This is the second and smaller part of a two-chapter update. If you just came into Chapter 11, this part was meant to be read originally as part of Chapter 10 but was cut in two during post-editing for readability's sake and to avoid one disproportionately long chapter. No long intro here, I shall merely say that this part returns to the Titans following the disappearance of Strata and the return of the Raging Ragnarok and its encounter with the HIVE 5. The story now turns very briefly from the battle scene to the Titans.

"The Bird, The Boy, and The Mighty Beast"

Chapter 11: Ragnarok Redux (Part II)

Upon her perch in Titans Tower, Raven had dropped to her knees holding her head in her hands, just shortly after Strata had collapsed and the earth shook for the first time.

"What's wrong?" said Cyborg, running to her aid. "Are you sick?"

Illness was a poor descriptor for Raven's senses, "No, I feel something, something powerful…something very angry. It seems familiar. We must hurry…so angry…so much rage…" She struggled to her feet but was still rubbing her forehead. "Wake the others."

At that moment, the first beam of light that had appeared just before Ragnarok had shot up into the heavens. The earth shook, and plumes of smoke were appearing on the horizon on the other side of the city.

Cyborg was startled, "Oh my, this can only mean…"

"Yes," said Raven, "The reprisal is at hand. Help me downstairs, Cyborg; I'm going to need some time to focus all that I'm sensing."

Several minutes later, the T-Car appeared on the battle scene in time to see a wall of smoke in front of them but with visible multiple fires flickering through the blackness. The Titans ran out of the car and gazed at the scene.

"There has been much mayhem in a very short time," said Starfire.

"Do you think Strata is in there?" said Cyborg.

"I don't know," said Raven, "Remember, I couldn't read anything on Strata in the Tower."

"This looks rough," said Beast Boy.

At that moment, the Titans heard screaming as the HIVE 5 came running into view, feeling Ragnarok as fast as their legs could run. Seemore, looking behind him to see if he was about to smitten by a heat beam, ran into Cyborg and bounced off his metal chasse. Cyborg picked him up and held him aloft.

"What are you doing here?" said Cyborg.

"Where's Strata?" demanded Robin.

Seemore was a little too freaked to be annoyed by the Titans, "That little punk vanished, through some device, and we were all blinded. Then that thing showed up, and it's been all mayhem from there!"

"What were you doing with Strata? You were attacking him again!" yelled Beast Boy.

"Yeah, well, that's what fun, you little do-gooder mongrel!"

"Why I oughtta…" said Cyborg.

"Let him go," said Robin, "We have bigger problems." Cyborg tossed Seemore behind them, and the young villain ran away after his feeling comrades. Robin turned toward Raven, "How are you?"

"A little better," said the darkest Titan, "I've gotten over the initial sensation; it hit me like one of Starfire's waffles. I felt it all the way from the Tower this time. I've no doubt that it's Ragnarok. Only there's even more sorrow this time which is coupled with ten times more rage. Clearly, his absence has not improved his mood."

"But where is the Ragnarok and the Strata?" said Starfire, "I see much burning, but none of either."

Her first person appeared directly. Ragnarok came striding out of the smoke, casually turning his head left and enflaming another office complex with his heat-vision. The building was consumed in flames. Ragnarok roared at the night sky, "WHERE IS MY ENEMY?"

"This again?" said Beast Boy, "He needs a new line."

"He burned that building like it was nothing!" said Cyborg, "Again, he attacks without cause or provocation!"

"RAGE!" yelled the mighty beast, "I…RAGE!"

"The Ragnarok is angry," said Starfire, "I know not what to do."

"WHERE IS MY ENEMY?"

"Ragnarok!" shouted Raven, "Who is your enemy?"

"ENEMY!" yelled the monster. Ragnarok stomped his foot, and the ground shook as a small crater was formed.

"Ragnarok!" yelled Raven again, walking forwards nearer to the beast.

"Raven!" said Robin, "Be careful!"

"I am talking to the Raging Ragnarok!" yelled Raven, "Listen to me!"

The beast, not used to being called out or being commanded, actually stopped mashing his foot into the ground in the moment and turned its gaze toward Raven. Still about thirty yards from her, it did raise a fist into the air. "RAGE!"

"Is the Severing Strata your enemy? Where is Strata?" yelled the girl from Azarath.

"WHERE IS MY ENEMY?"

"Is Strata your enemy? Did he keep you in a prison?"

"WHERE IS MY ENEMY?"

"Is Strata your ene…" Raven's words were cut short by Ragnarok. The mighty beast heaved both of his fists into the air and brought them down into the ground. The impact created a shock wave that rumbled towards the Titans sending them all sprawling to the ground and the T-Car rolling over onto its side. Ragnarok turned to his side away from the Titans and punched another building and stepped on a parked car.

"Raven, did you sense anything?" queried Cyborg.

"No, I can still only sense just rage. I have no idea if I anything I said affected him at all." A crushed parked car flew over the building. "Actually, I'm leaning towards being sure it didn't affect him at all."

"So is Strata not its enemy?" said Starfire.

"I think what Raven is saying, Starfire, is that we still can't be sure of what connects them." said Robin.

Cyborg spoke next as Ragnarok fired heat beams into the air, apparently at a passing bird, "One thing is for sure. We now know they are somehow connected; Strata predicted this. It can't be a coincidence. He was not lying about that."

"He did however lie about not coming here with a purpose first," said Beast Boy.

"That purpose being to find Raven," said Starfire, "But, after he did, he left us."

"So that may have been a lie," said Beast Boy, "This is all too confusing." Heat beams blew up a building beyond them. "Say, isn't he a lot more destructive this time?"

"He's even more angry," said Raven with intense focus on their quarry in front of them, "Also, we aren't fighting him this time."

"We aren't going to?" said Beast Boy, "That's a relief. We should re-group or do some other strategic thingy."

"That's not what she meant," said Robin. "Ragnarok is destroying everything it sees, albeit at a casual pace. Too much more of this, and it will have at least a quarter of the city in rubble or flames by dawn. Whatever the odds, we have to try to stop it or lots of people will be hurt."

"What of Strata?" asked Starfire.

"Who knows?" said Raven, rubbing her temples, "I'm getting sick of listening to him. Not even I'm that mysterious."

"If Strata's right, we don't stand a chance," said Cyborg, "We almost died last time."

"But we didn't" said Robin, "Strata said he came here with hope…"

"A fool's hope," interrupted Raven.

"…A fool's hope," said Robin, "To save our city, we are going to be that fool and the hope."

"We will not give this monster our home!" said Starfire. She yelled at Ragnarok, "This city is not yours to play with!" The monster turned towards them.

"That was great, Star," said Beast Boy, "Just get his attention then."

"WHERE IS MY ENEMY?"

"It matters little," said Robin, "Our problem is the same. We fight for our city; there is always hope!…

"TITANS GO!"

To Be Continued…

Can the Titans really beat Ragnarok? Where is Strata? What is the secret to Strata's past with Ragnarok? Why did Strata change his mind about getting help from Raven—if that was his idea at all? What about Strata's other mysteries—his home, his mysterious metal box with the three objects, and the war he claims destroyed his home and killed his sister? What was the final mission Strata claimed that he had? Can you feel the tension, readers; we have some exciting stuff ahead in Chapter 12! Please Read & Review—this two chapter update is almost 5,000 words!