Too Much Red: New Nemesis

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 9: Help a Monster Out?

Disclaimer: You know the deal! I do not own, Teen Titans, Spawn, Kingdom Hearts, Batman, Fable, and other things. That said they are to be credited to the geniuses whom decided to grace us with their magnificence! I take credit to the Kagejin and those portions thereof. Psychic Werewolf Assassin is accredited to Elementalism and even the words inspiring me to get back to work on this story after what seemed like forever. Metal Overlord 2.0 is credited to the characters Schloggozokh, and two demons that will appear later to help out a very unfortunate demon lord! Well, the three of us are a bit together on some new little concept masked in a lot of my stuff right now and perhaps their own as time goes on. To that, now enjoy the long awaited new chapter. Also read their stuff because a LOT of this would never have gotten done if not for their ongoing support!

Rasco stood in great desperation of figuring a way to fight the monster in front of him, not Akaige, the one Heartless called Double-Backed. Double-Backed stood on two large legs while the other two spider limbs swing a little in the air as makeshift arms. As that went on the creature's blue and red torso glowed in or out, soon enough it just seemed to glow brighter. Akaige screamed to Rasco, "Listen, it has two attacks revolving around ice and fire. That torso will open up; the glowing will be kind of a warning. Take and hit it while the thing is firing! The head, you have to smash its head in with enough force to cause it to shatter!"

"Then we win?"

Akaige was going to scream something, but the blue torso side opened and large splintering ice shards came on him. Akaige leapt away and snapped, "After he gets hit enough I think we need to attack him inside the shell, or what I mean is…" Akaige was too busy explaining as the shards directed on him again and now several struck his chest. The demon screamed as the icy protrusions pinned him down, now it turned around to shine the red side instead.

When the torso opened, Rasco has jumped up and scaled the blue side. To the top he screams with strikes of his swords bobbing the head as he was in air. After several strikes, the creature hissed and lands to the ground on all fours. Rasco has followed on the neck slot of the creature, being thrown when it did slam back down. Rasco got up and flipped about to see the monster now scurrying on all fours to the left, looking at him it then scurried toward him! It began to toss its head like a whip smacking at where Rasco was, but he jumped and ran from it each time. When he felt he had enough, Rasco turned about and began punching the head. When it sprang down, he punched, and then he let it spring up and down to be punched again. That continued a little while before the Heartless got used to it, and pulled the long neck into its shell, soon following were the legs. Rasco turned to Akaige, "What do I do now?"

Akaige seemed to look up with excruciating pain, prying another ice-spike he screams before returning to the question, "You have to… MOVE!"

Rasco turned to see the spinning torso, he jumps but it now struck the dark lord sending him straight off the roof and onto the street below, he luckily snatched the wall but a horrifying crack is heard when he jerked, along with an intangible word from most likely his native language. Rasco gets up and views the thing bouncing off the railing of the building, a stairwell doorway, and then to him! Rasco took initiative and jumped up but anchored his swords to the shell. He wished he hadn't. The shell kept spinning with him flailing on the swords. When he got the power he pulled himself down onto the shell and planted hard, now stabbing again and walking with the swords as bracers. Rasco took his mind at ease and forced to the front, to the head slot, and he stopped to stand over it and grin. His right arm burns as he pulls on the sword and positions right to angle his flame at the slot. A spray goes and he begins to fire into the shell making the Heartless scream and finally come to a halt. How he jumped to a twirl, and landed to mirth. Rasco kicked up his heels and howled a bit of pride in the victory.

That was too early, the Heartless made a strange sound as its long neck came out even longer than before, now it coiled to make a slight coiled base with the torso being pulled onto the top of this base. Rasco turned and felt a really bad feeling, he gasped with the dropping of his jaw, the thing now popped open its shell both parts along two legs like shields, and the torso inside was in fact a large purple torso shaped head with six glowing eyes. "No freaking way…"

The eyes began to spark blue or red, in conjunction the eyes fire the beams making ice or flame sprout as they hit the ground. Rasco jumped over the flames, and even skid on the ice trying to get even closer to the monster. He got so close with his swords, up he leapt to strike both on the body, but the red shield came in his way and flared off large magma rocks. Rasco blocked the magma from his head with the swords; he bore with the heat as it pushed him back again. Still too close, the monster began to twirl its torso being putting the shields down. The shields connect with Rasco like propellers, launching him off and across the roof about where he started charging. When it rose up the two shields they create ice spikes, and flaming points on each properly powered shield. The Heartless now hissed from the long tail as its torso self launched the shield's protrusions with downward swings of the shields themselves. It caused the attacks to come on Rasco with all the intent to destroy him, however, a black field blocks they and Rasco stood to smile. Feeling the presence of the other titans, he screams "Titans, GO!"

"Excuse me?" Sabre grabs him in a headlock, "As I remember you ran out on us, leaving us to fight all by ourselves! I think your ordering us around is way out of the question!"

"What! Oh, well I'm sorry!" he pulls free pointing to the large Heartless waving its arms from front to side with those shields, "How about helping me beat this thing than we can talk about how bad a leader I am?"

Roth gave a nod, "Sure sounds like a fun reason to win now." She dropped the shield and began to charge energy in her hands, firing it the Heartless blocked with both shields before moving them and firing its six eyes off. She screamed, ducked under them barely, and then snapped "Why do the stupid things always happen to you, bro?"

"I get all the luck!" He mused, but pushed out of the way of a large blue reptile man with horns and grotesque laughing face he asked "What are you doing you idiot?"

Chimera turned his form to a stone type of body, and still moving he began to pound with his stone creature form with powerful punches. Chimera turned to a Gargoyle and using the form he got to use brute power attacking the monster, but also his stone body became impervious to the ice and magma. It was pretty smart, but soon enough he had to back off when those large shields started pounding him, and chipping him. Chimera turned to his human form and grimaced with several cuts where he chipped, "You big bully! That hurt!"

Sabre screamed a feral scream, her muscles tightened and looking up her teeth sharpened, "You know what they say. The bigger they are…" she was struck by a shard of ice and knocked unconscious, Hex sort of blinked adding "The more they hurt like hell?"

Nova floated into the air and began to toss her bolts in a way that would make her mother proud. With the onslaught this Heartless could only block with its shields. Rasco saw how it now seemed to protect its tail/long head and surmised it must be the one point it needs to survive! He wanted to get there but Nova's bolts could hit him too, and the creature would see him if she stopped. Looking back he saw Hex and smirked, "Hey, Hexadecimal!" Hex looked up and ran over, "Toss me towards that head! I think I can cut it off and end this!"

"Oh, okay!" Hex grabbed Rasco and spun around, soon letting go Hex screamed "I'm sorry if you get hurt!" but Rasco speeds by slashing his sword, then peeling to a halt his blade dug into the ground tearing up roofing. He watched the head plop off and disappear, and then the monster's body stopped holding the shields and too disappeared. When it shattered away and turned to mist, a large glowing heart also vanished in the darkness it created. Rasco sheathed his swords and took a moment to sigh in relief. Sabre also took this moment to get up, scream how she was going to rip it apart, and is told by Roth it's all over.

Rasco jumped, ran over and grabbed Robert saying "We have to get to the hideout!"

Roth agreed, "We know that! We…" she saw her father and lost several levels of her nerve, "Daddy? What happened to daddy?"

Rasco would usually be caught from her outburst of concern and calling dad, daddy, but he instead created the cycle and said "No time to explain we just have to go!" he noticed the others getting in defensive stances, looking behind him so he turned to find Akaige standing on the railing. He stood a moment, and then fell forward onto the ground gasping and wheezing, rolling over his body was full of marks and scars, his body leaked every inch in mist and unusual blood that also seemed to smoke. However, it is not this that confused them; it is what he said…

"Help me…?"

It took a moment to sink in, but Rasco handed over Robert to his sister, and then helped Akaige onto his cycle making him hold onto his own waist. Roth is startled, but she breaks into a fit asking "What are you doing? Don't you remember the things mom said? The creepy, sadistic, and vicious stuff he caused?"

"Yes, but he saved dad and asked for help! Heroes help people, and I guess, yes even this thing if he asks for it! Let's go to the hideout!" he peeled off, and added "No more discussions till we're there!"

The team follows, but Roth asks "You think he's letting the role of leader go to his head?"

Raven swung her arms and three of the Shadows were slashed into nothing. Her eyes look up as Slade stood with his new powers, and body and he seemed to be delighted as his one glowing green eye was on her. "You look even more, desirable, than you did several years ago." He raised his arm to block the high kick, "Though, not much a fighter still." He then grabbed the ankle and swung her around overhead, before tossing her even if she merely stopped herself and levitated.

Raven recognized his movements with his upper body slumped to be reminiscent of the time he was undead, she now wondered if he had those fire powers… well, green flame came from his arms he's like before. She flew out of the way and blocked the energy as best she could. Soon enough she sent a large portion of floor with Slade through the roof. Afterward, she floated closely to the hole to have been snagged with chains. The chains dragged her up, and then she was thrown through the roof to make a new hole, this one also Slade leapt through to be standing directly over her as she moved her head slowly, and dazed a bit. Slade took a moment to look at her face, and leering on it he squat down, gripping at her collar he said "The times I thought of having you at my mercy, I'm glad how things turned out. The fact you matured is quite more interesting than anything else. I think I may be more attracted now than when you were a teenager."

Slade's body was tossed upward and through the ceiling, another hole is made as he flew up then down again. His sudden stop jerked him inches from Raven's face, she was awake, and with a hate filled glare she said "You will never have me, especially not at your mercy." With that he was flung sideways into the remnants of his display catching glass and metal within his body. Standing she saw how he rolled along after the toss, then standing up his body had protrusions where green glowing blood was spilling but also pushing out the alien fragments. His form heals in a pace quick and frighteningly precise. Raven had to give a slight snarl, "This could be a real problem."

As the large skeleton demon swung down his foot it crushed a Heartless Shadow. Turning about, he saw Raven going up and projecting a shield as the one called Slade poured flames on her. He turned to his own enemies and with a grin, said, "Not a bad idea he has there!" his eyes glow bright and nostrils flare, opening his mouth he spews forth a green and black flame that caused the Heartless to shatter and dissipate, but also the floor and displays he caught also decay and corrode away. His flame only stayed lit while he breathed upon something it soon extinguished even if the defiling power stayed afterward.

As nicely done it had been he found himself looking around to find more Heartless coming at him. They would keep coming if he didn't think of something, and he's not a greater known thinker! Tossing the axes he forged from his spines, Gaikotsu ran back hoping it slowed the monsters down. All they did was cut some down, opening room for the others to start following. Gaikotsu had turned around to find the many Heartless had stopped, abruptly, and when he stood he snarled "So, got the nerve to fight me instead?"

Gaikotsu swung around with a hellish punch, but a green barrier blocked his fist and sparking off green lightning as the two mixed. Maleficent, her chilling reptilian eyes look on him with calm satisfaction, before saying with a most delicate dominance "You're still the savage I met years ago, bone demon. I somehow expected your ignorance to never fade."

"Ah, bite me you scaled-slut!" he swung the other fist, and another, each was ineffective to her barrier and only allowed her to roll her eyes before blowing it off and sending him reeling back.

Gaikotsu got up a moment, but struck now by a green orb of energy he is sent in an arc. Still arching two more hit him in a line, and send him up higher until striking a wall and sliding down it. He fell on his back, groaned with a shake of the head, then stood slowly as the clacking sound of the witch's staff came closer to him. "Tell me, demon, how does one such as you ever attain the level you have in your pitiful empire? Most likely the fact of their weakness is a tribute to your own."

Gaikotsu just gave a little grin as he swirled his index and middle finger in a circle at his hip where a faint blue swirl followed and trailed his tips, "Well, a little gumption never hurt. That and I may be an idiot," he swung up his arm and a field of ice encased the witch, her Heartless, and the room where he had sent his finger's aura along. He walked past her and strut his stuff, finishing, "but I'm still the head big-boy when it comes to never giving up! No matter how much I screw things up!"

Gaikotsu was just moving past the Heartless when he heard something like a crackle, a snap, and then a pop. Flipping around quickly he saw the green flames from her icy prison, melting and sprouting to free her. Maleficent turned around slowly with her damned smile, and sure enough the crow slowly fluttered awake never leaving her shoulder. "Well, the most indignant ignorance I've ever seen in my life. To think, he believes we were slowed down let alone beaten by such low class magic! Though, to one of your intellect I suppose that is an accomplishment." Gaikotsu bore his teeth in such hate, and she smiled greater as his hate grew, there is a scream and she turned from the demon, "Slade?"

Slade's arm was gone, and burnt away from the shoulder he dropped on his knees grabbing the smoldering green mesh. Raven floated with energy still crackling over her body a little stunned, it hurt but did not heal. Maleficent floated over to Slade, looked his wound, and with a blank look she swung up her staff "You've yet to fully take form, my uncle warned of this. I suppose we have to take more time in killing these fools!" and with that said she disappeared with him into darkness. The Heartless now follow her in the escape through the shadows, and thus it left only Raven with the skeleton demon Gaikotsu. The two look to one another and in a moment she began to gather her energy. Gaikotsu looked to his left, then the right, but then he smiled as he turned to Raven again, "I helped you."

Raven is silent though her eyes said many levels of hate. After a while she looked around seeing all the destruction and debris. Her mind also quickly played the newcomers, and obviously they were not friends of her enemies, nor her and the titans. She took all this in and came to a rather unappreciated decision, "Gaikotsu, I want answers."

"I'm not really the one to be asking questions, not too mention giving answers."

Raven had expected that, and snapped "Where is he then?"

"I don't know that. However, I can almost bet he's going to find you soon and then ask him the questions. I suggest we go to the hideout you all have." She had to give a glare once more, but turning to her soul self she took the demon with her.

The roof is creaking a little, and it caves inward. The many portions of ceiling stop in the air like held from forces unknown, then tossed to the side moving the way of the new figure. He was slowly traipsing into the now abandoned facility with a large pale blue and white egg, on it the strange symbol of a serpent eating itself from the tail's tip. This figure with the egg is covered in full armor casing which as it seemed to be not large or muscular, one would figure neither was the man. This man had on also a long red hood and cloak. Inside the hood of the cloak is a single flat white mask, and two eye slots which show an emptiness within the mask's holding, and two eyes that burn in circling flames. As he took a moment to watch the next portion of this place fall apart, he mused in a refined and distinguished manner of voice, "It's just as we planned Schloggozokh. Everything is falling into place just as we planned it."

The egg's symbol glows brightly and soon the appearance of a large, reptilian type of eye came inside the circular form. With a fierce hissing, the man looked down and nodded "Yes, it is time to return. I'm pretty sure that Malebolgia will be contacting us soon."

Cyborg stood with his hands on his hips with the master Glare-O-Death as the six teenagers stood along the main room. It was a room that in truth exits into the other parts of the facility, halls to even the special rooms for each teen so if they had a hard time fighting or training it could be a place to hide out for a little bit. Gizmo is also here, sitting on a sofa with the small coffee table as a foot stool he snorted at the idea that they just did something so stupid, he didn't know it could be done. Turning to his side he saw the slumped over hooded figure, his ethereal eyes seemed to twain in and out tired like, but they turn on the short man and a snarl asked "What are you looking at, you diminutive dwarf!"

"Oh, that's it!" Gizmo pulled from his belt a strange energy forming knife and jumped for the shadow demon. Akaige rolled off the couch and then sprang to his feet, claw ready he was going to fight but Cyborg hopped between them snapping "Hold up! You want to remember Giz I'm your boss? I said no fighting in here, and that still stands!" he now turned to Akaige in a disgusted snarl "As for you. I don't know what possessed them to do it but you're now our prisoner. For that, I have a special room just for you."

Akaige gave a little glare but accepted he didn't have it in him to fight the cybernetic hero, so with a groan and lowering of his head he waited to be escorted down some hall to a room where he was locked in. He looked around before the door shut seeing pink and flowers along the bed and wardrobe, "Are you locking me in a girl's room?"

"I never planned on actually keeping criminals in the hideout. So, deal with it!" the door closed and Cyborg flipped a card locking it from the outside, he then turned and walked back to call Nova, she looked up from twisting her hands together saying "That room I had for you is off limits for a little while, till we think something up for him." He then slammed onto the sofa, and let his head hang back "Okay, so aside from how stupid this was I think your first night being heroes turned out pretty good."

Sabre made a low 'tch' sound, her arms crossed as she now glared coldly on the entire group, "Yeah, we leveled the museum and brought the bad-guy we're supposed to be fighting home. Not too mention Red X is…"

Rasco jumped in with a fierce rage, "Hey, don't you say anything about what you don't know! This may not have gone perfect but who cares? We lived, and I think that outweighs any mistakes we made."

"Any mistakes, try all nothing but mistakes, Mr. Leader!"

"You don't like the way I do things?" Rasco is now becoming more aggressive walking up on Sabre; she is blocked off from Roth who floated into the path between them, "Stay out of this sis."

"You let this whole leader thing go to your head! You think just because you're the team leader, you can be a total jerk?"

"WHAT?"

Nova was trying her best now to enter, but Sabre tucks the girl's wrist saying "You have to stop being such a little suck-up! Try not being the ideal person, and get angry!"

Nova pulled away her arm, snapping back with glowing eyes "I do get angry but not the same reasons you do, you hot head!"

"Hot head?" Sabre clenched her teeth before the screaming of "You think you can call me a hot head and get away with it princess?"

The four now began to scream and rave, Hexadecimal took a moment to look at them saying "I'm sorry, but this doesn't seem like a good team dynamic."

"No, but it is entertaining to watch." Chimera is scrutinized by his taller friend, and turning up he frowns his fangs, "Well it is."

With the bickering of the four over the team, and now these two over the entertainment value their friends fighting gave, Cyborg had finally swung his fist down crashing the coffee table to bits. The six teens now were deathly silent. Cyborg got up and had a glare more frightening than anything this night gave them; even Hex didn't see his dad like this before. "You know what, things certainly never change." He let a smile come to his face confusing them all, "I remember the first time the five of us all met and nearly got this darn city burned down in the process. Not too mention the countless times we all fought, left the team to prove points, or just squabble over the remote." He laughed a little bit on that one, and shaking his head with his hands on his hips he said "You kids will be just fine. You just have to get used to the idea of things, trust me."

They look at one another and gave little shy forgiveness coughs or sighs. Well, except Chimera who whispered "Your dad is scary…"

"Yeah, I know."

Cyborg smiled with them now talking and laughing this certainly seems like the old days. He couldn't believe it's only been a couple of years but these kids sure will have a mess of trouble to come. The sound of the door and Cyborg flipped around to find Raven walking in, "Raven! Thank god you're here, you won't believe…" his eyes pop with the large skeleton demon Gaikotsu peeking his head in, "you didn't just?"

She turned to give a glare; Gaikotsu grimaced to ask "Too soon?"

"Yes!" She now looked up to Cyborg saying "It's a long story and believe me if I knew it I'd tell you."

Raven took a moment to notice the one called Gaikotsu laying his arm around her shoulders, "Well, you don't have to be in too much a hurry. After all, seeing as the only prospective female is you in this place I think we could get to know one another. For example, I love that outfit it brings out the color in your cheeks… and I'm not talking about your face."

The large shape of a pair of legs twitching half in the wall now made Chimera gulp, "Correction, now she's freaking terrifying!"

Roth and Rasco both sigh, "We know…

Raven walked in a slight huff after that, but Cyborg jumped in asking "Raven?" she turned and saw his face. It was very stern and serious that's a bad sign to her, "There's something I need to tell you…"

She looked into his eye, the human one, and she began to feel a pain in her chest, and her heart stopped briskly. Looking back she saw the kids, Gaikotsu still stuck in the wall, and Gizmo who was pointing and laughing as this made him feel SO much better. "Cyborg," her eyes were with dread and a shake in her voice made it obvious she knew before even asking, "Where's Robert?"

When she walked into the infirmary she expected to see Robert like the last time. Several years ago she learned so much from him, and better still she learned about him, from all their times together in the intensive care. She was supposed to watch over him but when he gave her that necklace she never fully intended to only watch. Yes, it was really just what Robin wanted her to do, or just the titans.

Walking in the white room she saw a sight to truly make her stall. Her entire body had become much like a statue. Her eyes were the only part of her that moved. Those amethyst orbs shook in slight recognizance as she now realized what she saw was her husband. He was in the bed without his costume, he had machines attached to him showing his status, and he was lying there simply and sadly. She trailed to him slowly to now lay her hands on his closest one asking "Robert?" He did not answer, he laid there and only the sounds of the machines registered with her. "Robert? Honey it's me, Raven." No answer, she felt tears in her eyes as she fell next to the bed on her knees almost like being at his level may cause some new effect, "Robert you can hear me, right? I know you can, I just know you can hear me! I know you're going to jump up, smile at me like always, and then tell me how we're going to get the kids and work out our next plan!" She was still left in silence, and he laid there, he laid there in silence…

"Raven…" Cyborg was at the door before closing it behind him and entering the room just barely.

She looked at Cyborg a moment; her eyes pleaded it to be something simple, or small. He gave a stern look and said "I don't know how to say this but he has suffered a powerful concussion. I think he's okay for the most part but he could still have complications. The worst part is he's now unconscious, so we only can wait and see what happens." She turned to Robert, and she seemed to stand now holding her two hands with his still but now she was shaking, and crying harder though not letting the breaths free. Cyborg felt sick at this not as her crying, but he was the one having to tell her. "I will leave you two alone, give you a couple minutes and," he opened the door backing out; "I'm so sorry Raven."

When the door shut tight she let out a deep horrid whimpering gasp. Taken back by it she now tried to stifle it, bit her lip a little to even quell it. When she did Raven looked at her husband and gave the most faint of smiles, "Robert, you remember the time I gave birth to our two beautiful kids?" she had to clench her eyes to force out the tears and then wipe them away, "I remember it like yesterday. Since I was so young we knew it was going to be tough. We were so lucky Batman, I mean Bruce; set us up with a friend doctor to take care of it. The whole thing was hell for us. I was screaming, and tossing things with my powers. You held my hand just like this, no, you were," she crouched down on her knees and held Robert's hand to her cheek, "You were like this right? You held my hand to your cheek and told me how pride you were, and how you loved me. I was so pissed with you I lashed out and struck you sore with my powers. Each time, you tried to hide the pain and just keep talking to me. When it was over, I wanted to apologize but you stopped me…" she reached her hand out and touched his lips, "you said, 'I love you' and all I could do was say to you, 'I love you too'."

She now fell into the bed with her head, crying deep and hard, she said through the cries, "I can't do it! I can't do this without you too! If you're gone, I can't keep fighting! I can't keep trying! I'm not strong enough alone, I need you! I don't want to be alone like last time, like before you, before we met! Robert, please come back! Please don't leave me, alone!" then she raised her head and laid her chin on the bed soaked from her tears. Her eyes were now bloodshot. Taking a moment to just look at him there and breathing so slowly on the bed she gave a smile so weak from the impending sadness, she said "I love you too…"

Walking outside after a full hour (if not longer), Raven came and stood with the others in the main hall. She tried to look like she was okay but they could see the pain. Raven gave a meek smile, but then she saw Cyborg still standing. "So, what else is there Cyborg?" she rubbed her eye and felt a little wetness still.

"Well…" he looked down one of the halls to a certain room with a pony on the door.

Akaige tapped his claw along his arm as they were crossed over his chest. He was getting agitated with this room. More important, he hates the blasted pony walls, posters, and décor in itself. The door opens and in a flash his backside of his head slams against the wall. A pale hand is latched over his face only allowing his one eye to peek out as he's held there. A wide smile across his face, he sees Raven hate and rage holding him onto the wall, "Well, look at who finally got here! You certainly took longer than I expected."

Raven gave a glare more heated as her eyes had scrunched up from the baring hatred. It caused a charge along her arm even singing Akaige's head. He growled under the pain but then gave a toothy grin. Gaikotsu wanted to move on her, but her children got in the way. Akaige looked over to them then to her again he asked "Well, what is it you want from me Raven?"

"Answers, just some answers." She said lowly. Memories came flushing in, and those times she fought not too mention almost lost everything made her even sicker. Akaige turned his eyes to the teens, Gaikotsu, Cyborg and Gizmo. She looked to then say "Get out." They were startled, but as Cyborg went to say something she screamed "NOW!" and that got the door closed quickly. She now let go and walked to the door putting her back on it. Crossing her arms, she simply let a black barrier over the door and kept them from ease dropping. "Now, what is going on? Why did I get attacked by those things, some crazy mage, and a reanimated Slade who Gaikotsu called a 'Hell Spawn'?"

"Ah, Hell Spawn. So I was right Malebolgia is here. That witch is called Maleficent and she is a distant offspring of the one you know as Malchior. Their uncle is a high-class devil called Malebolgia, he's even far older than I but like those two he relies solely upon the magical arts." Akaige sat into the bed as Raven now stood off from the door, "The creatures that attacked you were most likely Heartless. Those parasites are not to be confused with demons, nor with any life at all. They follow along with Malebolgia because of his hunger for power being much like their own. Even worse is his will to abuse them and the Hell Spawns he creates in a plan to one day taking the kingdom of Heaven as his own? Those things won't be as useful as he hopes though."

Raven quirked her brow, "Why is that?" he did not answer, only sort of laid back and seemed to relax on the bed. Whatever he knew here he must feel she did not need to know, so she changed to another question "Why can't you use your powers like last time? I remember we put you through the cleaners and stood straight up smiling like an idiot. What is different this time?"

Looking at her he merely gave a snort, but he said "You know how floodgates work? In water systems?" she gave a slightly confused nod, "That is a similar system for the powers I use. The sort of floodgate created by a ritual, spell, or whatever I use to enter a world sets the extent of my power. Since this was what happened and the ritual got fowled up, I'm incapable of using a large amount of my power."

"Which by the looks of it means…?"

"I'm as weak as your Beast Boy." he clasped his face in his claw snapping "How humiliating this entire matter is! How could Malebolgia know my secret? That is one of the few blasted weaknesses I have! It was impossible, I let none outside my world know of this!" his eyes popped, and sitting up he asked "Was it him?"

"Who?" Akaige looked to her but stayed silent; she asked again "Who were you talking about? Answer me!"

"I do not think I should let you know some things. You're just not ready yet." She gave a stern glare, "Hmm, how about I explain the means I came to be here even after my last defeat?"

"Because you cheated. Pakku and Pakka explained the rules and how your using the robotic machine was a slight cheat of the rules. You formed your being AROUND the machine, rather then in this world as a whole. Because of that you technically possessed a being similar to that stupid cat earlier." She paused, and asked with a hint of cynicism, "What was the stupid idea behind the cat anyway?"

He looked a little panicked, "I don't really know, mostly just a sort of idea to put some last-second fear in you kids."

"Oh, I see so even you have to just deal with things. I guess it's why you even saved Robert." Akaige seemed ill at the mentioning of this, she was smirking in that idea "So what ever possessed you to save my husband?"

"Well, it was not to do some good deed. When I realized what had happened and Malebolgia or some other force was causing my problems I needed to think fast. It became clearly," he raised his claw showing some still misty wounds, "as well quite painfully obvious I was in serious danger with the fact your son Rasco injured me so easily and efficiently. I decided saving Robert would be the best means to of course gain your favor. After all, if I die Malebolgia will no longer have any need of this world. He will most likely be so irritated in loosing his chance to show dominance that he'll burn it down. Unlike me he won't play and drag things out, he'll just burn it. After all, he and I have something of a rivalry for the past couple centuries now."

"Wait a minute? This is all because you two have some stupid ego contest going on?"

Akaige shrugged, "Pretty much. What did you think it was some deeper mess of good and evil? Sometimes, we just really don't get along and you mortals are the casualties in our spitting contests. Get used to it."

Raven had to heave an exasperated groan, but she now asked "Why are you here again anyway? You can't use my children like you planned! Their grown up and make their own choices for the most part."

Akaige had a slight grin at that question. "It was never really about your children." Raven raised her head and looked more intent, and slightly unnerved as Akaige never seemed to smile for something good. "Do you remember Roth, how unstable she was? I've been trying to attain a female with the proper control, spiritual ability, and among other qualities like my sister for several eons now. It is an important matter to deal with. As part, I needed a woman who would be more susceptible and less willful. If I had, let's say, something which meant more than her own life to guilt over her perhaps I could attain such a prize." Raven did not understand until it was put that way, and she got a chill up her own spine, "Yes, tell me just what would you do for your beloved children?"

The idea made her so sick; she gagged into her hand and reeled onto her knees. Akaige rolled his eyes not seeing the big deal. She looked over and in hate, so damn thick, she screamed "What the hell kind of monster are you?"

"Kagejin lord, demonic warrior and lord to a horrid race… oh, that was one of those rhetorical questions wasn't it?" he had been amused by this. He now looked up and felt a bit at ease now, perhaps too at ease… "Of course knowing you would sacrifice yourself meant knowing you knew how willingly I was to kill those you loved. If Heretic had not interfered several years ago then perhaps…"

"Heretic?" Raven looked up, and it was here those hating eyes got wide like hubcaps, and her lip fell with the realization of something even more horrid, "You, it was your plan? You meant the time Heretic switched with Robert to save him from you. Then you meant today with Bata-Boom!" she swung up and glowing white eyes, along with dangerously long energy tipped fingers snatch into the chest of Akaige making him scream. She pressed deep as the pain burned and singed, his flesh incinerated with the light. "You planned it didn't you? His chasing him after all that happened, the building and fire, you planned on killing him tonight so I'd give myself to protect the only thing I'd have left! You wanted me to sacrifice myself for my children!"

His eyes shook violently. Clasping her wrists he snarled lowly "Yes, I did plan the death. However Malebolgia is the one who committed it!"

"Only because you came up with it! That's how you knew he'd be in danger so you could save him! You make me so damn sick you monster!"

"You want him to die? Then keep this up because after I pass away Malebolgia will destroy your little world." The grin even with the terrible pain just showed the sick pleasure he found with her predicament. He was the one who caused her love to become pain, and the joy a great sorrow. Even if that is true so is the threat of this Malebolgia.

Raven ripped out her claws as he screamed from the release of his flesh and her power. The twitching from the sensation and eventual deep breathing made Raven feel a little better. She looked to the door and opened it, then tossed Gaikotsu in with her powers. Akaige pressed up and watched her stop in the doorway. She held her fists into tight little balls obviously filled with rage and hate so much it perhaps was blinding her, but her many years and she still could control these emotions. Now was not a time to be controlled by them.

Not looking to them she said "I will stop Malebolgia," the door closes with "after that you're the next one on my list!"

Akaige lay still flinching slightly in pain "Gaikotsu?" the general looked up and bowed his head, "I'm too weak to use any magic can you commence a summoning spell?"

"I'm more than capable my lord. What is it you're thinking?"

Akaige shifted onto his feet a little pressing off the bed, tiredly, "I can't stay here it's only a matter of time till they find out we're here. After that, these brats will learn the full extent of what their fighting. Besides, I think relying on the titans to protect me is not only a blasted insult, but more hazardous than being captured by Malebolgia or..." he gave a very uneasy pause seeming to rather not name whatever he suspected was here now, "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Well," Gaikotsu kind of shifted uneasily "you do seem to have a habit of riling them up pretty good."

Akaige had to laugh at that one, "Yes, well then let's call two old friends of mine to do something about it. Perhaps those two former students could prove useful in this mess. They did assist me twice in fighting this accursed Heartless, and yes even that rotten Jack!"

Gaikotsu thought a moment, looking up to the ceiling his eyes pop as he exclaims "Those two! I mean, you know how much a pain that overgrown gargoyle gave me with last time!"

Akaige clacked his claws, "Perhaps, but they are the last chances I have at surviving this mess now. Besides, they are both capable enough for this matter… I believe."

The six teenagers watched as Raven sat on the couch and felt so helpless. She simply let her head hang after explaining what has been going on, or rather what she learned. It was a lot. Rasco simply looked to the door and realizing how he had been used to get him here, and the fact he had more to deal with his father's condition… "I say we kill him and stop Malebolgia."

Raven looked up and still thought of what Akaige said about them. They were her children, her reason now to keep fighting. She gave a soft smile and said "No, we stop Malebolgia then we finish with him. I believe that is our best option." She looked to the door and narrowed her eyes, "Wait, what is…" there is a large explosion that sent the door popping off its hinges. As the smoke clears the heroes gather around one another to wait and see what has happened. There was Akaige, and Gaikotsu, but also two unfamiliar figures also seemed to stand in the way. The smoke still had them hidden but the frame of a tall and winged man was obvious acoompanied by something along the lines of a man with a great deal of armor, some long hair, and a long staffed weapon seeming to be a halberd.

Akaige clacked his claw to Raven's angry snarl "I hope you don't mind but we'd like our check now. This room wasn't what we agreed to anyways with no seaside view and all."