Chapter I: Reminiscence
Inquiries have been made as to the expansion of the relationship between Beastboy and Starfire. The majority of any mention of the couple is in this chapter but the story itself will focus on Beastboy and Raven. It won't be left at that and that's all I will reveal.
I have a fairly good idea of what will happen throughout the main journey for both parties as well as a firm knowledge of how it will end. I'll try to get it out as fast as I can manage, and I hope to see you on the other side.
Previously:" Raven left the last Dragon to his lamentations, intending to return on a regular basis to make him suffer for his sins. This was her Fury taking over, her demonic half emerging dominant, but she didn't care. She was in Hell and she would make damned sure that she would thrive."
The sun rose on a new day in Hell.
Not that she could call it a day. Or that she could call it a sun. Or that it was Hell at all. Pretty much everything to do with that statement was wrong.
The light appeared on a new cycle in her home.
That was more accurate. This was an alternate dimension, immune from traditional laws of planetary gravity or accepted ideas of solar systems. As far as she could tell, Hell wasn't a spirit realm of pain and suffering, constructed of nine little rooms where something nibbled at toes and chewed on hair. Hell consisted of entire worlds, planets whose size dwarfed Earth and were dedicated to the eternal damnation of souls.
She currently resided in the city of Dis, a massive metropolis comprising the fifth world of Hell.
Massive was putting it mildly. From what she knew, the city spanned the entire globe, covering every corner and every crevice with stone and mortar. Before, she was kept in the dungeons far below the city, far away from anyone and anything that could possibly be
The light came from outside, not from a singular source, but a steady emission that came from everywhere and nowhere. The light dimmed and radiated, facilitating day and night, but with no was to compare it to the solar cycles on Earth. Two 'days' had passes since she arrived and already she was swept away with what she had become. She had only met with a few of her kind, but here she was feared, respected. She was the daughter of the most powerful demon in Hell and it showed.
In her presence, every creature and being bowed in reverence. The ancient system of monarchy was clearly in effect and she was one of the high-borns. There were still hidden glances, whispered murmurs and feelings of apprehension around her and for good reason. Neither Raven nor the demons around her knew her place. She was the daughter of the assumed ruler, but what was she other than that?
One of the forgotten ones, probably. A black sheep that didn't deserve recognition, let alone the blood of Trigon himself. How could she be anything otherwise? She thwarted his plans of domination twice and practically denounced her heritage before him.
She rose from a bed this time, an actual bed with four posts and blankets. The material was mostly toughened leather, the type unknown to her, but very thick and very tough. Walking to an open window at the far side of the room, she gazed upon her new home.
She punched the stone wall beside her, bruising her knuckles and leaving behind a few scrapings of skin behind. Just as soon as the wounds were inflicted, they were healed, particles of skin flowing over the injured flesh and blood retracting back into the bloodstream it was ruptured from.
She punched the wall again, harder this time. Her healing, naturally augmented by her location happened even faster this time, renewing her skin to her ghostly sheen.
Filled with anger, she unleashed a flurry of blows on the limestone, fracturing three bones in her hands and making blood dribble down her wrist. She panted heavily, exhausted from the outburst, only to see the damage heal itself again. The blood quickly clotted and all that was left was a dried trickle of blood that ran along her arm.
A knock on the door interrupted her actions and the door opened, revealing a shrunken and beaten man prostrating himself before her, clad in a faded and ragged red cloak. A tattoo on his forehead symbolized that he was a slave, an object to be used in every way with no regret of remorse. "My lady Raven, your most illustrious father deigns your presence."
A hint of pity flashed across her eyes as she looked on the frail man. "How did you become like this?" Raven asked. She felt that she already knew the answer, but she wanted to know for sure.
Lowering himself even further, he spoke. "Throughout my life, I worshipped your father in the church of Blood. He has rewarded me with a place in his service. It is a great honor to be of use to Trigon the Terrible!" The words sounded forced, but with a baseless conviction to it.
She looked at the man, groveling at her feet, disheveled and pale from living a shadow of a life for longer than could be determined. "It doesn't look like an honor to me." She whispered to herself.
The messenger backed up, never raising his head and left the chamber, leading the demon princess to her father.
The room she was led to was much smaller than the arena she met him in before, comprising of a large balcony overlooking the city. Trigon stood in the center of the platform, basking in the dimensional glow above him.
"Daughter." Her father was in a less intimidating stance, even appearing to have shrunk in size, but still towering the demoness. "Rise." He commanded.
She obeyed and rose from her kneeling position. A moment of silence passed between them, so she decided to begin. "You summoned me."
His eyes narrowed. "Is a father not allowed to see the result of his seed?"
She crossed her arms defiantly. "I told you before I banished you, you have no right to be called 'Father'! You had no part in my upbringing!"
He slammed his arm against the wall behind him. "I created you! That is part enough!"
"What did you bring me for?" Raven asked. She wanted to leave his presence as quickly as possible.
Trigon sat down and brought his joined hands to the front of his face. "I would name you my heir, give you command of all the legions of Hell, and control over every world of the afterlife." His four eyes narrowed with curiosity as her four eyes widened with shock.
"W... What?" She was stunned. She was being given ultimate power by the ruler of the Hells. Only one question stood up from the many that were furiously tearing up her mind. "Why me? You have three sons, dozens of daughters."
"Hundreds."
Even though the number was immense, she could barely process the reason that he chose her. "Why me?"
"When I was born, I killed my own mother. By the time that I was a year old, the entire planet bowed before me. At six, I destroyed it and set out amongst the stars, conquering all under heaven. At thirty, I had dominion over millions of worlds, hundreds of galaxies. Now I possess the souls of all creatures after death. My nature is my birthright. I have not known any other way to live."
Raven could only gape at the story. This could have been her destiny, her legacy. "You still haven't answered my question." She replied.
Trigon sat back on his throne. "I thought that I was the most powerful being in the universe, but you proved me wrong. You, who had friends, family, and restraint on your powers defeated I, who captured planets by lifting a finger. I never had friends. I never had a family. I never had anyone or anything to protect me but myself. It is clear to me that you are the future, my daughter. You are my heir."
Her heart pounded furiously against her chest, but she didn't know if it was from the anticipation of ruling or from the thought of the responsibility given to her. Hell, it could be both. "I... I..." She couldn't even form a sentence, she was so shocked.
He lifted his hand and faced his palm in her direction. "Do you deny the gift I offer?"
That's exactly what it was. A gift from her father. An inheritance that she never dreamed. Power and influence, far beyond the position that she held back on Earth. Her Fury shivered with delight at the very thought.
The shiver spread through all of her body and every emotion, filling them all with the thrill of power. She stood straighter, her eyes glowed brighter, and her weight seemed to increase, her feet digging into the ground with renewed vigor. She shook her head, visibly accepting her heritage.
"Good." His eyes glowed and a black spike of energy emitted from his hand and pierced her body. The black spear stuck itself in the middle of her abdomen, but it inflicted no pain. It lifted her up, her arms hanging loosely behind her, as if a supernatural force possessed her.
The spear crackled with demonic energy and shrunk in size, receding inside of her body and imbuing it with power that spread out to her extremities. The ancient glyphs of Scath that once marred her skin re-emerged, glowing red amongst the pale hue. The final mark on her forehead shone like a beacon and signaled to all that she was chosen by Trigon, an honor above all else.
Imbued with her newfound power, she gently lowered herself to the ground and looked at her hands, seeing them in a whole new light.
This was what it meant to be a demon. To be all powerful, to have the dimensions at her command. Humans could merely grasp at the thought with futile efforts, only imagine what it was like to truly control. Pretending to be unique was to be human. Raven no longer needed to pretend.
Her lips parted into a wide smile, revealing a row of sharp, pearly white fangs. She was a demon.
(Scene Break)
Time elapsed in Hell: 2 years, 4 months, 19 days
Time elapsed on Earth: 1 month, 2 days
"Story, story, story!"
"Okay, Garfield. One story, and then beddie-byes!"
The green child nodded furiously and sat down, clutching his feet with anticipation. "Story, Daddy!"
The older man sat down opposite his son and took off his glasses. "Many years ago, there was a man and a woman, and they were deeply in love with each other. The man's name was Orpheus and he was a talented musician. He was so talented that he could even cause the rocks to weep at the beauty of the sound."
Garfield tried to sound out the name. "Ou... Ouf-ees."
Mark smiled. "Close enough. Now his wife's name was Eurydice, daughter of the God Apollo."
The child tried again. "Y... Yuri..."
His father's expression grew sterner. "Now son, you won't learn about that until much later! Let me finish the story, okay?"
Garfield nodded. "Yes Daddy!"
"Now these two people were so in love that they couldn't bear to be apart, the loneliness would kill them. One day, his wife died, leaving Orpheus in a terrible place. He sat in the middle of a forest and played a melody so sad and so mournful that every being in existence felt his sorrow and wept. So powerful was his music that the very earth opened up beneath him, creating a path all the way down to the underworld."
A middle-aged woman walked in on the story and sat down, wrapping her arm around her husband.
He smiled and continued. "He travelled deep into the underworld, searching for his love, leaving everything behind to find her again. There has been only one love as true and strong as theirs since then."
He leaned over and gave Marie a big kiss on the cheek, earning a deep kiss from his wife and a look of true appreciation between them.
"One relationship that makes every other look dull and boring by comparison." He firmly grasped his wife's hand and brought it to his chest. "Prince Charles and Diana! Nothing else comes close!"
His wife tackled him and they both landed on the bed with laughter and playful jabs between them. Garfield stuck out his tongue and covered his eyes. "Yucky!" He said.
The couple wrestled in bed for a short time, culminating in the wife pinning her husband with his arm behind his back. Mark pounded on the mattress twice. "Uncle!"
Marie got off him and picked her son up, putting him on her lap. "I'll stay with the only man who loves me around here!" She protested.
Garfield bounced on his mother's lap. "What happened next, Daddy?"
Returning to a sitting position, he gave a jealous glare to his son, snuggled tightly with his mother. "Orpheus searched high and low, finding nothing. He then played a song that reached the God of the underworld, bringing him to tears. He asked for his wife to be returned to him, to go back to the world of the living and live the life they deserved."
This time, his wife wanted to know what happened next. "And?"
"And he agreed! Orpheus could return with his wife, but with one condition: He had to walk back the way he came with his wife following him, but he couldn't look back at her during the trip."
"What happened next, dear?" Marie asked. Garfield was staring intently at his father, wondering the same thing.
"Human curiosity." He replied. "Halfway through the trip, he betrayed his wife and looked back even when he said he wouldn't. He saw the face of his dead wife, not pretty at all and condemned her to an eternity in the afterlife."
Garfield's bottom lip quivered as he heard the last part, tears welling up against his eyes.
"Remember Garfield. Never make a deal with the devil, but if you don't have a choice, always hold up your end of the bargain."
Garfield slowly nodded his head while snuggling closer to his mother, trying to stay close to something warm and secure.
Then again, there was nothing warm or secure any more. 'Brother Green' sat perched on a rock high above a forest of brambles an thorns. The loud whir of machinery hummed through the area, emanating from a 'Forest Shredder' as they dubbed it. It tore a path through the dense shrubbery of death with great ease, surpassing whatever length any human or beast could hack their way through before tiring.
It had been a long month on Earth and things only ever seemed to get worse. The world still suffered from the actions of Malchior, natural disasters still prevalent across the globe. One good thing emerged from all of the chaos: The countries stopped fighting each other and started helping with relief efforts and medical assistance.
There was even talk of a global summit that would be held in a few days, dozens of global leaders meeting in secret to devise possible solutions to the crisis. It was made clear that it was to be a primarily human event, the help of any aliens or superhero strictly forbidden.
This wasn't much of a concern now. The world would keep spinning with or without his help. His only concern now was of a more personal nature. Something that he had to do himself, not because he had the best chance for success, but because he was the only one who could. Who would.
Raven.
That single statement rang out through his mind and into his recent past. The word conjured up every decision he made and chance he took for the sole purpose of finding the one he lost.
The memories were valuable for tonight was the night that he would enter the abyss.
"But Gar, you mustn't! The people you talk to are not right! They lie and they cheat and they worship the most... horrible creatures. Cease contact with them immediately!"
"I can't do that, Star. They can get me to her, they know how."
"But what will you pay? How much will you sacrifice for a lost cause? Gar, she's dead!"
"NO!" He yelled as he slammed his fist into the wall beside him, causing small cracks to form on the old bricks. "I made a promise, Star. I never go back on my promises, ever."
"Don't go where I am unable to follow!" A river of tears flowed from the Tamaranian as she shut her eyes tightly. Garfield had always been brash when committing to something but she just knew that it would not end well. Swallowing back her sadness, she grasped his hands tightly and stared into his eyes. "I will not stop you, friend. Please just remember who you are."
Her words hit home with him and he could feel emotional turmoil bubble up within him.
Starfire advanced, embracing the green man in a tight hug. "Just please stay with me. Stay for one last night." She pleaded. Her heart wrenched to imagine him gone.
He put his arms around her shoulder and caressed her long crimson hair. Without saying anything else, he nodded into her shoulder and tightened his grip, not wanting to let go until he absolutely had to.
The night had been long and restless, culminating in a night of emotional passion. She had been particularly fierce in the bedroom, holding onto him as if it was his last night on Earth, and in a way it was. He accepted her ferocity, reciprocating with his own and making sure that her needs were both met and surpassed.
The lovemaking lasted into the early hours of the morning, their bodies tangling long after most humans would have collapsed with fatigue. Her warrior spirit invigorated her and his animalistic vitality kept him going, making for a last night that trumped all others.
He waited until he knew that she was asleep and rose from the bed. She rolled to the side, occupying the space that Garfield once did, subconsciously hoping to stay with his scent, his warmth. He reached over and pulled the blanket over her shoulder. The action caused a strand of hair to fall over her face, so he reached across and gently drew it back, showing a radiant and innocent face.
Theirs was a complicated relationship, neither physically or emotionally binding. Theirs was a union of two people who understood each other completely, who found comfort in the other and who could satisfy any craving for intimacy or company.
Title didn't matter between them. Status held no power over them. A princess and a pet. A prisoner and a paragon. Two people from two different races. Two people altered, experimented on to change their physiology. Two beings that could be completely unguarded with the other, totally defenseless without worrying about being taken advantage of.
He valued her opinion and held no secrets from her, but he wouldn't be stopped. He cared about her wellbeing and her peace of mind, but he didn't want her pure soul tainted along with his.
A crackled and distorted voice broke through an old radio attached to a headphone under his mask. "Brother Green, we've broken through. Did you hold up your end of the bargain?" He was covered in black clothes that hid every inch of his green skin, a necessity for him with... these types.
A flash of satisfaction lingered on his face, but it quickly disappeared. "Of course. Are we sure that this is the right place?"
The radio crackled to life again. "Affirmative. Bring the package."
Garfield leapt from his perch and dashed along the path the shredder created. Time was of the essence. There was no time to dawdle. This night took an entire month to plan and his hard work was about to come to fruition.
It took long conversations with people, unsavory and otherwise, longer days of research in musty rooms, and deals made that should never have been. The men waiting for him within the thick forest of brambles were the result of the most important, yet second least honorable act he had done in the last few weeks.
He was reaching the end of the path that was recently torn through the thorns, running along the deep tire treads on the ground and between hewn branches. The faded yellow machine was parked off to the side, allowing him to pass it and into the open field it broke into.
Three men in red garb stood ceremoniously around a tomb, the stone walls concealing the chamber within. He walked up to the door and brushed a gloved hand on it, marveling at the age of it. He heard three guns cocking and put his hands to his side.
He turned around to face three pistols trained on various parts of his body. "I thought we were going to be reasonable about this."
The lead cultist raised his gun a little higher. "Reason be damned. We knew who you were from the beginning." He looked at the man to his left and made a motion with his gun, the cloaked man walking towards Garfield. The man grabbed the base of his hood and ripped it off, revealing his green face and pointed ears. "Give us the package!" He yelled.
Garfield's fingers brushed his backpack, fabric impacting against a metallic circle. His arms crossed in an intimidating fashion. "No."
The leader shook his gun at the superhero, as if trying to change his mind. "The cult of Blood will meet its goal. We will return our leader to his former glory!"
Garfield flashed a toothy grin. "Of course, but first, you'll have to deal with her." He nodded to a location behind them.
The three men turned their heads to see a flash of green, launching the leader into the distance. The green man leapt at the man on his left, performing a quick flurry of well-placed punches that rendered him unconscious.
The last one standing aimed his gun at Garfield, firing two quick shots before a starbolt flew at his hand, incinerating the firearm and severely burning his hand. A final, less powerful starbolt flew at his face, exploding inches before impact and overwhelmed his senses, the pressure forcing his brain to protect itself, lapsing into unconsciousness.
The orange-skinned beauty flew to the crouching green man, anxious to relieve any injuries he sustained. She grasped his hand firmly while checking his body for any penetrations. He responded by gripping the hand tightly, reassuring her that he was unharmed.
"It's a good thing they're such bad shots!" He said jokingly.
Starfire slapped him hard on the cheek, leaving a large red welt. "You left in the middle of the night. You did not even say farewell!"Her forehead wrinkled from the angry stare.
His head drooped. "I know, Kori. I'm sorry... Really sorry but I have to do this alone."
She moved next to him, sitting with their legs touching. "You could not have included me in any of your exploits?" She asked innocently.
He stared at her, their green eyes meeting without cowering. His hand cupped her cheek and she moved closer to embrace it.
She loved it when he did that. It was reassuring and peaceful, a single action that could calm and invigorate her.
With a slow motion, he moved her forehead closer to his lips and kissed it. "I'm going to get her back." He whispered with a firm conviction.
She rested her head on his shoulder. "Can I not come?"
Garfield shook his head. "No Kori. Not this time."
She closed her eyes tightly with regret, but accepted it. She stood up and walked over to the large stone structure. "Then allow me to assist you!" She stood beside the large circular door and placed her hands on it. Pushing hard, she slowly made the boulder shift, using her immense alien strength to move it out of the way.
The rock made way for a small opening in the tomb, far smaller than average crypts but wide enough for a single person to fit through. She clapped her hands together, flinging the particles of stone from them. Garfield walked to join her in front of the entrance and hugged her. "Thank you for everything."
She smiled and hugged him back. "Of course my friend." They broke the embrace after a moment and held hands. "If you make it back, I do believe you owe me a favor."
"I believe I would." With that, he clambered inside of the large stone structure, careful not to scrape either himself or any of the possessions he had with him. The crawlspace held true to its name and Garfield found himself in a very tight corridor, comparable to some air vents he crawled through on various missions.
He emerged into a large polished sphere, carved into the stone many centuries ago, but still completely devoid of any signs of aging. As he exited the small space, a quiet grinding could be heard behind him. A stone block closed the passage behind him, completing the perfect sphere and cutting off every source of light. Garfield was left in total darkness.
Reaching behind him, he opened the backpack and took out the item that the Cult of Blood wanted before. The item that would allow him to travel into the abyss. The only artificial way to break into Hell, combining the right object used in the right place.
The Horn of the Herald inside of the Tomb or Orpheus. The tale described Orpheus playing a song so powerful that it gave him entrance into the underworld. The only instrument that could open portals to other dimensions was the Herald's Horn and the only way into Hell was at the place where a door was opened before.
This was the moment that he had been planning for a month for. This was the time that needed weeks of meticulous organization, something he had never been good at. This was the place that required a deal with unsavory types to locate. This was the only location that the Herald's Horn could go that deep into the dimensions.
Calming himself, Garfield took a deep breath, filling his lungs as much as he could. He brought the Horn to his lips and he blew. Following the instructions of the Herald to the letter, he vibrated the metal of the horn to a certain frequency. That sound vibrated through the chamber, breaching through every dimension and every point in time.
The sound bounced off of every surface in the sphere, destabilizing the space in the chamber and separating it from the mortal plane. With his lungs depleted of air, Garfield quickly put the Horn back in his pack and knelt down, covering his sensitive ears to prevent damage from the rapidly increasing volume.
The peal of the trumpet vibrated through his body and the air around him, overwhelming every sense in his body. He could hear the horn's call. He could taste it. He could feel it. He could smell it. He could see the sound, a vision indescribable in any language known to man.
He could feel the cold stone surface on his feet and then it was gone. A lone man, surrounded by sound and sound alone.
Then, everything stopped.
(Scene Break)
A faint humming could be heard from an empty spot in an open field. The humming grew louder in intensity, increasing until the din became unbearable. The sound was so powerful that the very air seemed to shimmer, but it was clear that something was appearing.
A translucent sphere became visible in the air, a ball of swirling light and sound that grew in size and shape. The bottom of the sphere penetrated the ground, making the surface ripple as though it became liquid.
A massive crater formed in the land, the waves pushing outwards and creating curves in the very ground it once belonged to. The cacophony rose and the sphere became increasingly opaque, the very wind whipping around the area with hurricane force.
When it seemed that the sound could not get any louder, the ground no softer, the air no faster, everything exploded. The sound sent a visible shockwave across the land, spreading for miles and calming everything it touched as it expanded.
The crater hardened as if it had always been like that, a perfect sphere shaped gouge in the ground that made everything look like it belonged. The only thing that marred the surface, that seemed unnatural in the underworld was the crouched form of a man.
The figure slowly took in a breath of air through his nose. Then he took another. He opened his mouth and took in air through his canines. Satisfied that he was still alive, he stood up and surveyed the area.
The ground was black as death. The sky was red as blood. The air reeked of fear and anguish. The dimension tasted of rotting flesh. His features relaxed themselves as he took in the feeling of what he had accomplished. What he had achieved.
The only human to break into Hell for over two millennia. All to retrieve what he had lost.
He growled, a slow hum that passed through his mouth that asserted his dominance of the situation. Unsatisfied, he unleashed a roar that echoed through the dimension, alerting all of a newcomer.
Garfield smiled. "I'm here."
To be continued...
Everything that will follow shall take place in the infinite abyss that awaits us all... eventually.
I do hope that this stays true to the previous story and that it is a good read. It certainly is when I go back and check my work.
Amenson out.