightly as she caught Raven in a tight embrace. "Trust me, I know how it's like to be power crazy."
"You've had power?" Beast Boy asked in mock incredulity.
"Oh, so you want me to kill you?" Blackfire retorted. Then, more quietly, so only Raven would hear her, "Trust me, Raven, you did the right thing- and I'm not just saying that."
"I know," Raven replied simply-
Footsteps, hundreds of them, faint- but growing in volume. All from the cavern straight ahead of them. "Aw man, don't we ever get a break?" Beast Boy asked as the Titans got into battle stances.
"Guess not. Raven," Robin began, "stay behind us, guard Beast Boy! Cyborg, beside me! Starfire, Blackfire, fly there and get ready!" he said, pointing above the cavern entrance.
"This was quick," Blackfire quipped.
"No time like now," Cyborg replied, readying his ion cannon. "Wait," he said, as his scanners picked up familiar life signs. "Hold your fire guys! It's Aqualad!"
To be more precise, it was Aqualad and a group of Atlanteans who came rushing up to the Titans. "You guys all right?" he asked.
"Some of us," Robin said, looking back at Beast Boy and Raven, "some of us had some pretty close shaves, but on the whole, we're fine."
"You sure? We saw a bright flash come from this… cavern…" he said, noticing the pit for the first time. "Whoa."
"Whoa's the word," Robin agreed. "Come on, let's get out of here- I'll fill you in on the way back."
(scene change)
"Aqualad," Aquaman asked as his son walked up to the bridge. "You said your mission was a success?"
"Yes father," Aqualad said. "Blackfire has been rescued."
"Casualties?"
"Just a few injuries, father. Raven is taking care of them right now."
"Raven? That surface dweller at the research station? What is- how did she get there?"
"That's a long story, father. To tell the truth, I don't really understand it myself."
"Well, it will have to wait." Aquaman turned to the flagship's captain. "I believe we have delayed our plans long enough, don't you, Captain?"
"Yes sir," the captain replied, before turning to his crew. "Is the fleet in position?"
"Yes sir!"
"All right then, open comm channels to the whole fleet!"
"Channels open, sir!"
"Good. To all the ships in the fleet," the captain began, "fire at will! I repeat, fire at will!"
But the crews of the submarines positioned around R'l'yeh did not have to be told twice. The captain's words were barely out of his mouth when the submarines began firing salvo after salvo of torpedoes at the cursed city.
"Sir! Look!" one of the technicians cried out in terror.
"By the Gods!" someone else exclaimed.
A gargantuan clawed arm ploughed out of the sunken city, sand and rubble dropping from it like underwater smoke.
"Don't let up!" Aquaman commanded over the comm channels , when it appeared the submarines' fire had started to falter. "Keep firing! Keep firing!"
Galvanized out of their frightened trance, the Atlantean crews immediately started firing again, sending wave after wave of ordnance into the city, while they tried to ignore the increasingly loud (and angry-sounding) roars that penetrated the ocean deeps.
Then, one final salvo as the Atlantean ships launched their last torpedoes-
-and the ruins of R'l'yeh finally fell into the underwater trench they had been built over, and from which the arm had come out from. For a few tense moments, the crews of the fleet watched the hand at the end of the arm spread out as another heart-rending scream echoed through the darkness.
Then the arm clenched, and there was silence.
And somehow the crew knew, even before the massive cheers rang out through the halls of every submarine in the fleet, that their greatest enemy was no more, that Atlantis was finally safe.
"It appears you'll have to find some new monsters to scare your children with, Captain," Aquaman said, patting his friend on the shoulder.