An Author's note: In this chapter there is going to be a bit of brief crossing over with The Chronicles of Narnia and the video game Shadow of the Colossus. I don't own them. I am not that brilliant.
See if you can spot them.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Testing…One, Two, Three
As it turned out the fact that they had chosen to cross the Nazlar kingdom meant that they did not really have to deal with the desert at all. The desert in question was noticeably thin in the area, even though Raven said that it got wider and bigger the further west you went. Thankfully they only had to spend and day in the scorching heat before they came to the mountains.
But then they had to deal with another climate related problem.
"Why! Why do the tops of mountains have to be so cold!?" Beast Boy chattered as he clung to his night horse. It had been three days since they had left the Nazlar kingdom and entered the mountains, and they had reached the altitude that generates snow. They were traveling along a narrow mountain path very high up. One might say too high up. Beast Boy was not taking snow any better than he had the last time he experienced the stuff. The poor green guy was huddled on his night horse and shivering.
"I mean, come on dudes, this is ridiculous." He chattered.
"Why don't you just turn into something with fur if you are so cold?" Raven asked.
Beast Boy's eyes light up with sudden mischief. Raven noticed the look and mentally groaned. Even though she was now sure she liked him that did not stop from thinking that he could be a royal pain sometimes.
This view was confirmed when he changed to a green fluffy ferret and leaped onto her shoulders and curled himself around her neck. She glared at him. He looked up at her with his beady little ferret eyes and tried to look as pathetic as possible. He shivered for emphasis. Raven groaned in exasperation…and pulled her cloak over her head.
"Just. This. Once." She growled. He nuzzled her neck, and Raven tried not to smile. It would just encourage him.
Meanwhile, Beast Boy's night horse's head had shot up. She looked around as if confused by the sudden departure of her rider, but then she seemed to shrug and trotted on as if nothing had happened.
Illeria, meanwhile, had been looked at Raven and Beast Boy and frowning…or at least it looked like a frown. At first she had been glad that her sister had seemed to find a boy she liked and who seemed to like her. However, Illeria knew that this could not last long, and had a feeling she need to stop this before it went too far. She winced at the thought of hurting Raven, but unless she wanted Raven to be more hurt in the future then she needed to stop this right now.
"Hey! Is that what we are looking for?" Cyborg bellowed from up front.
Raven rode over to him. Cyborg was looking at huge…well it looked like combination of a bridge and a spiral staircase. About five feet from where they were there was an opining to a huge valley with sheer walls that looked impassible. However, someone had built a stone bridge. But the bridge was not complete. In the middle it seemed to spiral downward like a staircase. The stairs led to a huge diamond shaped building floating on a lake. The bottom part of the building was inside the lake itself, while the upper half pointed to the sky. Narrow platforms connected the place to the banks on either side.
"Yep, that's it." Raven said.
Beast Boy plopped out of Raven's cloak, turned back into a human long enough to say "Cooooool." Then immediately changed back to ferret and leaped back under the hood.
"I've become a taxi for a rodent." Raven muttered.
Beast Boy shifted his head back to human and said "Actually, ferrets aren't rodents. They're Mustelids." He shifted his head back.
"…what?" Raven asked. She was not used to hearing a vocabulary word fly out of Beast Boy's mouth that she was unfamiliar with.
"Let's keep going." Robin said as he started towards their goal.
"Oh man, is that thing safe?" Cyborg asked, giving the bridge/staircase a dubious look.
"Don't worry about it." Arcktos said, trying to give Cyborg a reassuring look. Cyborg groaned and urged his night horse on the bridge.
"So what exactly is that building?" Robin asked.
"According to some people within all sentient creatures dwells a beast that somehow defines them." Raven said "They say that if you can reach this creature then it will lend its power to you. But no one knows how one is supposed to find this creature. The place we are going to is supposed to a monument to their power, and it's the place where we can find Truehope's soul."
"So we just walk in a grab it?" Cyborg asked.
"Of course not Metal Head." Jinx said. "There's probably going to be some sort of magical test thingy. There always is in this kind of situation. It's like a rule."
"Like what?" Cyborg asked.
"Honestly, do you know anything?" Illeria asked in exasperation.
"I'd like to see you try to build a spaceship." Cyborg muttered, but Illeria heard him.
"Why, pray tell, would I want to?"
"Knock it off you two. We're almost there." Robin said. He spotted Lightflight flapping around the tower. The dragon had come for one reason, to help them get back home. The dragon knew the same teleportation spell that Raven did, but since she had no powers at the moment they would have to rely on Lightflight. Robin had mixed feelings about this. Intellectually he knew that Lightflight meant well, but something about the dragon made Robin nervous.
Illeria decided to ignore Cyborg for now. She had noticed that Beast Boy was back to nuzzling Raven's neck with his little ferret nose, and the expression on Raven's face made it very clear that not only did she not mind a bit, but that she might actually like it.
"Hey Raven, can I talk to you and Beast Boy…in private." She said.
"Ummm, sure Illeria." Raven said cautiously. "You guys go on ahead." She told the others.
"What is it?" She asked when the other's where out of earshot.
"Look" Illeria paused and sighed "This has to stop."
"What are you talking about?"
"You and him." Illeria pointed to Beast Boy, who chattered at her in an annoyed way. "You can't keep doing this."
"What are you trying to get at?" Beast Boy shifted back to human "What are you trying to do here?"
"I'm trying to protect both of you!" Illeria growled "I can tell that you like each other, but you can't do this. It will only hurt both of you in the end. Raven's powers-"
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Beast Boy bellowed "That's always what it's about isn't it?! Powers, powers, powers! That's all you people can blabber about when it comes to her! Why can't any of you stop to thing about what Raven wants!"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because it's DANGEROUS!" Illeria shot back.
"Excuse me, but-" Raven started, but the two of them where on a roll.
"Why you selfish little-" Beast Boy started.
"I'M SELFISH! I just want to keep the both of you from being blown to bits! How is that selfish!?"
"There is no way I'm going to let you mess this up for us!" Beast Boy shouted. By now the other Titans had stopped and were giving the three of them looks.
"You stupid little green fool!" Illeria said "You-"
"SHUT UP!" Raven screamed "BOTH OF YOU!"
After a few moments of stunned silence Raven spoke again. Her voice was filled with sorrow as she looked at Beast Boy "She's right."
"What?" Beast Boy gave her an incredulous look.
"I…nothing bad has happened yet because I don't have my powers…but once a get them back…this will never work Beast Boy!"
It nearly killed her to see Beast Boy's ears droop in sorrow and anguish. "But Raven…" he started.
"Okay! That's it!" Cyborg shouted. He was tired of keeping his mouth shut. "It's time for me to say something!"
"Cyborg?" Beast Boy gave his friend a odd look. In fact, everyone was looking at him.
Cyborg slowly got off Gigantus and walked over to Raven. He was eye to eye with her now.
"All this time we've been looking for this stupid sword thing. And why? So you can get your powers back. But Rae, I have to tell you this. You don't need your powers! Look at what you've done! Look at who far we have gotten! Why don't we just forget about getting your powers back and go home?"
Raven stared at Cyborg, her expression unreadable.
"Look," he continued "this is your big chance, Rae! You don't have to keep control over your powers all the time! You can have a chance at being happy for once…you don't have to do this."
Raven looked at the ground and thought. She thought long and hard. Secretly she had been dreading getting her powers back. She didn't want to go back to keeping a tight rein on her emotions for fear of destroying something. Cyborg was right. If she just let this go…But she could not just leave her powers in the hands of a madman!
She came to a conclusion.
"You're only half right, Cyborg." She said. "I can't leave my powers with Sumal…but…" she looked up with a strange little grin on her face "There's no rule that says I have to take my powers back."
"Huh?" Beast Boy was confused.
"Instead of reabsorbing my powers I'll just take the pendent that has them trapped. Then…maybe we can bury it in a hole…or something." Raven shrugged. "We'll still need Truehope, but…I don't really need my powers back, do I?"
Illeria stared at her "Are you sure about this Raven?"
"More sure than I've ever been." Raven turned to her sister.
Illeria smiled "If it makes you happy than that is what you should do. Besides…it is completely unfair that should have those powers in the first place."
Cyborg grinned. Finally his little sister was going to get the opportunity to experience everything she could not with her powers! Now she and Beast Boy really had a chance to make this work.
"So…Raven," Beast Boy started as they continued on their way. He had been wanting to ask her something for a long time, and he thought that now was the best time "you…would you like to…you know…go somewhere Friday…like dinner or something?" His mind mentally reeled when it realized he had just asked her out on a date.
To his relief Raven gave him a rare warm smile "Sure." She said.
The monument was empty. Completely devoid of all life. All around them where statues of various beasts: panthers, wolves, horses, hawks, vultures, elk, and even small creatures like mice and rats. They were all different colors as well, and not the colors usually associated with the animal in some cases. For one thing animals do not usually come in monochrome.
In the center of the floor was a huge tile picture of a magnificent golden lion standing on a hill, its mane waving in an invisible wind, its face lifted to the sky as if looking at something no one else could see. Although its head was turned heavenward Beast Boy got the feeling that this magnificent creature was looking at them. That it could see them somehow. It stirred up feelings and memories inside Beast Boy that he could not seem to remember completely. All he could remember was a name: Aslan.
Beast Boy shook his head, trying to get the weird feeling to go away. Now was not the time to be collecting fuzz.
He turned his attention to the front of the room, where a strange floating…silver ballish thing was…well floating above what looked like a small circular stone table.
"Dude, is that it?" Beast Boy said in awe.
"Yes." Raven said as she approached the thing.
Abruptly the silver ball thing flared up. A voice, low and very annoyed, issued from it.
"Okay, which one of you mortals wants to try and take me?"
"I'm guessing you're Truehope, right?" Raven asked.
"Yes, yes. Now do I have to repeat myself?"
"No. I'm the one who wants to take you." Raven said.
"Hmp…I see you already have a perfectly good sword with you…why do you need me?"
"There is a wizard I need to fight, but I don't have the power."
"Typical. Classic. Someone can't deal with their problems themselves so they go gallivanting off to find the magic sword. Well, whatever. You should know, of course, that you have to prove yourself, right?"
"What do I have to do?" Raven said.
"It's the standard thing. Nothing you would not expect." The sword said, a bit to nonchalantly "You have to bring me three crystals, all of which can be found right here. The first one can be found in the body of a shadow beast that flies this valley. Go to the top of this tower, slay this beast, and take the crystal from it. Once you have it come back here."
It sounded simple enough…almost too simple. Raven thought that something was odd about all of this. She shoved the thought away. Looking around she spotted some stairs and started up with Mithrah. The others tried to follow them, but a force field jumped in front of them before they got two steps.
"She does this herself." The sword said "Sorry, it's the rules. The horse can go, but that is it."
Beast Boy cursed.
It seemed like those darned steps went on forever, but eventually Raven found the top. She exited an arched doorway into the sunlight. She blinked a bit from the sudden light. She was on a large circular platform on the very top of the monument. It looked like a huge outdoor garden, full of small trees and plants.
Raven mounted Mithrah and rode him forwards. Eventually the trees parted to reveal what looked like a large mound of sand right in the middle of the sky garden.
Just as she was contemplating the strangeness of this the sand started to shake.
From the sand came an eerie black mist. At first it was nothing but an intangible blob, but then it started to take shape.
Inky black wings spread against the sky. Talons formed, along with a long, feathery tail. A long neck stretched out and a serrated beak screamed. What was now hovering above Raven looked almost like her own raven soul-self, except for the long neck and tail, which where reminiscent…of a dragon.
The creature dove towards her and Mithrah. She rode the horse in the opposite direction, not ready for this thing yet. It soared closer and closer, ready to snag her. Raven spotted the gem she was looking for, shining brightly on the beast's chest.
Raven got an idea.
I must be a loon. She thought as she turned around in her saddle. Nervously, she had never done this before; she shakily stood up in the saddle. Trying not to think to hard about what she was doing she leaped up as the beast swooped closer and grabbed the left talon in her hands.
The creature hovered and shook its claw, trying to dislodge her, but she clung to it like a leech. She struggled upwards inch by inch.
Finally she reached the creature's chest. She could see the crystal shining brightly. She would have to cut it out. She gripped Whistler with one hand and plunged it into the creature's chest. It screamed and clawed and flapped its wings, desperate to dislodge her, but she was determined. Reaching into the hole she had made she grabbed the crystal and extracted it with a grunt.
The beast screamed one last time, its body dissolving into thin air. Then it looked straight at her.
It eyes were purple.
As the creature faded Raven noticed the fact that she was in the air, with the beast, and hovering a few thousand miles over land.
The last of the creature faded, and Raven dropped to the earth. Fortunately, however, a certain night horse was there to lend a back.
As she gripped Mithrah's mane she tried to slow her breathing down and return her heart rate to normal. She let Mithrah take her back down to the others.
Raven placed the white crystal on the circular table in front of the soul of Truehope. "Okay, what now?" She asked.
"So…did that creature remind you of something?" the sword asked.
"Just tell me what to do next." Raven growled, not in the mood.
"Do you see the door behind me?"
"Yes."
"Go through it, the next one is in there." The sword said.
Raven gave the thing another suspicious look. She kept her eyes on it as long as she could, as if she was waiting for the thing to bite her. She entered the doorway, this time Mithrah-less. He simply could not fit through the door.
Raven walked through the dark hall, wondering what this was really about. Sure it seemed like what you would expect from a magical test, but something was off. She could not place her finger on it, but she did not like it.
She emerged into a dark room on a wide stone bridge. She could see a set of tiles on the floor, and straight across from her was a brown crystal.
This could only be one thing. No doubt certain tiles would trigger traps when stepped on, but a few of them would not. She would have to proceed carefully.
She looked closely at the tiles and noticed that a few of them where a different shade then the rest. These different shaded tiles lead to the crystal in a squiggly line. Could those be the right tiles?
Hoping she was right she stepped on a different colored tile.
She was wrong.
Instantly the bridge started to rock from side to side. Flames emerged from holes along the walls and arrows came streaming down form the ceiling.
Worse the bridge started crumbling behind her.
"Typical." Raven groaned. She ran, dodging flames and arrows as she went while trying to keep her balance on the rickety bridge. She was almost to the end when a pair of nice rusty looking pendulum blades came crashing down in front of her. She paused for just a second and an arrow hit her leg. Growling in pain she leaped forwards. Somehow she made it across. Her hands grabbed the crystal just as the rest of the bridge crumbled beneath her.
She expected to fall into the darkness, but instead her knees hit the floor with a thud. She looked around and found herself in a plain bare room. She looked down at her leg and saw nothing there, not even a scar.
"That was some illusion spell." Raven said as she got to her feet. After looking about her to make sure nothing else was going to jump her, she exited the room.
"Okay, that's two. Where is the third one?" Raven snarled as she slammed the crystal on the table, already fed up with this.
"Touchy, aren't we?" the sword seemed to be amused.
"Would cut the crap already?" Raven asked, her temper growing short.
"No. The last one is at the bottom of the monument, in the water. Don't worry about drowning, there is a spell. Once you are at the very bottom you will find a pool of water. Enter it and you will find the last test."
Raven nodded and walked down the stairs, down into the depths of the monument.
The Black Fox grinned. It was almost time. Just a bit longer and she would get to have some real fun.
Just a bit longer.
A/N: Hope you did not forget about the Black Fox! She is still around and ready to cause trouble. Tune in next time!