Chapter X: The Cavalry Arrives
"Raven?" Beast Boy's muffled voice called out from the darkness. "Raven, are you OK?"
Raven slowly opened her eyes. Her head throbbed and her stomach tumbled in agony. The remnants of her last battle slowly played in her head. How she wished this was all a bad dream and that she was going to wake up in her underworld castle home. She looked out through the amber containment field. The others were held in separate chambers. She slowly stood up and cradled her aching head in her hands then closed her eyes again.
"Raven, are you all right?" Beast Boy continued to quiz her.
"My head is pounding, I feel like I'm going to throw up and I'm stuck in a crummy containment field with people asking me stupid questions. No, I'm not all right," Raven said angrily. "What's going on?"
"You've been captured by Gato," a synthesized voice calmly answered her. Raven opened her eyes and glared angrily at its source. "The Professor" was one of Gato's main operatives. It was an alien that resembled a large octopus. It stood on tentacled legs behind a large control panel. Its yellow serpent eyes peered out from under a large helmet that sat perched on its head. This is what gave it its voice.
"When I get out of here you're going to regret you messed with me," Raven sneered. She was genuinely pissed off and was gleefully entertaining the idea of tying this monster's tentacles together and bashing it up against the nearest wall.
"Not likely," the Professor's synthesized voice responded. "These containment fields should hold all of you until Gato figures out what to do." The creature paused then turned his attention to Cyborg and Haley who were held in one of the other containment fields. "Tell me Cyborg, who are your other friends? I do not recognize them."
Cyborg and Haley looked at each other then mutually decided to keep their silence. No need to provide the Professor with any free information.
"Very well," the Professor replied after a brief silence. "We'll dispose of them first then use you to trap the remaining Titans." Cyborg and Haley fought to maintain their anger. Aimee quickly hugged her mother who was in one of the other containment fields with her. They both turned to Beast Boy who looked longingly at his other family members from his separate cell.
A sudden burst of light filled the air followed by tormented wails and moans announcing Raven's sons were entering the fray. The others in the room turned as the brothers made their grand entrance. Daniel rode his white unicorn while Darien sat atop his black Nightmare with a shield slung over his shoulder and dark sword drawn.
"Orbus!" Daniel shouted as the first burst of gunfire erupted from the dozen or so Gato henchman that accompanied the Professor. The blasts refracted away from the mounted pair.
"Get the others out Daniel, I'll take care of these guys," Darien instructed his brother. Daniel nodded then turned his mount towards the confined Titans and headed directly for his mother. Darien let out a shout and bounded forward towards the nearest group of opponents brandishing his sword high above his head.
Raven cringed watching her sons separate. How many times had she told them to stay together?!? Daniel came towards her. "Get Cyborg and Haley out first," she instructed. He reluctantly nodded his head and quickly directed his unicorn towards their containment field. Raven could only watch and hope Daniel could free Cyborg and Haley before Darien got himself in trouble. She figured both of them had much more experience dealing with Gato than she did.
Daniel slid off the back of his mount as it backed up towards Cyborg and Haley's containment field. The unicorn leapt up then smashed its hind feet against the field causing the whole building to shake. A few more kicks and the field would be down.
Raven knelt down as Daniel bounded back towards her. His eyes were filled with terror. Raven glanced over and watched as Darien chased a group of Gato's henchman. He was laughing hysterically and thoroughly enjoying himself when a burst of electricity enveloped him and his mount.
Raven gasped as Darien fell from his Nightmare and hit the floor hard. His mount staggered forward and tried to drive the nearest Gato henchman away from his fallen master. Darien pulled himself from the floor grimacing in pain. He stood and faced the group who were trying to fend off his Nightmare then raised his hands .
"Not the color spray spell. Darien please don't use that spell," Raven softly pleaded with herself in vain.
A burst of colors shot out from Darien's hands and consumed the group in front of him, including his Nightmare. The men dropped their weapons blinded by the sudden burst of colored lights then collapsed onto the floor. Darien's Nightmare whinnied loudly in pain then bounded away abandoning his master for the darkest confines of the warehouse. Two Gato henchmen fell on Darien from his flanks and quickly downed him with their rifle butts.
Beast Boy turned to Raven when he saw Darien fall. Raven's face was fixed in a deep scowl . What he saw next would be something he'd never forget for as long as he lived. Raven slowly raised her right hand to her mouth. She bit into the fleshy part of her palm piercing the skin then slowly drank the blood that drained from her wound. Her eyes dilated as an uncontrollable rage swelled within her. She wrapped her cape around her right hand and swung it heavily into the amber containment field. The building shook violently as Raven's hand drove into it.
With a final leaping kick Cyborg and Haley's containment field collapsed. Haley leapt forward as Cyborg quickly armed his sonic cannon. His first burst did nothing but attract the attention of the two remaining Gato henchmen who stood over Darien's unconcious body. The Professor quickly retreated into the gloom as the tide of the battle appeared to be turning.
Beast Boy stood transfixed ignoring what was going on elsewhere as Raven continued to pound her way through the containment field. Blood spattered against the field each time Raven struck it. Her eyes were mad like those of a mother grizzly. The field finally sputtered and collapsed as Raven stepped forward to rescue her son.
Daniel had watched helplessly as his mother pounded away. She was pushing herself beyond the limitations of her body and once she passed that point she would expire soon afterwards. He was determined not to allow that to happen. Daniel quickly grasped onto his mother's bloody hand as the field sputtered out. Raven instantly felt a calm euphoria wash over her. She collapsed to her knees as the pain from her shattered hand overwhelmed her. Darien was still in trouble. She raised her other hand and took possession of Darien's sword.
"Haley, catch!" Raven communicated to Robin's daughter. She was quickly closing the gap between her and the henchmen who stood over Raven's son. Cyborg continued firing bursts from his sonic cannon trying to draw the Gato henchmen's fire and attention.
Haley heard Raven's voice echo in her mind then noticed Darien's dark sword flying towards her. She reached out instinctively and grasped Darien's sword feeling a strange tingle run through her arm. A sudden chill consumed her heart as she quickly closed on Gato's henchmen.
Robin swore he heard a demonic cry erupt from his daughter as both he and Starfire watched helplessly from behind their containment field. With one quick swipe Haley lopped the head off the closest henchman. His comrade had enough time to raise his rifle in an attempt to parry Haley's next attack. Haley raised the dark blade above her head and emitted an inhuman cry as she brought the blade down on her opponent. It passed effortlessly through the rifle slicing it in two than sank into his right shoulder and passed down through his chest coming to rest near his waist. The bloody remnants of the body convulsed slightly then slowly slid off of the blade and fell to the floor in a heap.
Haley gasped in fright at what she had done. Blood was spattered everywhere. She began to hyperventilate then staggered backwards as a searing cold wave crept up her arm towards her chest. Haley fell to her knees and sobbed with fright.