Chapter 4

March 24th, 2017. 11:29 AM.

Damian had a fierce grip on the frame of the couch, his knuckles white and shaking. It took everything in him to keep from bolting up and charging into the infirmary, where he could hear Raven crying out in pain. He wouldn't even make it across the room, he knew; Jon had a hand on his shoulder, ready to hold him down if it came to it. Meanwhile, Gar and Jaime were both curled up in opposite corners of the room, their faces twisted in anxiety and concern. Kori stood in the short hallway leading to the infirmary, her arms crossed and tense.

How did he let this happen…?

January 2nd, 2017. 9:45 AM.

"Again."

Damian stood firm, his feet planted like an oak in the floormat. The room glowed red around them, special technology developed by his father to simulate the radiation of a red sun. A few feet in front of him, Jon slowly wobbled to his feet. He wasn't used to fighting without his powers. But Damian insisted that he learn to fight like a man before he became overly reliant on being a Superman. The boy wiped the sweat from his brow, and shifted into stance. Fortunately he was every bit as stubborn as his mother. He zeroed in on Damian and shoved off his back heel, shooting forward like a cannon.

Damian stood firm, crossing his forearms in front of him. When Jon collided with the block, Damian's feet scraped backwards about four inches, and he let out a grunt as he shoved back, quickly moving onto his offensive. He launched his palms forward in quick succession, and Jon shifted out of the way of each strike. Jon grabbed Damian's shoulder and twisted around, pulling with all of his might to throw the boy over his shoulder. But as Damian left the ground, he wrapped his legs around Jon's neck, and the two flipped forward in the air before crashing to the floor, Damian's foot holding Jon's head to the floor.

"Better," Damian acknowledged, "but you still have a ways to go." He lifted his foot, and helped Jon to his feet. The half-Kryptonian shook his head, and ran a hand through his hair.

"I… I can't…" he gasped for air, begging his knees to support his weight. "I'm spent… I can't keep goin', dude…"

Just then, the door opened, and the red light switched back to normal. Raven floated into the room, clearly in pain, but still smiling at the sight of her friends.

"Hey, guys… I kinda need a hand here…" Raven slowly dropped to her knees. Damian pat Jon on the back, and Jon fumbled out of the room to go recharge in the sunlight.

Damian knelt down and put a hand on Raven's shoulder. "It's alright. Lie down and tell me where it hurts."

Raven slowly lowered herself down onto her stomach, her cloak sliding off her shoulders. "It's in my back… upper back and shoulders, mostly… and my neck."

Damian lifted himself over the girl's body, putting one foot on either side of her. He brought his hands down onto her back, and ran his fingers along her shoulder blades, feeling out the strain in her muscles. "It's okay. Just try to relax…" He began to push his thumbs into her back, relieving the tension to the best of his ability. This had become more and more of a common occurrence; Trigon had been pushing harder and harder against Raven's mind, trying to break her hold on him. She came to Damian so often now that he was uncommonly familiar with her structure. He'd memorized the muscles of her back, and knew how to put her at ease. As he carefully kneaded the flesh in his hands, Raven let out a thick exhale from deep in her chest. At first this made Damian hesitant, but at this point it didn't even phase him. To him, it was merely a sign that the pain was making its way out of her body. That was good.

After a moment, Damian's hands slowly made their way up to Raven's neck. As his fingers began to gently press into the strained muscles, Raven pulled her legs out from under him and shifted herself into a seated position, allowing Damian to lower himself onto his knees behind her. As the tension began to release, Raven let out another sigh of relief. Her head tilted back and her eyes shut, and Damian continued to ease the pain she was feeling. Within seconds, the pain she was experiencing was gone.

"You're a miracle worker, y'know that?" Raven put a hand on top of his, which was still rested on her neck. Damian's face reddened at the gesture, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I'm just doing what I have to do to be there for my friends," he replied, doing his best to come across as platonic. "I'd do the same for any of you… Well, maybe not Garfield, but he'd be fine."

Raven chuckled and turned, looking into Damian's eyes… He had these pale, icy blue eyes. Eyes that spoke volumes of grief and passion. He shared the same weary gaze as his father. She smiled at him, her heart filled with gratitude. "What would I do without you, Damian?"

Damian looked into her purple eyes, watching them shimmer in a way he'd never seen before. His heart began to flutter again, the same way it'd done time and time again before. But this time, he felt no panic. This time he welcomed the sensation. This time instead of making him panic, it made him feel alive.

March 24th, 2017. 11:29 AM.

Damian knew that this was coming. He knew he couldn't combat the force of Trigon's thrashing against her mind with his hands alone. He was an imbecile. He should have told someone about his theory. He suspected that he might have been lowering Raven's defenses. But he kept his theories secret, and now it might cost Raven her life.

"I have to go to her, Jon." Damian stood up. "Move."

"I can't let you do that, Damian. You made me promise." Jon put his hand on Damian's chest. He didn't want to hurt him, but…

"She needs someone in there she knows. She needs her friends." Damian stepped forward, pushing Jon back.

"Your dad and Doctor Fate are doing everything they can," Jon insisted, putting the pressure on Damian, stopping him in his tracks.

"She needs an anchor, to ground her to our world." Damian's eyes burned as he stared into Jon's.

"They have everything under control, I promise." Jon's brow furrowed with concern. Damian's hand reached down to his belt. Both of them knew what was hidden within.

"I'm not gonna tell you again, Kent. MOVE."

"Jon's eyes began to glow red. "I can't. I'm sorry."

Damian's eyes crashed open. He reached into his belt, grabbing the ring…

"DAAAMIAAAAAN!" Everyone froze as they heard Raven's panicked voice cry out his name.

Jon's hand dropped. "Go."

Without another word, Damian bolted past the Superboy, bounded off the wall past Starfire, and tore down the hallway, moving faster than he'd ever moved in his whole life. He burst through the door of the Infirmary, and his eyes widened at the sight before him.

Raven was pinned against the wall, her limbs spread out and held in place by the golden light of Fate's magic. Her skin was red, and her eyes flowed with a demon light. Her second set of eyes squinted open on her forehead, as she convulsed violently against the wall. Doctor Fate stood on one side of the room, his hands up focused on holding Raven down. The Batman stood in the opposite corner of the room, observing with a stern gaze. Damian launched himself across the room, taking Raven's face in his hands.

"Raven! I'm here! Listen to me, I'm right here! It's okay!" Damian cried out in a panic. She writhed under his hands, and he ran his hands into her hair. Her eyes crashed open, and the glow in them dissipated, revealing her purple irises full of fear. Her second set of eyes shut and faded into her skin, which slowly shifted back to its usual pale color. She struggled to draw in her breath, and a tear rolled down her face.

"Damian… h… h-help me… please…" Raven's body went limp, and Fate released his restraints, letting her fall into Damian's arms.

"I'm afraid it's worse than we ever anticipated…" Fate's voice was low and grim under his helmet. "Trigon's struggle has worn her mind threadbare. It could be days from now, it could be months. But sooner or later…"

"He'll kill her," Batman growled. "Raven's body will be destroyed, and Trigon will be free to travel between his world and ours as he pleases."

Damian's knees shook. He turned, meeting Doctor Fate's eyes, determination blazing in his stare. "Tell me what we have to do."

Fate shook his head. "Someone will need to link their mind to hers… Draw Trigon out of her body and into theirs. Then, once they have him, the link will need to be severed, and… Either the person destroys Trigon within the confines of their mind…"

Batman stepped forward. "Or they have to die… destroying them both." He put a hand on Fate's shoulder. "I'll do it. No one else needs to take the risk."

"It isn't quite that simple, Mr. Wayne…" Fate shrugged off Bruce's hand. "The link can only be established with someone who knows the current host on a personal level. A close friend…"

Damian nodded. "She's my best friend. I'll do it."

Fate looked into Damian's eyes. "Are you sure, Robin? If you're unable to overcome him…"

Damian laid Raven gently down on the floor. "I understand the risk… She's more than worth it."

Bruce stepped toward Damian. He looked down at him for a moment, then pulled him into his arms and held him tight. "Be careful, Son."

"Yes, Father." Damian hugged his father tightly. He then laid beside Raven and shut his eyes, as Fate used his magic to establish the connection between the two Titans…

When Damian opened his eyes, all around him was darkness and flame. He could hear the roar of Trigon bellowing all about him, and when he looked down he could see Raven, engulfed in flame, about to give way. Damian knew exactly what to do; he sped down to Raven and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"TRIGON!" Damian barked, his voice commanding and furious. "I know you can hear me! You've used up this vessel! She is weak, and can do you no service! You can feel it, I know you can! You want a better weapon? A real, living weapon?" He let go of Raven and thrust his arms out wide. "TAKE ME!"

Raven's body contorted in unnatural directions, until her eyes linked with Damian's. As she opened her mouth, the voice she spoke with was not her own.

"If you insist."

A dark vapor shot out of Raven's body, flowing into Damian's. As Trigon entered him, Damian felt his whole body burn with unspeakable agony. In a moment, he felt the last of Trigon's presence leave Raven and deep into him.

"NOW, FATE! CUT THE CONNECTION NOW!"

Suddenly, Damian was blinded by a great white light…

Within the confines of Damian's mind…

"You are a fool, boy." Trigon's voice boomed throughout Damian's being. "You cannot hope to resist me."

Damian's body burned relentlessly, his mind flooded with pain.

"I am suffering manifest."

Damian could see nothing but fire and pain all around.

"I am malice incarnate."

Damian squeezed his eyes shut, and searched for his center.

"You… You are nothing."

Everything in Damian's mind went quiet. The image of Raven's face came to him.

Damian's eyes crashed open, an amethyst light bursting from them. All the flame vanished, leaving Trigon exposed against the white.

"No," Damian growled, "I'm a Titan. I'm the son of Batman. YOU are nothing." He reached out his hand, and his katana manifested itself into his mind. He grasped the hilt firmly, and shot forward, preparing his swing.

"Mother of Azarath… Grant me STRENGTH!" Damian roared the prayer he'd heard Raven repeat time and again. As the truth solidified into his mind, he swung his blade with all of his might, and cleaved the Devil in two. Trigon's lower half faded away, and Robin swung again. This time, all that remained of the great beast was his head.

"You…" Trigon's gravelly voice shook with disbelief. "You risked everything… They would have killed you… Why?"

Damian raised his sword high above his head, and stared into Trigon's eyes.

"Because I love her."

When Raven came to, she was in Batman's arms. She thrashed instinctively, thinking she was still being attacked by Trigon. Batman just held her still.

"It's alright, Raven. I've got you." Batman's did his best to calm her. She looked around the room and saw Damian lying unconscious on the ground. Fate leaned against the wall, his strength clearly spent.

Raven leapt from Bruce's arms and rushed to Damian's side. As she dropped to her knees, Damian stirred, and slowly began to come to.

"Damian! Thank Azar…" she cradled his head in her arms as his eyes drifted slowly open.

Damian looked up at the blurry figure holding him. He didn't need to see her face; he recognized her warmth immediately. He was glad that she was the first thing he saw when he came to. He smiled up at her. "It's over, Raven… He's finally gone."

Raven shuddered at his words. She focused with all her power, and found that… He was right. Trigon the Terrible, the Ancient Serpent, the burden that weighed on her mind every day… He was gone. Not just gone… He didn't exist anymore.

Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes as she drew him closer. "I can't… I can't believe it, Damian… You set me free…"

Damian leaned into the crook of her neck, and gently placed a hand on her cheek. "I had to. I don't…" He closed his eyes and let out a weak sigh. "… I don't know what I would do without you."