She hadn't slept in days, and over the course of a few weeks she'd only had about 6 hours of good sleep. It wasn't healthy and the sleeplessness was seriously waning on her appearance and sanity in equal measure. The dark circles under her eyes left her no choice but to avoid her friends and hide beneath her cloak when she was near them. She was far more secluded than she'd ever been. Even when she'd been deep in the throes of depression before the end and her prophecy she still made sure to be around her friends. That was mainly due to her knowledge that the number of tomorrows was limited. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with them.

This new string of reclusive behavior was far unlike that scenario. In this, it was brought on by a mere dream barring her from rejuvenating sleep and forcing her to hide from the eyes of her friends to keep them from concern. She was not in mortal danger, she was not going through emotional turmoil. She just couldn't sleep. She didn't want to stress her friends with her circumstance and she just found it better and easier to just avoid them altogether.

This plan had little success though as each of the titans had made at least one attempt to get her to open up. Cyborg invited her to work on his car with him, which she usually enjoyed quite a bit. She'd agreed with hope that it might take her mind off things but she ended up being so drained that she couldn't think straight and constantly made errors in her tasks. After a few prying questions from her older brother she decided it best to escape to her room.

This experience paved the way for the next titans who asked for her time. Starfires requests to go to the mall were met with a simple no at her door before it closed. Robin only managed to coax her from her room for combat training before she would slink back to the dark confines of her room. Beastboy had actually made quite the thoughtful attempt. He'd offered to go into town and go to the bookstore with her so they could talk. Of course he also asked that they could drop by the candy store which she had no desire to attend but still, she honestly contemplated accepting the offer. He'd come to her quite often as of late for advice on how to talk to Terra. It was strange that he expected her to know what to do or say but she was the only one in the tower who understood his love for the girl, despite how badly it seemed she wanted to just forget it all. Ultimately she still declined, feeling her current state of mind would only prove to hurt him or guide him in the wrong direction.

Sleeplessness from night terrors was something Raven was commonly plagued with but they would normally only last a few days when they came. This particular nightmare had persisted for almost a full month and it grew more vivid with each iteration. Where before

Her dream only consisted of the hellfire of her father's domain and 6 pairs of eyes glaring at her from the distance, it had progressed to a detailed account of the fires of hell that surrounded the core of the earth and led to a dark stone cathedral. She'd acquired part of the dream from Robin a week prior which added the terrifying image of her own flesh and blood nailed to bloody cross and hung to die. She'd tried her best to understand it but the depth of the dream began to tug at the edge of her mind. Perhaps it was more vivid because it was a vision, not a dream.

This thought troubled her even more than the dream itself. If this was a vision of the future, absolute or not, it was not very bright. She began to believe that perhaps she should begin investigating the different parts of her dream. She delved into the different pieces in hopes of discovering a deeper meaning.

The cross- the symbol of many sects of Christianity. It was something of sacred worth and it symbolized the death of the world's savior. Typically it was used to show humility towards the life and sacrifice of Christ but another important thing came to mind. Only the wholesome would remain on the cross after death. The sanctity of its symbolism would literally burn a demon and its sins until there was nothing left. To see her own body nailed to the cross meant that she was no longer branded as a demon, her own markings of the prophecy were quite literally burned from her flesh. That at least instilled some comfort in her. Perhaps her soul could still be saved from eternal damnation.

Hellfire- the fires she'd perceived were the same as the day she ended the world. This meant Trigons ascent could reoccur however not at her own hands. Her newfound holiness, though she didn't quite qualify herself as such, proved that his return would not be by her own ability. If not her own, then who?

6 pairs of eyes- she'd noticed them on multiple occasions but it took some time to recognize that 6 pairs of eyes didn't necessarily mean 6 people. The eyes glowed red like her fathers leading her to believe that they were demons themselves. No demon had the power alone to bring about the end of the world. They're power was tied to the 'God Plain'. To travel across the gateway dimension and into the mortal realm from that plain would almost completely sever the connection to that power. Her own magic was only strong in mortality because it had been trained in a gateway dimension mixed with mortal magics from earth. Whomever these 3 beings were, they carried great power and were likely the cause of the hell to come. But who were they? What power did they hold? What would drive them to end the world?

Her attempts to understand proved to bring only more questions that racked her already aching head. She tried to think of anything she could have missed when something came to mind. It was something small she'd not noticed until the last iteration of the dream a few nights ago. Upon the cross her body hung from there were inscriptions along the old wood. Much of it was hidden or distorted within her memory but perhaps those markings could bring light to the vision.

She needed to see those markings and she needed to transcribe them so as to discover their meaning. This unfortunately meant entering the terror once again. Levitating candles and a large leather bound book from her shelf to the center of her room she began to prepare her spell. She would force herself into the dream but through the spell she would be lucid. She would be capable of taking control and would have a much better recollection of what she would see.

She sat in the center of her room with the book opened before her. It's pages outlined the spell she was to perform and the circle of candles around her all lit simultaneously. She began to float as she chanted her words and her eyes went white as the room was enveloped in the black aura.

—

Millions of different thoughts flowed through the mind. Concern and confusion prevailed as the theme that pressed him forward. Over the last few weeks she'd been almost entirely absent. The times that she was around she'd been distant and cold, even to him. She had a habit of being cold and brash but this was entirely different. He'd let it be for the most part thinking she would pull through it or ask if she needed help but the sudden rush of emotions he felt through his bond had pushed him to seek her out.

He'd exited the common room with a flimsy excuse to keep Cyborg and Starfire off his case before he ascended the staircase up to the dorm level. Walking the long halls with only his thoughts and the sound of his footsteps only allowed him to feel her emotions stronger.

This was strange as well, he knew that through their bond he could feel her thoughts but he always had a hard time identifying them. She was good at masking and hiding her feelings even with the strong bond between them. In this moment he could sense her desperation as clear as day and that was not an emotion that ever came to the dark girl.

He neared her room and as he did he noticed her door was enveloped in her dark magic. He went to knock the door but as his hand should have fallen on hard metal it passed straight through it. Taken by surprise and intrigue he stepped into her quarters. The entirety of her room was coated in black magic, in the center of the room, surrounded by candles, her own body shook and contorted strangely from her position floating above the ground. His presence had not interrupted her and based on her facial expression, it had gone unnoticed as well. He quietly approached her and immediately after crossing the circle of candles, the fire they burned with climbed high to the ceiling and circled round about them. In a mixture of his own fear and confusion he reached out and placed one glove on Ravens shoulder. Just as he did the ground beneath them opened up and swallowed them both.

—

The fall was brief as they tumbled through the portal before they found themselves falling from the sky to a hellish landscape. Robin used his grappling hook to slow his descent and land on his feet as Raven floated down to stand beside him.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

She shouted at him. Her brow was furrowed and she shook with rage.

"I came to check on you and then. . . Where are we?"

He looked around taking in his surroundings. They were familiar to him but not. The hot soot-covered landscape contrasted the deep red sky. As he looked around he could see the stony faces of people immortalized in horror. As he drank it in he began to realize that they were in the same place his nightmare from the week before began in. He'd not had the dream again since Raven had taken it.

"Are we in my dream?"

He asked still looking about. Raven shook her head as she looked down. She sighed heavily and began to breathe more evenly. There's was no point getting angry now.

"Sort of. It's a combination of the dream I took from you and my own nightmare."

Her gaze bore holes into the ground as she recounted every piece of the dream.

"So are we asleep? What's going on Raven?"

The questions brought her back from the thoughts as she pondered a moment to give a good answer.

"It's a spell I cast. It allows me. . . Or us, now, to be fully lucid within the dream."

Robin nodded in understanding as he brought a hand up beneath his chin. The same look of thought he always struck.

"Okay, so why are you reliving this nightmare then?"

Raven simply shook her head as she began walking away.

"You ask a lot of questions for someone who invaded my privacy."

Robin followed after her as he tried to plead his case.

"Hey, it's not my fault I phased through your door when I tried to knock!"

This statement hit her, if that truly was the case, she couldn't really blame him for checking on her. It didn't mean she wasn't still mad but at least he had a better reason than 'I have the code to your door and I'm going to force you to spend time with the team.' She continued walking without replying.

"So. . . How do we get out of here?"

He said as he caught up and walked beside her.

"We have to live out the dream."

This notion did not sit right with Robin. He knew very well what the end of the dream was and he had no desire to see it. Looking down at the girl beside him he saw the determination on her face. Their was a reason she was here, even if she wouldn't share it.

"Alright then, lets go then."

He began to jog ahead toward the old library that lead down to the depths of hell.

—

The trip itself was fairly short. No encounters with demons or other enemies. No landslides or falling stalactites. Just the two of them running and floating down the path. As they went they talked very little but one conversation did arise. Robin recounted to her the time he'd braved the same hellish depths to save her. She'd asked why he did it and he answered simply enough saying that he knew she was alive and there was no way he would leave her to die. The answer brought her a lot of comfort.

The two stood before the stone carved cathedral. It was a beautiful piece of stonework. Each edge was expertly carved and crafted and the windows, where stain glass had once filled, were still carved out as beautiful narrow slots with tall arches at the top. Robin stepped forward as he pushed the doors open. The light from the fiery sea behind them poured in but only made it so far as the second row of pews before nothing could be seen further. Still they stepped in and began their trek to what they knew would be a gruesome image. As they'd seen in iterations past, the pews sank to the floor to be replaced by magma that lit the room.

The added light shone on to show the cross that would normally bear the body of the dark girl was empty. Their eyes grew wide and their gaze fell on three statuesque knights that stood before the cross. They wore black metal armor with silver trim. Deep grey gouges from battles long past scarred the surface of the plate. Beneath the plate armor they wore grey chain mail and overtop of the chest plate they displayed a banner. The banner was white and in its center held the mark of 'Scath' inscribed in blood. The faces of the knights were hidden beneath black cloth hoods that gave way to the cloak that draped across their shoulders but beneath their spaulders. They gave off an eerie and foreboding nature, standing with large black claymores in front of them.

Robin and Raven stole a look at each other before looking back at the knights and taking a step forward. In that moment 12 red eyes lit up beneath their hoods and three dark voices pierced the silence as they spoke.

"O prótos patéras tou, I amartía tis yperifáneias,

Plisíase tin ékklisí tis na kápsei ton ouranó,

I mágissa pródose ti thélisi tou patéra,

Tóra prépei na kaíei, to aíma tou na chýnetai"

As the words filled the room they began to move drawing their swords up and pointing them directly at Raven. The look on her face was one of pure terror. She was quickly realizing how this particular dream would end. Still she knew why she was here, she needed that inscription and she needed to find out more. They began to approach her and as they did Robin stepped in front pulling two of his birdarangs into a sword like he'd done the day of the end.

"Raven run, I'll hold them off."

He said demandingly.

"I'm not running, I need to find something first. Keep them off of me."

With that robin nodded and charged the knights. As he distracted the black knights she quickly ran behind them to the cross where she found the inscriptions just as she'd recalled them. Producing the book from which she'd cast the spell she pulled out a few pieces of thin paper and a block of charcoal as she began to make rubbings of the ancient text.

Robin fought hard behind her. He was used to fighting villains and criminals who couldn't even swing a pipe right. The challenge of fencing with knights who were well trained enough to be royal guardsmen made it difficult to even parry the incoming blows. Adding this to the fact that there were three of them, it was impressive that he was holding his own. Since he'd begun the fight he'd transitioned to have his back to Raven keeping himself between her and the knights. He didn't dare look back for fear of a single blow that could smite him down.

"Done!"

She said as she closed the book and hid it within her cloak again. She turned around and watched as Robin continued fighting. Fear filled her heart but she knew the only way to end the dream and return.

"Raven run!"

He shouted at her but she did not move.

"Robin, there's only one way this dream ends. . ."

As Robin tried to understand her words one of the claymores struck the blade from his hands as another knight barred his arms to keep him from moving. He then quickly realized what she'd meant by her words.

"Dammit, no! You can't let them do this!"

He shouted.

"There's no other way. . ."

She resigned and lifted her arms up as the other two knights seized her. Each with one hand on her upper arm they lifted her and impaled her hands on the stakes already in place. She cried out in pain as Robin watched and bucked against his captor. Another stake was place at her wrist as the knights began to drive them through her soft flesh. Each hit of the hammer elicited more pain and screaming from Raven. After this was finished her feet were tied to the cross completing the bulk of the process. As they stepped away the sound and smell of burning flesh began to permeate the room. The cloth of her leotard burned away in the places of her birthmark showing the flesh where the demons mark was literally burned from her. Still she screamed in agony as the pain racked through her. Eventually the burning stopped and she hung there, barely alive. Then the knights positioned on either side of her brought their swords to the edges of her body. Without a moment's hesitation they plunged the blades deep into her sides. The scream of pain she released could have pierced the very gates of heaven and hell. It took only a moment after this before her eyes fluttered shut and everything went black.

—

Robin came to first, cradling his head in his hands as it throbbed in pain. He tried to understand and recall all that had happened but as his eyes trailed around the room to find the dark girl laying on the ground next to him, he remembered enough and moved quickly to her side.

He gently lifted her still limp body into his arms. He looked her over to guarantee that there was no bodily injury. Thankfully, he found no marks of wounds anywhere and as her eyes began to slowly blink open and look at him, he felt a new sense of peace. She hadn't died.

Her eyes were glued to him and a small smile played on her features. Then she winced in pain and closed her eyes tightly. Her hands moved to cradle the sides of her torso where he'd seen blades driven only moments ago. There were no real wounds but the pain seemed to linger on and Robin could feel it tug at the edges of their bond.

She motioned to sit up from his arms, still holding her sides. Her breathing was heavy and somewhat erratic but it slowly smoothed and slowed as the pain seemed to subside.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I just got gutted with a sword."

His frown deepened as he felt for his friend.

"And so you know, it's definitely worse than getting shot."

She looked at him with a sarcastic glare. Even in death she still found a joke to make. She was almost as bad as Beastboy sometimes, but at least her jokes had a dark and dry humor to them.

"Why did you choose to relive that? What were you looking for?"

Raven looked down at the spell book beside her.

"I relive that every time I sleep. . ."

She was going to continue and actually explain what she was after but a knock on her door cut her short. Motioning for Robin to stay there she lifted her hood and moved to her door, opening it a crack to see who it was. Starfires less than gleaming eyes stared back at her with sadness weighing her down.

"Oh friend Raven! Please have you seen Robin? He said that he would be searching for the leads in his room but he will not answer his door."

Ravens eyes darted to the side as she thought of an answer. To show her he was there with her would certainly be off putting and definitely raise questions. Instead she decided on a different course of action.

"He could have been asleep. I know sometimes he gets so involved that he ends up falling asleep on his desk. Just knock harder."

With that she closed her door and walked back to Robin who was now standing.

"Who was that?"

"Your girlfriend, you're lucky I don't hate you."

With that she transformed into her soul-self and carried them to his room. As he stumbled out of her form he looked back to ask her more questions but she quickly spoke before him.

"You've been sleeping and you didn't hear her knock earlier."

With that she again translated through the floor and made her way back to her room. Once there she moved the candles away and levitated the spell book to her hands. Opening it she found the rubbings she'd made earlier, perfectly in tact.

"Let's find out what you mean."

She said as she began levitating books and texts to her side, as well as a small laptop she'd been given. She couldn't deny the usefulness of the internet though she still trusted her books more.