AUTHOR'S NOTE:

The way season 4's finale will be set up is different compared to the other episodes. To make the continuity of the next few chapters smoother, I won't be ending the them with their original episode's ending. For example, this chapter's ending takes place at the very beginning of "The End (Part 2)".

Happy reading!


"It's a beautiful day... for the end of the world."

Sitting up in my bed, I leaned against the headboard and held my arms. I looked to the window. The light of sunrise softly seeped through the curtains and filled my room with a warm glow. I hurried out of bed and out of my room, leaving my jacket, shoes, and holster belt behind. I jogged down the hallways. Everyone else was still asleep, so I had no worries of bumping into them.

I stopped in front of Raven's door and knocked. The door slid open without any resistance. I peered inside. Light allowed me to see, but Raven wasn't inside.

I climbed up the stairs leading to the roof of Titans Tower. I shivered as my bare feet touched the cold cement. The warmth of the sun and the chilly wind battled on my skin. Raven stood at the roof's edge and watched the sunrise. She lifted her hand to her face. Taking quiet steps towards her, I could see the glowing red symbols etched into her skin and clothes.

"Raven?" I said.

Raven's hand retreated, and she wrapped her cloak tightly around her body to hide the marks. She turned to me.

"What are you doing up so early?" she said.

"I came looking for you." I said. I stepped to her side and looked out to the ocean. The morning light reflected off the waters, forcing me to squint in order to look at them. "Neither of us could sleep very well, right?"

Raven bowed her head. "Why did this day have to come? And so soon?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Maybe soon for you, but from my standpoint, it's pretty late in the series." I glanced at Raven's brooding expressions and held my hands behind my back. "I'm not here to try and convince your thinking. To tell you, 'Everything will be okay.' or 'There's nothing to worry about.' Words won't assure you." Raven looked at me, and I smiled. "You'll know for sure when you see it."

Raven brought her gaze to the sky. "Today's sunrise is pretty."

I nodded. "It is. But do you know what I'm looking most forward to?"

"What?"

"Tomorrow's."

Raven released her cloak and lifted her hands to her face again.

"You hungry?" she said.

"Sure." I said. "But, uh... let me do the cooking, okay?"


The smell of golden pancakes stacked next to me filled my nostrils as I poured more batter on the large griddle. I passed the bowl to Raven, who, using her astral magic, stirred the batter to keep it fresh.

"I smell pancakes!" Cyborg's voice was heard a few seconds before he and Beast Boy burst through the doors. They dashed over to the plate.

"Ah, ah!" I cried, slapping their hands with my spatula. They recoiled. "Not until they're all made."

"But... But I brought my special syrup." Beast Boy said, placing a giant gallon of syrup on the counter.

Raven glared at the two, and they backed away and slumped in their seats at the counter. She quickly changed her glare into a smile, which freaked them out even more.

"What's the occasion?" Robin said as he and Starfire filed into the room and sat down.

"Does there have to be one?" Raven said. "Can't we do something nice for our friends?"

"Uh, I guess..." Cyborg said.

"It's just... weird coming from you." Beast Boy said. Raven scowled. "But, uh, you know, there's always a first time for everything!"

"All right, pancakes are done." I said, balancing the wobbling mountain of pancakes on a plate. "Everyone-"

Multiple pairs of hands reached for the pancakes, and they vanished from the plate.

"-dig in." I said, watching my friends scarf down the pancakes.

Beast Boy belched and held out his plate. "Are there seconds?"

Raven and I sweatdropped. Raven pounded a fist on the table and leaned forward, startling the others.

"So... maybe after breakfast we could, you know... hang out or something?" Raven said. She cracked a forced, toothy grin.

The others looked at each other, confusion of this whole thing definitely present. The chirp of a communicator broke the silence. Robin plucked his communicator from his belt and turned it on.

"We'll have to wait for that. We've got trouble." Robin said.


In the center of Jump City, Plasmus grabbed the sides of a sewage truck. He ripped off the back with his teeth and chugged the green, debris-filled liquid. Cyborg raised his sonic cannon and shot a ray through the side of the truck. The liquid leaked out the side and onto the ground. Plasmus glanced inside the truck before chucking it at us.

"Titans, go!"

We leaped out of the way. Cyborg, still in the truck's path, reeled back his fist and drove it into the truck, bringing it to a halt. Robin threw a disc at Plasmus. Upon impact, it covered Plasmus in a layer of ice. Beast Boy transformed into a rhino and rammed through Plasmus, scattering chunks of ice. The maroon goo trapped inside the ice gathered together again, recreating Plasmus. Plasmus stretched out his arm, sending gooey tentacles after Beast Boy. They wrapped around him and threw him up into the air. Beast Boy quickly transformed into a bird and flew back to the ground.

Positioned behind a chunk of cement, I fired lasers with my bazooka rifle. Each laser that hit Plasmus was followed with a puff of smoke. After a few hits, he was clouded with smoke. I peered up from my rifle's scope.

Gooey tentacles pierced through the smoke. I gasped and ducked behind the cement. The tentacles soared over my head, but they turned around and flew at me. I transformed my bazooka into my energy sword, but the tentacles wrapped around my arms, legs, and waist. My energy sword was ripped from my hand and fell to the ground with a clatter. The tentacles retracted, pulling me closer to Plasmus's gaping mouth.

Shards of astral magic sliced through the tentacles and consumed my body, leaving me suspended in the air. Plasmus stumbled back. My vision shifted to black and white. Raven, with one arm stretched towards me, raised the other and lifted my sword into the air. She thrust both arms at Plasmus. My sword rushed to my hand, and I reeled it back as I flew toward Plasmus. I stabbed the blade into one of Plasmus's eyes.

Plasmus roared. I pulled the blade out and jumped away.

"Incoming!" I turned my head and dropped to my stomach as a building flew over my head and slammed into Plasmus like a baseball bat. Plasmus soared into the air, crashing through buildings before landing in the street. We hurried after him and found him in his human form, asleep in a large crater.

"Nice work, everyone." Raven said with a small smile. "Who wants pizza?"


After lunch, we headed to the park for an afternoon stroll. I walked beside Raven, a few paces ahead of the others. Their eyes were on us, and I could feel it.

Behind me, I heard Beast Boy gasped. "Dude!"

Raven tensed and whirled around, a hand stretched out and coursing with magic. Beast Boy bent over and picked up a penny.

"Check it out! Looks like today's my lucky day!" he said, flipping it in the air before placing it in his pocket.

Raven dropped her hand back to her side and smiled.

"Anyone up for a game of Extreme Stankball?" Cyborg said, holding up a ball of tightly compacted dirty socks. The stench was so strong, you could see it. Where he was keeping it, exactly, I'd rather not find out.

"Sounds like fun." Raven said. The others gaped at her.

"Okay, what's going on?" Robin said. "I mean, the way you've been acting today is nice, just... strange."

Raven turned her back to us. "I just want everyone to have a nice day. Is that so wrong?" she said. "Come on, there's plenty more things for us to do."

As she finished her sentence, the sky darkened. I looked up at the sky and gasped as a shadow covered the sun like an eclipse. The shadow spread throughout the area, coating it in a darker shade. Raven lurched forward. She turned around, her eyes wide. The red symbols returned, covering her body.

"Raven!" I cried as she began to fall. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. She slumped against my shoulder, pulling both of us down to our knees. She remained motionless.

"What's going on?" Beast Boy said.

Robin crouched down next to us. "Why didn't you tell us?" he said. I looked away. "It's... happening, isn't it?"

"The end of the world." Raven whispered. Tears fell down her cheeks and pooled on my shoulder.

Robin stood up and turned to the others. "Let's get moving."

Cyborg pulled Raven away from me and lifted her into his arms.


We entered Titans Tower and walked through the first floor's hallway.

"Where are we going?" Raven said as we passed through a series of doors.

Robin stopped in front of a door with a handprint scanner next to it and turned to us. "We've been preparing for this." he said. He placed his hand on the scanner. The door opened. Inside, light blue markings were etched into the walls, giving the room a blue glow. "Our plan is simple. The only way Trigon can get to Earth and take over it is if he uses you as his portal. This room will protect you from him."

We entered the room. Cyborg set Raven down.

"I've installed all of the latest, state-of-the-art technology. Nothing should get in here." Cyborg said.

"These symbols will also help. We found them in some of your books." Starfire said.

Raven sighed. "I know you mean well, and I appreciate it. But there's nothing that can stop what's coming. Today, the prophecy will be fulfilled. Trigon will come, using his Portal, and there won't be anything that can stop him." She turned away from us. "You think you understand, but you don't. Trigon isn't like the bad guys we've faced before. He is the embodiment of darkness and evil. You don't know what you're up against."

"Neither does Trigon." Robin said. He pointed to a pink tinted window above us. "We'll be watching up there if you need us."

We left the room. I glanced over my shoulder and at Raven. I noticed Beast Boy lagging behind as well. He reached into his pocket and jogged back over to Raven.

"Here." he said, taking her hand and placing the penny he found earlier into it. "For luck."

Beast Boy hurried out of the room and past me. Raven closed her fingers over the penny and let her arm fall back to her side, her head bowed to the floor.

I climbed up into the control room above Raven's room. I looked through the window and saw her meditating in the center of the room. The control room made everything around me red, save the pink and blue lights of the controls and screens showing different angles of Titans Tower.

"Everything is going to be okay, yes?" Starfire said.

There was a moment of silence. I looked up and realized everyone was looking at me. I stared at the ground for a moment, collecting my breath.

"Yes." I said as firmly as my voice would allow. "Yes."

The computers began to beep. Dots filled the radar, slowing progress towards the Tower.

"We've got company." Cyborg said.


Standing at the top of Titans Tower, my bow clutching tightly in my hand, I watched the dancing flames of the fire army that stood at the foot of the Tower. Midst the group, I could easily detect Slade. The wind up here was much colder than earlier, and my body trembled deeply. The sky was a dark blue, absent of the sun, even though it was late afternoon. I wiggled my fingers to keep the blood circulating. The loose hair shaping my face tickled my cheeks. I lifted my bow and pulled the string back, forming a laser arrow. I released the string. The arrow soared through the air, gaining speed as it fell to the earth. It disappeared into the fire army. A soldier fell and vanished.

As I continued firing, I watched the action below as my friends also fought against the flame soldiers. After the fiftieth arrow, my arm started to tire. I quickly rolled my shoulder to ease it. As I did, I noticed some flames moving quickly through the army. It zoomed past my friends and began to scale the Tower. A column of flames erupted in front of me. I stumbled back as it arched over my head and landed behind me.

"I'm only here for one thing." Slade said as I turned to him. "Take me to Raven, and I'll go peacefully."

"Nothing you've ever done had peace in mind." I said. I stared at the Mark of Scath on his forehead. "You miss being human, don't you?"

Slade lifted his hand. Flames danced through his fingers. "Being undead gets exhausting sometimes. Trigon has the power to give me back what's mine."

"Sure, he does, and he can. That doesn't mean he will. Why would Evil himself ever consider helping someone? He needed you to do his dirty work here. He's using you, just like Raven, to get what he wants... and you fell for it all."

Slade rushed forward and snagged my throat. He leaned me over the edge of the roof. I gasped and clutched his wrist as gravity tugged at my torso.

"Give me one reason why I would ever believe a word you say." Slade said.

"I can give you sixty-five reasons." I said. Slade's grip on my throat loosened. Panic gripped my heart, and I held his wrist tighter.

"Enough!" I looked past Slade and saw Raven standing behind him. "Release her."

Reluctantly, Slade tossed me back onto the roof. I panted, cooling my hot face against the cement.

"A pleasure to see you again." Slade said. "Have you finally gotten past your childish ways?"

Raven bowed her head. "I'll go with you. I won't run anymore."

"Just what I wanted to hear. Come along, now. We don't want to be late for your destiny."

"Raven..." I said, climbing to my knees.

Raven turned and approached me. Standing over me, she lifted her palm towards me.

"I'm sorry." she said.

A bolt of astral magic escaped from her fingers and hit my chest. Pain stretched to all corners of my body. I collapsed against the ground, quickly falling into unconsciousness.


As I began to awaken, I felt something holding my shoulders, shaking me to speed up the process. I opened my eyes and saw my friends standing over me. I glanced below. The fire army was gone, along with Slade and Raven.

I sat up and rubbed my head.

"She got you, too, didn't she?" Cyborg said. "That girl can pack a punch."

"All we wanted to do was help." Beast Boy said.

Starfire sighed. "I fear that it is too late to help now."

"It's never too late. We can't give up now." Robin said.

Cyborg turned on his scanners. "Found her. She's in the old library."

"Let's go."


We hurried to the last room of the library's secret area, just in time to see Raven approaching the hand statue in the center of the room.

"Raven!" Robin cried. Flame soldiers swarmed us, blocking our path to her.

Raven swiped her hand, dispersing the soldiers. She lifted her hood off her face.

"You can't stop me. It has already begun." Raven said.

"You're willing to give upon everything just for this stupid prophecy? What if it's wrong?" Robin said.

"I don't need to hear it from you, too. I tried everything in my power in hopes that somehow, someway, I could stop it. But I can't. I have known of my fate since I was born. It's better if I stop fighting and accept it."

"Fate can be changed."

For a brief second, Raven looked to me. Her sadness deepened. "Maybe sometimes... but not for me. I don't know what I did to deserve you guys. I'm sorry for the pain I caused you. Thank you for all you've done for me. Now... it's time to let me go."

Raven stepped back and stretched out her hand. Her astral magic covered the area around us like a dome. She turned and approached the hand sculpture. The ground lifted beneath her feet, creating a staircase for her. My friends beat against the magical dome, desperate to break out.

"The Gem was born of evil's fire. The Gem shall be his Portal. He comes to claim, he comes to sire, the end of all things mortal." Raven chanted. She floated in the air, red symbols circling around her body. A bright light stretched out and consumed her.

"Raven, no!" I cried, placing my hands on the dome. A pair of arms pulled me away from the dome and held me close to the body they were connected to.

The light changed into a swirling ball of fire. It descended to the ground, destroying the hand sculpture. A mass of red flew out of the portal, followed by a deep, throaty laugh.

"The Earth is mine!" Trigon roared.

Puffing his chest out, he opened his mouth, emitting red sound waves. As we covered our faces, tiny barriers of astral magic appeared in front of us, protecting us from Trigon's power.

Red consumed my vision before slowly fading to black.