Slade looked at his large computer panel reading the data that was arriving. Under his mask he smiled. He turned to the Titans who were all still hanging from their tables. One slot was empty. Slade had removed the body of Raven and placed it in a refrigerated chamber. He had never dealt with the dead body of a half demon before so he decided that it's best not to take chances. The room he placed Raven's corpse had magical seals all around it just as a precaution, of course his entire lair was magically protected for he had grown more cautions of supernatural threats since his servitude to Trigon. For all he knew Raven's body might suddenly explode or some other creature may try to take hold of it. In the cold room he could leave the corpse till he found some safe way of disposing it and nothing would be able to detect it.

Slade reveled in the look on the Titans' faces. Starfire even with her eyes covered had an look of sorrow and the pain was so evident it was palpable. Cyborg's human eye was closed while his mechanical eye followed Slade's every move. His face an mix of regret, sorrow, and anger. Robin the leader was looking down, it was his responsibility to protect his teammates; his duty as leader of the Titans was to make sure no matter how dangerous things got to keep them safe and he had failed. Beastboy was the only member of the team whose face never changed he still stared at Slade with blood hungry eyes; any sorrow he felt was hidden by his overpowering rage.

Slade walked over to Beastboy. At the moment he was his biggest threat. The other Titans had all gotten over their initial shock and though their desire to bring Slade down was more violent and greater than ever before they would still avoid trying to kill him. Beastboy had no such inhibitions, he was out for blood and the first chance he got he would rip Slade to pieces. Still he couldn't help but torture the changeling some more.

Slade: Do you know what that was.

Beastboy still silently looking at Slade imagined the number of ways he could kill him.

Slade: The good people of the Jump City police force have found Terra. They're going to execute her.

Beastboy mouth dropped open and his eyes suddenly turned to ones of concern and fear.

How could they execute her? They outlawed the death penalty years ago.

Slade was in front of Beastboy. He leaned over so that his eye was inches from Beastboy.

Slade: It's going to be a quiet execution. No will know. She's already disappeared they're just making it permanent.

Beastboy's anger took a new level. He had never felt such rage and the other Titans were visibly shaken by his hate, even Starfire who could not look upon the face of her green friend shivered at its intensity.

Slade smirked under his mask he enjoyed bring pain to the young teen even though he knew it was probably unwise to push him too far. He straitened himself out and headed towards Robin. He looked at his former apprentice then held up the Amulet of Champions and in a flash of lightning the Titans' leader and the villain mastermind had disappeared.

Robin suddenly landed on his feat looking around him as his eyes adjusted to the dark. His nerves were on end and every sense was pushed to the limit. Slade was here somewhere and it wouldn't be long before the fight started.

Robin looked around now. He appeared to be in a giant clock its parts groaning and moving as they worked to tick past the seconds. He was standing on a rotating gear. Slade always had a thing for gears and metal it didn't surprise him that this is where the fight was to be.

Robin sensed Slade's presence behind him and jumped narrowly dodging the metal staff as it struck down.

Slade: I do believe you have gotten faster sense our last encounter. Very impressive.

Robin: You've gone too far now Slade. That amulet will be your prison where you will stay for the rest of your miserable life. At the very least I will give Raven justice.

Slade: How noble Robin but this fight isn't based on who has the moral high ground and I believe you have never beaten me on your own before.

Robin: Things change.

Robin sent out an explosive disk which Slade ducked and easily dodged. He hadn't seen the birdarang Robin threw right behind the disk that caused it to explode above Slade.

Slade was thrown back slamming hard into a large rotating pipe. He was falling to the ground but recomposed himself and was able to land on his feet. Robin was right above and brought his staff down with full force intent on finishing this fight now unfortunately Slade saw Robin's attack and extended his staff hitting the boy wonder square in the stomach making Robin lose his grip on his staff. Robin let out a gasp but was able to grab the staff and use it push himself up and then off landing on his feet facing Slade. Robin looked at the staff and realized he had jumped right on time for a spike had now protruded from where his body had once been.

Slade: You're not the only one who's changed. Did you think I was just sitting back and taking a vacation while you Titans were globetrotting? No I was practicing and preparing for this very moment.

With that Slade threw three sharp explosive boomerangs and they imbedded into the ground in front of Robin. Robin quickly jumped up grabbing an rotating vertical cog and flipped up farther to avoid the oncoming explosion but no explosion came.

What was Slade's game? Is this a part of his new strategy. He suddenly heard a noise from below like moving machinery. Before he could react the boomerangs from below shot powerful lasers up melting parts of the cog and were triangulating towards Robin. Robin ducked and dove through the small opening in-between the beams but his cloak and a small part of his left arm had been badly burnt. Robin flew through the air from his as his eyes searched preparing him to land on the floor. Suddenly Robin's feet were swept from under him and a fist came crashing down towards his head but the Boy Wonder held it at bay with his one good arm. He moved it to the side and back flipped as best he could with just one arm. As he landed on his feet he saw Slade's staff with the pointed tip hurtling towards him but Robin grabbed the staff spun it and held it as his own weapon.

Slade was very impressed. His former apprentice had countered nearly all his attacks and had managed to do some decent amount of damage to him. He could see just how valuable Robin's intellect and agility would be to him once the young hero was at last serving his purpose.

Robin acted quickly. He ran at Slade with his staff prepared to strike the final blow with the right and his left holding onto explosive disks if the first attack failed. The leader of the Titans swung hard with his staff and Slade grabbed it in mid air his eye narrowing as it stared at Robin. Without missing a beat Robin threw his disks ignoring the pain in his arm and the danger of throwing it at such close proximity. Slade grabbed a disk narrowly dodging the others as they sailed past him causing a series of explosions that threatened to bring the building down on top of them. He spun causing Robin who was still holding his staff to get tossed and Slade threw Robin's own disk back at him. The Titans leader could only look wide eyed as his disk struck home and exploded. Lighting came from the clouds of dust and entered into Slade's amulet. Then Slade himself vanished as the clock tower began to crumble to the ground.

Cyborg: Beastboy… Yo, man are you okay?

Beastboy: What do you think?!

Cyborg: Man I know Slade crossed the line here but don't you do the same thing. We're heroes we can't become like him.

Beastboy: Really. Because I think I heard you scream you were going to kill Slade yourself.

Cyborg: I know. I know. But I was wrong and this isn't what Raven or Terra would want. Those two, more than anybody, knew the price of letting rage and hate get the best of you.

Beastboy: We saved the world and defeated Trigon and his prophesy and Raven dies anyway. Terra escapes Slade and just tries to live a peaceful normal life and she gets executed while Slade is free to pick us off one by one. I'm tired of losing friends, I'm tired of Slade, and I'm tired of fighting. I'm going to finish this and make sure he never hurts anyone ever again.

Cyborg looked down. Not one corny joke, bright smile, or any of the other things Beastboy usually says to help lighten a bleak situation. His friends were slipping away and he was helpless to do anything. Even if Robin did defeat Slade Raven was gone and as for saving Terra they had no idea where to start. Then there was the damage done to Beastboy, Cyborg was afraid the annoying little jokester might become something he would be forced to fight and he really hoped that wasn't the case.

Starfire: Please friend Beastboy. The loss of …of… friend Raven pains us all but we cannot lose hope. Robin will be victorious and then we will save our friend Terra. We cannot betray Raven's memory by losing hope.

At that moment Slade appeared in a flash of light. His suit was ripped but he had come alone and Cyborg and Beastboy both saw that their leader put up a tough fight but in the end lost.

Starfire uncertainly: Robin…

Slade: Sorry my dear but your boyfriend is serving my purpose now.

Starfire's head lowered her speech on hope seamed hollow to even her now.

Slade: Yes. I can feel it. The extra strength, agility, knowledge…

Slade held up his hands and they filled with the weapons Robin used in his fight against crime.

Slade: and weapons. Now Titans do try to rest I will be back for another soon once I get acquainted with my new and improved self.

Beastboy let out a growl while Cyborg and Starfire silently prayed and prepared themselves for the upcoming fight.

Terra awoke slowly as the drugs began to wear off. She had a terrible headache and it was dark all round her. She tried to stand but her legs weren't working yet. As her eyes began to adjust she saw she was in a steal room. In front of her was a door also made of metal with a small bared window, what little light in the room came from that opening. She began to collect her thoughts.

Okay I'm imprisoned but by who. Slade? No, Slade never was for cages he didn't like giving people that much mobility and she seriously doubted she would still be alive if it was Slade. That leaves only one other option.

Terra: Great. The cops. Well I guess it could've been worse.

She used her powers to see if she could sense any rock. Nothing for as far as her powers could reach. Escaping might be a problem.

Terra: What about the Titans? My vision did it mean anything?

Her legs got some feeling back now so she slowly wobbled towards the door. She grabbed the bars and put her head against the bars and began to yell.

Terra: Hey! Who's in charge here!? Hello!

A guard was standing next to the cell door just out of Terra's field of view and he responded.

Guard: Quiet prisoner.

Terra: Oh. Good. Look I get why I'm here and I'm willing to do the time I just need you guys to check on the Titans real quick.

Guard: So you can ask them to help you out. I don't think so. The Titans will not interfere with your case.

Terra: Look you don't have to tell them it's from me just make sure they're all right. I just have this feeling they might be in trouble.

Guard: Strange my information tells me that your only power is moving rocks not psychic "feelings".

Terra: Look I already said I would do the time and the Titans won't have to know. I've done some terrible things in my life and I have to pay for them, I accept that but please just check on the Titans.

The guard turned around and faced Terra. There was anger in his eyes.

Guard: Who says you'll be doing any time?

Terra was confused by this statement but as a smile grew upon the guards face the realization of what he meant dawned on her.

Terra: I-I-I'm being executed?

The guard merely returned to his post and was silent.

Terra walked back and sat down on the floor. Her cell only had a toilet and no bed, chair, or sink so she had to make do with the floor. She tried not to but she began to cry. Perhaps a few months ago and certainly after she was unfrozen from stone she could have accepted that sentence, but now. Now she had started to enjoy life, make new friends, and she just didn't want to die. Of course she thought she had just lost all those things so she shouldn't be so sad. Still she let the tears fall as she realized she would die and nobody would probably ever know. She will have broken her promise to Raven, her friends from school will never know what happened to her, and Beastboy… maybe its best they didn't know.

Terra: I understand. But please even if it's after I'm dead check on the Titans and make sure they're safe.

No one responded to the request and no one would for the duration of her stay. So Terra just sat there quietly letting the tears trickle down.