XVII

Last Chance

"Signal came from in there."

Cyborg pointed ahead of the group. The Titans were far beneath the sewer system under Jump City. This series of caverns had come from a predating subway transit system long abandoned. Robin, Beast Boy, Bumblebee and Speedy all took up positions near Cyborg as he prepped his sonic blaster. After a quick charging session, he fired. The doorway blew open in a shower of debris as the sonic blast punched through. When everything settled, the team walked in.

The place had been used very recently. However, everything had been turned off. All sorts of equipment was strung up or bolted down, ranging from standard computer terminals to some really teched-out stuff. Cyborg had to raise an eyebrow to the setup.

"Our boy knew what he was doin'," he commented.

"That doesn't mean he's not insane," Robin retorted.

Cyborg shrugged. "Ye gotta have enough sound mind to make all this." The Titan scanned around the room quickly with his computer optic, looking to Robin. "Computers are still warm. This guy musta just left."

Beast Boy morphed into a hound, sniffing around quickly. "He went out the door behind us," he said, morphing back.

Cyborg looked to his wrist. "Got a life reading. He's huffin' it quick to the east of us."

"The dome went up about an hour ago," Speedy chimed in. "He's got to have a good lead on us. Even if he took the time to switch off all his equipment."

"He should have left the instant he had the chance," Robin answered. "Let's make him regret that." The team was quick on its feet, Cyborg's tracking unit locked solidly onto the eluding signal. Beastboy became his hound dog form again, both keeping with the scent as well as making transportation easier. Robin took the time to pull out his communicator. Switching it on, he began to speak.

"Raven, Zerrich, do you read? We're tracking the ex-apprentice. Can you give us a hand?"

-

-

The flight into the city didn't take much time. The only thing about it was the obvious; Raven didn't like Zerrich carrying her. He had insisted, allowing the girl to regain her strength completely. Factually she needed the extra time. It didn't stop her from complaining.

"This is embarrassing," she muttered, her arms wrapped around Zerrich's neck as she rested on his back. A couple of anti-gravity spells made her lighter for a time, allowing Zerrich to maintain some of his strength once they got to their destination. Not that she weighed all that much to begin with.

"Almost there," Zerrich said for the third time. He unconsciously looked around the sky, taking in the red dome and its ugly glow. His communicator went off at his side, and he pulled it out. Raven slid further down Zerrich's back, trying to avoid being seen on the device's minicam.

"Here's an update on our position," Bumblebee said. "Getting close?"

"About fifteen blocks out," Zerrich responded. "Be there in a bit."

The image was replaced with Robin's. The image bounced around as the Titan ran. "Have you found anything that might stop Trigon? In case this doesn't work?"

"No guarantees," Zerrich reported. "I'm hoping we can buy more time by putting this guy down."

A hand reached from around his neck to the communicator, and Raven took it and brought it to her face. "Robin. Zerrich found some information I didn't know about. He seems to think Trigon was originally from Azarath."

The communication device didn't respond right away. Zerrich pictured Robin digesting the information. "Can that help us at all?"

"Only that it means he's not indestructible."

"Did the people of Azarath have any weaknesses?"

"Not in particular. Except for being flesh and blood."

"As well as their pacifistic nature," Zerrich yelled over his shoulder to the comm. device. "But Trigon's not really like the rest of our culture!"

"Why not tell us this before?" Robin asked.

"Because I still can't be entirely sure if it's true! Our people covered it up very neatly, and a long time ago!"

"Robin," Raven continued, "I think Zerrich's right. I…feel that it's the truth."

There was another pause before the Titan leader responded. "You two might be our only answer to stopping Trigon if it comes to that."

"Then we need to keep it from coming to that."

Zerrich could hear the sound of static for a split second, even through the wind. "Zerrich still there?" came Bumblebee's voice.

The hand held the communicator out in front of Zerrich. He took it as the arm wrapped around his neck again. "Here."

"I gotta ask. Your people believed in non-violence. You really think that's such a bad thing?"

"It had consequences."

"So does too much violence," Bumblebee responded. "Fighting's not always the answer either."

"Agreed. There has to be enough sense to know when to fight. Self-defense would be a prime example."

"Yeah, I kinda think the same way. But there's somethin' about this. I mean, your people died for what they believed in. They didn't sacrifice their morals. It's probably easier to try and fight that kinda thing. It takes some guts to stand on yer principles knowing it'll get you killed."

Zerrich shook his head. "It got all of them killed. No one left. What good a belief is that?"

"I dunno," Bumblebee replied honestly. "Unless there was, like, somethin' more."

Zerrich paused. "What do you mean?"

Bumblebee gave a shrug on the other end. "Maybe I've just got a hard time believin' all those people died for nothing. Look, I'm not makin' much sense anyway. Try to catch up soon."

As the image switched off, the Titans' blip appeared on the grid screen. Zerrich veered right and began to dive. "I'm going to fly straight in," he warned Raven.

"Knock yourself out," she said, flatly.

Zerrich ignored the remark, placing his hands in front of him. The two of them took on a blue glow, and the street concrete rushing at them simply passed them by.

-

-

"Titans, go!"

Robin's shout came just in time as a line of blaster fire from above split the team up. The villain was higher up by two levels, a single iron escape ladder lining the cylindrical chamber from top to bottom. Two of the advanced Sladebots were flanking the ex-apprentice and moving down towards the team as their target attempted to escape. Cyborg lined up a shot for the first one as it dropped for the ground floor. A single blast speared through the chamber, outshining the few lights nearby. The drone turned in midair, angling its back to allow the shot to stream past. Its claws made to slash downward, but Cyborg jumped clear in plenty of time. Two blasts of gold energy zapped the drone where it landed, and Cyborg finished it with one last blast. He looked to Bumblebee and nodded once, then check on the second drone.

The other was already torn to bits, Beast Boy morphing back from his raptor form and joining the rest of the team. Everyone looked up.

"Bee, Speedy," Cyborg shouted, "catch-up time! Slow him down!"

Speedy was quick to string his bow, aiming for the ceiling unseen in the darkness. A moment before he fired, Bumblebee shrunk down and grabbed hold of its tip. The arrow fired, sending the girl off into the air.

"Everyone else," Robin filled in, "let's move out."

The rest of the team hustled up the multi-tiered chamber, no one using the old escape ladder. Robin fired off his grapple and was reeling himself towards the ceiling. Speedy fired an arrow connected to a cable, the winding device attached firmly to his belt. Once the arrow was embedded above, Speed started reeling himself up as well. Cyborg let Beast Boy morph into his pterodactyl form, reaching for his talons and hanging on as they flew upwards.

The Titans made it to the last level in no time. Sure enough, a doorway was open ahead of them, and the team sprinted for it. Before getting through, Cyborg could already see a slumped form on the floor ahead of them. It made to prop itself up as Robin approached.

"Bumblebee," he said, "you all right?"

"Yeah," she muttered, annoyed. "Just ain't too happy about bein' suckered. Thought I had him for a minute." She held the side of her gut, rubbing the back of her head with the other hand. Very few could land a good hit against Bumblebee—Cyborg knew from experience.

Robin and Speedy ran along first, Beast Boy not far behind. Cyborg ran at Bumblebee's side as they caught up to the far end of the hallway. The door at the other end opened up to the top of some short structure, at least compared to the surrounding buildings. It was connected to the abandoned subway under them—so old and built so deep it was simply left for the city to grow around. Cyborg got his bearings quickly, realizing they were in the center of Jump City. More specifically, they were probably nearby the center of the dome. Robin pointed from the front of the group, and Cyborg could see the target scaling another building across from theirs. It wasn't the tallest within the city, but it transcended everything nearby.

A quick explosion just behind Cyborg alerted the Titan to danger, and more followed. Laser beams struck around their feet, coming from the top of the building next to them—the one the ex-apprentice was scaling.

"Get to that other building!" Robin shouted, firing off his grappling hook and zooming to his next location. Speedy latched onto Bumblebee, Cyborg doing the same with Beast Boy as he morphed for flight once again. They were quick to evade the laser fire and land on the roof of the nearby building, the one running parallel to the enemy's. His was three stories taller, and he had already gotten to the roof. Before the team could react, a new set of cannons whipped out and aimed for the Titans.

"Not so fast!" the apprentice warned his opponents. "You'll count twenty guns aimed for your position. They're programmed to work together, so some are designed to flank their target while others aim directly at them. It makes dodging quite difficult, if not impossible." He looked to Bumblebee. "And I wouldn't try that shrinking trick, as it might cost you your friends."

"Give it up!" Cyborg added. "If it means we make sure we stop you and Trigon, you'd be surprised at the sacrifices we can make."

"Oh, please don't. Part of my fun was to watch you battle futilely with my new pet. I would hate for you to take away my entertainment."

At that point, Cyborg noticed the tip of something coming from the roof. At their lower-down angle, he couldn't tell what it was. His robot optic switched modes, scanning through the floors for the equipment above. There were computerized spires in three locations, powering up from a single energy device. If we don't stop this guy now, it'll all be over!

"You have to stop this, before it's too late!" Robin called out. "I don't know why you think you can control Trigon, but he'll destroy you the instant he gets the chance!"

"You pitiful boy! Trigon can be controlled. It is written in this tome!" It was at that point the villain raised in his armored glove a large book. It looked like one of Raven's, most likely one stolen from her room months ago. "The Book of the Elders. It describes in great detail how Trigon was defeated. Part of the entrapment involved a…failsafe, shall we say. Trigon was responsible for terrible things, some of which the elders feared only Trigon could repair. A ritual was created that would allow the release of Trigon under controlling circumstances to set right that which he may have done wrong. For security reasons, the precise ritual was not fully described, but it took me little time to discover the proper procedures for myself."

"A controlling spell?" Speedy vocalized. "You're making this up!"

"Before Slade's unfortunate demise, he began to realize the potential in your Titan, Raven. He had his drones target her quarters during their raid on your tower, accessible thanks to his useless new apprentice. The one that did him in by the end."

Cyborg unconsciously looked over to Beast Boy. The Titan's fists were clenched tight, but he said nothing back.

"He was killed before he could make any great use of it. Unfortunate for him, but lucky for me…"

The apprentice's head raised slightly, his eyesight going past the Titans for a moment. Cyborg turned around just in time to see a blue glow dissolve from the roof, Both Zerrich and Raven standing on top of it.

"Aaah!" The old apprentice hissed out. "Our Raven has decided to appear. And she's brought a friend. The sad soul I found that wonderful scroll from."

Cyborg watched Zerrich become angry, his fists charging in blue energy.

"Oh, come now! You were quite maddened at the time. Apparently you don't remember. I was about to praise you on your improvement, but I see that we are not quite in control of our passions even now."

Raven's black energy surrounded her hands as well, her eyes glowing bright. "Why haven't we attacked this idiot yet?"

"Guns all over us," Speedy muttered. "Guy claims about twenty. Don't see 'em all."

"I can pinpoint 'em," Cyborg said quietly. "But I'm gonna have a hard time pointing them out to everyone else."

Zerrich was the one to answer. "I think I have an idea for that…"

-

-

Robin continued to question the apprentice. He could hear his team discussing behind him. The best he could do was attempt to keeping their opponent busy, if only a few more moments.

"What happens once you've brought Trigon here? What will you do? Have him destroy everything? Do you want to rule in ruins?"

"Don't make it sound as if I haven't planned this out," the apprentice answered. "Trigon simply needs to do enough to guarantee my complete rule. Sure, there will be destruction and a cost in life. Once I'm rid of all the superhero types—oh, and some of you exceptional humans," he smirked while lowering his brow at Robin, "the rest of humanity will determine what is in their best interest. The few undereducated countries that will undoubtedly resist, in all their futile bravado, will be wiped out as examples."

"Do you think Trigon's going to stand by for the rest of your natural life? No spell could—"

"Trigon is simply a tool!" The apprentice interrupted. "He will naturally wish to reign beyond this little world, and when I am secure he'll have his wish."

"Then the people here will wait him out. You might have what you want for a little while, but not forever!"

"Ah, but here comes the greatest part. Once Trigon has departed to bring the end to other systems and their planets, I will be left with some of Trigon's favorite pets!"

Robin's face didn't change in expression, even though his realization caused a chill to travel down his spine. "The Firnusium."

"They are a creation of Trigon's. Didn't you know? Not truly connected to Trigon—they cannot be used as alternate eyes and ears. And they have in their empty little heads a programming, for lack of a more accurate word. It makes them believe Trigon is watching them at all times. It even punishes them automatically if they act against Trigon's prewritten will. They aren't the brightest of demonic creatures, but they have great advantages. Especially when Trigon grants their loyalty to me."

"You're insane," Speedy breathed.

"Define me how you like, but with Trigon and my own world army, I'll have the power that even my former master could only dream of."

"You can't promise that," Robin warned.

"This book promises it! My supremacy will be undeniable. And even your pathetic little stance here and now cannot stop it!"

"What book?" Raven said from the back of the group.

"He has your Book of the Elders," Robin answered.

"He wants to use it to control Trigon," Bumblebee filled in. "Something in that book is s'pose to let him do whatever he wants with your dad."

"Not if we stop him first," Beast Boy said.

There was a sudden blur above then past the villain three stories and one building over. It streaked down the building side, and only when it was out of view did Robin notice the ex-apprentice's empty hand.

"Mas y Menos, si podemos!" came the cry as the streak ran back up the Titan's building and stopped in front, a book contained in both of the smaller Titans' grasp. Before the enemy or any of the other Titans could react, a blue barrier streaked across the length of the building in front of them, covering all three floors. On the other side, the automatic guns opened fire at the new movement.

Robin turned to look at Zerrich, the mage's hands up in the air. "Can you see the guns, now?" Zerrich queried Raven.

The dark Titan had glowing eyes, her hands encased in black energy. Robin looked back to the blue wall in front of them, and through it he could see the black splotches attack each gun one at a time, marked now by their own tracer fire against the barrier. When all was done, the barrier dropped, and Robin couldn't help but smirk.

"Titans!" he shouted. "Take him down!"

-

-

Starfire relaxed her eyebeams, allowing the welding job she had just finished to cool. The rest of the staff hired through the Jump City government stayed hard at work reconstructing just enough of the laser and rotator platform to gain enough functionality for the task at hand. Sadly, it seemed the need for the cannon to be operational soon had become expedited. Her and the team watched as the new red dome barrier extended over the entire city. It took a moment to shake the work team out of their initial shock, but even they had come to realize that haste meant everything.

The best news had come after she arrived during this latest check-up; the salvaged material Chang had built for his newest weapon was quickly grafting into the new project. This new laser cannon would be even more powerful than the original, but would it be enough to stop Trigon?

Starfire looked up to the control seat one of the techs was working on. This time around, part of the control panel was designed to trigger the beginnings of various automatic rituals Raven and Zerrich had established inside the observatory. For each setting Starfire would have to recite the proper incantations which would display automatically on a digital readout just above the panel. Raven had told Starfire that she would know when the spell had been completed. How she would know, Starfire could only guess.

"We must work more quickly!" Starfire pushed the team. "Abandon all other tasks beyond ensuring the operational status of the laser and the positioning platform!"

"Ma'am!" one of the other technicians started. "We haven't completed reinforcement of the dome structure! If it collapses…"

"There is no time!" Starfire interrupted sternly. "Our enemy may arrive shortly. Remove all other personnel from their current tasks and revise work priority accordingly."

"Miss Starfire," another worker walked up, "we're having a hard time adapting the heat sinks with the newer parts. If we can't get those to function properly, I don't think we'll be able to fire this big gun of yours too many times."

"I must ask you to ignore this problem," Starfire answered. "If our task is not accomplished with one shot, there will be no need for another. Now, all of you, concentrate only on the laser's functionality and mobility."

The tech in the control seat got up and climbed down to the bottom, and Starfire floated over and sat in his place. She reviewed the completed controls, testing the display readout and visually following the leads connected to the different containers holding various potions, ingredients and whatever else was needed for each spell. How Raven and Zerrich managed to set everything up to work on its own Starfire didn't know, but the Tamaranian had seen enough of Raven's magic to know when to trust in it. Now, it was simply a matter of getting the giant laser cannon operational in time. Starfire feared that Trigon's arrival was no longer a question of when. The demon would be arriving quite soon.

-

-

Some of the team members took to the air. Others took up covering positions on their own roof. Robin grabbed hold of Beast Boy's pterodactyl limb as he made his way to the neighboring rooftop. The spires on the opposite roof began to glow, electricity lancing about in all directions from their tips. Raven floated off the ground, reaching out with her mind to the equipment behind their opponent. The glow left her eyes as she realized her lack of access.

Before she could warn to the others, Beast Boy and Robin were the first to hit the invisible energy field. The barrier hadn't been there a moment before, and Zerrich was the second to run into it before Bumblebee veered away in time. Mas and Menos took to ramming it, only to bounce back to their roof. They tried a second and third attack, following up with a series of body strikes from above. Eventually the two wore out, letting go and being slung in opposite directions from their last impact. Raven reached out with her mind, grabbing Menos. Zerrich swooped down and scooped up Mas before he could fall too far.

Raven levitated Menos back to the roof then looked back to the other building. Earlier, Raven had thought this villain to be a sad cliché, falling for Robin's stalling trap far too easily. Now, she understood. It was he who had been stalling the team, long enough for his equipment to begin functioning. Cyborg had taken to blasting at the field with his sonic cannon, Bumblebee and Zerrich taking their turns blasting at the target as well. Raven turned to look behind her. Far off in the distance, another crackling source of energy could be seen. It was on top of another building, and it was getting brighter. Raven turned back to the team, wincing at how bright the spires in front of them had become. A moment of dread ran through her, and she floated to her right to look past the building in question. A third rooftop also housed a bright reaction. At nearly the same distances to Raven's left and right were two more. The Titans were at the center of what was meant to be an extraordinary reaction. How could we have missed all this?

Raven floated back to the roof under her, kneeling to pick up the book Mas and Menos had taken from the apprentice.

"Tomasz indo Lendrunos," she whispered to herself. "The Book of the Elders."

"Raven!" Robin shouted from her right. "Is there anything in that book that can shut all this down?"

Raven couldn't speak. She only shook her head. Robin rushed over to her, taking her by one arm. "There has to be something in here! If we don't stop this now, it could all be over!"

"Robin," she finally managed, shaking her head again. "This isn't one of my books."

"What?" Robin answered, incredulously. "What do you mean? Where else could it…"

There was a sudden reaction, a brilliant flash that blinded Raven even to the extent that she couldn't see Robin two feet in front of her. Then, Raven could feel the rush of energy from all around, blasting at the center-point where the spires were. She couldn't see any of it, but she knew what was happening. All five points are linking here!

"We have to get out of here!" Robin shouted from in front of Raven. Without thinking, she grabbed him by the arm and floated in the opposite direction. She reached out with her mind, letting her soul self scoop up whoever was nearby. Mere moments later an energy blast rushed up and smashed right into the entire team. Raven could feel a new energy barrier surrounding her own. She could sense Zerrich close by, engaging his own protective field. The team was levitated to the safest rooftops about two blocks away. Raven relaxed her powers as Zerrich dropped his protective barrier.

Everyone watched as the horrible event unfolded in front of the Titans—in front of the entire city. Sure enough, four beams of energy struck the very center of where they had been. The light source grew, disintegrating the building underneath it. The source expanded out even past the nearby buildings, becoming impossibly large. Raven felt something clutch at her heart just an instant before she saw it. A large mass of red appendages pushed through the light source. Even greater in size than Raven had ever imagined, the giant balled-up fist slid through a bit further and turned ever so slightly. The claws suddenly lashed out, extending violently and curling back into place as they enjoyed what would become freedom.

For the Titans—and the rest of humanity—this world was about to become hell.