§
There was a faint click in Raven's mind and a chilling feeling in her bones as her powers returned. In the same instant, a voice shouted in her mind, through the suddenly vicious hot and loud ripping coming from the pit, tearing her clothes and scarring her skin deep so crimson flecks flew behind her.
"TELEPORT NOW!"
Without thinking for once, Raven tightened grip of her hands, grasped the power thumping hard at her inner core and strung it through the people around her, feeling it meet with her mother's in less then a second. Then, there was the faint pushing feeling, swirling light too fast to glimpse by, and a heavy thud. She landed perfectly with Celeste, on her toes as she floated lightly down. Starfire caught her descent in mid-air, managing to scrape a graceful landing onto her feet with Beast Boy shifting into a humming-bird to avoid a heavy fall as Robin and Desparos caught themselves into a roll-crouch. Cyborg simply impacted down, then dusted off, twitched a gear and picked himself up.
"Everyone here?" Robin questioned, tightening his arm-guard as he spoke, finally removing it as he realized the fire-creature had melted the 'fire-proof' metal.
"I think so." Cyborg grunted, twisting his arm back into position roughly.
Everyone was in tatters, a fine assortment of bleeding scratches that had no time to be attended. No one wanted to linger in this place as they gazed around their surroundings. They were in a twilight-fog cavern, opening into many paths. Somehow they could see each path with certainty, but the chilly air gave no clear view of their own hands.
"Okay, this place is officially even creepier." Beast Boy announced.
"Which one do we take?" Robin looked at their guide, who was surveying them. There was some flicker of emotion in her violet orbs—unhappiness, disgust... it was to well-hidden to tell.
"My lady," Desparos called her from her thoughts with his powerful voice. He was back into his human form, and it relieved the mortals with him.
Celeste turned to him, her face shadowed.
"There are to paths we must take, the one on the far left," She pointed with a single long finger at the rocky road far left of them, at least half a mile down. "And the one right in front of us." She pointed again to the one beside them, just slightly right of the middle road.
"But how can we take two ways... do they connect or something?" As soon as the words left the changeling's mouth he knew the answer, and his emerald eyes widened.
"We cannot split up in a place like this!" Robin said quickly. "Something could happen to one of the groups and than the other wouldn't know and someone might..."
"Die?" The woman filled in for him, her face dead-set. "This is a fight for the very life of your world, Robin, son of night, fighter of life, young leader of the Titans. Did you think there would be no danger? Did you think there would be no bloodshed?"
"I won't let any of them get hurt! I can protect my friends!" He yelled back, his mask unable to hide the flurry of emotions on him, anger, fear, love, desperation.
Celeste shut her eyes, cooling down to a calm, serene facade again. But something lingered there in her glance. Something she held back as Desparos took a step to be between Robin and his charge, and quietly waited for him to collect himself.
He stood again, shaking but biting back all the words he had to say as Starfire, grasped his hand, afraid and caring.
"Robin please don't fight."
He nodded slowly, then looked at all his friends, his teammates.
"Look," Raven said finally, guilt biting at her heels. "This is my fault, it was I who brought Trigon to earth and my family that caused this. When we split up ...I want all of you to go one path and I'll take the other with Desparos and Celeste. That way if anything happens you'll all be tog--"
"No way!" BB shouted, surprised at even his own outburst as much as everyone else.
"You are always going on these long rants about how this all all your fault and how you deserve this and how we all matter more than you, but--" He took a moment to gain his breath, emotions chocking his voice.
"It's not your fault. What, because the two people whose blood flows from you become you? Your father wants to kill you and your mother never even knew you! Why should you have to pay for what they did!"
"Mistress Celeste did not do anything wrong!" The demon's sharp voice cut in.
Beast Boy ignored him. "You are always acting like you don't matter, but you do... Your our friend Raven, a person no matter what else, and there is no way I am letting you go out there and, and..." He was spent. The green boy knelt down, small tears pooling in his eyes.
"Beast Boy..." Raven whispered, unsure of how to react.
"It's... it's just like Tera!" The changeling finally muttered, wiping his eyes.
There was silence, filling the cave was quickly as the fog itself. No one spoke, but finally Raven leaned down and gently touched her friend's shoulder, dark eyes unmasked. She hugged him lightly,
"Thanks, I guess." And quickly as it had come, it was gone. She was standing up, her blue-purple eyes were dark and her composure steady. Following suit, he stood up and gave a half-smile and shrug.
The silent woman finally spoke, her words so soft if not for the utter noiselessness of the stone cavern they would not have heard her.
"I will split you up."
All eyes switched from daughter to mother.
"Raven, Beast Boy, and Starfire and Desparos will take one tunnel. Myself, Robin, and Cyborg will take th other."
Protest rose.
"My lady I should be with you,"
"I should be with Robin,
"Hey don't separate me and BB,"
"You should take the majority,"
Comments flew and suddenly she sighed a small little sigh. And then her normal shadow suddenly cast itself longer and taller, and when she opened her eyes they were pitch black.
"Enough!" Though her tone was not loud, her words were spilling over with dark power and it crunched against them. "As Queen of Azerath I will force you to obey my commands." Her voice rocketed fear and cold through their flesh.
But then, the shadow shrunk and again was a normal reflection of the tall woman, her eyes was more washing out to twilight. "But as Celeste I allow Cyborg and Starfire to switch, and wish that as that you will listen to me this time."
"Om... sure, just don't do that again, okay!" Beast Boy gave a nervous laugh.
She gave a nod, and they split.
Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Desparos took the one in front of them. Celeste, Robin, and Starfire took the one on the left. And through split paths they went.
§
"It's so very... quiet." Starfire said softly, floating inches above the hard ground so her crimson hair laid straight down her back.
"Don't let your guard down." Robin warned, flexing his grip around the bo.
The Azeranian walked on in silence, her light feet making a faint clink as her boots felled the ground.
There was an awkward pause that Robin took advantage of to look at his surroundings.
They were in a large tunnel of stone, the wall arching eight feet above his head and the walls surrounding him, giving three feet berth. It was entirely made of granite stone. Real stone, nothing surreal about the crackled surface and mossy, damp walls. That reassured him. If only this dimming fog would clear up the twilight walk would be much less nerve-wracking.
"Om.. Celeste," Starfire's soft voice broke his concentration.
"Yes," She replied, turning her head barely so that her features were obscured by the long blue hair.
"What Beast Boy said back there, about Raven... he only meant it to help her, he wasn't thinking about..."
It had never occurred to the boy-wonder what impact his green friend's words would have on his guide. Now that he looked back, BB had said some things that would have been really...
She didn't stop and they continued walking as they talked.
"What he said was the truth, no one can fault him for that."
"But he didn't mean it that way, I mean no one says that you are—"
"My daughter lived twelve years wondering who she was, growing with dark power, learning her purpose to kill, and training to shut down all emotions. It is only true that I am not a good mother."
"But, you were imprisoned, Trigon put you in a coma and locked you up here somewhere. It's not your fault." The alien girl argued.
Celeste was silent for a moment. "No, that was not my fault."
"But then why are you still acting like you did something... horrible to Raven? You loved her, and saved her and..." Starfire carried on, vivid eyes desperate to find a heart in all this pain.
"It is not what I did to Raven that kills me, but what I am..." Suddenly her words cut short. The fog around them had suddenly thickened and darkened.
"No matter what, remember who you are!" The woman said suddenly, "What you see can only be real if you choose it to be—remember that!"
"What?" Robin asked, just before the solid fog rushed and swallowed him.
§
Walk, walk walk, the tunnel was long. Dull stone stared back at them against the heavy, wet fog. Their feet stepped against the rough stone ground. Raven had already lost her shoes in the fire before, and her feet were beginning to sore. Cyborg kept fidgeting with his hardware as if poking it would make it work in the Sepulchrum of Mortis. Of course, it didn't.
Finally, he spoke.
"With this damp air, my systems might get wet and fry." Cyborg complained lightly.
"Then we'd have fried gears for dinner." Beast Boy jeered half-heartedly.
Walk, walk walk, silence.
"Beast Boy," Raven's voice wasn't steady as usual. It was unsure, hesitant.
"Yeah," He replied, stepping forward to match her pace.
"What you said back there... did you mean it?" Her pale skin flushed under dark hair. Thankfully, his green skin showed blush much harder.
"Well, yeah I guess I did. And what was that 'thank you' about?" He replied nervously.
She gave a small shrug. "I just... well sometimes people need to be..."
"Spit it out already." Beast Boy said exasperated.
"It is hard for me to open up and put my emotions in words. I was trained not to do it after all." Raven snapped back.
Cyborg fell back, listening with a pale smile on his dark face.
"Sorry, I forgot." The animalist muttered.
"It's alright, I guess this place makes me a it edgy." The princess of Azerath replied quietly.
"So...er... you wanna finish that sentence. I won't interrupt." He rubbed his shoulder uncomfortably.
"It's stupid."
"Then I should love it."
Raven looked over to her green friend. Since when did she call him that? She looked into his forest green eyes, wondering how much he kept in. She had never really thought too hard about comical Beast Boy, but his outburst made her realize something. No matter what they went though, it was just as hard on him as it was on everyone else.
He acts so happy but... what about Terra; and Robin is never easy on him... perhaps I was too hard on him too.
"Raven," He shyly called her out of her thoughts.
With a blush, she spoke again. "Well I have always been raised to be a destroyer, that was my fate and so I distanced myself from all life. But I still always wanted a normal life, to have friends and not be afraid of hurting anyone anymore. Sometimes it is good just hear, that someone does care about you... you know."
Did that all just come out of my mouth?
Did that all just come out of Raven's mouth?
"Whoa, ah, guys I hate to break into this obviously deep and touching movement... but I care about both of you so I am going to advise you to stop." Cyborg called suddenly.
The two teens looked up. In front of them, the fog had hardened to form a wall.
"What do we do?" Beast Boy asked, scratching his head.
"What you see can only become if you let it. Hold onto yourself and you will come out fine. Don't stop walking—whatever you do!" A quick mental message came into her mind before she felt her faint telepathic connection with her mother click off, as if she had been dipped underwater. It was the same with Robin and Starfire, it was like they had been chucked off the world. Sensing something was about to happen, Raven relayed the message.
"What does that--" Cyborg began, just as the fog moved to hit into them.
And then there was nothing.
§
There it was, his face. The half-bronze, half-black mask with a single cold gray eye staring back at him. The black amour suited the form. A single bronze 'S' added color to the outfit, and an imagined snide smile grew beneath the mask.
"Slade!" Robin's voice was slick, furious and threatening as his eyes narrowed.
"Hello Robin, I am glad we could meet again." The man's distilled voice never wavered.
"I knew you weren't dead." Boy-wonder spat back.
"How touching, yes unfortunately your little friend Terra died in vain... How is Beast Boy taking that anyways? A little hard on him?" He continued coolly.
"You bastard—how could you stand there and say something like that?"
"Oh, don't get mad at me Robin, after all, it was you who failed to protect your friends."
Robin was shaking as he charged through the dark at the figure. Slade jumped, landing gracefully behind him.
"You seem so mad at me, but all I was doing was playing my role. After all, Robin you are the hero and I am the villain. I try to kill people and you protect them. But this time, you failed. Does Beast Boy hate you for that? He should, after all its your fault." Slade continued in his monotonous tone.
"Shut up! Robin roared, throwing his bo at him, only to have it miss.
"Ooh, touchy Robin. Well it is your fault, and now another person will die because of your weakness, your failure."
"I won't let you touch any of them, you hear me? Leave them alone!" The teen shouted, slamming his body into Slade, who had suddenly appeared on his other side, crouched over a limp body.
Something hard slammed him in the gut, as he recognized the form.
Starfire lay still in his hands, her head hanging off and legs dangling so that her tan neck was perfectly exposed. Her jade eyes were opened wide with fear and her fiery hair fell to the dark floor. Slade stood over her, his single eye alight with mad vengeance and a long carving knife in the hand not around the pretty girl.
"Get your hands off her! Starfire! Starfire!" Robin was screaming and running, but he could never seem to get close enough to them.
Victim and Enemy looked straight at him.
"Robin... help me." Her strong voice was feeble as tears rolled down her cheek to drop to the tiled floor below.
"You failed Robin, and now she pays." Slade said without a change in note.
His powerful hand descended in a thrust, look knife piercing the smooth sandy skin of her neck.
"NO—STARFIRE!" The sound ripped out of Robin's throat as he suddenly was right there. Slade was gone and he was left, in the darkness holding her limp body was crimson drops fell across her neck to his hands below. Her dead eyes looked up at him, sad and confused.
"No, no, Star get up." His voice shook.
No response came from the naïve girl.
"Star I am so sorry. All I ever wanted was to protect you. I-I always..." Tears began to choke out the rest of his words.
§
It was raining outside, and the sky was a gloomy gray; yet she didn't feel anything. Perhaps she was in so much pain she had gone numb.
Starfire stood still on the muddy ground. No one stood around her as slick water-drops fell onto her hair and made it stick tight to her head. She was in a wide field, only disturbed by a limping redwood tree and long wooden box. It was varnished black oak and laying open. The lid was facing her, obscuring its occupant from her sad eyes. IT was a coffin.
Her purple outfit was exchanged for a long black dress, ugly and cheep with no frills and one size too big.
There was a moment when she couldn't move. Then slowly, she began to walk toward the coffin. Flying was long gone from her blood, no happiness to fuel it.
As she got closer, she saw that the large coffin sat among a small graveyard. Three other gravestones formed a semi-circle around it. Gray and crackling they sat ominously. And Starfire stood alone.
She dared to looked at the gravestones, and the strange English writing on them.
Gregory M-- Aka, Beast Boy
1990-2006
A fun friend, caring smile, and beloved hero of Jump City who died in battle.
We will all miss him.
Her mouth went dry, despite the wet atmosphere around her.
"No, no!" Starfire cried, kneeling to the ground as she read the other gravestones.
Raven of Azerath
1989-2008
A strong, independent person and understanding friend. She was a powerful ally and friend of the city. She was killed in crossfire of a gang-fight.
We all wish her spirit to be free.
--- Aka Cyborg
1988-2007
An intelligent, humorous friend and man who gave hope to disabled children everywhere. He died in an attack on Jump City, bravery for all those to keep in their hearts.
We will never forget him.
Suddenly, Starfire realized something. It felt as though someone had jabbed her with a hot iron as she turned slowly to the coffin. She was still on the wrong angle to see its contents.
In a dream, she shuffled her feet to stand up. The rain washed the mud away from her legs. Slowly, she walked around to the other side of the coffin.
A pale boy laid there. His black hair down from the water and eyes closed, unmasked in the coffin to show the long black lashes. A starch suit closed around his fit body, looking wrong. It was only the expression, dead determination and pain that registered in her mind.
The alien girl fell to the ground, one slender hand grasping the velvet-lined coffin.
"Ro—b—bin," She choked, not moving for nearly a minute, Finally, she turned her tear-stained face to the plaque.
Robin—Aka, Boy Wonder
1989-2009
A strong, determined person, self-less leader, and loving friend. He died in a battle with Slade, protecting his fellow teammate--Starfire. Our hearts all go out to her as we will remember his bravery and resolute.
May he find peace and love.
For a moment there was only the sound of washing rain, soon followed by tears that trickled down her cheek. Then she let out a howling cry, dispersing all her pain.
§
It was dark, very dark, but Celeste sat down in a meditative pose and began to chant.
"Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos," Over and over again. Her face was complete control, mind focused.
Do not let them into your mind and they cannot effect you. Just keep walking, keep walking and don't think. I just have to empty my mind...
§
Water, there was water everywhere. Swirling, dark masses of the life-sucking liquid, surrounding him and crushing him down. Cyborg gave a strangled cry as he submerged in the water. Just like the wave that took his mother, and his father, and his brother. Swirling blue from frothy white to midnight sky, filling his mouth with the bitter taste of salt and stripping his body of oxygen while tearing apart all his carefully crafted hardware. Oh how he hated it, how he feared it... Drowning, drowning into it. Cyborg went deeper and deeper into the twisting current of the bottomless sea until that was all there was.
§
"Hello,"
No response.
"Hehe... anyone there... Raven? This isn't funny you know?" Beast Boy gave a scared laugh.
Suddenly, from the gloom a figure appeared.
"T-terra!" The green shifter managed to stammer.
She walked forward through the shadows, her blonde hair covering her face as she shuffled slowly.
"Terra, is it really you? Oh, Terra, I was so afraid that I'd lost you after Slade and the volcano." He began to run to her.
Then the girl turned, and her blue eyes were angry.
"Don't touch me." She used the same hard tone as when she was his apprentice.
"Terra, but—why?"
"You stupid child," She spat, her fair face hard. She was wearing the uniform again.
"You said you'd be my friend no matter what! You said you'd keep my secret from Robin! And what did you do—you lied!"
"No, no I didn't!" The comical face was almost impossible to see through all the pain.
"I thought, I thought that you cared about me, that you loved me. When you came to the volcano," She was crying now. "But I guess that was just a lie too."
"No, Terra I did... I do--"
"LIER!" She spat. "I was watching you, and you were with her."
"Raven," BB knew instantly. "She is my friend."
"You betrayed me!" The deranged teen shouted. " You love her now!"
"No, no Terra it is just that she is always so sad and I..."
Suddenly her face relaxed. "But don't worry. I'll make sure you pay for your crimes."
"What?" Beast Boy asked, suddenly dumping over as she shot a strong kick to him.
"It is time to pay."
§
"I just have to empty my mind." Raven said through the gloom, looking around at the darkness without fear. "This is all just a mirage, it's not real and I don't care about it." I just hope my body is still moving.
§
"Robin," A faint voice echoed through the darkness.
The teen didn't look up from the body of his friend.
"Robin, Robin," It called again softly.
This time the onyx-haired boy looked up. "Who's there?"
"I can only be here if you let me little one. I can help."
"No one can help, I let Starfire down and now she's... dead."
"Everyone dies."
"Yes, but she should have lived longer. It's my fault... Slade--" Robin tried through tears.
"Do you love her? Would you die to protect her?"
He paused for a moment, looking at the blood drenching his hands.
"Yes."
"Then walk for her, let me help you—for her."
"What are you saying?"
"I can help you, and Starfire if you let me Robin."
"How? I don't believe you, this is just a trick by Slade!" He stood up angrily.
"Would you not risk it for her sake?"
The voice won. Robin looked down dejectedly.
A point of darkness began to swirl open, as if forming into something. It grew bigger and bigger, until it began to take form. An arm, a leg, neck, slender torso, long hair.
Celeste stood before him, her long silver dress covered by the leather belt which held her whip as her black boots clipped underneath.
"Hello Robin,"
"It's you," He murmured.
Celeste looked around the place, seeing Starfire's broken body and then back to the boy in front of her.
"Robin, when you love someone... truly love them... you share a special kind of bond with that person. It is like, they are a part of you and can never be separated. When they die, you feel a part of yourself die with them. Look into your soul. Do you feel as though she is missing."
He looked back at her still form.
"No, do not look at what you see here. Just feel for it..."
Robin shut his eyes, trying hard to block out all the images, searching for the intangible chain to the alien girl.
"I...I don't know. It's like I can still... feel her." Batman's former apprentice muttered wistfully.
"Then believe, for once in your life Robin believe that there is more to this word than what our eyes see, believe that you can find her again and you will!" Celeste's usually calm voice had gained pitch, higher and filled with sorrowful melody.
With all his will, the teenage leader willed himself to Starfire, willed her alive. Suddenly he felt his surrounding change, but dare not open his eyes. He was falling through this realm into the next, falling, falling.
Smack, onto soft grass.
The masked boy opened his hidden eyes to a foreign world. The ground beneath him was wet and slippery mud, the sky an anguished gray as heaven's tears spattered his form. The slushy field ran miles flat, but up ahead was a distraction. It was a tall redwood tree, leaning over with the pains of life, and below it was a row of stones and a box...
It's a grave. He realized without understanding the impact. And then he saw her...
Flaming hair plastered wet to her sandy face, jade eyes shining tears and bitter pain written along her young face. He paused for a moment, thinking it was a trap for just a second...
Trust your heart. The rain splattered.
He bolted, running across the wet land to the lonely figure remaining.
"STARFIRE!" He screamed.
§
Robin's dead... they're all dead... and now I am... alone. Perhaps if I...
"STARFIRE!" An impossible voice rang through the field, but she still hoped with her natural-bred spirit.
The alien teen turned to see her friend running toward her.
"ROBIN!" She tried to shout, but her throat was still constricted from the sobbing.
She stood up as he met her, slowing to avoid a collision. His face was happy, but he calmed himself as soon as they were a few feet away.
"Robin," Star gave him a tight hug, trying so hard not to cry and hoping the rain would cover her tears if she did.
"Hey, I'm glad to see that your okay." Her captain greeted her formally with a smile.
She knew she was to follow. "So... where are the others? Are they safe as well?"
The boy-wonder frowned. "I don't know where they are... or where we are for that matter." He said, glancing around.
"It is Starfire's greatest fear, come to life by the powers here." Celeste appeared again, a small smile on her face as she looked between the two titans.
The red-head blushed, trying to cover up what the grave-stones said.
"And then back then was..." The male titan began to piece together.
"That was your deepest fear, your inner demon as we speak." The woman replied gently. "But we have no time to gather here. The others will be trapped for the most part, and will need me help. You two I will send back to Earth. You must keep walking down the tunnel, do not stop no matter what you see. If need be, leave me behind alright?" Her voice carried authority this time.
It made Robin wary instantly, but he had very little choice in the matter. "Fine."
As the words escaped his lips he was staring in the foggy cavern, walking beside Starfire and Celeste, whose body seemed to move on its own accord.
"Okay then, looks like we have no choice."
Starfire nodded. "I just hope our friends our safe as well.
§
In the time Celeste had been speaking to Robin, another event had been occurring and the consequences were now unfolding.
I have to help the other titans. I might be safe here, but their minds can't block out this magic... I have to find them. Raven decided in the sanctuary of her own mind. To take a dive into the gray magic she knew was dangerous, but the girl could not sit and watch. So with a final decision, she opened her eyes and felt the magic pelt her senses.
§
Raven opened her eyes and found herself drowning under cresting dark waves.
It isn't real. I can't really die here. She had lived her life drawing thin lines between light and dark, reality and dream, good and evil. This was just another test. Her telepathic senses stretched out. Now that she was in someone's reality, she would feel them.
Cyborg. Her mind read.
Forcing her body to walk and shaking off the surreality of it, the half-demon girl went throughout the vision, walking against crashing currents that had no grasp on her.
I didn't know he was afraid of water. It makes sense however. Raven reminded herself, thinking of her friend's electronic gears. She went a little farther into the realm before she saw him.
Cyborg was struggling feebly against his own created water, drowning as his hard-drive soaked and electrocuted him every few seconds. Fear pulsed his human heart fiercely, lungs ready to burst under pressure as starved muscles screamed out. Drowning was undoubtedly one painful way to die. Having burnt skin just made it torture.
"Cyborg!" Raven called, only to find her voice did not resound. This was his world.
"Cyborg," She sent him a powerful message, striking him in full force.
The half-machine boy turned at the new, strange shock of pain to see his friend, standing feet from him.
"Raven... help me!" He gurgled, lungs imploding with water.
"You have to listen to me! None of this, the water, the pain—it is all fake. This is your fear Cyborg, created to test you! Only you can end it."
Tears almost pooled in his eyes out of the intense pain and fear of death.
"Raven..."
"LISTEN!" She hadn't meant to be so harsh, but Cyborg was scaring her. If he died here, what happened to him in the real world? Her black magic cut a clean braise under his brow. Red smeared into the churning waters. That got his attention.
"Trust me Cyborg. Just close your eyes and relax. Imagine that you are back in the real world, and you will go there. Okay, now do it."
With a desperate nod, the colored teen shut his eyes, contorting his face in willpower. There was a frightening pause, another and then...
"RAVEN, this isn't working!" Cyborg's eyes snapped open at the sound of his own voice rebounding off the stone walls. He looked at his hands, feeling toward his calming heart.
"I'm back." He muttered, looking around to see Raven sitting on the ground in a meditative pose, BB stretched a little farther away looking torn.
"Well, sorry but you told me not to let you stop walking, so here we go." With two strong arms he lifted his two friend's over his shoulders and kept walking out of the tunnel, along the seemingly innocent fog.
§
He fell over again, green skin patched with blotches of ugly purple and stinging yellow. Red blood flowed from his mouth and several open cuts torn open on his tatters of clothing.
"Terra..." He cried aloud struggling to stand, a small bubble of blood popping sickly in his mouth,sending the vomitingly sweet liquid back down his throat. The shifter's body ached from several assaults, his head spinning from blood loss, and heart shredding every time he looked at her angry blue eyes that still shed tears.
"You lier! Shut up!" She screamed, another pale drop falling to mingle on the dark ground with his running blood. She sent another swift kick to his stomach.
It hit his gag reflex and in the next moment, he was doubled over, pouring out his lunch from... what only a week ago? Is that how short this long time had been? Is that the time that had passed from stir-fried tofu and szechuan vegetables in the tower? Is that even possible? His mind wandered from the physical pain.
"You said you loved me, you said I was your friend! Now get up and tell me how you are going to repay me. Come on—talk!" The blonde punched him across the dim room.
Beast Boy hit the wall with a slam, feeling his ribs break in a few places. But he couldn't fight her... not Terra.
§
Raven teleported into the changeling's realm and stopped dead, her violet orbs dilating.
Terra... Beast Boy... blood, so much of it ran along the floor, the walls, they were stained crimson eternal. But it passed in a minute. When he was chucked into the center of the floor again.
"Beast Boy!" Raven called, running toward him.
Terra turned to her, and for a breath, as Raven looked into those cerulean eyes, she forgot it was fake. And a breath was long enough.
"YOU!" The other girl screamed, and suddenly Raven found herself on the ground.
"You bitch how dare you--" Terra struck again with her power.
Raven blocked with a dark magic shield this time, but she already knew it was too late. She was as trapped in this place as BB was.
§
"Huh?" Celeste's keen senses felt the transition in the magic. Her artistically beautiful face turned, large twilight eyes focusing through the utter emptiness.
"It's him... and Raven." She said aloud to herself. There was a moment passed.
Then she was gone with a flick of her silver dress.
§
"Stop it Terra—you are going to kill him!" Raven battled angrily, punching the rock-kinetic again.
"He is a lier, a horrible person and doesn't deserve to live!" She replied with an underhanded move.
Her slender leg slammed into Raven's kneecap, forcing the girl down so she could do a strong uppercut with a sharp stone. Blood flew out, inches from the wanted artery.
"Don't say that to him! You don't know what he has been through!" Raven snapped, her eyes flashing as a sharp metal part of the wall broke off and collided with her opposition.
Terra slid a few feet, quickly rebounding.
"Oh and you do? Miss, I don't feel anything, emotions are pointless? Do you really think you van understand him?"'
The words struck home as the violet-haired girl hesitated, peering out of the corner of her eye at the unmoving titan.
He really believes her.
The glance cost her a shot, and Raven cracked against the wall. Suddenly she felt another presence, similar, but much more retained then her own.
"Enough," That was all the Queen said as she stepped into the room in her plain silver dress and simple belt. Only her regal air, perfect grace, high chin, and gentle eyes gave her away.
Suddenly Terra turned, making a strange hissing noise at Celeste. Her body began to pump, welts appearing as if she was breaking out of her skin.
"So you come at last." A slimy, chilly voice sliced through the air.
Her mother's eyes darkened but her voice was calm.
"Raven teleport out of here now. The magic is no longer focused on you so you can do it. Take your friend with you. When you get back, run out of the road and don't look back. Don't stop for anything. Understand?"
The daughter's eyes darted between the red object no longer vaguely resembling Terra, her mother, and Beast Boy. With a small nod, she lunged.
There was an angry roar, an answering cry, the feel of damp flesh, and then it was gone.
Raven opened her eyes to see the cave walls and dim fog. She was on Cyborg's shoulder.
"Beast Boy," She whispered to him.
For an agonizing second the half-demon princess was afraid she had been too late, then BB took a strangling breath and another.
"I'm okay." He managed to say after a long moment.
"Ah, so you two tinkerbells's finally decided to wake up, have ya?" Cyborg asked lightly.
Remembering the warning, Raven replied strongly.
"Put us down, we have to run out of here."
§
Robin and Starfire continued walking. It was slightly strange, having an animated body without a soul striding along with you, and Robin kept glancing over to it to make sure ti was still breathing and such. They must have walked a mile, and he was beginning to wonder if this tunnel would ever end, or if their guide would ever wake properly.
"Look!" Starfire exclaimed suddenly, snatching his attention and clenching his grip on the trusted bo.
Celeste had stopped, doubled over.
"What the--" Robin's breath caught when he saw her pale face under the sheets of dark hair. It was contorted in pain that he had never seen on any mortal creature.
Without a second thought, the boy-wonder grabbed the woman, finding her surprisingly light, swing her over his back and shouted to Starfire.
"Star run NOW!"
§
She was no older than nineteen, against a chiseled granite wall with a small cut on her cheek bleeding. Panic and fear ran through her eyes.
"Come on little one, just take your needle and it will be all done with. Your only hurting yourself you know." A male voice cooed. It came from a figure a few feet away, advancing.
It had the body of a man, tall, deep-chested, fair-skinned and freckled face. In one hand there was a six inch needle of black, vile-looking liquid. On his face was a twisted smile pasted. Yet, there was a red-black aura around him, like a blurred shadow. The man was possessed.
"G-get away!" She shouted, running a little ways.
The man rolled his brown eyes, forming a chain to rise from the ground and wrap around one ankle.
There was an audible snap as the fragile bone broke, young Celeste went tumbling down with a cry.
Curling up and twisting around, the girl came to face him. She drew a sharp dagger from her belt.
"Stay back!" She warned desperately.
The man laughed, demon cackling through him. "You won't kill him, even if it was to get to me. Your too morale, and Dan is like a father to you. Now just shut up and take the needle. Hey, nine months and it'll be like this never happened."
§
There was the pounding of feet, the dimming fog, the rock walls and celling, the path ahead. On and on it went, stamping and running they went. Until...
There was a loud smack as the titans collided. Desparos came running out a second later, bleeding again.
"Where is Celeste?" He demanded, not giving a reason for his absence.
Robin laid her on the ground, panting from his excursion and bruised from his collision with Beast Boy. The woman's eyes were tight, her face tormented and her body began to writhe, small slits of crimson leaking.
The demon guard knelled beside her, one gentle hand on her shoulder. Then they all saw it.
§
The needle pierced pale flesh on her wrist. Celeste was gagged, pinned down to the ground by the stronger male body.
"There," The demon said as the ventriloquists again. "Now was that all so bad?"
The teenage girl looked back with angry curiosity. "What do you mean nine months? What did that thing do to me?"
"I am sorry, is my calculation off?" The spirit snarled with a human face smiling back. "I thought the human gestation period was nine months."
"Human," The girl began. She halted abruptly, dark violet-blue eyes widening. "...No,"
The man laughed. "Come on now it can't be that bad. You won't ever ave to care for the child after it's born and..." The voice stopped swiftly as a slender hand squeezed at the throat.
"Whose blood was that?" Celeste's voice was softly dangerous, this strange person almost nothing of the woman she would become. She tightened her grip.
"Whose bastard son am I carrying?"
The man's breath cut off, but the demon smiled still. There was a pregnant pause.
"Trigon's," Each syllable pronounced perfectly for full impact.
The pale limb dropped the ground, a look of utter... horror, disgust, fear anger. The shift was so quick it was hard to tell one from another.
Then her eyes flashed red, blood red.
A dark shadow sprouted from her form, growing in power and might as the Queen's fury rose.
Suddenly, the host's eyes flashed as well. A bright, all-seeing blue. Raven recognized it as the color of a seer who has received a vision.
"And the time shall come of war and sorrow
A time of transgressions remembered.
A place of all regrets with dawns borrowed,
From the key placed on your blood and throne
Out of the ashes, rises the shadow,
To fill the core of Gem's mortal stone.
And then a time of peace un-stolen.
A waking at the tide of war.
A victory, at the cost—
Of love, and betrayal,
Of blood and lore.
And the fate shall hand the card above all,
The deal of choice—duty over memories,
Love over Vengeance,
or Sacrifice over Shadow
And in betwixt this tale I see,
A mother and a daughter, staring back at me."
Then the dark form overwhelmed the speaker, and in one moment again it was gone. Only a broken body.
Celeste's young self slid to the ground, her eyes wide as one hand covered her open mouth.
"Mistress!" Desparos's deep voice ran over, his feet pounding against the asphalt.
He took one glance at Dan's bloody body and frowned.
"I—I killed him. I killed Dan just like that. Just to get even with that thing..." The scared girl began to mutter.
"My Lady you did what you did out of anger, Dan's body was used to hurt you." The demon spoke softly.
"So than... vengeance... you think, quantifies killing someone... you cared about?" She asked, a pale tear running down her cheek.
§
The vision shifted. Now they were in a large balcony under the starless night sky. Celeste was older, perhaps twenty-three or so. She wore a translucent wrap dress of soft silk and long, dangling sleeves were not attached, the entire fabric a pale silver and blue.
"You ask me not to harm her, but you do not understand." That was the unearthly voice of Trigon. His body was smaller, weaker, but eyes no less fierce crimson and horns no less sharp.
"Understand what Trigon?" She replied softly, looking out into the clear Azeranian air.
The demon underlord replied cruelly.
"There will be a time, when you will oppose me. You will find the blade that wounded me before, but you already know that you cannot wield it."
The blue hair shielded her eyes, but her voice was hinted with sorrow.
"None can wield the blade who have killed in cold blood. I know. What is it that you are telling me this for?"
Trigon gave a wicked smile. "My daughter will be able to do it, and one day you will drag her down in those tombs... and have her wield it."
Now Celeste had turned, her face harrowing with shock.
"And you will kill her."
"You know what you must do. You know what you will do. This battle will take Raven's life."
§
But then they were back. In the real world, with a very tired, very sad looking Celeste lying on the floor, standing up slowly.
"So, now you know."
Raven had already made up her mind. "You didn't have to lie you know, I'm not afraid of dying." You didn't have to pretend you loved me when you were planning to kill me all along.
"But, what---" Beast Boy struggled, but Raven shook her head.
"No, Raven--" Robin started.
"Stop it!" She raised her voice a little, then smoothed it back down. "This is my choice. I brought Trigon into this world and I have to take him out. Besides, I was supposed to die before.
Her mother's eyes shone with regret, but none the less Celeste stepped up to the door that had appeared behind them. She tapped it gently with her fingers.
"The last trial is of the undead. Cross the battlefield where they lie imprisoned and there will be the sword awaiting you. Find it, take it, and then the door will open again so we may leave." Her voice was soft, and Desparos took another step toward his charge.
Raven nodded, and without hesitation, with a feeling if disconnection, she stepped into the dark abyss awaiting her through the second door.
"Wait!" BB cried out, but the stone slid shut with a strong echo.
"How could you?" Robin turned quickly on the woman. "How could you do that to her? Raven is your daughter. She doesn't deserve to die!"
"Enough!" Desparos stood between the titans and the mother.
"No, no, no!" Starfire fell to the ground, unable to fly.
"You stupid ...er!" BB still didn't have it in him to really cuss. "I can't believe you would hurt her like that!"
"Alright, that wasn't cool. You tricked us and her. And you call yourself Raven's mom?" Cyborg joined icily.
And Celeste leaned against the door, not saying a word.
§
A/N: You didn't really think someone could be perfect did you? Had to have some skeleton. Sorry about the wait, it was the length that really held me up. Faster next time. Until then, peace out!