A/N: No, I have not given up on this story. Sorry if any of you have thought that. My time had become limited after the holidays and when I did have time to write, I have been in more of the romantic mood so I was working on the story Candy. Anyhow, I finally got in the mood to cross the bridge I have been hesitant in doing in this story as you shall soon find out.
Thanks for hanging in there for me!
The first rays of the sun had begun to light up the eastern horizon when the camouflaged all-terrain jeep burst through the underbrush and into the open. Green Arrow, who had been driving the vehicle, slammed hard to the left causing it to buck and drift through the prairie before fishtailing and charging towards the north.
Robin gripped the top of the jeep, his head through the windowless sun rough scanning the sky. He had the radio pressed up to his ear trying to hear the conversation over the screaming of the engine while scanning the air for the armored Tamaranian that almost got him with her purple energy bursts.
"Delta 2! Delta 2! We have metas on the left flank coming in. We need air support! Where the hell is Hawkman?"
Robin half cursed himself and the Justice League for assuming that Raven would have stayed on the defensive. He knew the entire plan they had worked on was shattered when Blackfire showed up with a bunch of metahumans in the early hours of the morning. Since then, Iris Teams made up of SHIELD and ARGUS agents had been dealing with hit and run raids keeping them from advancing.
The shriek of a jet shot overhead, and Robin recognized the twin engines of the bat jet. The boy wonder took a risk to glance up to see the black, sleek aircraft chasing after a metahuman who was barely keeping ahead. This entire morning and devolved into fighting and Robin's plan to save Raven was fading fast.
"Arrow!" Robin warned pointing ahead towards a figure in the prairie grass. It did not take the masked archer to recognize the threat of Mammoth. Gunning the engine, Green Arrow gave Robin a look the boy wonder took as to bail, and the two threw themselves out of the vehicle as it hurled towards the giant man. Mammoth rolled out of the way but before Arrow's feet touched the ground to roll; he had loosed two arrows straight for the giant beast's heart.
The entire thing felt like slow motion for the arrows seemed to shimmer with purple energy and burst before making contact with their target. As Robin rolled multiple times, he could make out the dancing figure of the hex witch casting her hex magic at anything that moved. Robin could see the golden light that had consumed her eyes dancing along the black and purple trim of her skirt.
Robin was able to stop rolling in a crouch thanks to years of practice and hurled two birdarangs in her direction to give Green Arrow a chance to get out of her crosshairs. They exploded but prematurely as she blocked them with her magic.
"Boy Blunder! I was wondering where you were!" Jinx chortled as she strode confidently through the battlefield that erupted around her. The energy weapons of the ARGUS soldiers mixed with the pop of rifles that SHIELD had used. The red and blue tracers zipped about.
Robin stood gripping the telescoping staff that extended with a quick snap, he moved to swing it at the approaching pinkette but a slight wave of her hand, the young hero, found invisible hands gripping him by the throat and wrenching him off the ground. He struggled, but the magic force was unrelenting.
"Oooooh. It's so cute when you struggle" Jinx crowed. "I don't know what my mistress ever saw in you."
"Where's Raven?" Robin demanded between gasps as he still struggled to free himself.
"Shouldn't you be worrying about your own life, little bird?" the pinkette cooed. He felt more the energy release from his throat but fastened on his legs and arms holding them taught in the air.
"I could easily pull you apart, and you're worried about someone who doesn't give a fuck about you?"
"Where. Is. Raven?" Robin demanded again gasping as the pressure in his joints began to tighten.
"I'm getting bored of this, " Jinx yawned as she used the other hand to flick away the arrows that were sent at her.
"Allow me to entertain you."
Both Robin and Jinx turned to the voice that floated in the air to the side of them. It was a ruggedly handsome man with dark hair and a bit of gray on the sides. He wore cloth like armor and the cape around his shoulders seemed to defy the air around it.
Robin felt the power release him and he dropped to the ground as Jinx focused her barrage on the newcomer. Robin wanted to watch the man as he deftly dodged and the brilliant magical symbols that appeared to block her strikes told him the leader of the Teen Titans he was also a magic user.
"You have a lot of power, young lady," he chastised as he leather boots made contact on the dewy ground. "But you lack finesse."
He sidestepped and appeared to roll across the beam of purple energy Jinx shot at him before bringing his hand up to her face, and the pulse of orange light sent Jinx shooting a good twenty-five feet away. She hit the ground hard, but to Robin's amazement, she pulled herself up, a bit of blood on her face and dress torn.
"And you lack any understanding of what you're facing," Jinx screamed at him. Her eyes seemed to take on a stronger gold light. The newcomer did not hesitate to cast a portal and leap through a blast of golden energy churned the dirt where he was standing.
The familiar hiss of Cyborg's engines had Robin looking about and saw his friend land a few feet away. He was helping Green Arrow up near the burning remains of their vehicle. The rest of Iris had arrived at the confrontation, but it was not going well.
Cyborg leaped forward, gripped Robin and jetted into the air before the golden beam of light from Jinx could make contact.
Robin looked down at the battle raging below and felt sick. The Midnight War had begun.
The bitter wind ripped at Raven's shoulder cloak and black dress that she had downed. The dark sorceress did not care that her hair was whipped about and cut it by the ice and snow. All that mattered was the sense inside her stomach, the draw that was pulling her towards an unknown. Since ordering her forces to strike out, Raven had felt this unyielding urge to go towards the sun that was rising.
She clutched the translucent obsidian stone in her fist as the pull drove her madly through brush and ravines. Whatever was drawing her was strong, like a magnet. The bodyguard that Jinx had put together for her was hard pressed to keep up with her as she would feel the need to fly, to go faster towards the siren song calling her.
Her eyes felt hotter as the energy of her Sovereign poured through them. The world seemed to focus so clearly that it hurt to look at the colors that were illuminated by the rising sun. It was in a field by a standing pillow of rock that her heartfelt released. Raven's feet gently touched down at the plain black rock that towered over her.
Emotions wracked her body from hope, fear, to outright anger. Images of her beloved friend bleeding to death in her arms flashed in her mind. Raven closed her eyes to let the feelings to rush through her, no longer controlled or diluted.
"Lady," Captain Cold choked out coming up beside her. "We can't protect you if we can't keep up with you."
Raven ignored him as she realized that she could see the outline of the rock glowing on the back of her eyelids. It was surging with energy much like she was and that energy felt...familiar.
"Here they come, sir!" one of the soldiers shouted, and immediately Captain Cold disappeared from her side. Soon the air was filled with energy weapons and the sound of gunfire. Raven did not care. All that mattered was the energy.
She reached out and touched the rock. It hummed in sync with the power that sung through every cell.
'The stone.' the voice of Sovereign echoed softly through her head.
This was it. She knew it. Everything could be reverse until she used the obsidian key. Once she opened used it, the world would change. Raven choked as unexpected feelings forced themselves up and she fell to her knees. Robin singing to her happy birthday, Starfire giving her hugs when she didn't want them. Cyborg was standing to the side and pretending to read a manual so she could work on his car. Her friends. The only one that came to rescue her. They would be hurt. They would die.
'How can I unlock the end of everything?'
It was the zing of a bullet that broke upon the stone that brought back the same sound the dropped Beast Boy to the ground. The same bastards that murdered without concern. The suffering of the world, the cries of those who could not be saved in time forced their way up into her mind. The world had to end to bring about a new peace. She would bring it about for Garfield, no matter what happened. It would be in his memory.
Forcing herself to stand, She slammed the obsidian key against the stone, and instantly she felt the rock create a connection between them. The energy swam between them, and it forced the breath out of her. The ground began to shake as a powerful energy storm started to arc itself out of the rock. Raven felt herself get lifted off the field as power inside her chest began to tighten and press to get out. The young azarathian gasped trying to catch her breath and tears ran down her eyes.
The pain was becoming unbearable as the power tried to crack through her ribs and head down to the center of the powerful energy storm now swirling around the rock. The blue and purple storm flicked out gold arcs of light that landed with a concussive explosion around.
In an instant, Raven arched her back as the power inside forced its way out. Though in her agony, she could make out the golden energy of Sovereign pouring itself out into the vortex and in a blink and a brilliant flash of light, a stone archway stood there. She dropped fifteen feet to the ground and landed on her feet before falling to her knees in a cry of pain. Raven gasped trying to get back the air that had been stolen for so long. Tears trailed down her dirt covered face from the impromptu maelstrom of grass and mud.
She looked up at the stone maw that was in front of her, a portal into a dark hulk of a world on the other side. She could see a dark form approaching the entrance and then come through. Raven fell back sitting on her knees as her eyes tried to adjust to what she was witnessing. A massive creature pushed itself through standing at least forty feet above her. The towering thing resembled an armored goliath beetle, but its skin was made of metal and synthetic fibers while its eyes and skin glowed with an unearthly green.
"Who are you to open my resting place, speck?" it rumbled at her, the sound so low in decibel it caused her heart to skip a beat.
Raven forced herself to her feet, and the gold energy of her eyes glowed stronger. It thrust it's head forward coming close enough for her to make out the scars on flesh and metal of the giant cyborg beetle.
"I am Raven. I am the Archon of Sovereign. You serve me."
The thing was silent, and she could feel the energy in it, rough and sticky push into her senses, but it immediately withdrew as it sensed the one who would help her save the world.
"It is time for my master's return!" It rumbled with glee. "I am at your command, Empress Raven. Myself and my kin!"
'Kin?'
It was at that moment that Raven could hear the hum and buzz. Exploding from behind him through the portal were countless smaller versions of himself zipping about and beginning to open fire on the Iris soldiers with green splats of energy.
"The army of Millineum is here! Command us! We shall follow."
Robin stood on the hill with Batman who had just landed his jet for refueling and re-armament. It was the pillow of color that shot up into the sky that drew their attention. Though Batman was emotionless on the outside, Robin could feel the emotion and turmoil inside of him.
"She's done it. Millineum is here." Batman said. He turned the white eyes of his cowl on him. "Your friend may have just doomed us all."