Chapter 2
[Entrance to Solor's mindscape]
After a few moments of disorientation, Starfire quickly shook her head, recovering a bit. After all, despite the fact that she and Raven were best friends, she never had entered someone's mind before. And perhaps entering her boyfriend's was a bit of an invasion of privacy, but this was important.
"Forgive us, Boyfriend Solor," she said aloud, hoping that he could overlook this intrusion.
It was then she noticed that she wasn't really in a void like Beast Boy and Cyborg had described when they visited Raven's mind a couple years back. They were in a cave. A rather large cave that lead in two directions; one was to the opening, where Starfire could see her body waiting for her. The other was deeper and darker. Obviously, they did not want to go back to their bodies, so Starfire only saw one option.
"Is everyone alright?" she asked, looking over to the two Ravens and Edward, who were also recovering rather quickly.
"I'm fine", said Raven, while Rachel and Edward only nodded. "You'd think this would be less common than it really is…"
"Oh, believe me, it is", Edward said. "I've only done this a back home, once with Terra and many times with Rachel." He looked around. "Although I did not expect this… seems that Solor really does have a one way mind."
"Funny, but now's not the time for jokes, dear", Rachel said. "So, we have two paths that we can take. One is deeper into Solor's mind… and the other is back to our bodies."
"We must press on", Starfire insisted. "The sooner we find out what is wrong with boyfriend Solor, the better."
"Agreed", Edward said. "Let's get going, then. Remember… if it looks like it belongs here-"
"Don't touch it", came a voice, and everyone jumped into battle poses, getting ready to fight. However, the source was something they weren't expecting. Instead of something that was horrifying or sinister, they saw a new face. This one was female, for sure, but from what they could tell, she was definitely of dragon origin. Her hair was as white as snow, her eyes the color of gold, and her figure one to kill for. Her scales were bronze, much like Solor's and Sol's. She stood a good head taller than Edward, and looked at them all with a kind gaze. "He may not respond to your words, Edward Barnes, but Solor can still hear you."
"Okay... not to be rude or anything, but who are you?" Raven asked.
"I am Iilahkun", said the newcomer, walking past them. "I am what remains of Solor's subconscious… besides, of course, his memories."
"Moonlight…" translated Edward, looking suspiciously at her. "And what part of Solor are you?"
"In life, I was his mother", she responded. "I am the chosen mate of Sol, the Light of the Circle. I guided Solor down the path he took. I taught him to care, and defend what is right, even if it goes against our better judgment." She then turned to Starfire. "And I am the one that taught him to love, unlike most other dragons."
"I do not understand", Starfire said. "Solor taught me that most of his species does not believe in love. Only in the strength of their mates, and of their broods."
"True", Iilahkun replied. "It is frowned upon to fall in love with one that is not a member of your family. And your love should be limited, should you permit it to show. To understand how much he loves you, and how much pain he's in at the moment, you will face all of the most important memories, indicating his personal feelings for not just you four, but for every Titan that he considers his family."
"Then our mission is clear", Edward says. "We must continue deeper into the cave, and see his memories of all of us, no matter how disturbing they might be."
Rachel nodded, taking point. "I'll go first. As much as you understand, dear, I'm more experienced with traveling into the minds of others than you are. I'll be ready for anything that comes after us. I will need you behind me in case something strikes us that I can't handle."
"Then I'll pick up the rear", Raven decided. "Starfire, it's probably best if you stay by Edward. You may have used my powers before, but this is something that even I'm not sure of."
"Agreed," Edward replied, "I have no problem with this plan. Lead the way, my wife. Are we ready? Then let's get going."
The team got into formation and as they went deeper and deeper, the darkness seemed to wrap itself around their bodies, leaving little visibility. However, Starfire soon remedied that by allowing her hands to glow, letting a green light envelop them as they continued the journey. Edward was able to see, but, barely until Starfire charged a starbolt as a light source.
As they traveled, a soft noise soon began to reach their ears. It started low, and began to grow as they reached their destination. Suddenly, as if it never existed, the cave melted away to reveal what many surmised to be Solor's homeland.
Lush trees littered the base of several mountains, but mainly the terrain was rather rocky. Caves littered the faces of many mountains, and the sky was as clear as a fine fall day. But the real attraction were the dragons. Various shapes and sizes littered the skies as the beasts flew amongst themselves. Some roared into the sky, as they narrowly dodged each other in various acrobatic stunts, while others lazily rode the wind, barely even flapping their wings. Everyone was gawking at them, wondering how such a spectacle could be ignored for so long.
"Are these Solor's friends and family?" Raven asked, looking at all of them in muted wonder. Even despite her lack of emotion, she was quite astounded by all of the dragons.
"I'm guessing not", Edward said. "These are all different colors of dragons. And note how each dragon tends to mingle only with its own color. Reds with reds, blues with blues, greens with greens… despite how they look like they intertwine, there's a distinct boundary on where each dragon goes."
"Now whelplings!" came another new voice, and the group turned to see a bronze dragon, quite large and round, leading a bunch of much smaller whelps. "As you can see, this is the center of Lair. The very heart of our lands. Can any of you tell me the species of dragons flying in the air? It shouldn't be too hard, we were just talking about it."
One whelp spoke up, shooting a green fireball into the air. "It's simple. The blue are Water dragons, while the red are Fire, and the green are Life. The grey ones near the green ones are Death, and the really big one inside that cave is an Earth." The group looked at where the whelp pointed, and were shocked to see a rather large dinosaur head poking out of one of the caves, making a loud snore all of a sudden.
"THAT'S an Earth dragon?!" Edward and Rachel said at the same time, gawking. Edward was stunned. The Earth Dragon was far bigger than he was at full size. The head itself was gigantic, probably 40 meters in length.
"Incredible," Edward said.
"Very good, Starborn. As expected of the Light's heir", said the large Light dragon as the young whelp, now named Starborn, grinned smugly. "Now, why are they the colors that they are?" When no one answered, the dragon frowned. "It's right in front of you, whelplings. If you do not answer, then I shall have to explain it to you. Your brains aren't that far behind, are they?"
"What is he doing?" Starfire asked. "That is not how you teach a bumgorf."
"It may not be to humans, but this might be normal for dragons", Raven countered. "This is one of Solor's memories, remember?"
"Because the First gave them their powers and colors", came a strong, familiar voice. Everyone turned to see the largest bronze dragon they had seen, easily dwarfing the teacher in height. "When He created our species, He gave us our missions to guide and protect His creations with our gifts. In order to know what our part in His plan is, we are born with the tint of our scales."
"Grand Light!" said the teacher, quickly averting his eyes. "It is an honor to be in your presence." The other whelps followed example, including Starborn, though he was the last one and he didn't seem to like it.
"I'm afraid I have to cut your lesson short today, Elder. Starborn has been called by the Circle. It is time he knew of his destiny."
"Very well. Whelplings, return to your broods. We shall continue our lesson tomorrow. Starborn… good luck."
Starborn only held his head high, but suddenly the group could hear his voice in their heads.
So... my day has come. I am to be judged by the Circle, and determined how strong I am and if I am capable of becoming the next heir. No one must know... but I am terrified. If I do not become the heir, then I will be yet another member of Lair. I will have no responsibilities besides becoming a soldier. But if I am to be the heir... then I will have many responsibilities. And one day, I will watch Father die and pass on his power to me. Will I be good enough for Lair? Or will I be cast out like Darkness before me?
"Looks like Starborn was very insightful as a whelp", Rachel muttered.
"And paranoid", Raven added. "He was very worried as a child."
"Starborn is Boyfriend Solor's true name, yes?" Kreinyol asked, looking to Edward. "I remember that from when we were trapped in your universe."
"Yes, it is", Edward said. "When Solor was teaching me the Dragon tongue, he told me that every dragon is given a name in the natural tongue, based on what the mother feels. His mother named him Starborn, for he was born in the light of the constellation Draco.
"Also, most children are worried if they are good enough and that they please their elders. A whelpling, I see, is not that different than humans."
"What would your name be, then, Edward?" Rachel asked, genuinely curious.
Edward smiled. "Solor said that it wasn't official, seeing as he isn't my mother, but he would call me Kiinnum, which means Born Unique, due to how different I am from every other dragon that he's ever met. It's a name I will wear with honor, seeing how I am, in a sense, truly home."
Starfire was about to ask more, but she noticed that the large dragon and Starborn were flying away, with Sol slowing down so that his son could keep up. "Perhaps we should follow them?"
"I don't think we have much of a choice", Edward mentioned, pointing behind them. There was a wave of darkness slowly following them, and with no chance to observe their surroundings more, the group began following Solor and Sol, wondering what caused Solor to not get along with his father over the last couple years.
Little did they know they were going to get their answer.
Suddenly, their surroundings melted away, and they were in a new location. In what appeared to be a dormant volcano, Starborn stood in the center platform. Surrounding him were seven caves. Each one was lined with valuable gems, but only of one color per cave. One was lined with blue, one was lined with red, one with green, and so on. Finally, a light began to shine in the cave, and all of the gems began sparkling, reflecting the light. Slowly, one by one, large dragons began to exit the caves, standing on the perches outside of their caves. The only that didn't join was the one with black gems nearby. If Starfire had to guess, that must have been the cave of the Darkness dragon. And the Earth was so large, that he couldn't fit his whole head into the room, so all anyone could see of him was his eye. His large, yellow, slitted eye.
"This meeting of the Circle is to determine the fate of Starborn of the Light", came Sol's voice. "Tell me, what is your verdict, Death?"
Everyone looked at Edward, who realized that they were speaking in the Dragon tongue and started to translate.
The first Dragon stood up tall. Despite his withered, skinny frame, everyone shivered at the sight of him, even Edward. The leader of Death was tall, and very imposing. He looked more like a skeleton than anything, which made sense, considering the name. But as his eyes glanced over the whelp, everyone could see the wisdom of a full lifetime of 3000 years. "He is healthy", he said, his voice old but strong. "Even without the blessing of the Circle, he will last many long years. But with that strength will be the curse of watching the weak that he loves die. The question is... will that strength also protect him from the insanity?" Death gave a grin, showing off his large, pointed teeth. "Death has no hold over him. He will be strong to fight against all odds."
"Life?"
"He has a good heart", says the opposite dragon. Her scales were green, and she looked like a mix of a brontosaurus and a triceratops, with the long legs, long neck, and frilled neck with a horn on her snout. "He will fight to protect almost all. His knowledge of the life of this world is positive. But when he faces the plagues and other life in this world that lives only to fight and cause destruction... what shall he do to protect all of life? Will he sacrifice the few for the many? Or will he find another way?" The Life smiled. "I think with Starborn, Life will always find a way."
"Earth?"
As the leader of Earth spoke, his voice made the entire cave rumble. It startled the visitors in Solor's mind, but everyone else acted as though they were not phased. "His will is like the Earth. One will not break it, no matter how strong they are. But when it comes to the decisions, will he be strong enough to do what is right for the earth?" The yellow eye closed, as if approving. "The Earth supports all. And so shall Starborn."
"Fire?"
"His fury is unmatched", said the leader of Fire. "His passions burn as bright as the sun, and threaten to consume all that oppose him. But with a fire comes change, and new possibilities." The fire turned away, hiding a small smile. "His fire will not only consume, but bring change to the world."
"Water?"
"He is easily molded, like the way that one can change the path of water. When obstacles come his way, he does not fight them, but works around them. Like the river, he will find ways to continue no matter what."
"Then it is decided." Sol stood on his haunches, and his wings spread wide. "Starborn, you are the next light of the future. And in the name of the Circle, we name you Heir to the Light!"
XxXxX
Edward looked at the meeting, such as it was with awe on his features. He had to remember that these were likely the descendants of those who had sent him to his universe. The Death Dragon, Edward could tell, was close to his age. The gray skin reminded him of what a human corpse looked like or other corpses that had laid around for a day or so.
Death's wings were also gray and looked like they could barely support flight.
The Life Dragon, when she spoke, it sounded melodic and full of the joy of Life itself. A voice full of love as well. Her colors to Edward's eye were perfect and as he listened to her pronounce her sentence, he knew that Starborn was pleased.
The Earth Dragon's voice, a deep rumbling bass similar to Edward's when he used his full size would have the enemies back in Jump City shaking in their boots. In fact, both Ravens had the same basic thought about how Dr. Light would respond and the thought brought a smile to Rachael's face.
"Thinking about Dr. Light?" Edward asked.
She nodded, "He would be scared out of his skin. Like when Rage got hold of him."
Raven gave a small chuckle at that memory, but, quickly stopped, lest her powers react.
When Water spoke and blessed Starborn, the group nodded in agreement to all that was said.
"Starborn has proven all them correct," Edward surmised, "I would also have given my verdict of approval. However, I wonder what the Darkness would have said. If what I have gathered is correct, Darkness is pure evil and the Collector seems to bear that out."
"Who?" Raven said.
"He didn't bring that up, Raven?" Edward asked.
"No," she replied, "He didn't. Only time we heard of it was when we were talking to you before they returned home."
"One nasty creature," Edward replied, "He kidnapped Starfire and Rachael in an attempt to capture Starborn and I. The attempt almost succeeded except that I have his Blessing of Light. I was able to get Rachael and Starfire out and back to Earth. Starborn had to take the Collector all the way out. But, he was able to send the creatures that could still be helped back to their homes. Others were in worse shape than Solor is now, suffering a fate where death would be welcomed with open arms than what that bastard did to them."
Starborn, meanwhile, looked at the members of the Circle briefly before saying, "I pray that I am worthy of this honor."
"I was never prouder of Starborn," Iilahkun said, startling the others, "It was the start of his rite of passage, but, as you saw, Starborn wanted to be able to look upon his own sire but that custom and tradition dictated otherwise, at least in public. In private, Sol was less likely to rebuke his own son for daring to look upon him."
Edward raised an eyebrow, "I see. Would I have gone through this ritual?"
"Had you hatched as a regular Dragon, yes," she replied, "Due to what happened, though, the Circle debated a long time, according to the ancient records on how to protect you the best. My mate can answer your questions better, Edward. My purpose here is to guide you. That's one reason why Starborn hasn't ejected you. The other is he did hear your voice. You are the only Dragon that Starborn will trust now and your wife made an impression on him when he was banished to your realm for some reason. A final reason is that I am here with you.
"Raven, I'm sorry that he threw you out before. He was not expecting that you would try to help him in this manner."
Raven waved it off, though. "It's all right," she replied graciously.
By then, the whelpling Starborn had been escorted out of the chamber by Sol and as the scene closed, the group walked behind Starborn.
Rachael was still on point, just in case. Edward had a bad feeling that what they would encounter would shake them to the core and he was worried as a result. He knew both Ravens would be able to handle what they were about to encounter, it was Starfire who had Edward concerned as she was the younger version of the Starfire he considered to be his family. The older Starfire could handle things better. This younger one was different.
[Sweetheart,] Rachael said, [Don't worry about Starfire so much. She's a strong woman, even in this stage of her development. We're already here, so, we have to see it through. Raven didn't even get this far.]
Edward nodded, [I hope so, dear. Solor's mind, thus far, is unharmed. It's going to be later when we'll see the signs of damage and the most when he will go through this rape. That's when we will see how strong she is. If they are soul-bonded already, the Circle will not be able to intervene. In fact, I think it will take her love for him to break through to him. This isn't like when we went into Terra's mind to help her, yet it will be. Remember when Beast Boy's deep love for Terra convinced her to emerge? Well, Star will have to have the biggest fight in her life, right here in Solor's mind: To convince him that she still loves him, no matter what.]
[What is interesting is that the Earth Dragon said that Solor's will cannot be broken,] Rachael said after a moment.
[Yet, we are here to fix his broken will and a shattered soul regardless,] Edward replied, [This is going to be a major rescue mission.]
Raven, of course, could hear the conversation between Edward and her counterpart, but, wasn't going to interrupt, unless asked to.
I hope Starfire knows what she is in for.
XxXxX
When the next memory arrived, Starborn looked to have grown a few meters. It was a gloomy day, and he was sitting in front of a pile of rocks, a blank stare on his face. Beside him was a female dragon, which everyone assumed was his mother.
"He will be missed", said Iilahkun. "He was strong and kind... it is a shame that he went the way he did."
"He was weak", said Starborn in response. "To be killed by scum like that... he deserved to die."
Iilahkun looked to the whelp, and instead of smacking him or chastising him, she only gave a soft smile. "Oh? I did not realize I was speaking to the Grand Light."
The words had their desired affect, and Starborn let out a low whine. "Why... why do they hate us, Mother?"
Iilahkun sighed, and wrapped a wing around her son. "I do not know the answer. But remember... they are easily infected with fear of the unknown. And remember, when you first saw an Earth dragon, you did not act so comfortably as you think, my Starborn."
"But he was only trying to help..."
"And sometimes kindness is repaid by foul words and deeds, and there is nothing that can be done." Iilahkun stood up, flapping her wings. "What matters is that you are better for them."
As she left the whelp behind, Starborn felt his tears drop. To kill my brother... he thought. To kill him in cold blood because they cannot recognize the Darkness that was plaguing them. I will be better. Better than my brother. Better than them. Better than any damn mortal scum this world has to offer.
Starborn looked down at the stones, and placed a claw to his heart. "Brother... your death will mean nothing in the end, for the First has claimed you to join his ever growing army. Someday, I hope we meet again." He flapped his wings and began to fly away, leaving the group behind.
"So Solor has the anger towards humans because they killed his brother", Starfire said sadly.
"Makes sense", said Raven. "He never really liked humans when he first started. I think he's gotten over it as he worked to redeem himself, though."
Edward and Rachel stayed silent, thinking about this. Solor never did mention much about his family when he was visiting. Was it perhaps that most of them were dead? Was that why he never brought it up? In fact, the only time his family was really brought up was when Edward insulted them. A fact that still bothered him despite Solor's eventual forgiveness.
Edward knew all too well what Solor was feeling, though. It was exactly why he hid in plain sight for so many centuries. He knew that the humans of the period would have done the same to him ... or attempted to in his case.
[So, he had a brother killed by humans,] he said to Rachael sadly, [No wonder he had a prejudice when he arrived in our universe. Prejudice is nasty, as one of my friends from 1750 noted. I do feel bad for him here. It also gives me somewhat of a time reference. I would estimate that Solor is probably 200 or so years old, so, that makes this roughly 1470 to 1520 AD.]
The next memory was even more depressing. As the memory melted away, angry voices came up. It seemed the new memory was more recent, as Starborn was much bigger. He was sitting at the top of a volcano, watching the inside with great interest.
"What is he doing?" Rachel asked. However, she then noticed Starborn's mother nearby as they watched, and decided to just remain silent.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar sound reached their ears. And when they looked inside, they were met with an incredible sight. At the center of the volcano was a small nest, and inside were five bronze eggs, and one of them had hatched, revealing the tiniest, most adorable dragon that they had seen. Its eyes were closed, and it sounded like it was crying.
"Oh, it is the cutest thing I have ever seen!" Starfire cooed, with hearts in her eyes.
Raven, however, was looking at Solor and Iilahkun. Both were looking with concern in their eyes, and looking over at each other.
Something is wrong.
Just like that, all of a sudden, the nest was covered with a shadow. And from what everyone could notice, it was the same Death dragon that had given praise to Starborn only a few minutes before. It landed on the other side of the nest, and took only a moment to glance over the whelp that was crying. The crying had lessened, and it wasn't moving as much.
"It is weak", said Death, sighing. "In the past 2000 years, I have not seen such a weak brood."
"You take that back!" Solor said, growling. "They are not weak! It is this nest! I had told Mother not to nest here, but no one listens! This place is too warm for Light whelps!"
Death gave a lazy look towards Solor. "And you are certain, if she had nested elsewhere, then your mother would not be any weaker than she is now?"
"Say that again", Solor said, breaking the tradition and daring to stare Death in the eye.
The much older dragon, however, merely laughed. "I tell you only the truth, Starborn, Heir to the Light. In one months time, your mother shall join the First. And there is nothing to be done about it."
Those words had a harsh effect on Solor. Instantly, his scales began glowing bright white, and he roared in pure, unadulterated rage before charging. The Death dragon, not expecting the frontal attack, was struck hard by Solor's claws, but he easily recovered, glaring.
"That will be your last mistake, boy."
It was then the Death dragon began to wail on Solor, blocking and countering every attempt to strike back. By the time it was over, some of Solor's scales were ripped out of place, exposing soft flesh, and he could barely open his left eye. Despite how withered Death looked, he had done quite a number. He approached the drake, placing a claw on his neck and holding him still. "The Circle will need to hear about this... but I think it is about time you learned your place, Starborn."
At that, the grey dragon took in a deep breath, and just before he unleashed his attack, the scene faded, leaving them in a black void.
Starfire gasped as her joy at seeing the newborn hatchling was replaced with immense sadness knowing that the baby had died. Edward reached over to her and pulled her into an embrace. Starfire was also shocked to her core seeing her beloved beaten within an inch of his life.
She wept heavily for her boyfriend's pain and grief. What Death had pronounced was that the entire brood died, with four of the eggs dead in their shells and the only one to hatch was so weak that it probably did not survive more than a few minutes.
Rachael was also saddened and the only thing that kept her from also crying was her training at Azar's feet.
"Starfire," Edward said kindly, "We knew coming here that we'd see Solor's most painful memories. This is the darkest day of his life, until last week in your time. "The Solor the four of us have gotten to know is not this Solor. You, my friend, are the reason Solor has mellowed. You will have to fight for him and I know how strong love is for a Tamaranian. I saw that every day with Robin and well after he became Nightwing. Use that to your advantage."
She calmed down hearing that.
When the light began shining again, Solor was once again in the center of the Circle, but this time there was an audience. Surrounding him were several dragons, glaring and snarling at him. He held his head high, still, despite what he had done.
"Starborn, you stand accused of High Treason by attacking the leader of the Death Clan", came Earth's loud voice, silencing the others. "What say you in your defense?"
"He insulted my lineage", Solor responded. "My mother was very young when I was born. She can last a few more hundred years, not a mere month."
"All life ends, Starborn", Life said. "There is a time to fight for the life of another, and a time to let them go. Such is the balance that the Circle seeks to protect."
"My mother will not die", said Solor, his anger rising. "What right do you have to determine when she shall die?"
"It is not only our right, it is our duty", said Fire. "Life and Death have been tasked to keep an eye on those being born and those that will die."
"If the brood was not weak, Death would not have arrived", Water added. "If your mother were not nearing the end of her life, Death would not have said so. He did not say so to insult you, but to warn you."
"He laughed."
"It is a defense", said Death. "I watch my broods die well before I am able to. I watch those many years younger than I shrivel up and pass on to the First. If I was saddened by every death I saw, then I would never be able to uphold my duty to this world."
Edward knew well of which Death spoke. But, he knew that there were times when he needed to grieve the loss of the mortals he was closest to. When his Callisto died, he grieved for months. When Paula died, he grieved. Same when his other friends displaced from the modern era passed, even through he knew that they would return as History dictated. But, he fully understood where the leader of the Death clan was coming from. Mourning every single death would be pointless.
"Your 'duty' is meaningless", Solor spat. "Any mortal with a basic concept of biology can understand when one is going to pass on. It takes those with courage to fight to try to keep them alive."
"And why, pray tell, should we allow your mother to continue to live?" asked Life. "She has grown weak over the years. She can barely fly, she can no longer breathe fire. She is not the best for our people's survival."
"Maybe you are not the best for their survival?" questioned Solor, getting many murmurs throughout the volcano. "You would rather sit on your haunches and dictate how others should act and when they should die rather than try to make this world a better place! We could be doing so much more!"
"Like what?" scoffed Fire. "Murdering the mortals? They are a part of the design of the First. Even after five hundred years, you refuse to enter the world of mortals anymore, after we refused your bid for a hunting party."
"And a lot of good that did! We lost hundreds of our brothers and sisters to the humans!"
"It was a risk they all were willing to take", said Water.
"AND WHY WON'T YOU?!" roared Solor. "YOU BIGOTED OLD ONES DO NOTHING!"
"ENOUGH", came the Earth once more, silencing everyone. "A serious crime has been committed today. Starborn of the Light has committed treason against the Circle. What is the punishment to be?"
"Put to Death", said Fire. "If he goes without being punished severely, others will think that they have a chance to fight the will of the First. It shall be a fitting way to prevent another Dark uprising."
"I say we try to work with him", said Water. "The death of his brother and soon-to-be death of his mother are weighing hard on him. We should help him with his pain."
"What say you, Light?" asked Earth. "You have spoken of nothing since this Circle began."
Sol stared at his son, and Solor stared right back, not budging an inch. Eventually, the elder dragon snorted, before turning away from his son. "Banishment. If he is willing to act like a Dark dragon, treat him like one."
"What say you, Life?" Earth asked.
"Starborn should be given the chance to redeem himself," she said, "While he has committed a serious offense, it was done in a moment of blinding anger. I agree with the Grand Light that he should be banished as punishment. Time among the humans he disdains so much may teach him humility."
Death was not asked his opinion as it was obvious how he felt: Solor deserved to die for his failed attack. It mattered not that the attack was driven by anger to the old Dragon. An attack on a member of the Circle was an attack on all.
The other members of the Circle looked hard at Starborn as Earth said, "While I feel that Starborn should be executed, it would be pointless. We can help Starborn by banishment instead.
"Starborn, you are hereby found GUILTY of High Treason. The Sentence is Death. This sentence is suspended in lieu of Indefinite Banishment. You shall live among the humans. You are herewith stripped of your title of Heir of the Light until such time as you prove to be worthy. When you are allowed to return, we will again vote to see if are worthy of the title of Heir of the Light. Grand Light will monitor your progress without interfering and report to us at regular intervals. Starborn will be given sufficient time to prepare and to say his farewell to his mother. He will be given six months from today to prepare for his time with humans, however, if there is even so much as one action against any other dragon...Starborn shall be executed without right of appeal or possibility of pardon. Should Starborn attempt to break exile without leave of the Circle, the sentence of Death will be carried out. Starborn is dishonored and disgraced.
"Grand Light, you will determine the conditions in which your son shall be allowed to return and what is expected of him and report to us yearly.
"Be it known by all Dragons that the sole reason Starborn is allowed to live is his former standing as Heir to the Light. Should any Dragon, regardless of their type commit Treason against the Circle, the penalty is death.
"This is the judgment of the Circle. We are adjourned."
Solor was escorted out as the audience continued to voice their displeasure.
No one in the Circle saw how Edward reacted. His eyes started glowing red in unbridled anger.
"Those bastards!" Edward snarled, "It's bad enough that this Death Dragon beat the crap out of Solor, they had to add insult to injury by casting him out instead of trying to mentor him to help him cope with his grief. I would have insisted on mentoring him and taking Water's advice."
"Your anger is pointless," Raven noted, earning a hard look from Edward before he sighed. His eyes returned to normal after a moment.
"You're right, Raven," he said, "It is pointless...here. Nothing we do will affect what happened.
"But, it is a huge piece of the puzzle. I had wondered why Solor attacked me in our first spar. Now, I see why. His lineage is a point of pride to him and he lost so much before this. Other dragons who risked their lives in the mortal world and were killed for it. His own brother, at this point, long ago deceased did not help and when he wanted to go to war with the mortals of the past, the Circle rightfully refused. I would have also recommended that he be turned down, I think. But, then, I've lived in the mortal world my whole life and I do have a soft spot for them."
Starfire, on the other hand, stayed silent. She was utterly fuming, but she did not voice her opinion. She needed to think about this, and was surprised when Iilahkun's claw was on her shoulder. "I know... it is angering to know that everyone who praised him so many years ago turned their back on him", she said.
"Then why did they?" Starfire asked, restraining her rage.
"The next memory will show the reason", Iilahkun replied. "You must be strong, for after this last memory of my son and his father, we shall see how strongly he feels about you Titans."
The next memory turned Starfire's anger into a deep, deep sadness, though. Solor had buried the failed brood months before, putting a small headstone with their names on them. But, today was the day when his mother was on her deathbed. Sol and Solor were there as she struggled to breathe, her bronze scales having grown dull over the previous months. Life had given her a slight extension of time, to the point that it was close to the end of the grace period.
Solor held her claws in his as she looked up at him, unable to lift her serpentine neck.
"S-Solor," she whispered. He bent over to try to hear her.
"P-p-please try to forgive your father," she begged, "I won't live much longer, my son. R-r-remember what I taught you. Know that..." The sentence would never be finished as she let out a long sigh and the grip she had on Solor's talons relaxed for the last time.
"Mother?" he said getting no response as the light of Life faded from her eyes. The tears burned behind his own eyelids and he roared in sadness, the sound echoing through the cave and eventually into Lair. The roar was like Godzilla's roar of grief.
Starfire latched onto Edward once more as the scene faded, crying her eyes out as she also mourned. Edward, too, wiped away his own tears. He knew he had witnessed the death of another dragon in his friend's most private memories.
The next memory started, and it was a grey day in Lair. Solor was standing at another pile of rocks, although this time, he was moving the last few boulders into place. Once they were all covering the body, Solor began carving the name into the rock.
"'In Memory of the Light of the Moon'", came Edward's translation.
"Starborn", came the loud voice of his father. Like that, the Grand Light soon landed near Solor, a soft look on his face. "It is time."
"Please...", Solor began, his voice racked with despair. "Let me mourn her... before you banish me, let me mourn her."
"I wish I could", Sol said. "Even Death was surprised that she lasted this long... she must have wanted to live long enough to say goodbye to you..."
"Don't you dare speak of what she wanted!" Solor snarled, turning to his father. "She wanted me to stay! She wanted me to work on my anger!"
"And she does not carry out the First's will anymore." Sol sighed. "I wish I knew what she thought of me... was I a good mate?"
Solor sighed as well, calming down slightly but still angered. "She loved you with all of her heart, Father. That feeling she clung onto until the very end. She told me that I should forgive you."
"And will you?" asked Sol. "It was not my place to call you a Dark dragon. I was... disappointed. I expected more from my heir."
"Well, then you can find someone who is better suited to be your heir", Solor snarled, turning away. "If I do return, I will join the ranks of the soldiers, and I will die in battle against the Darkness. I want nothing to do with the likes of the Circle."
"Starborn-"
"NO!" Solor roared. "I have made up my mind! I will NEVER be your heir!"
Sol fumed, and finally said the worst thing possible before he cast the spell, opening a Tear of Oblivion under the younger dragon.
"Then fall to the humans. Know that if you kill a single one, I will hunt you down and kill you myself."
With that, the memory faded as Solor was sucked into the realm of Mortals.
Also, the die was cast and Solor was banished from his home indefinitely. He was on a path he did not desire, but, his volcanic temper had burned too many bridges and he was an outcast in a world where dragons might not be accepted.
Edward was finding it hard to want to keep his promise to Sol. It would take some time in deep meditation before he would be able to speak to the Grand Light without allowing his own anger to show. It was one thing for Sol to join in a verdict against his son, but, to threaten a grieving child with death for harming a mortal went against a lot of what Edward stood for.
Starfire was wiping the tears from her face seeing Solor bury his mother and the final rift between k'norfka and bumgorf. It reminded her too much of the rift between her and Blackfire.
XxXxX
The next memory the group encountered was one of Solor meeting the Titans. As he interacted with each Titan, they knew his opinion now on each and every Titan.
Robin dressed weird, and smelled too much of funky hair gel. Besides that, he was an ordinary human. Immediately shoved into the "I don't like him" list.
Cyborg was made almost entirely out of metal. Metal wasn't meant to move. Solor was definitely wary of him, but once learning more about the older teen, he decided he was harmless. At least, until he learned how to use that sonic cannon.
Beast Boy was annoying. Let's just leave it at that.
Now Raven and Starfire were different. It was obvious that he didn't get along too well with the boys, but Raven set him off in a different way. Her powers were based all around Darkness, which Solor was meant to hate. And yet she used her powers to protect the world and the people she cared for. He didn't know what to think of her. Perhaps she could be an ally? It would be interesting to learn more about her powers.
As for Starfire... well, it was obvious that he didn't dislike her. She was like a human, and so unlike one at the same time. She was kind and caring, and didn't wish any harm to anyone she met unless they managed to trigger her righteous fury. She fought for what she believed was right. And when they first met, he could tell she was scared and confused. Perhaps it was because she was in such a foreign world, like himself, that he chose to free her?
When he was tossed into Edward's universe, though, his first thoughts of Edward were not friendly ones, even when Edward revealed his true form. At first, all he saw was Sol, especially when Edward revealed his age. But, after Edward suffered the brunt of the Blessing of Light and actually offered a heartfelt apology, Solor didn't know what to think. Sol never came out and apologized for much and the time he sort of apologized, Solor told him exactly where the idea of being his heir could be stuffed.
As Edward took the time to work with him, though, Solor realized that Edward was not Sol at all. He took the time to teach Solor how to cook a few things, taught him that it was truly acceptable to love a mortal and a human at that. Sure, Raven's a half-demon, but, that didn't stop Edward from falling in love with her. It showed Solor that putting his heart into Starfire's hands would be one of the best decisions he could make.
As the group watched Solor's memories of Edward go from a dislike, to a begrudging respect, to actually considering Edward to be a close, trusted friend after the incident with the Collector, they didn't have to say a word.
And from the next batch of memories, his feelings towards his team only improved. After the initial meeting and forming of the team, the next memory to show itself was well into the team's development. In fact, it was right after Robin's episode of hallucinations. When Slade was defeated by Terra in this universe, all that remained were fragments of his broken mask. He was sealed in concrete, and transported to a maximum security prison, where he still stayed to this day, shamed that the world knew what he looked like.
But Robin was always convinced that Slade would return. And after inhaling hallucinogens laced onto the pieces of Slade's mask, was convinced Slade had somehow escaped and was threatening to destroy the city. It took Raven's aid to help him see the vision for what it was, but days passed before Robin would interact with anyone, ashamed that he had been so easily fooled.
One day, (after Solor returned to his universe), Solor was passing by Robin's room, looking irritated. He was getting tired of his leader's lack of action. And whether he wanted to or not, Robin was going to get a major wakeup call.
"Robin!" he called out, knocking on the door. "Open this threshold! I would speak with you!"
"Go away, Solor", came Robin's voice. "Leave me alone."
"No. Not until you hear what I have to say", Solor said. "I will say it no matter what. So, shall I speak to your face, or to your door?" When there was no reply, Solor clutched his claws together, thinking about breaking the door down. But he soon sighed, and set his hands down to his sides, his tone much softer than he would like to admit. "We need you, Robin. In my home... Lair... it is the duty of the Circle to guide and strategize. My father... he is in charge of my species, the Light dragons. And while I do not agree with all he has said... I do know what he does is best for the dragons he loves.
"I am sure he has questioned himself on whether he was right in his actions or not, banishing me. But if he was wrong, he would have no shame in admitting his mistakes. No shame in admitting his errors. And that is without outside interference. If he was to fall to someone's tricks... he would get back up and fight for what is right once more." He turned away, ashamed that he was speaking so highly of his father when the last time he had spoken to him alone, he had cursed him out and disowned him. He didn't count warning his father about Darkness. That was merely his duty. "I am... seeing now that we need a strong leader, like my father. But he is not here. And no one is better fit for the job than you are, Robin."
"... I thought you hated me", Robin said through the door.
"Oh, I can't stand you", said Solor, chuckling a bit. "But I'd rather have you as a leader than say Beast Boy. Can you imagine? He'd probably try to enforce rules such as everyone being required to eat tofu, or Cyborg would become the new training dummy. Or perhaps you would like to have a leader who intimidates her teammates into following her way, like Raven?"
The door suddenly opened, and Robin stepped out, all dressed in his uniform, but bags under his eyes. "You know that's not how any of them would act."
"I know", said Solor, "but it had the desired effect. You are speaking to me face to face." When Robin didn't reply, Solor shifted to his human form. "Tell you what. I shall spar you. No powers, no weapons, just hand to hand combat. If you win, then I shall do whatever you may ask. Except break up with Starfire. Don't give me that look, I knew you were going to try to forbid that again. Anyway, if I win, then you have to suck it up, as Cyborg says, and come back to work. And remember, I do not have the experience you have in hand to hand combat."
Robin smirked, knowing Solor must have some trick up his sleeve. But this was an opportunity to good to pass up. "You're on, scaly. Let's head to the sparring room."
Starfire smiled as she watched the memory fade. She remembered that day; Solor and Robin fought until they both were tired, and from that day forward, they seemed to get along much better than they used to. It probably helped that Solor had already gotten along with Nightwing, the older, alternate version from Edward's universe, but he was able to save face by forcing the match into a draw.
Edward and Rachael smiled seeing that as well. Edward was proud, once more, of his temporary protege for getting Robin out of his shell. Where the younger Solor would have beaten Robin into a pulp, this wiser Solor didn't humiliate Robin and if he was reading Starfire's reaction right, Solor allowed a draw to occur.
"Solor's learned a lot, I see," Edward said.
"He has, friend Edward," Starfire said with a smile, her sadness from earlier forgotten.
"It's like night and day," Raven replied in her monotone, "Whatever happened in your world helped Solor to gain more control over his emotions."
"Nothing that you wouldn't have done," Rachael replied, "I was able to build on what you already taught him, and once he realized his true feelings towards Starfire, everything fell into place. He was certainly willing to forgive Nightwing after their spar."
"I'll say," Edward replied with a grin, "The day after we were forced to suspend him, they buried the hatchet, apologizing and forgiving one another. From what I understand, Nightwing gave Solor $40 to show that he truly was at peace with the whole idea. No one's pride was really hurt, unless you count Nightwing being suspended. It wasn't easy for me to tell a brother in arms that he was set down for 30 days. Probably as hard as it was for Sol to throw his own son out."
By then, though, it was obvious that another memory was about to be recalled as Edward pondered what Solor thought about him. He knew it would be mixed and steeled himself for whatever would transpire, good or bad.
However, Solor's next memory was not of Edward, but of Raven. After the incident with Malchior, Raven was alone once again, pondering her position in the Titans. If she was so easily fooled, did she really belong on the team? Was she so desperate for companionship that she would risk letting out a villain just so she wouldn't feel so alone?
A knock at her door surprised her. It wasn't like the others, though, and immediately she recognized the pattern. "Solor, what do you want?" she asked, putting on a facade of indifference.
"Let me in, Raven", came the reply. "I am here to meditate with you."
Surprised once more, Raven decided to allow the dragon in. He entered the room, looking around with slight alarm. "No matter how many times you allow me into your room, I do not think I can get used to the decor."
"Get to the point", she said, huffing a bit. "I know you're not here to be my interior designer. You wanted to meditate?"
"Well... to be honest, I thought you might want to talk", Solor responded. "You have not spoken to anyone since Malchior tried to trick you."
"Talking is pointless", said Raven. "And so is holding onto the past."
"Raven, I know of your part in Trigon's return. I know you can feel. And I know you are lying to me."
Raven sighed, and finally opened up... even if only a little. "Okay, fine. I had a crush on a stranger from a book. I wished that for once, I could be accepted for who I am, and not irritated, or trying to be forced to change, or to be shunned because I'm creepy. And don't say I'm not, we both know that's not true. And I was blinded by emotions that I never felt before because someone said that they understood me. It was a mistake... one that I will never make again."
Solor listened to her, and at this point, he knew what she was thinking. She was ashamed that she had been so easily fooled, much like Robin. He moved over to Raven, and held out his hand. "Tell me, Raven... do I frighten you? Do you think that I am... creepy?"
"What? No. You're not dark, or scary. You're an ass, yeah... but you have a good heart. You wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone you cared for unless you were tricked, and even then, you'd do whatever it took to get forgiveness for what you did." Raven then realized what she was saying, and looked away, covering her face with her hood. "You're using my words against me, aren't you?"
"Rachel, you are a powerful young woman", said the dragon, forcing her to face him again. "You care for people, as much as anyone else can. Your powers limit what you can feel, but you can feel. And like any human... or dragon, in my case, you make mistakes. There is no such thing as perfect. You let your emotions cloud your judgement. And it won't be the last time, I can guarantee that."
Edward looked at Raven and blushed.
"I know you are wondering how Solor knew your real name," he said, "Pin that on me. I told him when he was visiting. I didn't expect him to use it here. But, he is right, Raven. Look at your counterpart. She opened up after Trigon was defeated in my universe the first time. It wasn't just my doing. Beast Boy, in our universe, agreed that you're creepy, but, that night, he showed her that she had him as a friend."
Rachael looked at what she used to be like and said, "Beast Boy said that I was not as alone when I thought I was. It was the first time he wasn't a clown or trying to make me laugh. He touched my heart, Raven. I was so moved that I came out of my room and actually hugged him ... until Cyborg ruined the moment with a stankball."
"That figures", Raven replied. "Although I do admit... Beast Boy being the one to get me out of my shell for a moment seems like something he'd do. This doesn't leave this room... but I do like his jokes. It's just the fact that he is relentless with them when he knows that I can throw him out the window if I laugh that's annoying."
"Understandable", Edward said. "How is he in your universe, now that he and Terra have gotten together?"
"You can ask him yourself later", Raven said. "I think you guys need to see the rest of this."
Solor continued where he left off, as if he had been on pause while they weren't paying attention to the memory. "Love blinds us. But it also can be our greatest weapon. Don't think that you won't be able to feel it. One day, Trigon will be defeated forever, and you will be able to feel all the emotions that you crave."
Raven looked down. "But will I be able to be loved in return?"
"You already are." With that, Solor pulled Raven into a gentle hug, surprising everyone watching. "You may not be related to me by blood... hell, you may be half demon, and mostly emotionless... but you have helped all of us Titans in ways that I am honored to call you my little sister."
Starfire squealed, and clapped her hands together. "I did not know this! Why did you not tell me, friend Raven?"
It was then Solor kinda ruined the moment by saying, "If you tell anyone that I said that, I'll make sure Starfire takes you on the longest, girliest trip to the mall of your life." It was obvious he was joking, but he still felt embarrassed, having let his emotions show. Raven picked up on the emotional vibes, and smirked.
"My lips are sealed", she promised, returning the hug. The memory faded, but the next arrived much quicker than the others. Solor and Edward were on the roof, going over the Dragon language.
"Ahh," Starfire said, "That is why, friend Raven. I shall keep it a secret, then."
Edward was learning the language fairly quickly. The only problem is the one he had learning Tamaranian, and that was because there was no Earth basis. But, as it turned out, and something that even Edward didn't realize at the time...He had a genetic imprint of the Dragon language, passed down through many thousands of generations. Once he and Solor really sat down as teacher and student, the memory started to awaken, surprising Solor greatly and he wondered how Edward was learning it that fast. It would have taken Solor two months to get the others up to speed.
"You weren't kidding," Solor said, "You are learning this language very quickly. I'm impressed, old-timer."
By then, the two Dragons had gone from enemies to friends to family. Edward was far kinder than Solor's father, but, wasn't afraid to chastise Solor at times. He was kind about even that, knowing that it was a matter of time before they were rescued.
I have never seen a Dragon who has all these abilities. How is he becoming fluent in the native tongue this quickly? What is Edward hiding, though? I know he's been very open with me and Kreinyol since we were dumped here...May the First damn whoever did this to us. But, I wonder why his breath weapons have such a severe backlash as well.
"Could it be that now you know your origins that you instinctively knew the language all along?" Raven asked, pausing the memory playback in the process.
"Genetic memory?" Edward supposed, "That is a very good possibility, Raven. I've always picked up languages quickly, the only exception was Starfire, and that was because Tamaranian doesn't have a root in human languages. But, the Starfire of my world loves when we can converse in her native language, and you saw my calming this Starfire down earlier in her language.
"Each dragon has a genetic imprint of the language," Solor's mother confirmed, "That's why you are able to speak it and translate for your friends."
"So, you are happy with my translations?" he asked. She nodded, "Like you were born speaking the language and spent your life here with us."
Edward smiled, "Thank you for that. I am finding myself regretting that we will never meet in the waking world, though."
"It's all right," she said, "You treated Solor with the respect that he lacked in our universe. Even when he almost tore off your wing and attacked you with the Blessing of Light, you offered him respect. I did forgive your taunt, as well. You showed Solor that you're more human than Dragon and surprised him greatly."
"Thank you," was all Edward could say.
The scene on the roof of the tower went dark for a moment, like a CD Track being changed and the next memory was of Solor and his beloved Starfire.
Currently, the two were in Starfire's bedroom, and the real version had the decency to blush, as she saw that the two were cuddling in her bed. After finally getting Robin to concede that they were going to be together for a long time, Solor began nightly visits to her room, enjoying her company very much. They both lay in the bed, content to be in each other's arms, before Solor shifted a bit, pulling an arm back so he could lean on it as he looked into her eyes.
"What is it?" Starfire asked, looking back.
"Nothing", said Solor. "Just thinking about how beautiful you look."
Starfire blushed at his words, despite having heard them a million times. "You flatter me", she said with a giggle. She then sighed happily, snuggling into his chest. "I wish we could stay like this..."
"We can for the night, as always", Solor responded. He ran his fingers through her hair, smiling down at her. "You always ask me to stay, and I always say yes. Tonight will be no different."
Starfire only sighed in response, smiling. However, soon, it was obvious Solor had a devious little plan, as his hands began running up and down her side. She giggled, squirming underneath him. "B-boyfriend Solor, why do you insist on t-tickling me?" she asked, although there wasn't any sign of her disliking the attention.
"Because every part of you is beautiful", said Solor. "Even your laughter. I think you like my touch as much as I enjoy making you smile."
Starfire giggled some more, before catching his hands and looking up at him. He saw that familiar spark in her eye, before her lips were upon his. They began to make out, moving closer and closer, relishing in the presence of one another.
"Okay, this is not something I need to see", said Raven bluntly, causing Starfire to blush even more.
"There must be a reason for him showing us this", said Edward. "He wouldn't let us see... that much, would he?"
"No, I think this was a week before we fought Brother Blood", Starfire said, still blushing a bit. "Solor and I have never gotten further than the making out phase... or the slight teasing."
As the two continued to enjoy the taste of each other, Solor allowed his hands to move along her body, letting them lightly touch her skin and sending shivers down her spine. As they traveled towards her rear though, he heard her gasp, and she flinched lightly. He stopped almost immediately, opting instead to wrap his hands around her waist.
Starfire, however, stopped the kiss. "W-Why are you stopping?" she asked, panting and shaking lightly.
"Kreinyol, my love... you are not ready", said Solor. He sighed, pressing his forehead against her. "Despite how much you react to my touch, you are still surprised when I make a move towards you. You flinch when I get too close to an intimate location, and you freeze, if only for a moment, when you start thinking that I am moving too fast." He smiled at her. "It is okay, though. If you are not ready, then we can wait. I will wait as long as I have to."
"Are you sure?" she asked, flustered. "It has been months... are the hormones still messing with you?"
"Kreinyol, my hormones mess with me every time I see you", he responded. "You are the only one for me, and I will deal with anything if it means that you will stay with me. I will even forego the ritual for as long as you wish."
"... if that is what your heart says", she finally said. "Please... just a little longer..."
"Take your time", Solor assured. He then put a devious grin on his face. "However, I think I deserve some fun tonight", he admitted, before he pulled her close and began tickling her again, eliciting another squeal once more.
I love her. I will always love her. And I will wait for a thousand years for her if that is what she wishes.
Edward looked at Starfire and said, "That says a lot. I know I kind of teased you two when you asked about the ritual, but, for Solor to respect that you're still a virgin gains my utmost respect, Koriand'r. I am happily impressed with both of you."
Her response was to blush madly, though. Edward raised an eyebrow as he knew from his Starfire that modesty was not common with her people, but, chose not to embarrass her further.
Both Ravens also respected how embarrassed Starfire was and didn't have to pipe up.
"My son is showing a lot of restraint," his mom's avatar said. "It's something he's learned on his own. Don't get me wrong, Starfire of Tamaran, he is showing you how deep he loves and respects you in being willing to wait. When you are truly ready, it will be a time you two will cherish for the rest of your lives."
Edward, though, knowing that this was the most recent GOOD memory of Solor's said, "Brace yourselves. I fear that what we will see next will be Solor's descent into a very dark place. Starfire, I know how tough you are truly capable of being. This is what Solor will need when we get to where we can interact. Right now, it's still OK for you to show your worry and your fear for him. We will be here to be your rock. In your limited time in my home, you saw how Rachael and I lean on each other. Please, for now, lean on us to be your strength."
That said, the memory playback faded once more. What happened next would shake a Tamaranian, two half-demons and an immortal Dragon to their souls.
It would not be fun from here on out...