Chapter 26
The door clicked and Beast Boy instantly shifted into a small lizard, scuttling up the back of Raven's leg to hide.
Raven jumped in shock as Starfire's glowing green eyes snapped open and her whole body convulsed, straining against the restraints that encased her hands and ankles.
"Ahh," Hunder said as he entered the room, a sly smile on his face. "I see the drug is working. She is ripe. The Masters will be pleased."
"What have you done to her?" Raven snarled, straining against her own bonds.
Hunder's smile was chillingly cruel and leering at the same time. "You shall see." He pressed a series of buttons on the small console beside the door. There was a hissing sound as the bonds holding Starfire suddenly retracted and she dropped to the ground. Her hands clawed at the collar around her neck.
Hunder spread his arms wide, a look of glee and anticipation on his face. "Come, Princess, fulfill yourself. Service me."
There was a sudden snap as the collar broke and it clattered to the ground. Starfire raised her furious green eyes, before standing slowly and looked at Raven. Raven felt a shudder ripple down her spine. This was not their Starfire, this was something else. Starfire walked across to where she hung, sniffing her carefully.
A flicker of recognition flashed through Starfire's glowing eyes. "Not male," she growled. "Friend."
"Yes," Raven said softly, releasing the puff of breath she hadn't been aware she was holding. "Friend."
"Girl on girl can wait, Princess," Hunder said and grabbed Starfire by the hips, dragging her bottom toward him and rubbed himself against her, that disgusting leering smile still etched on his face. She turned to him and was on him in an instant with a yowl that made Raven want to cringe away in fright.
There was a quick scuffle before something snapped. Starfire dropped the lifeless body of Hunder onto the ground, his neck flopping listlessly, his still open eyes glassy.
Raven had to swallow the bile in her throat as she stared at Starfire in a mixture of shock and horror. Oh Azar, what had they done to her? Starfire would never willingly kill. It went against everything she was, despite being from a warrior planet.
Beast Boy dropped off the back of Raven's leg with a sudden plop before he shifted back into a wolf, his eyes wide with fear as he stared at the man lying on the ground.
Starfire straightened and looked back at her. She placed a glowing hand and melted the bonds that encased Raven's hands, before shifting her attention to the bonds on her feet. She reached around Raven's neck and snapped off the collar and Raven breathed a sigh of relief as she felt her powers flooding back through her.
Starfire turned her eyes to the cowering green wolf that hid behind Raven's cloak. She bent at the waist, their noses touching. "Male," she growled, holding up a glowing hand and Beast Boy cringed back. A shock of fear bolted through Raven before Starfire stopped, shuddering as though she was having an internal battle and sniffed again. "Friend Beast."
Starfire turned away, now uninterested. "Chosen will come." Her hands began to glow as she conjured a massive star bolt. Beast Boy grabbed Raven's cloak with his teeth, dragging her away to a corner before standing before her protectively as Starfire unleashed the bolt directly for the door.
It smashed its way through and Raven threw up another shield to protect them from the blast. When the crashing sound of Starfire's star bolt colliding with the walls subsided, Raven summoned her courage to drop her shield and look.
The wall was gone and the wall beyond that. A huge circular hole had been blown through the walls and small pieces of the wall still smoked and cracked. Undeterred, Starfire walked into the hallway beyond.
Yelling erupted down the corridor and there was a lumbering of feet heading toward them. Starfire turned her head, a deep growl erupting from the back of her throat, her body swung in the direction of her head and she stalked off.
Raven moved to follow, but Beast Boy snagged her cloak, holding her back. She looked at him questionably. His ears went down, his tail made a hesitant tock-tock sound and he whined. Raven frowned and placed a glowing black finger to the center of Beast Boy's head. -What is it, Gar?-
-Are you okay Rae?-
-I'm not sure.-
-Why did Starfire do that?-
-I don't think its her anymore. Remember what she said? The body will be a shell; the things she does aren't really her. We have to remember that.-
-She smells funny. Hunder did something to her; he put a needle in her neck. She was talking something about desires and burning out. And now she smells funny.-
Raven suppressed a sigh. They didn't have time for this. -Funny how?-
-I don't know.- His mind voice whined slightly. -Like she's a cat in heat.-
Raven stared down at him, things suddenly clicking in her head. -By Azar. They've given her some sort of massive overdose of aphrodisiac. She's turning all that sexual energy into violence. That's why she wanted you as an animal. No wonder she has little control. We have to get her out of here.-
-Can you use your powers to get us out of here?- Beast Boy asked hesitantly.
-I won't leave Starfire and I doubt that she would let us touch her. Look at how she reacted to Hunder. Besides, where would we go? There is a limit in the distance that my powers can take us. I don't know this place. I don't know where it would be safe to go.- She sighed sadly, feeling useless. -And I don't think I have the luxury of time to look. She's not going to stay still long enough for me to search. We have to catch up to her. Find a way to escape, a ship or something. Robin's probably on his way here.-
-Raven,- Beast Boy sent , wuffing and shuffling from side to side. -Just in case we're gonna die here and I never get a chance to say it, I love you.- He brushed past her leg, breaking their mind link and bounded out the gaping hole, slinking down the hallway after Starfire.
A strange yet comforting warmth swept over Raven's body, pulsing through her blood, filling her heart. It tingled down her spine and sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Something inside her screeched in rage and was broken as the warmth engulfed her, caused by those three, simple little words. A soft smile crossed her face as she looked down at her now white cape in wonder, before she wrapped herself in it and followed her friends. "I love you too."
TTTTT
The mysterious pure note of a trumpet hovered in the air and the Teen Titans poured through the portal into an insane world.
Nightwing blinked his eyes to clear away the disorientation associated with passing through Herald's portal and took several steps into the large dining hall like room they'd entered. It was a huge room; long metallic tables coupled with benches. Nightwing likened the room to a massive cafeteria hall. Stocky, squat lumbering blue-black beasts that reminded him of a cross between Cinderblock and Plasmus only shorter wearing strange orange loincloths leaped to their feet as the Titans poured through the portal. Nightwing recognised them as Citadelians from Starfire's dreams.
The closest one swung its fleshy arm at him.
"Titans! Go!" Nightwing screamed as he tossed several exploding discs toward the closest Citadelian, before pulling out his new blue escrima sticks. He gave a wicked grin as he pummeled the first Citadelian to approach him, using both the sticks to smack the beast around the head and stomach.
Cyborg's sonic boom streaked past his shoulder and smashed into the chest of a Citadelian, forcing it backward and crashing into a table. "Boo-yah!" Cyborg bellowed as he continued to fire around the room.
Nightwing leapt upward, landing on the lumpy neck of a Citadelian, casting several more exploding discs around the room, before holding onto the Citadelian's neck with his hands and flipping his body off. The Citadelian crashed away, smashing into another of its kind. He leapt up once more, slamming a Citadelian in the stomach with a flying kick while simultaneously beating the one beside it about the head with his sticks.
A huge black hand clapped down on his shoulder and Nightwing grabbed its wrist, twisting it deftly before throwing the body of a Citadelian over his shoulder and into another one that lumbered toward him. He dropped into a sweep, knocking another one onto the ground before leaping up its body to crouch on its chest and smacking it in the head with his sticks.
A shadow loomed over him and he ducked between the legs of a Citadelian as it brought a double fisted punch down, planting the punch in the stomach of its already unconscious teammate. Nightwing climbed up its back before flipping his body over its head, his hands around hits neck and tossing it away. It slammed into another of its kind and they tumbled to the ground.
Nightwing could hear the yelling and screaming of his teammates as he relentlessly forced his way through the sea of Citadelians. He could feel the heat of Hotspot scorching past him. He felt the curse of Jinx flung by. He heard the cascading water of Aqualad and the twang of Speedy's bow. He was buffeted by Kid Flash's breeze as he zipped around the room. The explosions of power, the zapping, Herald's trumpet, all these sounds merged into his ears, creating a jumble of sound.
A bright yellow and red flash zipped up to Nightwing and halted. "'Bout fifty more of these guys in the room, but there is quite a few doors where more can get in."
Nightwing nodded as he slammed his double escrima sticks into the stomach of a Citadelian. "Barricade the doors. We need to hold this spot first."
"Gotcha boss," Kid Flash saluted as he zipped away.
Time got away from Nightwing as he incapacitated foe after foe, pummeling his escrima sticks into stomach and heads, leaving a pile of discarded unconscious aliens in his wake.
Abruptly there were no more before him. He lowered his sticks and glanced over his shoulder. The rest of the Titans were dispatching the last of them. Kid Flash was still zipping around the room, dragging tables against the doors and several Titans had begun to help him.
Herald was blowing his horn, shifting the unconscious Citadelians to a corner while Argent was picking up Citadelians with her powers and dumping them in a different corner. Thunder, Pantha and Wildebeest used their hands and their strength to clear the bodies.
Bumblebee, Killowat and Lightning were using their electricity powers to melt and mould the metal tables into open-able barricades for the doors. Red Star was assisting them with his powers.
Nightwing walked over to Cyborg, who already had his arm console activated and was taking readings. "Well?"
Cyborg glanced at him. "There's so much metal here. I'm having trouble getting a proper reading on the place. They're not answering the communicators."
"It's possible they're fighting too hard to take the time to talk, or the communicators have been removed. Raven might not have time to stop and use her powers to sense us. Look for heat signatures. If Star's here, she's melting things."
Cyborg nodded before looking sideways at Nightwing. "Dick, she's not dead, you know. She's gonna be all right."
Aqualad spun his water through the air, creating a wall around the unconscious Citadelians and Speedy shot it with an ice arrow. There was a loud creaking sound, as the wall froze solid creating an icy prison.
Nightwing turned toward the noise momentarily startled before looking back at Cyborg. "They drugged her," he said quietly, for Cyborg's ears only, his heart breaking again. He was relieved that no one had asked how he knew what had happened to Starfire, and he guessed they believe she'd managed to use her communicator. "Gave her some sort of sexual stimulant that was meant to give her the sex drive to willingly service the Citadelians. It's designed to kill her when she's done. But it backfired; she turned the sex drive into violence. It's still going to kill her, only faster. Nothing exists but a haze of violence. I can't penetrate it."
Cyborg stared at him in horror. "How is it you're still standing?"
Nightwing shrugged. "The rage is leaking over to me." His voice cracked and he swallowed harshly. "That's keeping me going. Once her rage no longer exists and there is no hope that's when I'll go. Until then, I'll settle for one last look."
"Nightwing," a gruff voice said and a Citadelian walked up to him. Nightwing pivoted sharply, slamming his sticks into the Citadelian's face, rendering it unconscious.
Jericho surged out of the body, holding on to his head and looked impertinently at him.
"Shit, sorry," Nightwing said ruefully.
Jericho began gesturing. Nightwing raised an eyebrow, unable to understand and glanced at Cyborg, who shrugged.
"Borrow me," Hotspot said, approaching them and Jericho didn't need to be asked twice. He flowed into Hotpot's body.
"That hurt," Jericho complained in Hotpot's voice.
Nightwing rubbed the back of his neck, ducking his head apologetically. "Yeah, sorry. What's up?"
"These guys are plebs," he said, gesturing the Citadelians on the floor. "They have no idea what's going on. I can't get much out of their minds. However, if you see one of these wearing yellow, those are the Masters. One of them will tell us everything we need to know."
Nightwing nodded sharply. "Right. Fall back to Herald, no point possessing one of these guys, I'll probably just kick your ass again." He raised his voice. "Titans, if you see one of these things wearing yellow, don't harm it. We need to get Jericho to it as soon as possible!"
There was a chorus of agreement and Jericho flowed from Hotspot. "That was weird," said the flame-thrower before heading off to help barricade the doors.
A loud booming noise startled the Titans and one of the doors at the far end of the hall burst open, scattering the barricade like it was paper. Citadelians poured through the door roaring angrily before charging at the Titans.
Nightwing pulled out his escrima sticks once more, meeting the Citadelians with fierce sticks and feet. "Titans go!" he bellowed and felt his friends gather behind him.
He smacked a Citadelian across the face with such force that a spray of green liquid erupted from its fleshly lips. It tumbled into its teammate with a satisfying thunk. Nightwing turned his attention to the next victim, tossing several exploding discs toward the door.
Several exploding arrows streaked by him, slamming into the chests of several beasts, while Hotspot's flame forced many beasts back into the corridor beyond the door.
Nightwing lost himself in the haze of battle.
TTTTT
A green drenched monster hunted in the hallways of the Citadel. It left a stream of bloody Citadelian corpses in its wake. Any being that approached it in anger, that dared to make a strike at it, was quickly dispatched. One hit and it would be either dead or close too it.
A Citadelian lumbered around a corner pulling a small blue many-armed creature behind it on a leash. It pulled up short, spotting the monster. The Citadelian emitted a loud roar; dropping the leash of the creature it led and charged the monster.
The monster stood still, waiting.
The Citadelian reached the monster lashing out with its fists. The monster growled, ducked beneath the fists and slammed its hand into the Citadelian's chest, burying it deep before it pulled out a strange green coated organ.
The Citadelian toppled to the ground with a thump.
The blue creature on the leash eeped in surprise and looked upon the monster fearfully.
The monster stood still, waiting and watching while the blue creature slowly backed away, before it said one single word in the language of the Citadelians. "Run."
The blue creature turned and fled.
TTTTT
A door on the opposite end of the hall melted in a sudden burst of purple fire, before being blown of its hinges and Nightwing spun toward the sudden sound in surprise. Blackfire burst through the opening, her eyes glowing with purple light and her hands dripping with green liquid. She screamed and conjured an enormous purple star bolt, hurtling it at the open door from where a sea of Citadelians was emerging. The Titans dove aside as the star bolt crashed into the Citadelians forcing them back from the opening. Argent threw several tables at the door, holding them there with her powers, while Red Star and Bumblebee sealed it closed.
The rest of the Titans turned to face this new threat that had come upon them and Blackfire snarled, screaming out something in a harsh guttural language.
Speedy leveled an arrow and prepared to fire, Jinx's eyes glowed pink, her fingers ready to snap, Aqualad had his waterspouts held firmly in his powers, while lightning danced between Killowat's fingers.
"Hold!" Nightwing bellowed.
Blackfire spotted Cyborg, her eyes widening in a mixture of fear and relief. "Cyborg! Where is my sister?"
Cyborg glanced at her, his eyes narrowing before he looked at Nightwing.
Nightwing sighed and eased out of the cluster of Titans to stand before Blackfire, signaling at them to stand down. She looked at him in confusion before recognition dawned on her face. "Robin?"
"Nightwing now," he said harshly, his hands clenching his sticks as he faced her. Was she in league with the Citadel? Was that why she was here? Had he been right all along? Or had she finally discovered the truth and actually trusted Starfire enough to believe it and was here to help? "What do you want, Blackfire?"
"I've come for my sister. I won't leave her here again. Will you allow me to help in her rescue?"
Nightwing studied her carefully. "You know the truth, don't you," he stated as he watched guilt creep across her face.
Blackfire nodded.
"Are you prepared to stay here and fight with us? Are you going to obey my orders?"
Blackfire's eyes narrowed. "Why should I listen to you? She's my sister!"
"She's my chosen!" he barked back. "And we're missing Beast Boy and Raven too, all three of them are my team, my responsibility! And because I'm the only fucking one that gives a damn about what you do right now! But feel free to wander around down here and get yourself killed. That will really help Starfire."
Blackfire gritted her teeth and snarled. "Fine. I'll follow your orders."
"Good," he snapped. "How well do you know this place? Do you know where they might take her?"
"My next guess was the prison halls or torture chambers, since she wasn't in the servants quarters. My intelligence tells me the prison halls are through that door," she said pointing at the door Bumblebee and Red Star were currently reinforcing.
"Right," he said turning back to the Titans. "We're going through that door. Cyborg, Blackfire and Kid Flash, you're with me. Bumblebee, you're in charge of holding this position until we return. Open the door a fraction and let us through. Lock it up tight behind us."
Bumblebee nodded her agreement, shifting her grip on her weapons.
Argent removed her hold on the door and it burst open once more. A multitude of Citadelians surged into the room plowing into the Titans. There was no chance that Nightwing and the others were going to get through that door until they dealt with those in the way.
Another door burst open, a cascade of Citadelians poured through it. Gnarrk, Kole, Wildebeest and Pantha broke off from the main force to deal with them.
Argent screamed as a Citadelian clipped her flying form, sending her cascading into a wall. Nightwing pivoted to help her, but Hotspot was already airborne, streaking after her, his arms flickering with flame as he used them to fly. He zoomed under her and she grabbed onto his shoulders. He placed his hands out in front of him, fire pouring from his fingers as he propelled them away from the wall and returned them to battle.
Mas Y Menos cried out as a blow separated them, but Bumblebee and Speedy acted quickly, each snatching a twin from the seeking hands of the Citadelians and returning them to each other.
Another pipe burst in the roof, Aqualad spinning the water into small water spouts that drenched the Citadelians, while Killowat electrified the water, shocking them unconscious.
Thunder and Lightning used their bond as brothers to double-team the Citadelians, casting their lightning and shock waves around without discrimination.
Pantha and Wildebeest charged as many foe as they could, using their strength to force them back through the doors from where they had come.
Herald used his trumpet to teleport any Citadelians that came close to him to some unknown destination, lessening their numbers, while Jericho possessed any that came close and ran them into the nearby wall, surging out of them the moment before they crashed into it. Bushido was using his martial arts to render them unconscious.
Jinx smiled wickedly as she thrust her bad luck powers against her foes, Kid Flash boldly defending her from harm.
Blackfire was ruthless, snapping the bones of the Citadelians, tossing them away like they were paper, casting her purple bolts at every one that moved.
Kole leapt through the air, turning into dozens of different weapons, each one grabbed by Gnarrk to smash against the heads of hapless Citadelians.
If Nightwing stopped and studied the battle going on around him for a moment, he would have been amazed and proud of the teamwork the Titans were displaying. All of them were acting as one to achieve a common goal. All of them looking out for one another and protecting their friends. But there was no time for Nightwing to stop, the fury leaking over from Starfire forcing him to fight on.
TTTTT
The body of a Citadelian hit the floor.
Starfire heaved in a gasp of breath, her body crumpling to the ground. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.
"Raven? Beast Boy?"
She slowly raised her hands to her face and they began to tremor as the green liquid dripped from her fingers.
"Oh X'hal, oh X'hal, oh X'hal," she chanted, tears leaking from her eyes. "It is true, it is truly happening. Oh X'hal make it stop. Please make it stop."
"Starfire?" Raven asked softly, unable to believe it was really her. It was the first true sentence she'd heard from her friend since this nightmare had begun; normally she just grunted a single word if she spoke at all. She clenched her hands tight around Beast Boy's wolf chest as they crouched against the wall. They exchanged a glance and crept toward Starfire timidly.
Starfire rolled onto her stomach and raised her head and Raven watched in amazement as the fiery green in her eyes faded and relief surged across her features. "Oh thank X'hal, you remain safe."
"Star, is that really you?" Raven couldn't believe it. Was this nightmare over? Was the madness that Starfire had to endure gone?
She nodded; tears leaking from her eyes and rolling over blood splattered cheeks. "I do not know how long I can maintain control; it is very draining. But I had to know that you were safe. You must find a way to get out of here. I am directing the body as much as I can but you must escape."
"We're not going to leave you, Starfire," Raven snapped.
"This is going to kill me Raven, and soon. The more I fight it, the faster it will destroy me. Please. You must find a way to escape. Oh X'hal, I am so sorry for the things I am doing."
A shudder rocked through Starfire's body as every muscle convulsed at once and the fiery glow returned to her eyes. She growled and pushed herself from the floor and continued down the corridor overcome by bloodlust.
TTTTT
Bumblebee glanced over her shoulder at Nightwing, before exchanging a worried glance with her team. Nightwing was acting very strange. He was relentless in battle, for every one Citadelian she had managed to knock unconscious, he'd done four. He was even at the point where he was taking Citadelians from the other Titans.
And then there was the strange way he would stand perfectly still, his eyes closed and his face creased in concentration, and then it would crumple in despair before rebuilding into fury.
"Quit fucking looking at me and concentrate," he snapped as his sticks slammed against the head of a Citadelian that had snuck up on her while she was thinking. She blinked at him, her mouth dropping open in surprise at his outburst. He cringed. "Sorry, Bee. I'm not in the best of moods. I just can't lose any more of my team today, okay?"
She nodded. "Sorry, Nightwing, I'll be more careful," she said, his new name sounding strange on her lips and she wondered why he'd changed it. It probably had something to do with Starfire. She had to admit, he did look more imposing in this new outfit. Deadlier too.
A frown crossed her features. There was no way in hell Starfire could be gone. Not her, she was so strong. Nightwing must have made a mistake. If she were truly gone, wouldn't he be more upset? Wouldn't Cyborg be more upset? And why was Cyborg looking for her heat signature if she was gone?
Bumblebee sighed and returned her attention to the battle. Answers would be more forthcoming later; right now they all just needed to survive.
TTTTT
They were blessed with another lull in combat.
Nightwing placed his hands on his knees and panted for a moment before he straightened and began barking orders. "Right, move these bodies away from the center. Those with electricity or melting capabilities, see if you can't reinforce the doors better while you have time. Mas Y Mentos, pick up as many of Speedy's arrows as you can, he's gonna need them. Kid Flash!"
A red and yellow stream of light zipped up to him before Kid Flash grinned cheekily.
"It's scouting time." He pointed at the corridor that Blackfire had indicated. "One minute, then get your ass back here."
"Gotcha boss." The stream of light disappeared down the indicated tunnel.
"We got any injured?" Nightwing called as he heaved up a body and dragged it to the wall.
"Few minor cuts and scarps. Nothing substantial," Cyborg called from where he was welding a door together.
"We need to go for Starfire," Blackfire muttered as she dragged a pair of bodies to the wall.
He spared her a glance. "We will. We just have to get the team settled to hold this place first. I can't leave them here without knowing they can hold it, no matter how badly I want to go for Star." He frowned, his eyes unfocusing for a moment. "Besides, I have this feeling that Star's coming to us. She wants me to stay put, that's all I can tell, every time I try and charge off, something makes me stay." He shook his head to clear it. "Kid Flash will be back in a minute with a better idea of the layout. Cyborg, any luck on that heat signature?"
"Nada. Sorry. There's something that blips every now and then, its too hot to be her and it's gone before I can get a lock."
"Is it heading in our direction?"
"Yeah, sorta. I can't really tell, without knowing the layout of this place."
"Boss!" Kid Flash yelled as he zipped back into the room. "We got incoming! They'd be about two minutes behind me."
"Right! Listen up!" Nightwing bellowed as the Titans turned to him. "We bottle neck them. Don't let them leave the door. Argent and Mas Y Mentos, you guys will be in charge of removing the unconscious. Pantha, Thunder, and Blackfire, you're in the first group. Five minutes at the front then drop back to rest. Gnarrk, Red Star, Wildebeest, Cyborg, second group. The others are on ranged fire. Those that aren't fighting, or can't see the doors, clean up the room. Does anyone not get it?"
There was a chorus of agreement from the Titans.
"Kid Flash, pick another door. One minute down it and then report back. See if you can't find another way around these guys."
Kid Flash saluted and vanished.
"Speedy, have you got some sort of smoke bomb or stunners left? If we can plug up the hole, we might buy some time to prepare."
Speedy quickly checked his equipment. "Full quiver of arrows thanks to the twins, but no stunners left, sorry."
Nightwing swore and rummaged through his utility belt and gloves to see what he had left. "C'mon Star," he muttered to himself. "You have to have given me something I can use… Aha!" He ran to the door and tossed down several of the small pellets he had discovered as far down the hallway as he could. They began to hiss and a green gas emerged. "Knockout gas," he called. "Should last for several minutes. Anything that makes it through that is gonna be woozy."
Rumblings echoed down the corridor from beyond the green haze of smoke created by the pellets and Nightwing shifted his grip on his sticks as he stood in the center of the open doorway. "First team ready. Cyborg, call time."
Citadelians poured through the smoke screen, undeterred by its choking gas. Several thumped to the ground and were trampled by those that followed. Nightwing narrowed his eyes, waiting for them to charge toward the Titans.
"Go!" he bellowed, twirling his sticks to deflect several blows at once.
He fought with no regard for his own personal safety, driven by need to down as many Citadelians as he could. He needed to get down that corridor, he needed to locate Starfire and get their friends out of here. And he needed to do it soon. His sticks slammed into as many faces, kneecaps, head and stomachs as he could manage, casting their unconscious bodies aside as soon as they slid to the floor.
Something grabbed him by the back of the neck and hoisted him off the ground before tossing him back into the main room. "Damn it, Dick, I called time!" Cyborg bellowed as he took Nightwing's position.
Nightwing flipped in the air, landing on his feet. "I didn't fucking mean me!"
"You need to rest, too," Cyborg bellowed back as he fired off several blasts. "Don't make me come back there and kick your spiky haired ass."
Nightwing growled.
Kid Flash zipped up to him. "Sorry, can't find a way around these guys. This place is like a maze. If I had longer to search, maybe, but I'd also run the risk of getting lost."
Nightwing nodded sharply. "Fine. Get past these guys, go two minutes out and see what you find. Be careful."
Kid Flash nodded and was gone.
Nightwing sighed and closed his eyes, desperately calling out for Starfire again, his heart clenching painfully when she didn't respond. Not that he'd expected her too but he'd hoped that at least something of her would remain, enough that she would be able to respond. There was just the same gut feeling that she wanted him to stay put. There were times when he felt her sweet presence tickling his mind, but it was gone before he could grab hold.
He heaved in a breath and opened his eyes and began pulling bodies away from the door.
One of the barricaded doors began creaking as something pounded on the other side. Nightwing dashed across the room to investigate. The tables that had been warped and melted by the Titans to create a makeshift barrier were being pushed backward as something pushed the door off its hinges.
"Resting team!" Nightwing bellowed. "Front and center, we've got more incoming!"
They barely had time to make it over to him before the doors burst open and charging Citadelians burst through.
TTTTT
Aqualad was struck with an idea. He lifted his waters from the floor and surfed over to where Nightwing was single-mindedly pummeling the Citadelians that dared to try and rout the Titans. He surfed past Speedy, snatching up his friend on the way past.
"I require that electric arrow you've been developing," he said as he concentrated on pulling as much water to him as possible.
"Sure thing," Speedy replied immediately passing the required arrow to Aqualad before jumping of the snaking water and returning to his position.
"Nightwing!" Aqualad bellowed as he neared. "Move!"
Nightwing glanced over his shoulder, his eyes widening with surprise before he leapt aside, pulling Pantha with him.
Aqualad allowed his waters flood the corridor beyond and tossed in the electric arrow. The corridor began to crackle with electricity, all the Citadelians within it slumping to the floor as they were shocked.
Aqualad spun his waters once more, creating a wall of water over the doorway and Nightwing reached into his utility belt and tossed an ice bomb into the water. There was a loud cracking sound as Aqualad's water door turned to ice.
Nightwing nodded in approval. "Good thinking, Aqualad, thanks."
Aqualad felt himself swell with pride. "You're welcome."
TTTTT
Beast Boy looked down the corridor, trying to breathe through his mouth, a difficult feat for a wolf but he knew that if he breathed through his nose he was going to be sick from the putrid smell of the green blood that drenched the walls.
He turned his head to Raven's pale form that crouched beside him as her arms clenched his chest tightly and whined at her, pushing his nose against her cheek.
"I'm okay," she whispered quietly in return, wiping the corner of her mouth.
Beast Boy nodded, looking back at Starfire who stood panting in the middle of the corridor. Her shoulders were slumped and he knew her body was beginning to tire. How she's lasted this long he'd never know. He had to do something, he was feeling so useless, just slinking after Starfire and huddling protectively before Raven. Besides, if he could help, if he could knock some of the Citadelians unconscious before she got to them, it would be one less monster she would be forced to kill. He hadn't want to risk attacking before, especially since she'd told them to stay out of her way, but it was becoming very hard just to stand back and watch.
His wolf ears caught a footfall behind him and Raven and he turned and growled at the Citadelian that was walking up the corridor behind them. He slipped out of Raven's arms to stand before her protectively. It swung its arms for him in a double fisted blow. Beast Boy growled and surged forward only to be barreled over by Starfire's charging form.
She leaped onto the Citadelian's chest, sinking her hand in its belly. There was a sudden flash of green light and the Citadelian exploded. There was a wet splat as the remains of the Citadelian slopped onto the ground and Beast Boy fought not to gag as it green rain splashed down.
Starfire landed before Beast Boy, her eyes wild and she clenched her fists as she studied him. He placed his belly on the ground, crawling towards her and whining softly.
She snarled and lifted a hand, a star bolt glowing wildly in her palm. Beast Boy felt a bolt of fear surge through him and heard Raven's startled gasp from behind. He drew away in fear, his claws slipping on the wet floor.
A shudder rocked through Starfire and the green light in her eyes died.
She sucked in a gasp of breath as Beast Boy's tail made a small tock-tock movement. She closed her eyes and sagged to the floor, panting harshly. "Oh X'hal… that was… taxing." She opened her tired eyes once more and looked at Beast Boy before reaching out a trembling hand. She froze as she saw the blood dripping from her fingers, her eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled.
Beast Boy took a step forward and pushed his head into her hand. He didn't care about the blood, he cared about her. He knew how much pain she was going through, unable to control her body, unable to stop the killing, hopelessly trapped. He wanted her to know he was here for her, no matter what. That other Starfire wasn't her, it wasn't. This was her, this heart sore, frightened, exhausted girl that just wanted to protect her friends.
She gave him a wobbly smile. "Please, do not help…" she panted, her fingers caressing his ears lightly. "I know this is hard for you… but if you fight it is difficult… for me to tell the difference… I do not wish to harm you… I love you both so much…"
Beast Boy whined at her, desperately wanting to tell her the same thing.
She glanced up at Raven and offered her the same wobbly, sad smile, before the shudder tumbled through her once more and she snatched her hand away from Beast Boy.
She surged to her feet, glaring down at the wolf, before she bent and sniffed him once more. "Friend," she muttered and continued down the hallway. She'd done that a lot and Beast Boy believed it was Starfire's way of having just a little control over her body without draining her strength to surface completely. As long as this monster the Citadel created recognised them as friends, she wouldn't harm them. But there was such a fine line between friend and foe and although Beast Boy dearly wanted to help, he knew that if he did again, she might kill him without meaning too.
Beast Boy slinked back to Raven, feeling comforted when she slipped her arms around her chest once more.
"It's not fair," Raven whispered into his ear. "She shouldn't be forced to do this. Those monsters."
Beast Boy nodded and licked Raven's cheek with the tip of his tongue.
TTTTT
Cyborg checked his arm console again. Two minutes before a change.
He narrowed his eyes as that strange little blip of heat registered. Whatever it was it was moving through the Citadel rather erratically. Or perhaps it was the design of the Citadel that was erratic; he'd heard Kid Flash say it was like a maze in there. And it was definitely getting closer.
But that blip couldn't have been Starfire. It was far too hot for her star bolts and he'd never known her to be able to summon them and allow them to dissipate so quickly. No, that blip of heat had to be something else.
He clicked his communicator again, desperately hoping for some sort of response, but nothing was forthcoming. The communicators must have been broken. Or perhaps Beast Boy was in animal form and his communicator had disappeared to wherever his clothes went to when he transformed.
He glanced up at Nightwing, watching with narrowed eyes as their leader leapt and bounded around, smashing as many of the enemy as he could. He understood the change in uniform; he remembered what Starfire had said during her brief visit to the future. And he understood Nightwing's need to find their friends; he was feeling the same thing. What he didn't understand was where the hell he was getting so much energy. Hadn't he been wounded four days ago? Certainly something from Starfire was leaking through their strange link of theirs, some extra strength or stamina, something that gave Nightwing so much energy. And Cyborg didn't believe for a moment that Starfire was going to die. Nightwing always had hope; something could always be done. As long as Nightwing was still bouncing off the walls, Starfire and their friends were still alive.
Cyborg was already down to half power and they'd only been fighting a little longer than an hour. He was just going to have to be more careful about using his sonic boom and rely more on his enhanced strength.
Cyborg's arm beeped and he raised his head. "Change!" he bellowed and surged forward to replace those on the front line.
TTTTT
Minutes bleed together and an hour shifted into three before he noticed. Nightwing had no idea how long they had fought for, his chest heaving in breath, the tired grunts of his friends ringing in his ears. They'd managed to have several lulls in combat, but there was never enough time to do anything but scoop away the downed Citadelians and pile them against the walls and try and fortify their barricades.
It was all in vain. Slowly the Titans began to lose ground; being forced further and further into the room and toward Herald.
And a new problem was emerging. They'd been so long in one place, desperately trying to get a toehold that the Citadelians they had knocked unconscious were beginning to stir.
Nightwing swore. There didn't seem to be an end of Citadelians. They were like ants; they just kept coming and coming and coming. The ground was cluttered with their unconscious bodies and the Citadelians didn't seem to care, they simply trampled over their own people to reach the Titans. At least Herald was transporting the bodies of the unconscious away, giving them room to move.
"Nightwing!" Cyborg shouted over the carnage as he fired off another sonic boom. "We gotta retreat and regroup. We can't keep this up!"
"No way," Nightwing bellowed, slamming his escrima sticks into the head of a Citadelian. "We're not going to get another chance at this. We have to find Raven and Beast Boy."
Cyborg slapped his hand down on Nightwing's shoulder, spinning him around. "Nightwing, look at them!"
He cast his gaze around the room.
Bumblebee was sporting a rapidly blackening eye, her wings flapping erratically as she continued to fire her blasters around. Speedy had run out of arrows and cast his broken bow aside to use a long pipe pulled from the wall as a weapon. Aqualad had resorted to pulling puddles from the floor to fuel his water spouts, no longer being able to pull water through the damaged pipes.
Kid Flash had run out of energy, as had Mas Y Menos and they retreated to Herald, assisting an injured Pantha who was wildly claiming she was fine. Hotspot was loosing his heat and Argent was so exhausted that she was no longer able to fly. Redstar's hands glowed weakly as he tossed Citadelians away and Thunder and Lightning's clouds had disintegrated. Wildebeest charged at Citadelians weakly, no longer able to force them backward with his strength.
Blackfire was panting harshly as she continued to pummel Citadelians; fueled by her need to find her sister but even her Tamaranian stamina was starting to fade.
"We're going to lose more than Raven and Beast Boy if we don't get out of here," Cyborg said. "I'm on my last bar of power. There's nothing left in any of us. Make the call, while there is still some left to save. If she were coming, she would have been here by now!"
Nightwing's shoulders slumped. Cyborg was right. They'd tried, they'd done their best, and they had failed. Now they had to cut their losses before the Citadel took any more of their members. "I promised her I would save them."
Cyborg squeezed his shoulder. "We'll find another way. She would understand."
There was a chance that Raven and Beast Boy could make it out some other way, perhaps they would be already waiting for them. But Starfire was lost; there would be no last look for him, no second chance. They had already said their goodbye.
The Citadel would take her, just like it had taken her brother. He could feel her rage, somewhere in this god-forsaken place she still lived. But the rage was also beginning to fade, disappearing under a wave of fatigue and weariness of the soul and he knew she did not have long.
He'd just wanted one last look.
He lifted his head and nodded. Goodbye Starfire.