Chapter 11: Armageddon Part 2

"Is the necklace glowing any brighter?"

Mood Swing looks down to check the necklace. "Nope. No brighter than the last time you asked me. Oh how long ago was that? Oh yeah…thirty seconds ago!"

Bryon blushes a deep scarlet. "I'm sorry. It's just, I really want to –"

Mood Swing puts his hand on Bryon's shoulder. "I know Geo. I wanna find them too. But we wont get anywhere by just standing here. I know we've been traveling for a few days, but we have to keep going. We're only in what used to be Kansas."

Bryon looks up and his eyes widen as he points ahead of him to a skyline on the horizon. "I hate to use a total cliché, but I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore…"

Fade into song

When there's trouble you know who to call

TEEN TITANS

From their tower they can see it all

TEEN TITANS

When there's evil on the attack

You can rest knowing they've got your back

'Cause when the world needs heroes on patrol

TEEN TITANS...GO!

With they're super-powers they unite

TEEN TITANS

Never met a villain that they liked

TEEN TITANS

They got the bad guys on the run

They'll never stop 'til the job gets done

And when the world is losing all control

TEEN TITANS...GO!

1...2...3...4...GO TEEN TITANS!

Fade out of song

Mood Swing quickly looks in the direction of Bryon's gaze, and sees something that is completely out of place for the middle of Kansas. There, silhouetted against the red sun and seemingly rising up out of the desolate and destroyed earth, stands the Roman Coliseum!

"What is THAT doing here?" Mood Swing asks astounded, with his mouth still hanging open. "Besides, I thought Trigon destroyed everything on the planet!"

"Well, we're not going to get any answers standing here," Bryon says decidedly. "Let's go have a look."

As the two heroes come closer to the arena, they hear many cheers and cries coming from within. They give each other shocked and questioning glances, both asking the same thing in their minds. How can there still be people alive?

"Ahhhhhh!" Starfire is flung back and lands on top of the already grounded Robin and Terra. All three moan in pain and annoyance for their inability to defeat the two guards of Scathe much like the one Slade faced when he was trying to regain his humanity.

"How are we to defeat them? They are most persistent, and we know that the Trigon is only using them to weaken us so that we will not pose a threat in the battle that is to come."

"We don't give up, that's how," Robin starts. "We don't quit, we just have to –"

But Terra is already up on her feet with a rage burning in her eyes. "All my life evil people have forced my brother and me into situations that we don't wanna be in! My mother and father were killed because of evil beings. My brother hasn't loved anyone besides me since that happened. And as soon as he finds someone to love, someone that is perfect for him…evil people take that person away!" She looks at Trigon now. "If you hurt my brother, you hurt me too! Go to Hades and I hope you burn for eternity! You will not destroy us!"

With this, Terra pulls a large boulder out of the ground and forms it into a giant spike. Still staring at Trigon, she suddenly spins around and hurls it at one of the Trigonic guards that had been advancing on the three Titans, catching it off guard and piercing it right through. In a flash of black light and smoke, the guard disappears. The other guard raises his flaming double-axe and charges the Titans. Terra's eyes glow yellow and another spike forms out of the ground skewering this guard from the bottom up. Another flash of black light and smoke and this guard also vanishes.

Robin and Starfire stand there, mouths agape and eyes wide.

"Erm…good job Terra," Robin says.

"Yes…very…spirited?" Starfire offers.

Terra turns to her two comrades, the rage in her eyes flickers once more and dies out. She blushes at her sudden outburst and after a moment she finally speaks. "So…do you guys wanna focus on the demon now?"

As Mood Swing and Bryon enter the coliseum through one of the upper levels, they notice that the cheering in the stands is coming from absolutely nothing. All the seats are completely empty. But they quickly notice that they aren't the only two in the large building. For down in the center arena, are two gladiators of old, fighting to the death. One is clad in brilliant white Roman armor with a sword and a shield with an eye on it. The second is covered in basically the same armor, only black. This warrior carries no weapons, but his fists glow with a strange purple energy.

The white gladiator rushes at the black warrior and strikes with his broad sword, catching the black warrior in the chest plate. The black gladiator's eyes glow purple underneath the helmet and beams of this purple light erupt from his eyes and send the white warrior flying backwards. The invisible crowd roars with approval, but the white gladiator quickly rises to his feet and is ready for more. The eye symbol on his shield glows, and a bluish purple aura forms around his body as his feet rise off the ground and his sword and shield disappear.

"Bryon, look!" Mood Swing cries. "It…it can't be!"

But Bryon isn't paying attention to the two warriors fighting, for he has already seemingly lost interest. His eyes search frantically around the coliseum for anyone else, but specifically for someone. But a scream from the black gladiator quickly brings his attention back to the battle scene in front of them.

The white gladiator has not moved an inch from where he first rose off the ground, but the black gladiator is hovering in the air, almost suspended by an unseen hand. He fires balls of his purple energy from his hands towards the white warrior in desperation. But all of a sudden the white warrior's eyes glow with the same bluish purple light that surrounds him and the black warrior is hurled back into the wall. His helmet flies off his head to reveal that he is not a "he" after all. For once the helmet is gone it reveals the familiar face of Blackfire.

Neither Mood Swing nor Bryon shows any signs of surprise on their faces, for they have already figured out who the two warriors are. Blackfire gives a scream of rage, and flies out of the arena. The cheers erupt from the empty seats as the white gladiator removes his helmet also; unveiling the very person Mood Swing and Bryon suspected…Psy. The cheers in the vacant stands fade into silence, and Psy looks up into the eyes of his former teammates with an unrecognizing gaze. He then turns and walks toward the Northeast gate.

"Sam! Wait come back!" Mood Swing yells to his brother. But Psy has already disappeared into the black opening of the gate.

"He's gone Joel, he was never really there. Neither of them was. They were as real as the crowd that we heard but could not see. Psy did however point us in the direction we are to go…Northeast," Bryon says as he points to the eye shaped necklace around Mood Swing's neck which is now glowing brighter than it was before

"Most amusing, I did not expect you to defeat my guards so quickly," Trigon says. "No matter, for you are not keeping me from knowing your plan, for I have already told you that the one you seek will not be found. The two you have sent on the quest to find my children have already faced their first trial, and the one who's soul is bound to my daughter's has already seen what lies ahead of them but is not willing to accept it."

The Titans give each other worried and confused glances.

Trigon chuckles, "You pitiful insects do not even understand what I am talking about and wont until your fate has arrived. This time, there is no savior, there is no stopping me! I am all powerful, and I am ruler over this world!"

"We'll see about that," Robin says under his breath. He motions to the others to follow his lead. "Trigon, if you're all powerful, then why couldn't you defeat us last time?"

"Yes, if you are the all powerful ruler that you say you are, then how is it we are still here and you do not even fight us to prove your power?" Starfire taunts.

"Guys, isn't it obvious?" Terra says to her teammates who look at her confused. "He won't fight us because he can't fight us because he isn't all powerful! It's just an act that he puts –,"

"Insolent fools!" Trigon yells. "You dare to mock the essence of all evil, the ruler of all darkness, your worst nightmare come to life? Then so be it. Your fates have been sealed."

Trigon extends his hand and picks up all three Titans. He then brings them close to his face so he can examine them closely.

Robin looks quickly to Starfire and Terra who have terrified looks on their faces. They look at him and are surprised to find a calm and almost victorious look on his face. Then, as if reading his mind, the two girls also grow calm.

"Terra, NOW!"

A column of rock shoots up from the ground and pushes the three out of Trigon's hand. Robin then throws exploding discs into Trigon's face while Starfire and Terra simultaneously hurl a mixture of starbolts and rocks into his face as well. Trigon reels backwards, screaming in pain and frustration, but the Titans haven't stopped yet. The three quickly join hands.

"But, I thought that Raven's power would only work if all five of us stood as one," Starfire says.

"No," Robin says while shaking his head. "Raven's power is strongest when we all stand as one, but that doesn't mean it won't work when there are only three of us."

Starfire and Terra nod and then the three concentrate on the anger inside of them.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

"There has GOT to be a faster way to get around! My feet are killing me," Mood Swing complains.

"Well if you could fly it wouldn't be a pro…," Bryon trails off.

"Wouldn't be a problem, I know."

"No Joel. You should actually be able to fly."

"Ummm, I've had my powers for quite a while Geo, and I'm pretty sure flight isn't one of the things I'm able to do."

"Well it is for a while."

"Oh yeah? And how's that?"

"Raven's power! She gave each of us a bit of her power right?"

"Right…"

"Well, Raven can fly."

Mood Swing stands there for a second with an astounded look on his face, which is soon replaced by a look of concentration. "Now, if I could only remember the words that Raven and Psy are always saying."

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos."

"Oh yeah, that's right." He closes his eyes in focus. "Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…" After standing there for a few seconds, he peeks through his right eye. As expected, nothing happened. "What'd I do wrong?"

"Ummm, try looking up at the sky and saying it again."

"Alright, that sounds reasonable." He takes a deep breath and once again recites the words while looking up into the orange, burnt sky. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." His feet slowly rise off the ground, and soon he's a comfortable five feet off the ground. "It worked!"

"Awesome! Now, where to next?"

"Well that's easy. I have absolutely NO idea."

Bryon hovers in the air next to Mood Swing for a few minutes, trying to think of what to do next while Mood Swing scratches inside his ear and looks at his finger afterwards. "You know, you COULD help me think of something."

"I am!"

Bryon rolls his eyes, and goes back to thinking. Suddenly, and idea hits him like a ton of bricks. "Joel, do you have a map of the world?"

"Hmmm, lemme ask my geography teacher!"

"Well you don't have to get sarcastic, it was a simple question!"

"Well then NO I do not have a map of the world!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

The two teens float back to the ground and stand facing opposite directions.

"The only reason I asked for a map was because I had an idea that might actually work."

"Oh yeah? And what might that be?"

"Scrying."

"What?"

"Scrying. It's sort of like clairvoyance and being able to tell the future. Other things you can do with scrying include seeing people you want to see, and finding people no matter where they are."

"What? How?"

"Well I'll show you if I can find a map."

"Ugh fine!" Joel leans over the burnt, dusty ground and the stripes on his suit glow yellow as he begins to shrink in size. Soon he's about the size of a six inch tall action figure. His stripes then glow red and he begins to use his plasma blasts to draw a large rectangle in the dirt. He then moves around inside the rectangle and begins drawing the continents, labeling each one as he goes. His stripes fade back to yellow and he runs out of the rectangle and resumes his normal size and the yellow stripes fade back to white. "There, happy? Now what?"

"Let me see Psy's necklace."

"What? No way! Psy gave this to me to find him, there's no way I'm giving it up to you."

"Listen, magic got us all into this, and magic is the only way to get us out. I remember reading about scrying in one of Raven's books when I was bored, and we need that necklace. It's the only thing that'll even work."

For a split second Mood Swing's stripes burn red in anger, but turn back to white almost as quickly as the turned red. He grudgingly takes off the eye-shaped necklace and hands it to Bryon. Bryon looks at Mood Swing for a second. "Joel, I know you miss your brother. But we have to…"

"No! You don't know! Nobody does!" Tears well in his now blue eyes, and the stripes on his uniform become blue as well. A dark aura emanates from his body, much like one Psy or Raven would have. "No one understands that even though Psy and Raven are twins and that I'm only Psy's half brother or something, that I've lived with Psy my entire life! I've known him better than anyone. He's my brother and he's gone Bryon! He's gone and we're not even sure we'll be able to bring him back! We're just going on what happened last time. But this isn't last time! It's this time!"

Bryon just stands there embarrassed and quiet as Mood Swing sobs, still surrounded by the black aura. All of a sudden Bryon realizes that the necklace in his hand is burning hot. He looks at it and notices that it's really bright. "Joel! Look!"

Mood Swing looks quickly at the pendant and snatches it from Bryon's hand. And then, as if he suddenly knows where to go, he looks at the sky. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" And takes off, leaving Bryon standing dumbfounded for a few seconds before taking off after him.

Mood Swing flies at top speed, heading due East with Bryon following close behind. The two pass ruins of cities, and millions of "statues" of people that had been petrified. They cross an ocean of liquid hot magma that was once a crystal blue sea. From his calculations, Bryon figures them to be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, heading towards Great Britain.

"I wonder why we're going there." He asks himself.

Three teenagers lie on the ground, a young blonde girl, a guy with black spiky hair, and another girl with long red hair. The three teens lie unconscious, and as they start to wake up they realize that they aren't going to be able to take much more of a beating from the giant red monster standing over them. The blonde girl stands up and cradles her left arm which is bent at a wrong angle. She looks up at her teammates with angry and painful tears in her eyes.

"I think it's broken," Terra states.

Robin sighs. "If Raven were here maybe she could fix it."

"If Raven were here, this would not be happening," Starfire says.

Robin looks at Trigon, and sees that he's returned to his makeshift throne in the side of the cliff. "I think he's lost interest in us. You know, we probably shouldn't have fought Trigon in the first place. We know that he can see what we're gonna do before we do it. We probably should've gone with Geo-Force and Mood Swing to find Psy and Raven."

"I believe that we are free to pursue the twins. I do not think that the Trigon will follow us," Starfire comments.

"Oh no, I'm not finished with him yet! He's hurt me, and he's hurt my brother. And since he's evil incarnate, he's the reason for all my family's pain. He's the reason for everything in my life going wrong!" Her voice becomes a frantic scream as she turns on Trigon, her eyes burning bright yellow and her hair whipping around her face.

Robin and Starfire exchange worried glances.

"Starfire…"

"Yes Robin?"

"Terra's powers…they're becoming unstable. We have to go."

Starfire grabs Robin's hand and flies him out away from the scene as Terra's rage builds.

"I hate you! And everything you stand for! You're going to pay for what you've done. Not only to me, but to everyone you've ever hurt! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Terra's body glows yellow as her powers increase exponentially and a gigantic explosion follows.

"Robin, will Terra be…ok?"

Robin says nothing for a time, while examining Terra's seemingly lifeless form. "She will be, in time. She used a lot of her power against Trigon. I'm surprised that her body even survived an explosion like that."

"It is most hard to believe that her body can house such power and even harder to believe that she might unleash a force such as that and hardly harm the Trigon at all."

"I know Star. But even though Terra didn't destroy Trigon, she did weaken him considerably. It'll buy us more time to find the twins. The only problem is, now we can't go help Mood Swing and Geo."

"For now we must stay and take care of Terra, correct?"

"Yeah."

"But how do we know that we will be safe here?"

"We don't…we just have to hope that we are."

"Joel, I'm still not sure on why you've brought us to England of all places, but I'm guessing this is where we're supposed to go to find Psy and Raven?"

Mood Swing has calmed down considerably, but still has the look of determination set hard on his face. "Yes. I don't know exactly what we're going to find here, but what I do know is that we aren't going to find my brother and Raven here."

"Well then why did you bring us here?"

Mood Swing lets out a heavy sigh. "Because this is where we will find the second of the three clues as to where they are."

Bryon pauses momentarily. "How do you know there are three clues?"

"I'm not sure, I just…know. Just like I know that the second clue is here in England."

"Wait, if this is the second clue, then what was the first one?"

"The coliseum. The coliseum was our first clue because it leads us in the general direction we were to go. The second clue will be more specific, and the third clue. Well, the third clue will be a map."

Bryon stares at Mood Swing astonished. "Joel…he told you this…didn't he?"

Mood Swing looks at his feet solemnly. "Yeah. I don't know how, but he did. And he didn't really say it through words, more like…pictures. They weren't clear pictures, but I could see enough to tell what each clue meant."

"But how are we going to come across the second clue? How will we know it's the clue when we find it?"

Mood Swing pauses, "We'll know."

Bryon looks at Mood Swing questioningly and worriedly. "Joel, there's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"

Mood Swing looks up at Bryon and thinks to himself a long time before speaking. "We're going to be taken prisoner as the second clue."

"By who?"

"By me." A witch walks out of the shadows of a nearby rock. Her face entirely covered by a purple hooded cloak. "You are both under arrest for treason against my master and lord of this mortal realm."

With a flick of her wrist she conjures up two guards that appear at her side and walk over to restrain Mood Swing and Geo-Force. Bryon quickly crouches into attack position, but a motion from Mood Swing tells him that this is part of what needs to happen, and he relaxes and allows himself to be retained by the guards.

"Blackfire, no matter what you believe, Trigon will turn on you, just as you've turned on your people," Mood Swing says to the witch.

"We will see oh brother of the elixir. I have served my master very well. I will be rewarded," Blackfire the witch taunts. "Take them to the dungeons of Aziomoth."

At these words, a rift opens in the ground, and the orange light of the center of the earth escapes from it along with the heat and steam. The two guards push Bryon and Mood Swing forward as they are lead down into the abyss.

Mood Swing looks at Bryon whose head is down. "It won't be long now Geo. My brother will come to our aid once more before we can rescue them. That will be the third clue; he will leave us a map."

But Bryon keeps his head down, for he is finally coming to the realization of what is to come. He saw something that Mood Swing did not. He saw what lies at the end of the map, and it's not what he wants.