Disclaimer: Property of DC.
Rating: T for battle-related violence that includes mild descriptions of gore.
AN: This picks up right where Gotham Holiday ended, so please read or reread GH first.
Edited: 12/30/21
Gotham Holiday: A White Door
Chapter One: Azar
As Robin followed Alfred and Slade north towards the Temple of Azar, the surrounding trees reminded him of the big oaks and crabapples that grew in Gotham's central park. Their trunks split into solid, strong branches. Their gnarled roots snaked over the forest floor.
The faint glow of Slade's handheld device outlined him in the darkness. Otherwise, his black combat suit blended with the forest's deep shadows. When he wasn't checking his device, Robin could only see Slade by the starlight catching his white, tied back hair or glinting off the hilt of the sword hanging on his back.
Robin's steel-toed shoes crunched against the dead leaves carpeting the ground. Snares and twigs snatched at his damp uniform as he passed through the close-knit trees and overgrown forest brush. He kept his own pace slower, wanting to keep both Slade and Alfred in view.
Alfred's white dress shirt and the makeshift bandage on his left forearm made him more visible than Slade. Though his dark vest, slacks, and dress shoes weren't exactly ideal hiking clothes, he'd done an admirable job of keeping up with Slade's exacting pace.
"The temple is less than three miles ahead," Slade announced. "However, at the rate we're moving, we'll all be dead in about ten minutes."
Throughout the long hike, a pack of six Bixbite had stalked and attacked Robin's group several times. Slade and Robin had managed to drive the horrible monsters back each instance with a well-aimed flash disc.
Unease skittered through Robin's heart.
Now that all the flash discs were used up, he couldn't predict what would happen the next time the Bixbite decided to launch their attack.
Alfred moved to walk alongside Slade. "The two of you should run ahead. I can get to the temple on my own."
"That's not an option." Robin shouldered himself between them, earning a sharp look from Slade.
Robin returned the look tenfold. "We're not splitting up, and we're definitely not leaving anyone behind. If we can't scare those things off anymore, why don't we try hiding again? Maybe they'll get sidetracked by something else like when we first crashed here."
Slade shook his head. "They've demonstrated unwavering commitment to the hunt. Our best strategy would be disabling Alfred and leaving the creatures a live distraction. We could even take one of his arms along with us and use it to distract the Bixbite that lurk ahead, closer to the temple. Who knows, maybe they'll play fetch, and we'll make it through the front gates unscathed."
Robin gave an irritated sigh. "If hurting Alfred was your grand plan for survival, you would've tried to get away with it hours ago. We both know you have something else in mind—I just wish you'd say it instead of playing games. I don't know why you brought us to this horrible planet instead of Amparo, Slade, but I hope it wasn't to go out in a blaze of glory together. I really don't plan on dying here. And if Alfred gets maimed or killed because of some stupid test you've come up with, I will find a way to make sure you regret it."
The blue glow of Slade's handheld device gave away his smirk.
Seeing it, Robin turned his glare back to their path, determined to keep his emotions in check. He noted the ground becoming rockier as they climbed a steep hill, their feet sloshing through leaves and creating far too much noise for comfort. At the top of the hill, they came upon a road half-swallowed in moss and paved with flat, gray stones.
Robin couldn't deny his relief. Stable ground would help them move faster and make the hike less arduous for Alfred. The moss helped muffle their footfalls as Slade led them north, following the road.
A soft chiming sound brought Robin's attention back to the trees. Long, thin ropes with tiny bell-like objects hung from many of the thick branches that stretched over the road. The ropes swayed gently, creating soft chimes.
"Since we're closer now," Robin said, "maybe we should think of a way to signal the temple for help, just in case things do get bad."
Slade scoffed. "It would be a waste of precious time. The temple's inhabitants are powerful, but pacifists," he said with distaste. "You saw the state of this world; the lava and destruction surrounding the forest. If they refused to lift a finger to help their own people escape such a fate, I doubt they'll do much for a trio of strangers. We'll have to deal with the Bixbite on our own."
Slade met Robin's gaze with seriousness. "And, Robin, if we do reach the temple, I wouldn't mention my previous visit to this planet. If those monks find out I'm the one who took one of their precious rings, they'll never permit our entry. They don't need to fight to keep us from entering their sacred grounds. Before, I overwhelmed their defenses with my own powers. This time, we aren't that lucky."
Robin's skin prickled with warning.
At the edge of his hearing, he picked up the creatures' movements—soft twig snaps and rasping, quiet growls.
Slade paused to study his device.
Beside him, Alfred and Robin exchanged grim frowns.
Standing still seemed like a terrible idea.
Slade met their eyes. "The Bixbite are taking a stealthier approach. They're fanning out, perhaps seeking to surround us this time before they attack."
Robin reconsidered the tree limbs overhead. "If we can't outrun them, we should commit to fighting while we still have time to get ready. Attacking from above is probably our best shot. We can try to slow them down with freeze discs and blind them with smoke pellets. Though... based on how strong the one on the beach was, I doubt either will slow them down long."
Robin frowned at the woods. "It's too bad we don't know if they have any other weaknesses."
"When in doubt, aim for the head," Slade offered, earning a suspicious look from his captives as he put away his device. "Your plan is an improvement over hiding, but fighting won't be enough. You must commit to slaughtering them—no matter what it takes. As you've already witnessed, they won't hesitate to destroy you or the ones you care about if you fail to destroy them first."
Slade held up a vial he'd taken from his gray utility belt. The vial was packed with blue powder. "As for their paralysis trick, this should help. It's an Airborne-Limiter. With luck, it'll negate their ability to paralyze us. Perhaps even their strength and speed. Though there's no knowing if or how long it'll work."
Robin's suspicious frown drew deeper. "Why didn't you tell us you had that?"
"I thought I might need it to fend off your overpowered girlfriend." Slade didn't bother hiding his amusement at Robin's dark expression. "Since she's no longer a threat, there's no reason to save it."
That's how he captured Superman for Luthor. Robin regarded the vial bitterly. "And what if it suppresses your abilities? You seem pretty dependent on them."
"It wasn't a factor before," Slade admitted, ignoring the barb. "Perhaps the antidote Luthor gave me will help. If not, I suppose I'll just have to avoid getting my guts ripped out like the rest of you."
Robin retrieved his grappling gun, relieved that it was one of the gadgets Slade had stolen from the Batcave's armory. To Alfred, he said, "Don't worry. I won't let those things get you."
One of Alfred's thin eyebrows raised. "Perhaps we should leave this part out when we tell Master Bruce about our grand space adventures."
Robin allowed a quick smile before holding on to Alfred and firing his grappling gun. Slade, having stolen his own such gadget from the cave, followed them up to crouch in the same tree, choosing an adjacent limb. The thick, giant branches creaked under their weight but held steady. Robin figured they were roughly twenty feet from the road below.
Alfred knelt on the branch near the tree's wide trunk. He unrolled his white dress shirt's sleeve and tore a strip off, handing it to Robin. "Here, Sir. Better to be prepared in case the Limiter does fail."
Understanding, Robin tied the white cloth around his head. "Thanks. Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
"Indeed," Slade muttered as he checked his device again. "They're near, but for this to work, we'll need them to regroup closer together. And it'd be best if they were directly below us."
Robin gave half of his smoke pellets to Alfred. The tiny metal orbs clinked in the butler's palm.
Alfred tapped Robin's arm and indicated the six dark shapes that crawled in a V-shaped line beneath the trees. They were roughly fifteen feet from the road, coming from the east.
As they neared Robin, Alfred, and Slade's position, the creatures suddenly became very still. They stood and listened. Only their heads turned as little forest sounds drew their attention this way or that. Their glowing eyes cast the forest around them in an eerie, red light.
Robin found among the Bixbite the dark-haired one he'd seen butcher the mercenaries on the beach when they'd first crashed on Azar. His heart rate picked up at the memory of how easily it had paralyzed and ripped the mercenaries apart. Their screams haunted his ears.
Examining the creatures, Robin found himself surprised by how humanlike they appeared. Well, other than their big, clawed hands. Before, they'd moved so fast he'd seen the pack only as a collection of dark blurs. Now, he realized the Bixbite ranged widely in height and muscular builds.
A few even wore remnants of light-colored clothing.
Robin quietly took the freeze discs from his utility belt, readying three in each hand.
The Bixbite were paused too far away to ensure a successful strike. He wondered if they'd lost track of their prey, or if the Bixbite knew exactly where Robin and his allies were and had decided to wait and consider what they were up to before launching another attack. In his gut, Robin felt the latter to be true.
Slade, kneeling on his own branch, had reached back to grip his sword. His other free hand held the Limiter. He waited as still and focused as the creatures; his eye watching them.
Robin noticed he was smirking again and scowled.
We could all be dead in seconds, and of course he's having fun.
He's such a psycho!
There's no way we're related.
Robin turned his attention back to the creatures. They'd begun moving again, spreading out even further as they continued crawling towards where Robin and the others waited. In response, Robin scoped out the surrounding trees to quickly pick out escape routes just in case he needed to snatch Alfred and grapple to a new position. His mind played through several disastrous scenarios as the Bixbite moved to encircle them.
What if they attacked in waves instead of charging as a group? What if half of them scurried up other trees and sprang from different angles?
Robin's freeze discs might catch some, but the Limiter needed to hit every monster at once.
Beside him, Alfred quietly took off his wristwatch and set its alarm for thirty seconds before holding the watch out, ready to drop. He shared a look with Robin and Slade.
It was a risky plan. The sound could draw even more Bixbite to their location, but then again, the flash discs hadn't done so all night... so maybe...
Robin took a silent breath.
What mattered was immediate survival.
Reaching for optimism, he told himself that if more Bixbite did show up, there was always the chance they'd choose to eat their fresh, dead friends before worrying about chasing a few fleeing humans.
Robin nodded to show Alfred he was ready.
The moment the watch hit the road's stony surface, the Bixbite alerted. Some of the creatures stood straighter and sniffed the air. Low, guttural noises rumbled in their chests. Just as they began crawling forward again, the watch's repetitive alarm began piercing the night. The Bixbite screeched and ran upright towards the noise. They clambered onto the road, surrounding the watch in a bristling huddle.
Chuffing, one snatched it up fast, crushing Alfred's watch in its claws. The others growled in approval. They turned to the trees; their gleaming red eyes searched every shadow for prey.
The Limiter struck the road right in the middle of them, erupting in a blue cloud of dust. At the same time, Robin spiked all six of his freeze discs at the creatures. Ice enveloped their bodies, silencing their confused screeches. They became enshrouded in smoke as two pellets struck the road next; a precaution just in case the Limiter had failed.
"Stay here." Slade leapt down from the tree, sword drawn. He landed amongst the ice statues and whipped the blade through the closest neck, cleaving a frozen head right off its shoulders. The creature's body remained propped up by ice.
The other Bixbite began to crack through their prisons.
Slade rushed and managed to lop off another head.
The remaining creatures burst free. Shards of ice flew from their bodies as the four monsters screeched furiously. Their hateful red eyes landed on Slade. Claws raised, they ran—each wanting to be the one that ripped him apart.
Slade evaded each deadly strike, causing the Bixbite to crash and stumble over each other as he wove through them.
Watching from above, Robin thought it almost looked like a dance.
The Bixbite recovered and whirled around. They charged at Slade again.
He grinned, waiting for them with his sword ready.
Robin aimed and threw his last two ice discs, but only caught one of the creatures as it ran.
The other three stumbled to a stop and jerked their heads up. They growled in Robin's direction.
Slade used the distraction to launch his own attack, running into the monsters. He shouldered two aside hard and engaged with the third, landing a brutal slash across its chest. The Bixbite howled and clutched its gaping wound with both claws. Blood spilled down its belly. Slade didn't give it much time to suffer. He plunged his sword into its head and then yanked the blade back out, letting the monster fall.
Sharp claw tips punched through Slade's left shoulder from behind, deepening their grip as they snatched him backwards.
The Bixbite used its skewering grip to shove him hard to the ground. Another snatched away his sword. Then both creatures fell on him, their claws ripping at Slade's back. They shred right through his combat suit and flesh. He cried out in agony. He twisted, managing to tear his shoulder free and roll onto his back. It didn't matter. Their slashing hands made escape impossible.
Smoke pellets rained down from above.
Robin, bo-staff in hand, dropped down from the tree and quickly slammed his weapon into first one Bixbite and then the other, knocking them off Slade. The white cloth Alfred had given him was pulled down to protect his mouth and nose from all the smoke.
Over his shoulder, he heard the third Bixbite began to break free of its icy prison.
Great.
Robin twirled and brought up his bo-staff just in time to fend off a shape lunging at him through the smoke. He whacked it hard enough to send the Bixbite careening into a tree. It fell to the ground along with a shower of dead leaves. It slumped over, hopefully with a broken neck.
Robin needed to draw the other two away from Slade. He ran as the smoke dissipated, sure they'd follow, but stopped short of leaving the road. He didn't want to put too much distance between himself and Alfred.
Robin spun to face his enemies. Their long arms and legs pumped as they raced to pounce on him.
He struck first, diving at them with quick, vicious sweeps with his bo-staff. Neither Bixbite gave any ground. As soon as he knocked back one, the other was already springing to grab him. Robin realized they were pushing him towards the forest. He grit his teeth as their blows became more difficult to block.
His foot caught on a stone poking up from the road.
Robin stumbled backwards.
In that moment, time seemed to slow as one of the Bixbite wrapped its claws around the center of his weapon. It hefted the bo-staff and Robin right off the ground.
Its other clawed hand plunged into his left shoulder. It flexed its claws to cause more damage.
Robin screamed at the startling pain. He let go of his bo-staff and ran out of reach. Blood streamed down his left arm. From the corner of his eye, Robin could see his skin sticking up from the grisly wound.
Spinning to face the creatures again, he realized with horror that the one he'd sent crashing into a tree wasn't dead. All three of the Bixbite ran to tackle him.
Once he hit the ground, they'd tear him to pieces.
A bullet struck one of the creatures in the head, dropping it.
More bullets punched into the other two Bixbite, but neither went down. They scattered, dodging the gunfire.
Confusion crashed through Robin's brain. To his left, Slade still lay on the ground.
Then that means...
One of the Bixbite began a dead run for the tree where Robin had left Alfred. Stunned, Robin watched it evade shot after shot. It was too fast.
It reached the base of the tree and scrambled up.
"No!" Robin pulled out two birdarangs, extending and combining them to create his own sword.
He ran to save Alfred, but the other Bixbite suddenly blocked his path.
It screeched so loud Robin thought his ears would surely bleed. It tried to slash him, but Robin swung his sword, forcing it back.
Robin heard more gunshots. Branches breaking. Or was it Alfred's bones?
Robin couldn't look. He was too busy struggling to get past the Bixbite. Maintaining his grip on the sword caused tremendous pain, but Robin didn't care. He growled and slashed at the Bixbite with all his might, desperate for a blow to land. Exhaustion pulled at his muscles.
Robin realized the gunfire had stopped. Dread filled him to the core.
He had to be faster.
"Come here!" Robin growled at the Bixbite. His fierce attacks came quick and brutal.
The monster was forced on defense.
Blood soaked the left side of Robin's uniform. He felt dizzy.
His injured arm grew heavier almost to the point of numbness.
Robin didn't care.
Snarling, he dug his feet into the road and leapt. He held his sword high above his head and brought it down fast across the Bixbite's shoulder, chopping through. The Bixbite screeched a painful noise and toppled over. It sat curled on the ground and clutched the horrible wound.
Fueled by raw fear and anger, Robin screamed as he brought his sword down again, killing it.
He stumbled back.
Robin's shaking hands lost their grip on his sword. He collapsed to his knees. Pain and exhaustion sank their teeth fully into him. His left arm hurt too much to move. Mashing his teeth together, he tried to get back up through sheer willpower, but failed.
Panting, Robin gingerly touched the bloody, mutilated flesh on his shoulder to assess the damage. Fresh pain rocketed down his arm. Robin cried out, jerking his hand away. This only jolted his wound again.
Bright flashes of light filled his vision.
"Alfred!" he called, his voice cracking and much weaker than he'd expected.
There was no answer.
No screeching or gunfire.
Just a ringing in his ears that wiped out all other sounds.
No. No. No. Robin shook his head dizzily. I wasn't fast enough. If I had just…
Summoning every bit of his strength, he shoved aside the pain and got to his feet. Robin's legs felt like blocks of wood. Looking, he realized Slade was gone. There was nothing on the road but Bixbite corpses.
Robin's vision blurred.
He felt himself sway and struggled to keep upright.
He had to get to Alfred.
But a familiar presence drew his attention to the shadows of a large, nearby tree.
"Slade?"
The world tilted violently forward.
Moving fast, Slade caught Robin, stopping him from tumbling face-first into the ground. Robin slumped in his grasp. Between blood loss and exhaustion, the boy fell unconscious.
Slade lowered him to the road. Using medical tape from his utility belt, Slade quickly wrapped Robin's shoulder to staunch the bleeding.
Gunshots brought Slade's attention to the tree where Alfred was busy fending off the last Bixbite.
Briefly, he wondered exactly when the old man had managed to steal one of his guns.
Amusement won out over Slade's irritation.
In the end, it had proved more useful than treacherous.
"You did well," he said to Robin as he stood.
Robin shook his head, trying to clear his fuzzy thoughts so he could get up. It only half-worked. "Slade?"
"My healing factor wasn't affected by the Limiter." Slade checked his handheld device. Several more lifeforms were heading their way.
Slade smirked at the screen.
"Alfred…" Grimacing, Robin struggled to get up.
Slade's foot shoved him flat to the ground. "Stay here."
Out of bullets, Alfred smashed the butt of the gun hard against the creature's grasping hand.
It shrieked and yanked away its claws.
Alfred moved higher in the tree, pulling himself up two more branches before he dared look back.
The creature gripped a branch and prepared to launch itself upward.
With no weapons or chance for further escape, Alfred made up his mind. He gauged the creature's distance one more time and took a deep breath. Alfred jumped off the tree. He collided with the monster. Dislodged by his sudden weight, the Bixbite fell with him.
Branches snapped.
The world flew past in a violent blur.
In seconds, the ground brought it all to an abrupt halt.
The impact left Alfred hurting all over. At first, the pain resonating throughout his body made no sense. A small part of him was embarrassed that he'd possibly rolled out of bed.
Then the floor writhed beneath him.
Alfred's mind cleared as he gasped and scurried off the stunned monster. He gasped again at the sharp pain dancing over his shins. His slacks were torn enough that Alfred could see the wounds. His shins looked like raw, chewed meat. Bits of moss stuck to the stinging, bloody mess.
The monster groaned and flopped onto its stomach. Its long limbs began to push itself up.
Alfred sought out Robin and found him lying on the road not ten feet away.
His eyes widened in shock at the sight of so much blood on someone he cared so deeply about.
Robin wasn't moving.
Misery and grief quickly began to take root in Alfred's chest. He wasn't sure he could breathe.
If he's dead, then there's no point in fighting. Alfred dismissed the dark thought, refusing to believe any part of it. He positioned himself between the rising monster and the young hero he was bound and determined to get home. Battered and breathing hard, he raised his fists. They were all he had left.
The Bixbite tried to get upright, but one of its legs seemed broken. Its red eyes zeroed in on Alfred. The creature hissed, displaying its wide jaw and mouth full of teeth.
A bullet zipped through its head and the Bixbite toppled over.
Startled, Alfred looked from its body to Slade.
Slade put away his gun.
Looking, Alfred saw he'd recovered the other one, too. Both weapons were back in their holsters, and Slade's sword hung from his back again.
"Thank you," Alfred said breathlessly. He made no apology for nicking one of Slade's guns earlier.
Alfred hobbled over and carefully dropped to his knees alongside Robin, grimacing at the sparks of pain it sent across his shins.
"They almost ripped his arm off," Alfred said in an angry breath, having assessed Robin's wounds. "I need to further bind this, or he'll bleed to death."
Slade retrieved a roll of medical tape form his utility belt and handed it to Alfred.
Robin stirred, clenching his teeth until Alfred finished, but didn't wake up.
Alfred then set about binding the ugly scrapes on his own shins.
"Hurry," Slade said. "Many are coming, and without another Limiter, we won't stand a chance if they find us too soon."
Alfred's dark eyes met Slade. "Go. Save the boy."
Slade pulled Robin up from the road and slung him over a shoulder.
Before taking off, he looked back at Alfred. "Keep up or die."
Left alone on the road, Alfred pressed a hand over the painful stitch growing sharper in his side with each breath.
He inhaled deeply to settle his nerves.
Metal glinting in the starlight caught Alfred's eye. He painfully stood and moved to pick up Robin's sword, separating the two birdarangs. Mindful of the sharp blades, he slipped one into a pocket and kept the other safely in his grasp.
Alfred took another breath, anticipating the pain that running would cause, and hurried after the others. He ran, following the road, his shoes striking the stones hard as he raced to catch up. The forest on either side of the road became a dark blur. Thoughts of being snatched from behind and dragged into the shadows kept him moving, but not nearly as much as knowing that if he died, Robin would only have a sociopathic murderer to depend upon for survival.
Alfred soon spotted Slade ahead with relief.
Slade had slowed to a fast walk. He now carried Robin in his arms. Alfred could see the young hero's legs dangling over one arm and his dark hair sticking past Slade's other shoulder. Alfred noticed that Slade had pulled the white cloth over Robin's masked eyes, effectively blindfolding him. He guessed it was a precaution just in case they did run into more Bixbite, even if Robin wasn't in any shape to fight.
Alfred couldn't match Slade's pace, so he concentrated on not falling too far behind. He trailed them by several feet. His chest ached and he couldn't seem to catch his breath. It took all his willpower to keep from collapsing on the road.
"We're close to being safe," Slade told him without looking back. "I remember seeing these all around the temple the last time I was here."
Alfred glanced around and saw what Slade meant. Here and there, light blue strings with little metal bells hung from the trees.
They chimed softly as they swayed overhead.
The screeches were Alfred's only warning. A Bixbite tackled him to the ground. It pinned him on his back and gave a long hiss. Alfred snapped his eyes shut before it could trap him in its gaze.
Its hot breath rolled over his face.
Alfred coughed and warm blood dribbled down his chin. Disoriented, Alfred tried to make sense of the odd sensation.
A bloody monster put a claw through your chest, his brain supplied.
Gunfire told him Slade and Robin were under attack, too. Alfred's thoughts cleared. He became aware of the birdarang he still gripped in his hand. He was holding it so tightly the blades bit into his palm.
Alfred swiped the weapon at the creature, slitting its throat.
The Bixbite gave a gurgled cry. Its weight disappeared, but Alfred could hear it thrashing around nearby.
Alfred clutched his chest and rolled onto his stomach. He propped himself up on one elbow so he could see the others.
Robin lay near Slade's feet.
There was another dead Bixbite lying there, too.
Slade held his sword but wasn't moving.
Alfred noticed a pair of red eyes watching from the woods. Horrified, he realized a third creature had caught Slade in its gaze. Alfred felt the heaviness of defeat and loss once again wrap around his heart. He hoped that Robin was unconscious so he wouldn't feel any pain when the monster ended his life.
Alfred could only watch as the Bixbite emerged from the woods.
It approached Slade like a hungry, but patient shadow. Its scraggly white hair spilled over bony shoulders. A tattered, white piece of cloth hung from its waist. The creature paused right before Slade. Its claws twitched in anticipation.
To Alfred, it seemed as if the thing wanted to taunt its prey.
Maintaining Slade's gaze, it licked its lips before grinning to show off its unnaturally wide set of teeth. A rasping noise came from deep in its chest.
Alfred realized it was laughing at them.
Still blindfolded, Robin moved fast, taking control of Slade's sword and driving it through the monster's gut.
The impaled creature shrieked as it fell backwards.
Robin fell with it.
Slade, now freed from its spell, quickly hauled Robin away from the writhing beast and recovered his sword. Enraged at how close it had come to killing him, Slade killed the Bixbite with one brutal stomp to its throat. His furious blue eye looked back towards Alfred.
"Go!" Alfred urged.
More dark shapes suddenly moved amongst the trees.
Red eyes and growls surrounded them as dozens of Bixbite sprung onto the road.
At the same time, a blinding wave of light blasted through the forest.
Alfred cried out as the force shoved him aside. He lay on the road, stunned and listening as the Bixbites' horrible screeches faded away.
A person wearing a white cloak knelt over Alfred. Their hands glowed against his chest.
He shivered. His whole body felt chilled. Alfred squinted up at the hooded figure. "Who are you?"
They didn't answer. Moments later, the glow left their fingers and they stood, leaving him.
Alfred felt as if he'd just gotten a good night's sleep. He sat up fast, surprised to see the gaping hole in his chest had vanished. He wiped the blood from his chin and realized his legs no longer hurt, either. He got to his feet quickly.
There were a dozen people on the road. All of them wore white hooded cloaks over their white robes, though a few wore white tunics and pants beneath the cloak. Most of them held metal poles in each hand.
The weapons reminded Alfred of escrima sticks.
They must be from the temple.
If that were true, then Slade had either lied about their willingness to give aid, or the villain had seriously misjudged them. Alfred caught sight of Slade amongst all the white cloaked figures and hurried over. Robin was on the road with a girl kneeling beside him. Slade watched both like a hawk.
The girl wore a white cloak like the others, but her hood was pulled back, revealing long, brown hair. Her dark eyes glanced up to note Alfred. She appeared close to Robin's age.
As she closed her eyes, white light emanated from her fingers, covering Robin's body with shimmering energy. The blue gemstone piercing her forehead began to shine. Similar gemstones were embedded in her gauntlets. They shined, too. The girl's eyes glowed a brilliant white when she opened them again.
Robin sucked in a deep breath.
"Oh, thank goodness," Alfred said in relief.
Hearing his voice, Robin sat up. He tore off the white blindfold. Finding Alfred, his masked eyes widened at the sight of his friend alive and uninjured.
Robin grinned. "Alfred! I should've known you'd be okay! You always think of something."
Alfred helped him up before gesturing a hand towards the girl. "While I appreciate your faith in me, Sir, credit for our survival seems to belong to this young lady and her friends."
Robin faced the girl. His eyes widened again. At first, his mind only saw her white cloak and the starlight catching the gemstone on her forehead.
The girl stared at him with a blank expression.
The smile slipped from Robin's face.
"Sorry. For a moment, I thought you were a friend of mine," he admitted. Robin gave her a smile anyway. She had, after all, saved his life and Alfred's. "Thank you for saving us. I'm Robin. What's your name? Are you from the Temple of Azar?"
The girl's brown eyes considered him for the span of three more heartbeats.
Then she grabbed Robin by the collar and pulled him close. Shocked, Robin reflexively tried to shove her back. She easily overpowered him, her other hand gripping the back of his hair. She forced his head closer so she could kiss him. Robin struggled to turn his face away, but her fingers tightened in his hair, forcing him still. His mind reeled to make sense of her actions and incredible strength.
Finished, she let go.
He stumbled back, striking a defensive position and wiping a hand across his mouth. "What are you doing?"
The girl frowned with a raised eyebrow. She spoke calmly, "Learning your language, of course."
"Oh." Robin felt a deep pang in his heart. "I know Tamaraneans learn that way… I guess I never thought other about species using lip contact for instantaneous knowledge..."
He smiled again at the girl to hide his embarrassment. "Thanks for your help. I'm Robin. This is my friend, Alfred. That's Slade."
Slade regarded her coolly with arms crossed.
Robin noticed he'd sheathed his sword.
"Why were you coming to the temple?" the girl asked. The other Azarians came to stand behind her.
Some of them looked tired, almost ill.
"We crashed here escaping mercenaries," Alfred told the girl. "We could see the temple from the air. One of those monsters killed our pursuers on the beach and destroyed our ship. We hoped to find shelter."
The girl nodded. "We've been watching since you crashed. It's unfortunate those ships were destroyed. Now you're trapped here like the rest of us. You saw the fields of lava as you crashed?"
"Yeah," Robin said, "but I don't plan on being trapped here. If you help us, we could try to recover the ships and fix them." He glanced at Slade, who didn't disagree. Robin turned his attention back to the girl. "Are more of those monsters around? How'd you get rid of them?"
"We repelled them," the girl replied. "There are many in the forest. Many more than us… My name is Thea. I am the Safeguard of the temple. …Do you really think you can fix the ships? If so, your arrival is an answered prayer. At the temple, there are refugees. Survivors of the horrors that befell Azar. We must leave this planet, and soon. If we help you, you must promise to help us in return."
Robin gave her an assured nod. "Of course! You saved our lives, Thea. I promise, I'll do everything I can to help your people."
The Temple of Azar rose three stories high and was surrounded by a wall Robin judged to be around twenty feet. Four watchtowers stood at each wall corner. Each tower had a large, centric window shaped like a bird. To Robin, these looked like doves. Their wings were folded so that the tips almost touched above the profile of the bird's head. Giant torch bowls were lit just inside the windows, making the birds look as if they were made of fire.
Robin and the others followed Thea through a wooden gate that already stood open. A mossy courtyard surrounded the temple, which was round and looked to Robin like three stone ice cream scoops piled one atop the other, growing smaller with height.
The temple didn't have any front doors, just a big rectangular gap in the stone. The wood that framed this opening was painted with white and blue symbols. Robin couldn't read them, but they felt familiar.
Near the temple entrance was a big stone bowl of fire. A few people dressed in white robes stood near the bowl. One roasted something wrapped around a long stick. The sweet smell of cooking meat made Robin's stomach rumble.
Inside the temple, Thea dismissed the other Azarians who'd accompanied her in the forest. They dispersed without a word, leaving her alone with Robin, Slade, and Alfred.
Robin stared up at the domed ceiling. The temple was mostly a hollow structure, and he could see innumerable stars beyond the tall, arched windows that ringed each of level of the ceiling's walls. The floor was paved with the same flat stones he'd seen on the forest road. Bowls of fire, attached to the walls, provided light. Robin figured the many doors he saw circling the walls at ground level led to sleeping quarters or other essential rooms.
Thea followed his gaze up to the stars and smiled. "All of Azar once had a beautiful sky."
Robin faced her. "What happened?"
"The world ended," she replied softly, meeting his gaze. "Follow me. If we're going after those ships, you'll all need to eat and rest first. Even with our ability to repel the Bixbite ...it might prove a deadly task."
Thea took them through a door that led to a big, circular room with a dirt floor and several windows. A few short trees were planted near the center. Small bushes grew near the walls. Robin saw different types of berries and fruit growing from the thin limbs, though many of the plants were dead.
An older man wearing white robes sat beneath one of the trees. He was eating a piece of fruit that looked like a pink apple. It crunched in his teeth as he looked up at the newcomers. Disheveled gray hair framed his long face.
"This is my father, Abidan," Thea introduced before she bent and kissed the man on the cheek. Turning to Robin, she said, "Now he'll understand you, too. Father, these are the people who crashed at the beach."
Abidan's dark eyes passed over Robin, Alfred, and Slade. To Slade he spoke in a quiet, tired voice, "And do the beach people have names?"
Slade introduced himself first. Then Alfred. "And this," he flashed a brief smirk at Robin, "is my son, Robin."
Robin barely kept a scowl from his face. He put on a rigid smile. "It's nice to meet you, Abidan."
"They have ships, Father," Thea said with excitement. "We're going to retrieve and fix them. Then we can leave Azar at last. This time of starving and death will finally be over."
Abidan waved her off as he chewed on the fruit. With his mouth full, he said, "If it's our Fate to starve and die here... then so be it."
"It may also be our fate to live," Thea countered.
Abidan shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Do whatever you see fit, Thea."
Robin frowned as he watched Thea silently reign in her irritation. Her fists balled a moment at her sides before relaxing.
Thea reached past her father and picked a few pieces of fruit from the tree he sat under. She turned and gave one to Robin. The rest Alfred offered to carry, so she gave them to him. Thea watched Robin as he took a crunching bite of the pink fruit.
Chewing, he smiled. "It's really sweet. It kind of reminds me of a food on my planet called cotton candy. Thanks, Thea."
"You'll find it very filling," Thea told him. She turned her attention to a man coming up to them holding a stack of folded, white clothes. "I wanted to offer you all some dry, clean clothes. Follow me. I'll show you where you can get cleaned up and get some rest."
Thea led them to a hallway full of empty rooms, telling them to choose any they wanted. She also pointed out the rooms she'd assured were ready if they wanted to get cleaned up.
Robin wondered just when she'd given orders for people to fetch clothes or get rooms ready, but in the moment, he found himself too relieved at their turn in luck to really care.
The bathroom Robin ended up in was small with a big, circular stone tub, a shelf stuffed with what he guessed were folded towels, and a stone wash basin. Someone had already filled the tub with water. Glancing at it, Robin figured the water had been brought from somewhere and dumped into the tub. There weren't any pipes or other plumbing he could see. Just a plugged drain.
He wondered if they had anything like toilets in the temple, or if they used something more like a privy outside.
He'd have to ask Thea.
Robin realized he couldn't remember the last time he'd taken a shower or a bath. He'd almost gotten used to it.
Robin peeled off his mask and looked into the elongated, mirror-like stone that hung above the basin. He saw that Thea had healed the black eye he'd received from Joker's men as well as all the other minor injuries he'd suffered. Gone were all the cuts, burns, and bruises.
Shrugging out of his uniform, Robin turned so he could see his back in the reflection.
The word MIME was no longer etched in his skin.
There wasn't even a scar.
Robin reached back to touch his shoulder blades as if doing so would confirm what his eyes were seeing. The skin felt smooth.
He sighed in relief.
Alfred had told Robin that Batman and the Titans had seen the Joker's recordings of him being tortured. Now he'd be able to show them that none of it mattered.
Nothing they'd seen, and nothing he'd experienced.
The wounds were healed. It was as if the whole ordeal with Hijack and the Joker had been a dream.
So he was fine.
Robin stared at his reflection's blue eyes.
I'm fine.
He stared into his own eyes until he couldn't stand to look at them anymore.
They were the same dark shade of blue as Slade's eye.
After placing his damp uniform and cape over the basin, Robin climbed into the stone tub, hissing at the water's vicious cold. His teeth chattered as he hurried to get the grime off his body. Though he was grateful for the chance to get clean, he wasted no time getting out and drying off quickly with one of the thick towels.
He put his mask back on first, and then tried out the white pants and the long-sleeved, matching tunic Thea had provided. The tunic had little light blue symbols woven around the edge of its wide sleeves and a white cowl built into the neckline. The cowl reminded Robin of the bandanas cowboys were often depicted wearing around their necks.
Robin was glad he'd been given pants instead of robes like he'd seen most of the people wearing around the temple.
He snorted at the thought of Slade wearing the monkish robes. With his white hair, he'd almost look sagely.
Well, except for the eyepatch.
You'd think he'd get a prosthetic eye instead of running around like a pirate, Robin thought meanly as he slipped into the sandals Thea had also given him. His own shoes needed to finish drying out.
I'm shocked he hasn't implanted something that shoots lasers from his eye socket or operates like that tracking device he's always using.
Robin considered his reflection again and used his fingers to comb his hair. It ignored his efforts and stuck up like a feathery nest.
Oh well.
Robin stepped into the hall and found Alfred waiting for him, looking happy to no longer be covered in dirt or blood. Robin smirked at his white robes. "Alfred, you look like a priest."
Alfred raised a disapproving eyebrow. "Well, Master Richard, I suppose it's more dignified than looking like I've jammed my finger into a power socket."
Robin laughed as Alfred swiped a hand twice past his head, smoothing the unruly black hair down. Robin smiled up at him. Knowing Alfred was much safer in the temple took a huge weight off his shoulders.
Robin then noticed Slade leaning against a wall several feet away. His smirk returned. Slade wore a white getup similar to his own.
"I guess they couldn't find a robe your size," Robin said.
"If you're done primping, I suggest you take that girl's advice and get rested," Slade replied dryly. "We're not out of danger yet, boy."
Robin rolled his eyes behind his mask. "Can't you be happy for five seconds that we're not all dead?"
"Live a few more decades, Robin, and we'll see what a ball of sunshine you turn out to be. You survived today, but you might not be so lucky tomorrow. It'd be wise to take this opportunity to rest."
Robin scoffed quietly. As if Slade really cared. "I'm fine. I survived Scarecrow, Hijack, and the Joker, didn't I? And I'll survive you, too, Slade."
"You would have died in each instance without the intervention of others." Slade glanced at Alfred. "Even here, on Azar, a butler with one foot in the grave managed to pick off more monsters than you."
"Don't talk about him like that," Robin snapped. "Maybe you should take some of your own advice and stop underestimating people. Believe it or not, I wasn't focused on impressing you, Slade. I just wanted us all to survive. And we did. Can't you just be satisfied with that?"
Anger over his insolence flashed across Slade's face, and Robin instantly regretted his words. Not the truth of them, but his own foolishness. What was he thinking? Slade didn't need nanoscopic probes to kill Alfred. He didn't even need an excuse. He could probably wake up bored, murder someone just to have something to do, and then go about his day without a shred of remorse.
Robin tensed, fully expecting the horrible little torture machines infecting his body and Alfred's to switch on any second. His mind raced to decide if he should try walking back his words or just focus on turning the probes off himself once they activated. He'd done it before, but he had to be completely still.
When the nanoscopic probes were active, they made him feel as if his blood had been replaced by scalding water—or zillions of tiny needles. Robin wasn't sure he could manage getting them to shut off with Alfred probably going into cardiac arrest right next to him.
Alfred cleared his throat.
"Oh look," he rested a hand on Robin's shoulder and nodded towards the hall beyond Slade, "our gracious host has returned."
The malice hadn't slipped from Slade's glare, but he turned partway from them to wait as Thea approached.
If she sensed any tension in the air, she made no visible sign. Thea smiled warmly at Robin, taking in his change of clothing. "You look much better without those strange garments. But... do you always wear that eye piece?"
Robin suppressed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure who would win in a fight between Thea and Slade, and he didn't want to find out. Maybe her presence alone was the reason why Slade hadn't lashed out at him or Alfred. Then again, Slade had described her people as being pacifists to the point their whole civilization had crumbled. If Slade attacked her, would she even fight back? Robin supposed she could, at the very least, kick them all back out into the forest.
Then they'd have the Bixbite to contend with again.
Robin hid his worry behind a smile. "I hope it's okay if I wear it inside your temple. I don't really feel like myself when I take it off."
Thea's expression brightened in understanding. She held out her right hand, showing a ring with a blue, diamond shaped gemstone on her middle finger. "This was my grandmother's. I rarely take it off in fear of losing it, but also because my hand feels strange without it."
She glanced away a moment before continuing. "Robin, I wanted to show you more of the temple, but I understand if you're too tired."
Robin looked to Slade, who returned his gaze for two uncomfortable seconds before speaking.
"Go ahead. Attempt to stay out of trouble." Slade's attention shifted to Alfred. His eye narrowed. "You really should get some rest."
Slade cast Robin an unreadable look as he walked past him to disappear around a bend in the hall.
Once he was gone, Robin looked up at Alfred with an arched eyebrow. "Did he just order you to stay in your room? …Are you actually going to do it?"
Alfred wasn't impressed at the hint of amusement he heard in the young hero's tone. "Although I normally oppose abiding by terrorists, it's been quite a day. I believe I will retire. …Thank you, Ms. Thea, for your hospitality. You must forgive us for taking so long to acknowledge it."
Thea waved off his apology with both hands. "Please, rest and feel better."
Alfred met Robin's eyes again before slipping into one of the bedrooms.
Robin frowned once he was gone. Maybe we shouldn't separate...
"This way." Thea took Robin's hand and pulled him after her as she headed up the hall.
He slipped free of her grasp and walked faster to be alongside her. "Where are we going?"
Instead of answering, Thea asked, "Why do you call your father Slade? Does this word also imply father?"
"No, Slade is his name. He thinks he's my father, but I'm not so sure." Robin gave her an apologetic smile. "Is it okay if we don't talk about it?"
Thea gave him a solemn nod. "Of course. I don't like my father either. We disagree on everything. If it were up to him, we'd deactivate the power source that keeps this place safe and allow lava to consume the temple—even though it would mean our deaths. He only cares about protecting Azar's Library."
"I'm sure he cares about you, too," Robin said. "Maybe before we showed up, he'd just given up hope for a better outcome."
Thea smiled at Robin as they began walking down a spiraling set of stone stairs. "Perhaps you're right."
The air at the bottom of the steps was much cooler, and Robin realized they were underground. Ahead was a long hallway with many doors.
Thea gestured at the doors as they walked past them. "The rooms above are for the Safeguard and her protectors. This area, however, is where most of the refugees stay. At one time, every room was full, many with families. Now there are less than twenty people left alive in the entire temple."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Robin said sincerely. He wanted to ask her how Azar had fallen to such a terrible state but didn't want to pry and end up upsetting her.
"Don't apologize. You will be our salvation."
Thea met his eyes and smiled as if he were a dream come true.
Soon they came to another set of spiraling stairs. Following her, Robin wondered how deep the Temple of Azar ran beneath the ground.
"This is the temple's crypt," Thea explained as the room came into view. It was very narrow. Stone coffins lined the walls, which were full of cubbies stuffed with bones. "Every Safeguard who has ever lived has the honor of resting here. Well, except for my mother. She left the planet over a year ago—escaping with a Fire Demon."
Robin didn't like all of the bony toes sticking out from their cubbies. They were stacked eight bodies high. They made him think of the morgue in Old Arkham… of body drawers… of metal walls pressing against his shoulders...
He rubbed his right shoulder and focused on Thea. Robin frowned at her. "Your mother abandoned you?"
"She abandoned us all."
"With a… fire demon?" Robin arched an eyebrow.
"It stole the Book of Trigon from Azar's Library. Instead of stopping it, my mother, the so-called Safeguard of her time, offered it one of the Rings of Azar in return for safe passage from our world. The Rings are sacred, Robin. What she did was a terrible sin."
Ashamed, Thea looked away. "I never saw her again. And now, with only one Ring, we're all trapped here. Safe, but starving and unable to move. Though at this point, I doubt having two Rings would do any good… not with the world so utterly destroyed."
"We'll get out of here," Robin told her. "I promise."
Thea placed a hand on his shoulder. "I believe you."
Robin shivered, surprised by how cold her palm felt.
At the back of the crypt Thea paused before one of the stone coffins. She held out her hands, summoning forth white magic that encased the heavy stone lid and moved it aside. Robin peered into the coffin and saw another staircase spiraling down into a torchlit area.
She gestured for Robin to go first. "This is what I wanted to show you. This is the Library of Azar."
The library was made up of two rooms adjoined by a short hall. Thea took Robin by the wrist and pulled him first into what she called the Room of Prophecies. Every wall inside was covered floor to ceiling in shelves stuffed with scrolls and books.
Raven would love this place, Robin thought with a smile as he looked around the torchlit room. In the center was a long, wooden table with many books were stacked haphazardly across its surface, along with a few stone tablets.
Robin gently pulled his wrist free from Thea's grip and picked up one of the tablets. White carved symbols ran in long strings from top to the bottom of the stone's flat surface.
His eyes scanned them. "I don't think this is a prophecy. ...It's all about farming."
Thea stood close. She read the stone silently a moment before looking up at him. "This speaks of the terrible Last Harvest that's already befallen Azar. But how are you able to read it?"
Robin glanced over the stone inscriptions again. "I don't know. I just look at it, and I know what it says. I've never seen this language before."
He rubbed his chin, thinking. "I wonder if it's Raven."
"Raven?"
"The girl I mistook you for earlier. She helped me once by entering my mind. Since then, we've had a bond that just keeps getting stronger. Maybe that's the reason I can read this. Raven knows a lot of old languages. She was raised on Azarath."
"Our world was once linked to Azarath," Thea said, "but the path was sealed when I was very young. Growing up, I was told it to be a place of untold beauty and peace. Azar used to be that way, too..."
Robin set the tablet down. "Raven said Azarath was wiped out by her father, Trigon."
Thea blinked at him. Without a word, she grabbed Robin's wrist and dragged him across the hall to the other room. She ignored his surprised yelp, bringing them to a sudden stop just inside the doorway.
Robin stumbled to keep himself from running right into her. Gently, he pulled himself free again. He rubbed his wrist. Thea's grip was as strong as Starfire's, but not nearly as careful. He wondered if all her people were super strong. As he looked around the room, however, Robin became too distracted to think about it. Every wall was covered in huge, colorful paintings. Robin stepped further into the room, turning so he could see more of them.
"These are amazing. Did you paint any of them?" he asked.
Thea grinned. "I did not. This is the Room of Painted Prophecies. These are said to have been painted by Azar herself, centuries ago."
She took Robin's arm and pulled him towards a wall. "Look. Here is the prophecy about Trigon the Terrible and his battle with the White Raven of Azarath."
Robin gazed up at it with awe. The huge painting depicted Trigon as a massive red monster surrounded by flames and a bloodred sky. Piled high around his hooved feet were stacks of skulls. On his head was a crown. A tiny white figure was crushed in his left hand. His right held a cracked, blue sphere. Beside this painting was another one, also of Trigon, but this time, he was shown cowering under the wingspan of a giant, white raven.
"It's a forked-tongue prophecy," Thea told Robin. "Here, Trigon the Terrible triumphs over life." She brushed a hand towards the second painting. "And here, he is defeated by the White Raven of Azarath. Are you truly saying that your Raven is the White Raven of prophecy? And she is Trigon's daughter? I was always taught that his evil daughter would be the one to help him bring an end to countless worlds, not be his downfall."
"She never wanted to help him," Robin said as he stared at the painting of Trigon being defeated. It was remarkable to be so far from home and yet, in a way, be so close to one of his friends again. He smiled with pride at the figure representing Raven. "She defeated her father and saved everyone."
Thea examined Robin with a tilted face. "You speak very fondly of her."
"She's one of my best friends, and definitely one of the best people I've been lucky enough to know."
Thea leaned closer. "She's only your friend then? …Nothing more?"
Surprised by the question, Robin said, "No, uh, I mean, Raven's definitely one of the most important people in my life. She's like a sister to me, but my girlfriend's name is Starfire. She's..."
Robin noticed Thea frowning and wondered if she understood the difference, in his language, between a normal friend and a girlfriend. Thinking about it brought a frown to his own face.
I miss her, he allowed himself to think.
He missed Starfire's presence. Her bravery and sureness. Her beautiful eyes and soft hair.
He even missed watching TV shows about Earth's fungus with her.
Thea rested a hand flat against his heart. Her dark eyes met his questioning gaze. "I hope you are reunited with your friends soon."
Robin smiled. "Thanks."
Thea's head tilted to the side again as she kept considering him.
A moment later, she asked, "Why have you dimmed your aura, Robin? Before, I thought it was something unique to your species because Slade and Alfred are this way, too, but now I see its cause is artificial. ...You've all done something to hide your metaphysical selves from beings with abilities like my own. Why would you do such a thing? Are you hiding from me on purpose?"
Reluctant suspicion stirred in Thea's eyes.
Her fingers dug into his shirt.
Then realization blossomed on her face. "No… It wasn't you. It's Slade. The cause originates from him."
Robin shifted, uncomfortable under her scrutiny. He could feel her power brushing against him like a cold breeze. He wanted to step back from her, but a strange warning in the back of his head told him not to move.
"My friend Raven can see auras, too," Robin said. "She told me mine's red. I guess Slade knows a few magic tricks. He must have used one to make us invisible to people who can sense spiritual energy like you and Raven."
Robin looked back to the paintings. "Otherwise, she would've found us by now."
Thea pulled her hand away from Robin's chest to cross her arms. "Obviously your father doesn't want her to be your friend. It seems as if he dislikes her. Understandable, considering her relation to Trigon."
Robin couldn't help a short, bitter laugh. "Slade doesn't trust anyone. He probably just sees shielding us from people with spiritual powers as a basic precaution—like putting on another piece of armor. Whatever he did… it must be incredibly powerful to block someone like Raven."
Thea uncrossed her arms, reaching for Robin's face with both hands. She paused when he leaned back a little. Thea gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Since your aura is so hard to see, I just want to touch it. …I want to trust you, Robin. Don't you trust me?"
"Um… I—"
"Be very still." Thea's palms hovered by his cheeks as if she were about to caress his skin. She studied his masked eyes a moment more before moving her hands over his shoulders and then down his chest, stopping near his heart.
She never touched him, but Robin could feel her icy powers trace along his skin anyway.
"I can feel her influence," Thea told him with reverence. "Her power is indeed great, but your bond isn't blocked or severed. It's as strong as the bond you share with your father. You have many charms for one person..."
She settled one of her palms flat against Robin's forehead. She closed her eyes, concentrating. The blue jewel on her forehead began to glow. Icy tendrils of magic began to spread from her palm.
It ran like freezing streams of water down Robin's face and over his scalp. He shuddered as the cold spread down his neck and torso.
"What are you doing?" he asked with alarm.
Thea's eyes opened.
They glowed so bright Robin was blinded and forced to shut his own.
Her hand stayed glued to his forehead as he took a step back.
The icy sensation dug painfully inwards.
Surely his blood was freezing.
Robin found himself unable to move. "Thea—stop!"
She obliged and Robin stumbled back to regard her warily.
"I'm sorry," Thea said. "I only wanted to understand. I learned about many charms training to be Safeguard. Your spirit has been charmed at least twice. I believe it's an Angelic Charm of Faith that binds you to your friend. The other charm is an Angelic Vine of Protection. It hides your spiritual energy, suppressing your bond with Raven. It also bonds you with your father. It's a common charm. I've known many parents who have used the Vine to protect and keep track of their children."
Robin thought through the information. He shivered again, but relaxed. "Thea, I'm not saying to try right now, but if I wanted, could you remove Slade's charm... the um, the Vine of Protection one?"
If she could, Robin knew he'd have to carefully plan first. Slade might notice right away if she did something to their bond that minute, and he'd probably take it out on Alfred.
Thinking of Slade, Robin felt his presence somewhere overhead.
He's still up on the main floor.
Thea's eyes drifted to her feet. "I was taught that such magic can only be removed by the one who placed it. Still... I tried to break the charm anyway."
She looked up at Robin. "I hope my attempt didn't hurt you."
Robin rubbed his right shoulder as chills ran through his body. He wondered if she was still using her magic on him, or if he was just cold as an after effect. "Thea… I didn't ask you to remove it. I had no idea what you were doing, and if you had succeeded, Slade might have—"
"If Raven really is the powerful daughter of Trigon," Thea cut him off, "then surely she could break through even the most complex charms. Perhaps she chooses not to find you, Robin."
"No way." He shook his head. "If anything, what you just tried proved my theory that Slade's blocking her with a powerful spell."
"Maybe she's forgotten you," Thea suggested. "Or perhaps she's replaced you with a different protector. I'm assuming someone with her power is the Safeguard on your planet. She must have many guardians like you, and many more who are willing to take your place at her side."
"That isn't how it works," Robin said. "We're on the same team. She'd never just stand by if she knew I was in trouble. Or anyone for that matter. If Raven were here, she'd help save your people even if it meant risking her own life. Trust me, Thea, Raven's nothing like your mother. She'd never abandon her friends. In fact, I think the two of you would get along. You definitely have some things in common."
Thea tucked a long lock of brown hair behind her ear and glanced at the painting before settling her gaze on Robin again.
The distrust faded from her eyes.
Her smile returned. "My father never liked any of my friends either. I really am sorry about before. I promise I won't try to manipulate your aura again, unless you ask me to, of course."
A shiver passed over Robin as she watched him. He rubbed his arms, feeling another tendril of cold sliding down his spine.
He couldn't help but wonder if she was doing something. "Thanks, Thea. …Would you mind showing me the way back? I'm kind of tired, and I'd hate to be the one slowing us down when it's time to go after the ships."
"Of course." Thea held out a hand.
Awkwardly, Robin realized she expected him to take it.
She waited.
Robin pretended not to notice. As he headed for the doorway, a painting caught his eyes. Robin found himself arrested by it. The painting was very simple. Just a picture of a tall, white set of double doors.
Something about the doors made his heartbeat skip.
"Do you know the story that goes with this one?" he asked Thea as she came to stand by him.
Thea took Robin's hand as she gazed at the white doors. Her grip tightened. "No, but there's another prophecy a lot like them I can show you later. It's in a different place."
Robin let her tug him into the hall and back up the narrow stairs that took them to the crypt. Her hand felt so cold. She didn't let go of him as they stepped out of the stone coffin, and not even as she used her magic to slide its heavy lid back into place.
Robin yawned as they passed the coffins and walls stuffed with skeletons.
They climbed the stairs leading up to the hall full of rooms that Thea had earlier said used to be full of refugees. She pulled Robin into one of the rooms. It was very small. There was nothing but a narrow bed and a wooden chair.
Robin glanced around the room with confusion. "I'd rather stay with my friend, if that's okay."
She let go of his hand, draping an arm over his shoulders. "But you're so tired, I thought it'd be okay for you to sleep here instead. Don't worry. You'll be safe. You'll see your friend later."
Startled, Robin realized he no longer stood by the door.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed.
His hands gripped the blanket. It was very soft. He saw that it was made from numerous fabrics all stitched together to form intricate, colorful patterns. He shifted his gaze to Thea. She watched him from the chair.
Robin felt a sudden, strong urge to lay down. He blinked several times, trying to clear away the fog filling up his head. "Thea... something's wrong."
"Go ahead and rest."
Her eyes flashed white, and a freezing wave crashed over Robin. It took his breath away. Robin hugged himself, his teeth chattering as hard shivers ran through his body. He buried his freezing hands in the folds of his shirt, desperate to get them warm.
Too cold to speak, he looked to Thea for answers.
"It's a dream," she told him.
The blanket beneath Robin suddenly glowed white. It came alive, wrapping around Robin. He struggled to escape, but Thea made sure the blanket was far too strong and heavy. She trapped him on his back and held him there. Exhaustion soon forced his limbs to give up. She could tell that even breathing took him monumental effort.
"Thea," he gasped, "what—"
"Go back to sleep," Thea soothed. "You'll be warm and safe if you sleep. Keep fighting, and you'll only lose more energy."
Thea tilted her head to the side as she watched him grasp at consciousness. It took longer than she'd expected, but he finally fell asleep. Satisfied, Thea disintegrated the blanket, shattering it into a thousand white particles of magic. She moved to sit on the bed beside him.
Reaching, Thea carefully peeled away his mask. She used her magic to open his eyes so she could see what they looked like.
Thea smiled.
She allowed his eyes to close again so they wouldn't dry out and set the mask aside.
Holding one of his hands with both of hers, Thea closed her own eyes and concentrated. The gems on her gauntlets and the one on her forehead shined brightly as she sought an entrance to his mind.
Within seconds, she got a glimpse.
Dark, winged creatures flew past her mind's eye.
"Bats," she whispered aloud as the word materialized in her own memory.
There were hundreds of them. Their tiny screeches hurt her ears. Thea searched for a way around the little monsters. In response, they began to swarm her in growing numbers. Some dove at her face. Some weren't bats at all, she realized. Some were birds that had three red eyes. The evil creatures cawed angrily at her.
"Don't fight me." Thea tightened her hands around Robin's until he grimaced in his sleep. His hand trembled in her grasp, stinging with cold.
Thea concentrated on transforming the bats and evil birds into harmless white flower petals.
They fell in a graceful shower and disappeared.
With them gone, Thea saw nothing, but she felt both charms burning hot against her skin. They made her whole body feel warm in warning. She ignored it and the feeling faded. Her intentions had nothing to do with breaking charms.
Her mind's eye swept across the dark landscape inside his head.
Usually, entering a person's mind forced their most important memories to the forefront. Robin's mind shared nothing but walls of silent darkness.
Thea placed her palms on either side of his face. She ignored his sharp intake of breath. Her thumbs pressed against his cheekbones. "I just want to get to know you, Robin. You trust me so much. You always listen to me. ...I'm the one your heart longs to see the most, remember?"
In his mind, she saw a large expanse of water.
She sat on the edge of a tall structure. The breaking sun cast gold and orange waves of light across an overcast sky. Perched beside her was a girl with long, red hair and green eyes. Her knees were drawn in with her arms wrapped around them.
The girl caught Thea staring and smiled, blushing a little. She hooked some of her red hair behind an ear.
"Robin, do you think your K'norfka will approve of… us?" The girl hugged her knees tighter. "What if he thinks I am unworthy—that another should be your girlfriend?"
Thea gave her a comforting smile. "He'd never say something like that, Starfire. And even if he did, there's no way I'd listen to him. To be honest… I still wake up sometimes surprised someone like you even wants me as a boyfriend. I know I'm not always the most fun person to be around."
Starfire laid her head against Thea's caped shoulder. "Timnar, we should not have such doubts in ourselves, or each other."
Starfire sighed with contentment and smiled at the endless horizon. "I cannot wait to watch the sunrise with you in the City of Gotham. It will surely be just as beautiful, if not more."
Thea blushed a little as she slipped an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Yeah… but there's nothing as beautiful as you."
Thea grinned, holding the memory a moment more before brushing it aside to find another. Her hands pressed against Robin's clammy face. "Timnar, show me Raven. Let me see how she defeated Trigon the Terrible."
Robin's brow furrowed. "But… you were there," he mumbled in his sleep.
Thea leaned over him so closely their foreheads almost touched. Her white, glowing eyes opened. "You will show me anyway. You will show me everything I want to see because I want to see it. You feel ashamed of yourself. You know resisting hurts my feelings."
Concern strained his features. "I'm… I'm sorry, Star."
Thea sighed.
His lips were turning blue, and he wouldn't stop shivering.
But that wasn't the worst part.
Thea was tapped into Robin's aura enough to feel his bond with Slade. She could feel the man's presence moving towards her location.
Thea sighed once more. "We'll have to try again later. You wasted too much time, Robin. Next time, you won't disappoint me, right?"
"Starfire… I never want to disappoint you..."
Thea smiled. "You'll feel so much better when you wake up. You won't remember this strange dream, but you will remember your promise next time we're alone like this—your promise to never resist me again."
Chilled to the bone, Robin sat up from the bed with a gasp. His masked eyes looked around the tiny room in confusion.
Thea sat in a chair next to him.
"I was worried," Thea told him. "You passed out in the hall a few minutes ago. I thought it'd be better to move you here than you leave you on the floor. I also thought about taking you to your room, but I didn't know if you'd be comfortable with me carrying you."
She looked to the floor. "You don't seem to like it whenever I touch you. Though I promise my hands are clean... Cleanliness is very important to my people."
Robin frowned, a little embarrassed that she'd noticed his discomfort. "Um... I guess it's just that in my culture, people kind of have this thing called personal space. Strangers don't really hold hands and... um..."
Thea smiled at him. "Oh, well that makes sense. I'll try to be mindful of your personal space. Please forgive me if I slip up."
"It's really not that big a deal. Sorry I fainted like that." Robin rubbed his arms.
He was freezing!
My blood pressure must have dropped… I guess I should find something to eat again soon.
"You probably need to eat again," Thea said as if reading his thoughts. She stood and offered him a hand. "Food is scarce here, but please, never hesitate to ask for more. You'll just keep running out of precious energy if you don't eat, after all. Come on, I'll help you find your room now that you feel better."
Thea guided Robin back to where they'd left Alfred over an hour before. After thanking her again, he disappeared into the room.
Thea stared at the door for several minutes after it closed.
She absently licked her lips.
With a smile, she turned and headed back down to Azar's Library.
AN: Thea and Abidan are OCs. Thank you MisterCorey for beta reading and A Badger for your encouragement.