RavenOfNight: Er... I updated. Sorry about the lateness though!
serenity77: I am sorry, but I can never see those two together. I don't oppose the pairing, but I can't write it well.
Dark Shadows: You only reviewed once for this chapter- lol, j/k. Review as many times as you want.
§
Raven stirred, and awoke with a soft moan. Her body was sore, and she had a pounding headache.
But I am alive... how?
Sitting up, she looked around. The world around her seemed to have been drained of color. Building toppled, people frozen in time. Death and destruction reeked upon everything.
This is my fault. I became the portal, yet I am still alive.
She tried to recall how this had happened, but only one memory would surface. It was a voice, soothing, strong, and familiar somehow. It was speaking in the ancient Azerath tongue.
"Voliuma Gregornia Selensio, Ne'dina Dolores. Voliuma..." Sleep little raven, no shadows will touch you here. Sleep little raven, safely in my arms.
Standing up on shaking legs, Raven looked around. "Hello, are you there?" She called softly. If she had somehow escaped Trigon she was certainly not going to inform her father.
A dark figure appeared in front of her suddenly, cloaked and misted with shadows.
Raven tensed and whispered, "Who are you? Did you save me?"
A moment of strained silence passed and then the stranger spoke in a cool, calm tone. "I am a friend, and I only did what you could not do yourself."
They speak in riddles and side-steps. The teen noted.
"What do you want?" Raven asked.
"The same thing you want." She replied. The stranger was defiantly a woman.
"And what do I want?" The princess of Azerath challenged.
"To destroy Trigon once and for all." An aura of authority and determination washed in with the words.
"Are you from Azerath?" The words rushed from Raven's mouth.
Silence, and then; "I am from many places."
Clear as fog. She thought sarcastically.
"Why are you helping me, though?"
"Because you deserve it." The woman walked swiftly, nearly gliding past Raven and into the gray world.
"Wait!" Raven exclaimed, following her. "What do you mean?"
"You have spent your entire life dreading this day. You deserve to have it change. You deserve a chance to live." The cloaked figure said softly. Then she turned back around and continued walking, Raven behind her.
§
"Raven!" Beast Boy's exclaim of joy and disbelief reacher her ears first.
"No, it can't be." Cyborg whispered.
"Raven, is it really you?" Robin asked slowly.
She nodded gravely and said calmly, "It is me."
"Prove it." Cyborg commanded.
The violet-eyed teen looked straight at BB and said, "You stopped talking... for once."
"Raven!" Starfire exclaimed and pulled her friend into a choking embrace.
"Dude, it really is you!" Beast Boy began babbling. "How? What? Who is that?" He pointed at the silent woman, wrapped in dark cloth.
"She saved me, but I still don't know your name." She added to the woman.
"Celeste." She replied.
"Raven, I can't believe it your alive!" Cyborg yelled happily.
"Not for much longer if you keep screaming. Trigon is still listening." She reminded them. Raven was glad to see her friends, but she would never show it.
"Raven, are you sure we can trust this.. Celeste?" Robin muttered.
She shrugged. "Celeste saved me, and says she wants to destroy Trigon. I think that we can at least use her help, even if we have to watch her."
Starfire was already floating over to the silent woman.
"Hello, thank you for saving our friend Raven. We owe you much." She said as politely as possible.
Celeste watched Raven from under her black hood. "Consider it payment for the fourteen years she spent under Trigon's curse."
The alien girl gave her a strange look. "Raven is sixteen, not fourteen."
"Yes, she is." Celeste murmured, without really taking back her words. "She seems happy to be with you."
Raven gave a small, fragile smile as she listened to her friends debate the problem. It was as if it was just another robbery. Just another standard case. Their bravery made her proud of them, though she would never admit it of course.
Starfire nodded happily. "I think Raven is happy with us, though she does not always show it."
Celeste looked thoughtful under her cloak and finally asked, "What is your name?"
"I am Starfire of Tamarin." She said joyously.
"Starfire, it is good to see that Raven has such good friends as you." She replied gently.
Starfire blushed, and then hurried over to her friends as Robin called to her.
"Be careful Star, we don't know anything about her. It could be a trick." Robin warned.
"But she was very nice and kind in words toward us." The Tamarin girl replied.
"That doesn't always mean they are nice though, anyways we have to think of a plan. Any ideas Star?" Cyborg asked.
§
Time went by, debating and deciding on a plan. Finally, Beast Boy suggested that they all get some rest. Dropping from exhaustion was not going to help anyone, he pointed out.
Despite their weariness, the titans found sleep impossible. The ground was hard, and the colorless world seemed foreign. The presence of a cloaked woman looming in the darkness not far from them did nothing to ease their nerves.
Finally, BB got aggravated. "Will you put down your hood! You are freaking me out, walking around without me knowing what you look like! I won't laugh no matter how ugly you are."
Celeste was hesitant. She had come to help the gem and her companions. Keeping them nervous would not do them good, but the resemblance between her and Raven was a bit to striking...
"I am sorry, but I cannot do that."
"Why not? What have you got to hide?" Robin questioned dangerously.
She peered at the stars. "Nothing you should worry about. Now go to sleep." She started to hum then, and then her melodious voice carried in song. "Sien Netese Norloki Fiyna, Ritvaa Slorencose, Zenterth Lageen..." Sleep little children, softly close your eyes. Let the stars guide you to your dreams. Fly away, fly free. Let this be my last gift to you.
Sleep my little raven. For soon the day will come, and you must rise to fight. But do not fear, for I came back; just as I promised you. Trigon will not be able to banish me a second time. He will not escape the power I will call forth, no matter what the price. I will give you my last, and greatest gift.
§
Desparos ran through the spell book again. His fingers traced the words Celeste had spoken.
I must find a way to get through the portal. I must find Celeste. I must protect her.
Adena watched him in silence, with scared and weary red eyes.
§
A/N-Sorry about the long wait. I have been really busy. Hope to get the next chapter out to you sooner. Comments, Concerns, or Questions?