Radiance

by vampirecheetah

Through the events leading up to the fulfillment of her destiny, both Slade and Raven discover an unusual bond with each other.

6. prophecy

Chapter 6: prophecy

The moment Raven was deemed healthy enough to leave the medical bay she was clad back in her usual attire. Her calm and placid attitude was back to the forefront of appearance. One who didn't know the titans personally or had seen them on a day to day basis wouldn't have noticed that the empath had recently experienced the dreams and the strain of Slade's pursuit. However, her fellow titans had, and they treated the matter delicately. Raven hated it.

They were babying her, and the last thing Raven wanted was their sympathy, pity, or help. If they truly wanted to aid her with any of it, they could just leave her alone and let her handle everything by herself. The dream nearly a week ago served as a revelation on many levels. Raven wasn't just Raven any longer. Slade had changed her, her father was changing her. Gradually she was becoming what she'd concealed from her friends, her family all this time. The ashen skin teen wasn't certain whether or not she could reverse these changes inside her, but she had to at least try and fix that. She had to resolve all of it without the others involvement.

Their dream counter parts reactions were seemingly all too real, and plausible. That past week Raven had tried to soothe herself with reminders that Robin would treat her with an opportunity of explanation before complete judgment, Starfire would naïvely ignore all of it, Cyborg would try to be understanding, and Beast Boy would never give up on her in that foolish way of his. No matter how many times she'd told herself this, their negative comments and harsh words would echo with clarity in her mind, putting any hope she'd gained to death.

The only fall back that Raven could count on was her meditation. It reassured her usual emotionless façade, kept her emotions and powers in order, eased her mind. Although meditation was just as gradually becoming a struggle since her birthday, it still helped to relieve her of her mental aches and worries. Or, at least it had.

Just hours ago the horrible truth had slammed into the mystic with force. He had fully invaded her meditation. Of course the past few weeks she'd had the misfortune of reliving the visuals of Jump city in ruins, had seen the impression of her friends' last tormenting moments incased in stone, and had seen her father's figure skulking around in the background, but it all was nothing like this. Usually after such images her mind would collapse into the black and starry scape of her mind to release the pent up strength her emotions collected.

Now there was no collapse, it was reality. Slade had been there, she recalled, and it had frightened her. The last time they had physically met he tried to force entry into her mind. He threatened to see her life, her secrets, things Raven dared not share with anyone for fear of what it would do to others views of her. Knowing he could take her identity from her, all ready knowing what it was like to take it away from someone else, her fear of Slade was justified.

It wasn't just the fact Slade had been there, it was Him as well. Raven always knew that a piece of Him was inside of her, and He always made himself known as the voice in her head, suggesting demonic course of actions. He had never been able to disrupt her meditation before, it was her means to fight him, but now… When she had heard him, when she had felt just how hot the blaze of fire he'd sent at her was, when all four eyes opened and focused upon her…Raven could feel his evil deep with in her bones.

Words would not describe that sort of feeling, that dark, cold imprint that surrounded her in a squeezing moment. It was a joke on a universal, cosmic scale. Raven was an ant, a little play thing for her father until he decided when and where to use her to her full extent. Waking up from that failed meditation had affected her, it renewed her desire to reverse any demonic changes occurring inside her. She didn't want to become that, she didn't want to feel that horrible decaying presence. There had to have been a way to stop it, for her sake, for her friends' sake.

It was why she unquestioningly obeyed Robin's request to research anything she could upon the symbol on Slade's brow. Certainly having the same inscription would allow a basis to apply knowledge of it from him to her. The change would have begun when the angry red marks were burned into her flesh. If there was a way to remove them, to reverse her metamorphosis, perhaps there was also a way to change this destiny of hers as well. It had been the most hope she'd had in a while, a frantic hope, but a hope all the same. That hope had feigned when she stumbled upon several pages in the Book of Azar decreeing all she had need to know of the tattoos in her skin, of her destiny.

There was no hope. There was no hope for the human race, and no hope for her. It had read there was no stopping the growth of her demonic nature, her evolution into the gateway of Trigon's entry.

Raven recalled instantly denying the texts. She had to believe there was a solution. The Book of Azar had never lied to her before, and Raven had no reason not to believe the texts. For the first time in her life she had defiantly threw the book under her bed as if in an effort of sacrilege. There would be a way to save her friends from herself, and she could do it without their knowledge of her true origins.

Robin had equally surprised her just as much as her actions. His leadership skills had shined through for once, as he managed to pull the efforts of all the other titans to assist in his research. It was times like these that reminded Raven of the beginning of the titans. Back then, she had been looking for the qualities of a leader, some one who could take hold of everything during this exact situation. It was what she had wanted, anticipated, but now seeing the effectiveness of his research and how close he was coming to the truth. Perhaps Raven had picked her leader too well.

She hadn't been the only one researching into the symbol marking Slade's head. The others had helped in this search. It hadn't been just that. Robin had also been searching for the meaning behind the symbol Raven had unintentionally inscribed in his neck. That very fact left her paranoid. That day every where in the tower she turned to see printouts of her father's mark, or her own, but it served a purpose. They would remind her of her renewed quest to fix everything and to keep her friends distantly safe. She wouldn't be so gone in a power struggle to inscribe any one again, despite Slade's warnings.

This brought her to her current thoughts of Slade.

The sensations of passing through concrete were chilly, but in all ways calming. Passing through matter forced Raven to remain relaxed, to keep her body as limp and loose as possible. The shadowy, inky form that she was now propelled through the streets by force of mind, whims. She merely thought of simple commands on the most basic of levels, forward, left, and on reflex she would move accordingly. Since the abrupt denial of meditation, this was a startling relief, and for the moment a decent alternative.

Above her echoing through the concrete was sounds and vibrations of movement. Explosions, there radiated a lot of those. Raven could compare it to the feeling of the hot sun beating down on ones skin, and the sudden coldness of standing in the shade. On one side of her undecipherable body she could feel that cold concrete, and then on the other the heat emitting from Slade's fire.

A lot of the information coming into her this way was confusing. The longer she tried to make sense of it the more lost she became. Raven knew that the fight was raging above her, but she was hesitant in joining. Even Robin knew she hadn't been able to effectively meditate lately; she was a liability to the team. Still, sitting incognito was nice. It was safe, and it eased her worry and her dread. That still wasn't to say she wouldn't help them the best she could from this angle. Slade was hers to handle, and the thought of him leading all of them out of the tower like this prickled uneasily in the back of her mind.

There it was, he moved. Raven mentally swam through the road, stalking him. She purposely trailed. If Slade wanted to lead, she would let him lead, and for the moment he was leading her away from the others. Good, she could confront him without a hassle. When the distance away from the others was satisfactory to her, she pushed harder, coming up and passed the masked man and in front of him. Within the span of Slade's next step, Raven broke the barrier between concrete and air in the shape of her black, astral self. In seconds she took shape from the bird, and was now face to face with the other.

Slade halted in her presence with an air of discontent about him. His body straightened, standing with a perfect posture unlike his just recent displays of unnatural body control. Being a dead and revived minion left that problem, apparently. He was trying to work muscle tissue that was long since been dead.

"I'm disappointed." Slade began, "I missed my fiancé during our big reunion battle."

Raven's eyes narrowed sharply. A note made to warn her that he still had every intention of the mental rape, despite involving all of her family this time. For that, she reinforced all the barriers constructed in her mind as precaution. The last thing she wanted was for Slade to attempt that again, especially so near her companions. She didn't want them to see her reduced to an empty husk of herself.

"You don't have my mind Slade. Not yet.," Raven equally warned, her voice serious and threatening.

"On the contrary, I do. Perhaps not as you have mine, but He did promised it to me.," he corrected her as if he was scolding a student.

Her mind was not anyone's to give. However…that was not the issue of present. Raven reluctantly let it slide.

"What do you want," she finally stated what she had been following him for.

"Only what any messenger wants, Raven, for their message to be heard."

At his response Raven couldn't help but role her eyes in irritation. Another message? How many god damn messages could Slade have?

"Let me guess. Skies will burn. Flesh will become stone. The sun will set on your world never to rise again.," she mocked.

Slade chuckled coyly. "I see you committed it to memory."

"Kind of hard not to.," her retort. "Now tell me. What do you want?"

There was a slight intensity to the glow on his neck. It indicated that her order was felt by him, and unless her father's own commands didn't interfere with her request, than Slade would be forced to tell her. It seemed to be a certainty in this case.

"The master noticed something quite intriguing in one of your…recent dreams. An insecurity of yours, a weakness he found revolting of your caliber, but endearing none the less.," he stated rather smugly, drawing it out.

"You didn't answer my question.," Raven's voice was dangerously low.

"I don't feel inclined to."

Raven shot a hand out, black energy around the antagonist's throat. She squeezed slightly. "If you so much as think His power will keep you from dying at my hands, than think again. Tell. Me."

"It's time your friends learn the truth." He was dropped from her grasp. "And if you don't tell them, I will." His eye was wide, dramatic in effect, a display of how honest the statement was.

He couldn't mean it. Not now. This was only between the three of them, there wasn't a reason for the others to be involved…unless… There was no other explanation. Her father had seen the nightmare she had before waking up in the infirmary. He witnessed how she reacted in the face of their rejection, that she had killed them in a means to replicate that future Slade had shown her. On in actual scale, could it truly drive her completely over the edge? The imagery in her dream flashed briefly before her eyes. They would lash out, shun her, destroy the evil threat, and sentence her to an empathically induced grave with their hatred. Yes, their knowledge of her true nature and origin would destroy her effectively.

"Leave them out of this," Raven demanded as the jagged mark on his neck flashed a bright glowing red. It was why he hadn't initially tried breaking her mentally or physically. No, Slade had a new card up his sleeve and Raven would rip it to shreds if given the chance. Failure was not an option.

"I didn't bring them into this.," Slade humbly bowed himself in answer to her order. Then, the glow on his neck died and was replaced with the unsaid order of his master. Accusingly he pointed towards the cloaked teen. "You did, the day you came into their lives."

"If you're so bent on breaking me Slade, why do you need their help to do it," she hissed.

"Because I enjoy seeing you all suffer. Imagine how betrayed they'll feel when they find out…oh," Slade teased, "I forgot you all ready have."

Raven's fist clenched and in a burst of anger she found herself chucking two concrete slabs in his direction. Slade's body moved with unnatural swiftness. A brutal kick split open the first safely allowing the pieces to fly past him, and a fire forced punch destroyed the last.

"That temper of yours will catch up to you in the future," He paused, allowing her to think back to how that anger had only managed to drive her further towards her father's embrace.

"That won't happen.," her eyes were white, her hands encased with dark energy once more. "I said it once, and I'll say it again. My destiny happens when I say so, not a second sooner! And if I find you have plucked a single hair on their heads I assure you will not like the consequences."

"And I told you that you have no choice in the matter. His will is absolute." Slade looked back indignantly and stepped back from her. "Tick tock, Raven. Time is running out."

He threw his hands in the air. In a flash of demonic hell fire, a maelstrom of flames and smoke rose up an expanded around him. On reflex Raven tumbled back, hands above her in a black shield. It took seconds but in that span Slade had vanished. All that was left behind was a smoldering piece of asphalt…and the fire he had started and spread.

Raven's eyes lowered to where he once stood. Slade had nerve, and he was doing his job at easily pressing her buttons. She couldn't worry herself about that. Too much was at stake. Her friends were everything to her, the family she was never allowed to have. They would die at her hands just because they were close to her, she had to save them. That meant not breaking to their whims, and currently that meant to prevent her friends knowing the truth, by any means possible. Things were grim…

Raven took to the air. She had to find the others.

At least, it was until she felt it. Raven's brows pursed together in confusion and suspicion. She wasn't exactly sure what it was, except that on some preceptor level she sensed it, somewhere out there. Curiosity took the better of her, and as if she was guided by an unsaid hand, her head turned and eyes landed on one building caught within the center of the blaze. A library.

Cautiously she headed in that direction, forcing herself to still look out for her companions, but realizing that doing so was actually difficult. Her attention had been captivated by this signature energy, a familiar energy. It was then she realized that she knew that energy; however it had always been tapered and diluted. What she was feeling know was heavily concentrated, only feeling small and minuet due to the distance away from the source. This was her father's aura.

"RAVEN!"

Her head bolted in the direction of Robin's voice. The figures were small, but all four were gathered together, all outside the dangers of the burning sect of city. It jarred Raven from any alluring presence the energy held over her, and she didn't hesitate in soaring down to their area. She noticed quickly that she felt more at ease with distance from the building.

"What happened," Raven questioned upon landing.

"Slade took off. Where were you," Robin stated, an accusatory note on his voice.

"Looking for Slade.," Raven answered truthfully.

There was a momentary pause between the two. The other three could feel the tenseness bubble in the air. Raven sensed Robin knew she wasn't telling him all of it, but she decided not to act on that knowledge. She knew Robin wouldn't question her and make such a big scene that exact moment. No, those pleasantries were reserved for one on one discussion in the tower. There was a fire currently ragging, that had to be their top priority that moment.

For the next hour Raven found herself helping to prevent civilians from getting caught within the blaze. Meanwhile the aid of local fire departments had squads positioned around the target area to help control the inferno. Even if the area was slated for demolition, there was always the possibility the fire could spread into a neighboring urban development.

The fire was contained, held to the border of the demolition area; however, the blaze was so strong the firefighters were unable to put it out. Nervously, all parties had to let it burn itself out, which took some deal of time. When it did finally die to nothing, impossibility reared its ugly head as if to smite Raven there and then.

The library stood untouched as the epicenter of a three block radius of a horrendous combustion.

Standing mere feet from the building without anything between her and it let just a bit more of that horrible energy to waft towards her. It was like the first impressions that something dead was nearby, getting a wisp of the decaying smell. Her stomach began to knot and churn; the physical signs that it made her sick. Without question, Robin led the other three towards the very spot Raven had been called to earlier. The cloaked woman hesitantly stood, not wanting to approach something that had such an effect on her, but fearful of its effect on her friends. Raven followed after them.

As they neared the boarded up building, that feeling began to grow, and Raven growingly became immeasurably frightened. It wasn't now that just her stomach was performing flip flops; her body began to nervously sweat. Raven could only guess it to be similar to the behavior of prey animals catching scent of a bigger predator. This energy affected her on a primal level. It made her body jumpy in anticipation of something brutally deadly. These reactions were only related to how she felt outside the building, where the power was still distant from her. How would her response in its direct proximity be like? Raven didn't want to know.

"No wonder, this place is a dump." The voice of her green friend snapped her from her inner reflections.

Had they been talking and she hadn't realized it? How could her father's aura imprint leave her in such a state?

The stone engraving declaring the building a library crackled and fell, causing Raven to jump physically. Once again she had been caught wondering and forced back into the reality before her. The reality only seemed to grow bleaker. Hidden once by the building's title was the all too familiar carving she'd seen far too much of recently.

"The Mark of Skath.," Robin iterated, "Slade told me the name."

Skath…Demon…Trigon…Raven's jaw hung open. Slade had been quite serious then in his threat. He was working fast in fueling Robin with what he needed; all he needed to make was an educated guess and opinion of her. The others would shortly follow. She was so stunned Raven almost hadn't called out as they moved to enter the library.

"Wait," it just leapt from her throat suddenly.

They turned to her, knowing the fear she held inside her as if it was emitting as heavily as her father's imprint was to her. Raven swallowed, taken aback by their expressions. She fought, searching her mind for a way to pull them from this place and all its evil.

"It could be a trap."

There, she had said it. It wasn't the brightest or most convincing thing Raven wanted to have exited her mouth, and her tone certainly didn't support a confidence in that statement. She waited an eternity for their response, feeling as if her entire existence that moment was in their hands.

Robin mistook her fear as a sign for answers to come, and turned back to Starfire. "We'll have to chance it." No sooner said the door was opened.

Similarly, all four piled into the library, relying on the flashlight built into the tallest titan's shoulder. Raven held back, eyes wide just at the slight addition to the sensations coming at her with the smallest of barriers, a miniscule boarded door, removed. It was clear as to why and how this building was spared. Slade wanted the setting to be just right and most incriminating to ruin her. It was doing an excellent job.

Swallowing she forced herself to dash inside, catching up to her other friends. Once in doors she felt that shift in energies. It was now all around her, in the air, surrounding her instead of wafting towards her from one direction. At that point she had missed, or ignored everything she had heard coming out from the others mouth. The first chance she had, Raven pleaded with them.

"There's nothing here. Can we go now?" Her voice was meek and shaky in comparison to her once deadpanned monotone, and Raven had desperately tried to control it in her voice. It was clear this immense presence interfered with her ability to focus.

All too soon she felt the marker on her brow burn to life, flickering in a sudden intensity before being snuffed out. Raven flinched at it's abruptness as simultaneously the 's' like shape magically carved itself into visibility making home on an adjacent wall. It broke down; sliding into the floor.

They had all jumped and froze in unexpected shock to the new entrance. For a moment, there was nothing spoken between them, and all Raven could do was stare. Behind the once sturdy wall was a descending walkway into darkness. She was the proverbial deer caught in the headlights of a new wave of energy. It washed over her, submerging her deep under. Her breath caught in her throat, and Raven gagged, struggling to breathe. Raven had no doubt in her mind what this place was now…one of her father's temples.

His essence was so thick, so engrained in the building and the land, Raven could only fathom the reason. Only one event came to mind to answer how it was even possible. Over a decade ago, the order, the Blood Clan lectured of a ritual that would for a brief fraction pull Trigon to this world. It was only a second, yet it left a residue that couldn't be removed. The only time her father had use of coming to Earth was for one thing: her conception.

Truly bad things could only come of this. She needed to get them out of here.

By the time the air returned to her lungs, the others had passed by her and down into the tunnel. Realizing this, she tried the first thing that came to mind that wouldn't endanger her entering this dark domain further. Raven called back to them, hoping to heed her warnings and come back to her. They didn't call back, either ignoring her or being so far down that they didn't hear her.

Swallowing, Raven forced herself to fight reflex and follow that horrible, overpowering presence, and overpowering it was. As she trailed behind her friends the sensations around her steadily grew. Now her entire body grew taught, every muscle stretched and tense with the feeling, and with her leotard long since soaked with her body sweat. It was so strong. It couldn't have possible become any greater, yet, somehow it managed. The energy grew and grew, ready to cave in and collapse on top of her. It was a miracle in itself that Raven was still conscious under its strain.

What had her mother been thinking all those years ago? Any normal human being would have been scared shitless just by the winding, ominous walls. To just willingly come here and expect anything good from this place, those people? Raven shuddered, not wanting to think of the Immaculate Conception.

Her foot touched the bottom step, and Raven was trembling with nervous, frightful energy. Mentally she finally knew what squirrels felt like. In an in vein moment, Raven tried to assure herself that all of this was nothing, that Slade was more threatening than just an instinctual gut wrenching cramp. Her behavior was immature and childish, that even Beast Boy was managing himself, and surely on some animalistic level he would've felt it too. It only seemed to worsen her fear of Slade all the more, knowing what he would do in this place if she wasn't there to prevent it.

Her boot clad foot stepped into the open temple entrance, and any cool Raven (as miniscule as it seemed) had collected was immediately shattered. First her forehead erupted in the first painful flare of an inscription induced migraine. Directly after its start the walls were alive with dancing red, radiating from Raven's general location across the room and around to the front. Statues, or were they the actual bodies of former Blood Clan members, once dormant became real with chanting installments. Their voices were soft and droning, but to Raven it felt like the five inch needle to a mad scientist's syringe was being jammed inside her.

"The gem was born of evil's fire."

"The gem shall be his portal."

"He comes to claim."

"He comes sire."

"The end of all things mortal."

The reaction in her body was direct. The burning tingled at first before washing through her like some sick climatic wave. Every nerve, every fiber screamed with the empathic sensations drinking in the atmosphere of the spiritual recites. They were cold and dark, a contrast to the heat the inscriptions flared in Raven's skin, but only managing to magnify the all ready physical sickness her father's aura left on her. She wanted to scream out in terror, for an end to this madness, when her friends began to turn to her. Her breath caught up in her throat and once more that evening an eternity passed.

Raven's mind reeled all within that split second. That was it. That was the message in all its integrity Slade had wanted to be heard. It was the truth about her, her origins, and what she was meant to do. Cryptic, yes, but the truth all the same. If they saw her baring the inscriptions burned into her pale flesh they would instantly turn on her, interrogate her until they knew their meaning in all of its gruesome horror.

Survival instinct kicked in. This was a threat; her friends would become a threat. Running was her only chance. Before she even realized what she was doing, Raven was all ready halfway up the staircase, hands clutching her cape tightly around her in defense.

Raven was born of evil's fire. She was his proclaimed heir, his daughter, his portal. He had been coming to claim her, make her his loyal right hand destroyer, a demon. He would make his desires be that of her own, the destruction of everything she held dear.

She didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to hear it!

"RAVEN!"

With a gasp Raven's body shot stiff, freezing to her spot, her hair and cape billowing past her for a moment in momentum. Here it was, Robin had come for her, come to question her, come to be Slade's knife ready to plunge into her chest and leave her dead enough for her father to pick up the pieces.

"Are you ok?"

Slowly she turned to face him, eyes wild, wide and nervous. He-he sounded sincere, his concern felt distantly genuine. No, it was a lie! How could she be certain? She couldn't tell her focus was too shot. She swallowed, panting, paused, wetted her lips, then swallowed again.

"This place…," Raven breathed out finally, "It's—" Panic took over again. "I shouldn't be here. It's all wrong."

He stepped closer to her, and it only alarmed her further. "What's going on Raven? What aren't you telling me?"

Raven was cornered; she knew it wasn't true concern! Robin was awaiting a means to emotionally kill her, and all that ran through Raven's mind was how insane all of it was. How did she get into this position so fast? She should've had more time! It was too late though, they knew what she was on some level, and all they needed was for the gaps to be filled in. Raven couldn't take that, she wouldn't survive it! Even if Slade explained it to them, she could avoid its affects. She could run from their reaction.

"I can't explain. I just need to leave. I can't go back there." Even now saying it she felt her body move to orders she didn't consciously give, turning obsidian and passing through the surfaces of the tunnel and up out of the library and to freedom.

Relief, indescribable, psychic relief bathed her in the form of open air and the night sky. Raven trembled, levitating above the library, starring hard at it in disbelief. After being in there, the dark magus could clearly define the world about her as being heaven on earth. Claustrophobic was something she usually didn't describe herself as, but that experience was ludicrous.

With the initial drama and ill effects waning from her person, Raven realized to the extent she would have to go to save herself and undo all that was wrong in her life since her birthday. She had opted to run away from her friend's reactions…it was wise to expand that distance to a dimensionary level. There was only one place she knew of that would not only remove the reactions of her friends and also offer her help and insight to stop this cruel destiny. She had to go to Azarath.

There was no doubt in her decision as she flew the tract back to the tower. Yes, just a week ago she'd promised herself that Azarath was one place she'd never return to, ever, and that was without the block to its entrance. Desperate times, however, certainly called for desperate measures. If they couldn't help her, than she truly was doomed. To that, she recalled that evil presence she had crippled to before, and knew deep inside that if things did not improve, she would soon readily rejoice and emit that same form of evil.

Her face scrunched up in determination, increasing her speed in an attempt to reach the tower as fast as possible. The speed was to her liking, for it only took her minutes to cross the city and land atop the tower. Absently she noted that the building and her friends would be sorely missed, but at some time, she knew that eventually she would've abandoned her friends in hopes to spare them. Better sooner than later. No more would she meditate hours of her life away on that roof, or in its den, or her room.

Raven halted briefly before her door, allowing it time to slide open. Instantly she stormed in, seeing her candles all ready lit. Silently she bid the stacks of books to blow away from her while she ordered that one book to fly to her hands. Multitasking and exploiting any speed she could gain in her departure, glass jars filled with sand began to spill about her form to create the circle she needed.

He was watching her, as she knew He would be. Defiantly she muttered, "You can stop me from meditating, but you can't stop me from leaving."

It was set. The empath lowered down in the circle's center, gloved hand over book. The large tome was so engraved with the magical essence of Azarath that it acted as a siphon to light her way back home. That form of mental road map would be her best chance at bridging the length there. Even now, touching the book in the manor she had, could she feel and see that route in her mind. Words emerged in her mind that had no seeming origin and began to leave her mouth. Raven chanted, her voice speaking in tongues, as the spell heightened in strength of voice, so too did the swirling vortex above her. Then she was gone, traveling through the barriers of night and dark, empty and full, time and nothingness, to a world between dimensions, to Azarath.

When some semblance of consciousness reached Raven, she became aware of her surroundings. The initial shock of plunging into such a magical road could make the strongest of mages momentarily black out from the whiplash. Now that she was back in control, she focused everything on that solitary thought of Azarath, and her body was propelled upwards through a backdrop of blue.

She didn't know how long she had been traveling when she felt the first stab of anxiety, or had even encountered something else in the same traveling vicinity as she. Winged, cloaked, bony four eyed beak faced reaper apparitions zoomed past her and downwards at such a velocity, Raven almost didn't see them. They were leaving somewhere, and even without visual confirmation Raven could feel they were a part of her father's army. Briefly her nightmare was reminded of, and Raven almost stopped in her flight. No. She wouldn't think of Azarath's demise. If her father was unable to breach the barrier into Earth by himself, than he was unable to reach Azarath. It wasn't to say his forces hadn't tried. No, everything was all right, everything was safe.

Even as she was thinking this a fire lunged up from below her. Whether it was some form of attack from the passing spirits Raven was uncertain, but its appearance was unwanted. Like in her attempt to reach the tower, Raven fought to move faster, but the blaze easily competed with her. It caught up to her with alarming speed. Soon it became neck and neck, Raven would pull out, and it would come closer again. Then it engulfed her form entirely.

The pain was beyond measure, a reminder, again, of her father's dastardly existence. Still fueled by that defiant urge to survive, Raven flailed in a struggle of uncontrolled powers. The black energy viciously cut, sliced, striking her fiery cage. The cloaked woman was relentless, the dark powers digging deeper and deeper until finally they burst through its surfaces. In moments she was released of its tortures, and literally as if a fire had been lit under her feet, Raven flew faster still, leaving the grip of her father behind.

The affects of time seeped from her awareness once again. Raven traveled, unknowing of how long before she finally came up to the large, magically created seal marking the blocked entrance into her destination. The demon would not be so easily denied. She had fought her way here, and she would not so soon leave.

"Let. Me. IN," she demanded through clenched teeth, not stopping the force behind her flight.

She fought against the force stopping her from entry, like two opposing sides of a magnet. It took every ounce of her endurance to push far enough to touch that pink barrier. On connection she was sucked through. The whiplash left her body moving and frozen at the same time, she breathed yet there wasn't any air, her heart pumped, but no blood was circulated. Just for that moment, there was nothing in the universe save her. Then, there was everything at once.

Her body crumbled to the ground as she landed on hard familiar terrain. Air filled her lungs, her chest pounded, her head hurt, and slowly full mobility returned. Raven gradually took to her feet. The sight before her was welcoming to her sore and tired eyes.

"Azarath, my last hope." She whispered with true relief to her voice.

All the worry she'd gathered up before melted from her. Azarath was safe from Trigon's touch. Her mother, judging from the color of the sky, would be near the springs on the other side of town, washing the laundry. Temple services would have just ended; everyone should be wading out into the streets eager to barter for the supplies needed for their evening meals. Everything was how it should be. Innocent, and at peace.

She began walking, no longer feeling the desperate need to rush in her actions. She was safe here, and in absence of this place, Raven starred at all of it's magnificence in awe. It wasn't until after she had left that Raven understood the beauty of her home. Jump City and Earth in general, was so unclean and tarnished with the dangers of pollution. That, and Raven knew now that Earthen architecture could not compare to all of this. One of its many beauties was how well the populace interacted so intricately and at ease. Yet…where was every one? The roads should be filled.

"Hello…?" Raven skeptically called out.

She walked further inland, slowly becoming concerned with this unforeseen factor. Had the land's habits changed since she had last been there? Raven knew Azarath was one of traditions…

"Not like I was expecting a parade, but…," she murmured questioningly, eyes glancing about as she entered the empty market place.

Perhaps…perhaps her presence was sensed on her arrival. The populace, although they never showed or thought any violent tendencies towards her, gave her a large berth when it came to their nearness of her. She supposed it was in accordance to her wild powers, which she understood. Lately Raven knew she was changing towards the not quite so bright side, it would be a plausible indication to every ones absence.

Raven's eyebrows lowered in mild concern. They were afraid of her. Even if all this was true, though she heavily believed it now, it still didn't account for the lack of sound in Azarath at all. There was no breeze; there was no breathing, no chirping, or scuffing of feet. Nothing. All of this was becoming quite unsettling. At least until a bird noisily flew past her in a beating of wings and minor coos.

Raven acted without thought. It was the first sign of life she'd seen at all, and she chased it down, running down roads, turning corners. She didn't want to be alone in Azarath, not when she went to such stakes to seek help and shelter here, not so much unlike her mother had.

Finally she realized where it had led her, the shrine of Azar, the one her mother had been attacked in her dream. The dove flew upwards, and Raven anticipated its direction with her eyes, chasing after it with lavender irises, until her vision caught hold of another life. What she saw filled her heart with a mix of joy and reprieve. The bird landed into the care of her mother, clothed and appearing of sound health. Their eyes met only seconds, before attentively Arella turned her head and moved away.

"Arella," Raven's heart caught up in her throat. It was the first individual she had encountered since Robin had cornered her in that hall of hell. She ascended up to her level, yet the white robed woman continued to leave. Raven cried desperately out again. "No, wait!"

Arella turned her head, and once more their eyes met. There was sorrow in her mother's slender orbs, and Raven equally felt as sad now in their presence.

"I've come back.," suddenly Raven's voice was thick with emotion, "Mother…please help me."

This time Arella turned slowly around to her child. Her hand, delicate and slender, skin a soft peach, began to softly caress the bird. It cooed in the way only doves were known for, and made no motion to flap away in fear of the touch. There was a heavy pause between them, before her mother also found her voice.

"You have always had a home here, my child, but help we could not give."

That voice, one Raven hadn't heard in years was rich and rang deeply with regret. Raven never fathomed to suspiciously question such an emotion. It was her mother, Arella knew her more than anyone else, and Raven knew that Arella's emotions were the most honest of anyone's.

"The prophecy, it's happening.," Raven promptly ignored what Arella had just stated to her. "You have to tell me how to stop it."

"Nothing could be done. The promise of your birth was absolute." There was that heart wrenching sorrow in her eyes, and the regret in her voice. Yet there was no shame on her face.

"I don't believe you.," the empath denied. She dropped to her knees, digits finding a home touching and gripping the ends of her mother's dress. Pleadingly she looked up to her mother as if she was some holy figure able to fend off the looming darkness.

"He poisons me. Every where I go, everything I do, they drag me closer to him.," Raven whimpered.

She pulled on the hem, bringing it closer to her before burying her face in its confines. Suddenly her nose was tickled with the comforting musk of her mother. It eased her more so than sinking in that concrete and meditation ever had. Gently, she pulled her face back to peer up at her mother. Raven conjured the presence of her inscriptions up, as if to demonstrate the severity of her plight. "He has branded me, and it changes me…All ready I have incidentally inscribed similar markings on another…I've raped a man's mind…!"

Arella said nothing, but gazed down upon her with the wanting to embrace her child clearly displayed in her eyes. Knowing such actions would only put more at risk with her emotions; Raven regrettably understood and hesitantly dropped her mother's gown. Slowly she rose sunk to her feet, allowing the red, bitter marks to fade. The younger then reached into her cloak and pulled the Book of Azar out again in emphasis of her point.

"I don't want to be this. I don't want to help him. Mother…I'm-I'm afraid." Raven bowed her head shamefully, in full admittance of the emotion.

"You forever had the love of your people, Raven, despite knowing what you would become, what you would do." Raven looked up to her hopefully, drinking on her words. That hope started to die as her mother lowered her head in resignation. "It is too late for Earth just as it was too late for Azarath."

The birds suddenly scattered in a terror stricken frenzy. Wings and feathers broke into Raven's vision. Instantly her pale hands reached out in fear to grasp her mother, to grip something solid for support. Her hand grasped nothing but air. Disorientation exploded inside her. The world grew hotter and brighter, blindingly bright! Abruptly everything was different.

The world about her had changed for the worse. Once proud buildings were asunder with ash and smoke, twisted towers of metal and rock, fire and lava twirled and consumed their fill. Smoke covered the sky…and Raven stood on a small foot hold towering high above what was left of her magnificent home. It was like her dream…with the exception that this time it was very, very real.

"No…" Raven whispered out, her eyes wide in disbelief.

Slowly at first and than faster and faster that chocking body wrenching evil of her father imploded in on her, through her. It was exactly as it had been in the temple, but a hundred times worse. Raven wasn't facing the residual impact of her father's presence in a temple…this was the actual presence of her father.

An echoing chuckle growled, everywhere and no where at once. Raven gradually tilted her head numbly skyward, her eyes meeting the gaze of four eyes staring back down at her. All she could do was stare, bulging eyes and jaw a gap in a terrified, frightful awe. Raven no longer made the analogy of being an ant, she was an atom.

"…," Raven just numbly gazed upward, paralyzed in every manor.

"Hnhnhn," that growl that was classified as a laugh resounded, "I'm flattered. Not many can leave my sharp tongued daughter flabbergasted. I suppose it is of no surprise, I anticipated this response from that dream of yours."

"…it's a lie…," Raven mechanically denied. "…it's a lie…"

The eyes narrowed in amusement. "Daughter, does this appear to be an illusion to you?" He gestured to the burning remains of Azarath.

She dropped to her knees for the second time that day, body numb from a mix of shock and the direct presence of such incalculable evil. "…it's a lie."

"Do the fleeting, dying emotions of those who've known you seem like a lie?"

Raven lowered further to the foot hold, her body hunched over itself. Her shoulders shook, trembling with the returning feelings of consciousness. She did not speak aloud, but her lips motioned again, "It's a lie."

"Can you not feel me? Am I a lie," his voice rose powerfully.

"IT'S A LIE," Raven shrieked back at him, jerking up to her knees in boldness. An explosion of black erupted near her in her mad display. "It's a lie…! I can fix this! I can fix this!"

"You are misleading yourself, vogelien, little bird.," Trigon stated, "It is futile to deny this beauty."

"It can't be…," Raven seethed bitterly, tears welling in her eyes. "It…It is…" Her shoulders slumped, her head hung.

"Now you understand. This is the life you will inherit." It was said with absolute certainty, but in such a way that it was almost wise and knowledgeable.

"Why…," she trembled, fists clenched, "Why Azarath?"

"Daughter, you rely too heavily on these fools. They were a crutch, and like any concerned parent I knew that you would never reach your full potential with it. So I took it away."

"Even my mother," Raven whispered harshly back, eyes averted from him.

"Especially her."

"BASTARD," she roared back.

"No child, you are.," he assured.

"SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO KNEW ME," her powers sent the twisted, burning metal frame of a building to the sky. Before it hit, it melted away into nothing with just the flicker of his top set of eyes.

"I know you Raven. Your desire is my desire.," his voice reminding her boldly of the words the prophecy decreed.

"I don't want this…," she cried out, finally allowing the tears to stream down her cheeks. "I don't want to do this…! And I don't want the future I've seen…!"

"You have no other choice. In time, it will be a reality. However, meanwhile I am feeling generous. Become my portal willingly, or face the torture my messenger has in store for you."

Raven's watery eyes narrowed. "That's not much of an option."

"Slade has been forbidden to continue his courses of action until you've reached a verdict, in fairness." He continued. "Your friends, unfortunately…"

That got all of Raven's attention. Instantly she was in the air, hands clenched into fists, eyes white, inscriptions seething red, and right in his four eyes. "What is he doing to them! SHOW ME DAMN IT!"

The sky rippled for just a moment, and before Raven was a rip of space giving her access to peer into the current lives of her abandoned friends. Slade held them up effortlessly in the air, fingers outstretched, and red tendrils restraining all of them. Rage bubbled inside her until it was the only thing she could feel. Raven had strictly ordered Slade to not even think of touching any of them. He had out right defied her! This trespass would not be dealt with kindly.

"Send me to them," Raven ordered, a dark, deviant twinge in her voice.

"I am surprised that you would think of ordering me, twice in minutes, and expect me to obey? Raven, you are adorable."

Raven's face shot again to the giant glowing red eyes. "Send me now and you won't regret it."

There was a pause between them, before Trigon laughed heartily. "Very will, girl! Do not disappoint me!"

In an unexpected bolt of immense concentrated evil that could only be that of her father's, Raven was struck and sent plummeting from the sky. Her mind blacked with the fleeting thought of the possibility of surviving such a blow. Raven, even unconscious, was somehow aware of her insides sizzling from the force, and just like Azarath, her body seemed to perish from existence, at least in that dimension. Momentarily, all there was darkness, a voice of endless demonic evil that served to fuel her hatred and her power. Then, she was alive again, with only one purpose in mind: to beat Slade.

Once more Raven found herself back in the underground temple. This chamber, Raven easily sensed, had the strongest imprint of his looming presence. Most likely, it was the very room her mother was pedestaled in and the ritual took place. All of it meant nothing. The signature aura had nothing in comparison to Trigon's actual presence, and it no longer held sway to her fears and anxieties. In fact, it almost seemed to feed her strength. Raven was on a power high, and Slade undoubtedly would be on its receiving end. Oh Raven was going to enjoy this…

"This won't hurt a bit."

Instantaneously her hands reached out and grasped the largest slabs of rock she could find, which surprisingly felt as if they had no weight, and mentally pushed them with both the strength of unbridled demonic fury and the velocity to rival Beast Boy's cheetah form with.

"Wanna bet," she churned loudly, bitter and loathing dripping from her voice.

The slab of rock connected into Slade with a satisfying bone snapping crunch. It continued on its war path into a direct line with the wall. It wasn't even close to quenching the violent desire that built up inside her, but it was a good start. Raven stepped off the ledge, descending like some unholy fallen angel between her dear family and Slade even as he was breaking through the ammunition dealt to him.

"I told you to leave them out of this.," she sneered.

"How sweet, you've come to save your friends.," Slade chuckled, his hands began to glow with fire. Raven sensed his unconcern for her actions like a shark detecting blood, and it sent her teeth clenching in temper. He continued "But you're only delaying their pain, and yours."

Was it really? Not from Raven's standpoint. Dominantly she approached him, focused completely on the task at hand, unaware that her friends were gazing on at her now that they were out of immediate danger.

"Well what are you waiting for? Aren't you going to attack? Reduce me to ashes? Rape me? Break my mind? Tell my friends what I am," her lips curled back in a sneering grin, a knowing grin. "Or did your master forbid you from hurting me until I made my choice? Did He order you to keep his gem safe?"

There was a pause in Slade's response. The sudden change of smugness turned to realization, and Raven subconsciously relished in that thought of him cowering in her knowledge, in her power.

"I'll be sure to give him your regards…," Slade snickered. He began to sink into the floor. Raven had caught him with the hand in the cookie jar, and there was nothing more Slade could do here.

"I'm not finished yet," Raven snapped. Her hand seeped into the shadow, grasping him, and she began to pull him back up through the floor. "Remember this trick?"

His body was fully out of the floor now, and Slade was wide eyed in the face of her sudden ability. This was no longer the Raven he had taunted, and for a brief split second, he was afraid. It was a second Raven thrived on.

"This time I have a message for you! I have an answer for your master." Instantly he was consumed with darkness, Raven flung him to a neighboring wall.

"You tell him He'll have to destroy me before I help him," Raven approached him. Although she was fully tripping on the demonic powers, she still had some mental semblance to the true Raven. She would never fully agree to Trigon's whim.

"You can tell him yourself. The hour grows near." Slade recovered from the attack, only to widen his eyes as another slab dropped on him.

He broke through, but just as quickly was he in the air, rock slamming into him on all sides. The anger, rage, and the power just kept growing, coursing through Raven, filling a void that was developed from the pain of seeing her once proud home destroyed, of seeing her friends in danger. It all climaxed to expunge of her soul-self, the black bird now four eyed, aimed and ready. With a yell the beast flew forward meeting an end in an explosion to momentarily light the cavern.

Stillness grew in the air, until it was finally broke by Slade. He stood, twisting and crunching all his vertebral bones and joints back into place. Raven flew at him, meeting him as he finally managed to stand completely straight.

Raven had come to comprehend the truth. Trigon was far greater than she had ever hoped to fend off, if for long. His power was immense, and it seemed his will would be absolute regardless of any actions she took. Slade, as he himself mentioned, was the least of her worries. Having tasted the reality behind her father, Slade no longer seemed much of a threat, not compared to that.

"I'm not afraid of you any longer," she breathed out in a dark air of confidence.

Yet, in spite of everything, Slade still managed the upper hand. "You might not be, but who's afraid of you?"

Curiously Raven turned around allowing Slade to slink away through the walls and to freedom. Her lavender eyes unconcernedly landed on the four alarmed faces of her friends, as if she noticed them for the first time.

"…Raven," Beast Boy called meekly.

Awareness struck Raven hard. Her cold merciless expression softened to sudden surprise, then horror, then defeat. She looked down at herself, also realizing for the first time she had just relentlessly dealt Slade blows that would kill anyone, and that her body was glowing brightly with the sickening inscriptions. That corrupt power leaked out of her, and finally it dawned on her everything that had just happened. The prophecy…Azarath's destruction…her mother…and her father… It all seeped in to replace that power serge, making her heavy as she slipped down to the ground and dropped to her knees. Her friends had seen everything…there was no running now.

They approached slowly, could she blame them? It had been the most ruthless she'd ever been, more so than even Robin was capable of. They had a right to be cautiously afraid of her.

"Raven?" She didn't register which one said it.

"The gem, in the prophecy...you are the gem.," Robin, she distinctly heard Robin.

"Yes.," Raven whispered to them, "Can we…can we please just go home? I'll…" She dared not look at them, but found no other option but to resign herself. "I'll explain everything."

---

Raven exhaled slowly, closing her eyes and thought of nothing. She had finally spoken with all of the team and told them all she could afford without telling them completely that her father was a demon, that she was a demon. The task, although it seemed redundant and easy to most, had been an immense discussion for her. What she'd told them were very private things, things she felt needed to be kept to herself. However Raven did owe all of them an explanation and she willingly gave it.

She couldn't forget the way they stared at her when she'd attacked Slade. Honestly, she was so full of anger at his disobedience, the very fact he was threatening to harm her friends, Raven just lost it. Having seen her home and mother gone from existence, Raven supposed it was why she'd had so easily lost control. It still didn't give her a reason to continue threatening that emotional balance, though, and for that Raven was angry and disappointed with herself.

Still…losing control to that rage had given her the fastest option of saving her friends. Raven had to give up a little to gain a little… that loss, unfortunately, may have cost her more than she'd wanted. Every bit of an outrage led her closer to Trigon and the future she'd witnessed.

Raven sighed; it was pointless to needlessly fret over it. What was done is done, and Raven couldn't change that. All there was the present, and presently Raven had spent the entire afternoon mulling over the decision to attempt meditation.

The dark empath had spent the majority of the day in solitude after explaining to her friends that morning. Since it was such a hard step to accomplish, it left her emotions slightly worked. Normally she would meditate under such conditions, but after the other night, it may seem impossible to try. Raven had spent that time on the roof wondering that same thought.

Now it was evening, the sun was beginning to end it's time in the sky to sink under the horizon. The sky and city seemed bathed in twilight of greenish hues, and Raven absently was reminded of her battle with Malchior, amongst other green individuals.

She stood up; knowing that if she hadn't made an attempt to meditate by now, it wouldn't be done that day. Raven mentally assured herself it would be easier tomorrow and she would be sure to accomplish it then. For now, it would probably be more beneficial to just go to sleep. Her mind was too distracted to accomplish any reading, even seeking out the atmosphere of her favorite café just didn't appeal to her. Yes, sleep sounded good, even if it probably would be ridden with nightmares.

Not bothering with the stairs, Raven exhaled and sank through the roof and several floors with about as much grace as falling backwards into a pool of water. She walked the rest of the way to her room alone. Once inside, Raven unclasped her cloak and let it drop on a strewn pile of books before her knees buckled and she flopped down onto her bed.

Absently, she rubbed her fingers together, trying to recall the texture of Arella's robes. She'd only seen the woman for no more than five minutes, and it had been years prior since she'd seen her before…yet somehow she missed her greater than she had in those years in her absence. "Arella…"

The knock on her door was sudden, soft, yet surprisingly loud in the silence. Raven lifted herself up quietly, eyes starring through the door. She knew it had to have been Robin. The knock was his, and perhaps even if he didn't knock she'd have felt him. Sure enough his voice passed through the steel door. "Raven, can we talk?"

About what? Hadn't Raven given him enough as it was? Everything else was irrelevant. Hell, she'd all ready told them that defeating Trigon was impossible, her fate was sealed. Raven had no other choice but to fulfill her destiny. The only thing she could control of the situation still was when she chose that to happen. That Raven was certain to exploit as best she could.

"I…I really don't feel like talking right now.," Raven honestly replied. She glanced down towards the structure of all her pillows. Diving her face in it was truly tempting.

"Please?" There was trust behind that voice, and something else. It was a need to explain himself, or to understand more.

She sighed, her hand motioning the door to open. Raven reluctantly answered, "All right."

Raven moved to sit on the edge of her bed, her eyes watching as the masked teen stepped inside and halted at the entrance. He stood and waited for the door to shut completely behind him. When it seemed apparent Robin wouldn't over presence is welcome, Raven turned her sight towards her window where the green hues were slowly turning to dark blues. Why wouldn't Robin stay as he were, anyway? With how she frightened them it was surprising any of them wanted to speak with her.

"I'm sorry." It was his first and foremost thought. His voice was somber.

Raven cocked her head some, as if to maintain the appearance of watching outside, but glancing to him out of the corner of her eyes.

"For what? No one could foresee it…the promise of my birth was absolute.," her eyes returned to the window as her lips tugged up in a small, sad smile heavily played with irony. Raven missed her mother's rich voice.

"Who ever told you that bad things were supposed to happen as a result of your birthday is wrong. I don't believe in fate. Trigon won't be able to use you, and whatever bad things are coming that you say will be your fault, they won't happen. We'll stop him.," Robin promised her, his green gloved fist connecting with the palm of the other to prove his point. He believed in it every bit.

"What you say and what I've seen are two entirely different things, Robin," she murmured, "I used to think that way too, but I really don't have much choice in the matter. I'll help my father willingly or it'll be an involuntary action. Hopefully it'll be the later."

Raven stood from her mattress. Her arms wound around herself in a timid solitary hug as she made her way closer to her window. She rubbed her arms, trying to find warmth in her skin, and stared out even now being able to see with clarity how Jump City would appear in time. If that was how the world would be, then she supposed she could only wish Slade would somehow not be in it along with the other several billion individuals she'd kill. Though, wishful thinking was all it was.

"I made my choice a long time ago." Slowly she turned her body slightly to view him. "Slade will be sure to get the message to Trigon. The most I can do about any of this is delay it as long as I can. Maybe you all should just fly off to Tamaran or something; go somewhere safe in the meantime."

"We won't abandon you, Raven. Even if you don't think we can win, we'll stay here and do whatever it takes to beat this." He responded strongly.

It was just as she had expected him to say. Robin was the leader; he was supposed to be the cool, level head when they all needed it most, even when she didn't have one. He was supposed to be optimistic when others couldn't, even though he was quite pessimistic about himself. Robin had never been off anywhere when it came to these skills, despite what he thought, and Raven had every inclination to believe everything he told her. Yet, he never felt the evil that was Trigon. She had, and she knew it was hopeless.

She turned her body back to the window, as if ignoring his comment entirely. "I'm not worth saving. I won't be worth saving when it happens."

"You're our friend, Raven. It's worth enough.," Robin offered gently back. Positive of his position in the discussion, Robin pressed further into the chamber. He approached her and took a spot beside her at the window. "What…will happen if you become his portal?"

Raven swallowed. She wasn't certain exactly. Trigon had never used her as such before. The most any of their relationship ever became was the seed, the emotion in her mind that symbolized his affect over her body. If she'd have been exposed to his evil from the beginning Raven would've never pursued a life of solitude and meditation to combat him. Though, facing that possibility in the distinct future, what would become of her?

"I won't be the Raven you know anymore," she swallowed again, stating her mind with her indifferent tone, "I'll be dead inside, lost, a puppet to his whims."

"It won't happen.," he reassured, fighting to believe in something good where Raven wouldn't.

"It's a matter of time. I'm not invincible. People get tired, they become old, and eventually I'll be forced to submit. It's an inevitability to everything in life. This inevitability just happens to be closer to fruition than most."

It was spoken wisely, as if Raven sounded well beyond her years. In actuality she was. She was forced to grow up so early, that these things came so easily to understand and accept, especially now after what she'd seen. Silently she raised her palm and she looked at it. The red mark swirled to visibility in her skin, and she traced it with her index finger and felt the skin underneath tingle. Then, she raised that hand to her reflection and traced her jaw line on the glass.

"I look so young, but inside I feel weary…aged. I'm so old Robin, I'm not sure when I became this.," she mused to him, before letting her hand fall back to her side. "I've been fighting Him for so long trying to win the battle, and now I'm fighting just to push Him back as best and as long as I can… I'm tired of fighting."

Robin raised a hand and placed it softly on her shoulder, he squeezed it supportively. He knew Raven wasn't one to enjoy embraces, and he wasn't much of a guy to give them.

"The things you said to Slade…," Robin began again, wishing to pull her from such thoughts, "He never really raped you, had he?"

"No, but he's been fairly close in that endeavor." Raven frowned, recalling the previous accounts where he had molested her, and managed to remove all her clothing. It seemed so long ago, and it seemed so worthless now to have been upset over it. Even if Slade had raped her, it could have always been worse. It could always have been Trigon.

"You'd said to him 'Like those poor teenagers.' What did you mean," the boy wonder treaded cautiously with his wording.

That. Hearing her words now Raven speculated to the extent Robin must have thought over them. She had been one of his victims, Raven knew better than anyone, and at the knowledge of more? What would Robin do if he knew that information? Would he berate himself, blame himself?

"Can you handle it," Raven asked him, feeling the need to be concerned for him, for once. "I know Slade had…"

Robin stiffened clearly and there was a silence. Then his shoulders slackened, and he looked distant, upset as anyone wearing a mask could appear. Raven didn't need to see through his mask to know it to be true. Finally the man sighed shakily.

"I never told anyone." It was stated slowly. "I just didn't want Slade to do it to any body else. That's why I was adamant to know what happened to you, to stop it from happening."

"I decided as much," she mused back in response, "And I appreciated it, even though I fought you about it.

"Did Slade tell you if he had done it to Terra," he questioned sourly. "I always suspected, but I never really had the chance to figure it out or ask her."

"Terra wasn't exactly raped by Slade more so than willingly did it. I believe she found acceptance in Slade, or so that's how it sounded to me.," Raven delicately worded it. There wasn't need of Robin knowing she had seen Slade's entire mind, seen what he had done to them.

It would most likely be Slade's course of action again, to rape her mind. If Trigon believed her friends knew of her demonic blood, then the next thing to break her could only have been that. With meditation seemingly blocked, it was a whole new ball game. No, Raven corrected herself; she would successfully meditate within the next day's span. She had to be optimistic about that, or else the hour really was near.

"You know," Robin's voice sounded calm. He seemed more relaxed, albeit still a bit saddened. "For a moment earlier when you had been missing during the fight, I'd thought maybe you were working for Slade."

Raven turned her head towards him, her eyebrows raised in a bemused fashion. She could've laughed then and there if she felt inclined to.

"Me? Work for Slade," her voice sounded as it did normally, thankfully cynical. "I'm surprised you didn't assume that from the beginning."

"It crossed my mind, but it just didn't feel right at first," Robin reasoned, "Especially with his change in tactics. Then the only lead we got was that Slade was brought back to life to get you pregnant for God knows what. Can you blame me for wandering back to that theory? I don't know, maybe I thought you worked with him as opposed to under him."

"Robin, I assure you that if and when I 'work' with Slade, I will not sit for being 'under' him.," Raven snorted.

Robin raised an eyebrow before coughing out some form of grunt, he averted his face for a moment trying to clear his mind of the underlying connotations of the remark.

"Besides," she continued, "Slade is Trigon's servant, a messenger boy. If anything he's my servant too."

Raven focused upon the mark on her hand once more. Since it had been fresh moments ago, the particular mark flooded back with ease. She absently held her palm out to him, and Robin took her hand and examined the symbol there.

"The inscriptions on Slade aren't like these. His are seals cast to promote servitude. The one on his forehead establishes him as Trigon's property, and the one on his neck…"

"Proves that he's yours.," Robin closed his hands around hers and held it there for a moment. Her fingers felt cold, yet when he had grazed the mark her skin was blazing hot, unnaturally hot. He couldn't help but notice that the placement of such marks on her palms resembled some form of stigmata. Reluctantly he released her hand.

Raven took it back and began to rub it tenderly, as if the actions would wipe away the tingling and the dirty shame of carrying it felt. A glance at Robin told her of an unasked question, one that she debated to answer fully. When the mark subsided under her flesh, she continued to answer that question.

"I didn't even know I placed it on him, I don't even know how, just when I did it. Since I placed it there he's been forced to follow orders I give him as long as they don't interfere with Trigon's. It's why he hadn't raped me."

She was the first to break their visual connection to the other, and turned again to face out the window. It was now late, the sun had finally set, and Jump City was glowing in a cityscape of lights. With the reflection over the water it made for a spectacular site. That, Raven could appreciate about this city. Azarath was suspended on rock in the middle of no where, literally. There weren't many places one could see the city reflected on water. Certainly if there was, Raven would've enjoyed that to, but not anymore.

Robin noticed her attention slipping from him again, as her eyes seemed to glaze over and stare off at who knew what? Something seen only to her, something, Robin knew, left her miserable with wanting. Again he would take her attention, he hadn't accomplished yet what he had planned to achieve through this conversation.

"So where were you then when we were trying to get out of the demolition area?"

Raven's eyes darted to him once again, truly having forgotten he was still there. Wasn't he done yet? All she wanted to do was go to sleep where she didn't have to think about Azarath, Arella, Slade, or her father. Just so she could say she lived one more day with some semblance to sanity left.

Raven sighed in an exasperated tone. "I was like I said, looking for Slade. When I found him he warned that he'd tell you what was happening. I didn't want any of you involved; you guys don't deserve to get caught up in this."

"Raven, we would've gotten involved anyway."

"I know," she nodded just slightly. "You know the rest from there. I found out what he was doing to you, and I'd gotten just so mad…I'm sure you remember." The last was said on a dry, sorrowful note. Anyone would've mistaken it for regret, but not Robin.

"The symbols, how do they come up, disappear?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I can will them up like now. Then there are times like last night when they come up on their own for no reason. Then there's Slade…," her face grew hard, "He likes to use them as a convenient way to strip me."

"All those times with your clothes he brought the marks out."

Raven just simply nodded again, focusing her thoughts towards the city scape out and below. It was ironic, and amazing. One never really knew how incredible a city actually looked until you had seen it destroyed. Here, miles before her, was the height of human technology and achievement…and it would probably last five minutes tops at her hands when Trigon fully claimed her.

"All this time I was wrong about everything." The dark magus absently noted Robin talking once again. It truly was growing into an irritation.

"Skath…it means demon, doesn't it?"

Raven's eyes widened just slightly, not enough for most to notice. Robin, however was a detective, and not just that, he sensed things from her. He could determine her emotions easier than the others, and he knew she could feel and understand him as well. Now, however, Robin could feel an alarm of some sort, confusion. They were brief flickers, as her emotions calmed and became a blank slate.

"What," she questioned in her usual countenance, hiding the surprise to having heard his statement. She turned to him waiting an answer.

"Skath means demon, doesn't it," Robin reiterated himself.

Raven swallowed uncomfortably, her body the perfect example of cool exteriors. Her mind, however, was franticly reeling. How had Robin come to that conclusion? She hadn't said her thoughts out loud the first time Robin mentioned that word, and Raven sure as hell didn't utter any of the "D" word during her explanation that morning. So where had it come from? Had Slade…?

No. Robin was just using some psycho-analysis on her, trying to get her to react in a way to prove the statement true, when in fact there was no way he could. Damn detective, that's what he was. Raven forced herself in a composed manor; he would not gain that information from her. Robin couldn't trick her into selling herself out.

"Skath was what the order used to protect Trigon's identity," Raven stated, then suspiciously added, "I thought I told you that."

"Is it supposed to work the same as how "the gem" is to protect the identity of Trigon's Chosen, the Child," Robin went in for a cheap shot.

Raven was unable to catch and stop the impulse to flinch in reaction to those words. She had never made any mention to being her father's chosen offspring, not to mention that connotated quite a heavy deal of destruction…despite having minor hinted at it. So where had Robin picked up such words? Again her thoughts drifted to assume Slade.

"We think Slade somehow survived and received his new powers from a satanic cult, the Blood Clan, in exchange that he makes you pregnant."

Damn. Raven should've known! How could Robin have made such a claim without having met or heard the Blood Clan say it? She knew there was an order located in Gotham, even if Robin didn't run in with them recently, he could've heard something from years ago! With the extensive technology the Batman had, who knew what could've been documented?

Robin turned fully to her, and Raven nervously stepped down from him. If he suspected…if he knew…! No! This wasn't happening! There was no way Robin could've found out. No, that's why he was trying to question her. He suspected; that was it. Why hadn't Raven sensed that from him? It was the point of this conversation this entire time! Robin purposely did this to catch her off guard. Raven wouldn't have it. She would not have it!

"And He said unto Brother Blood that He would descend upon the Earth and bless the Bride with a child whom would then cleanse the world of His disbelievers.," Robin stepped closer.

Raven stepped back, a scowl on her face.

"Then, the Child shall welcome Him onto Earth, offering it in a gift of gratitude in His benevolent guidance."

So the Blood Clan did manage to spout something off to him about her. Curse her father's blasted followers! Maybe…possibly she could still argue against it. It wasn't specific…

"At first we thought Slade was this child, and when I saw the mark on his neck, it only confirmed my suspicions. You see I couldn't have been more wrong.," Robin continued, explaining why he had stated it earlier. There was a glint in the way his eyes were open, some knowing spark that he had something over her, that he was in control of the situation.

"Trigon, your father, he has a cult, Raven, and I'm not talking the Heaven's Gate kind. It's satanic." He pointed out.

"No, they're just a bunch of crazy heretics," Raven growled back viscously. She wasn't exactly sure why it came out of her mouth, but it was something. Not surprisingly the empath didn't feel it helped her situation any. What room had she to deny it unless she's known of the order? Robin would probably pick up on that.

Thus Robin continued to approach her, and Raven continually stepping back, trying to maintain a certain distance between them. She didn't want him near her if he was doing something like this. Even if he didn't appear to be intimidating, Raven knew her emotions were reaching that breaking point, she still didn't want to hurt him. Not yet, at least.

"If these people were just a bunch of crazy heretics, then explain to me how they know what was going on," Robin interjected, pushing closer. They were swiftly nearing the wall. "They said He would come to Earth through his child."

No it hadn't! "It said welcomed, Robin. How do you know it's Trigon?"

"So it is Trigon," Robin lunged for the opportunity.

"No, you're taking my words out of context," Raven snarled back.

Robin came closer still. The room was slowly being dotted with the sights of black energy. The nearer the masked teenager came within her personal space, the more he cornered her, it meant the more the dark mistress could feel aggression bubble up inside her. That frightened her. She was usually so in control. Raven had all ready lost her temper enough for just the past day against Slade, but to begin to feel it rising again so soon? It was likely if this continued she would lash out at Robin, and that meant it was likely certain their help and approval were lost.

Focus! Don't listen to him; keep yourself focused on your emotions!

"That place, the library. It was one of there temples, wasn't it? They worshiped him there.," Robin continued onward in his fight.

"I don't have to talk about this; I explained to you everything all ready." Raven snapped back. Mentally she began to start her mantra after she had spoken it. The words did not initially take affect in soothing her troubled spirit, but she had to keep at it. It was all she knew how to keep her powers in check; it was all she had as a defense. So engrossed in keeping herself controlled, Raven was surprised with what was to happen next.

Suddenly her back hit the wall and she knew now what Robin had done. He'd backed her up where she was blocked to her left by the window, and blocked by the right by her bed. She was surrounded, and Robin was pounding hard hits, trying to break that tiny bit from her. She'd shared enough with all of them! Couldn't they just leave her that tiny shred to hide for herself? That rage roared inside her with defiance. What could be worth so much as to send her to the bottom?

Raven went back to mentally chanting, trying her best to ignore what was happening in the physical plain, but it was hard. Robin was right in front of her now. His gloved hands raised and landed to either side her head on the wall. His stance and body were imposing, forceful, and Raven felt herself trapped more than ever. Her body froze, her mind staggering slightly in her chants. It was becoming too much to fend both Robin and her emotions back.

His face lowered inches from hers, his eyes were narrowed slightly. Lowly he continued his verbal onslaught. "We saw a lot of things down there Raven. A lot of things resembling you. That leads me to believe that if it is your father's temple, then there were people who worshiped him. People who wore red robes, and spoke Latin verses about His child, about you."

Azarath. Metrion. Zynthos. Azarath. Metrion. Zynthos.

She began to tremble as pain began to rupture through her brain. Raven wasn't focused enough to successfully meditate in this fashion, but it didn't seem to matter. Her father's hand seemed as if to have a firm grip around her skull. Fingers wrapped around her head, slowly squeezing in. If her meditation wasn't plagued with the foul images of the future, than it would be too excruciatingly agonizing to bear for much longer.

It seemed as if all she could do now was stare as her life was plummeting straight for the crash to explode and burn into horrible wreckage. Books began to rattle in synch to her own shaking. Falling into the migraine she'd brought upon herself, Raven ended up curling further back along into the wall; eyes clenched shut. It was then that several books succeeding to swat Robin in multiple spots. Aside from causing him to yelp, it did nothing to remove him as a threat.

Azarath…. Metrion… Zynthos...! Azarath…. Metrion… Zynthos...! Raven could push through the pain. She had to endure it! There was no other choice! Neither she nor Robin noticed the faintness of red symbols threatening to rip to the surface of pale skin.

Regardless of the throbbing in her head, Robin's words still seeped in with stinging force. It was as if the meditation was only serving to amplify the impending effects of his voice. Raven whimpered, but still trudged on in her cause.

"Slade had been dead, and your father brought him back to life. He also gave Slade wild, fire powers. What kind of creature can do that? What kind of creature can give man the ability to burn magical symbols in flesh?"

It almost seemed his accusing voice; his very words triggered the inscriptions to flicker at first, before surfacing fully on her skin. The ache began slow as it always did, swiftly leaping to the level of deep burning. The chant was dropped immediately as physical pain swelled and mixed with mental anguish. Inside Raven was thrashing, wanting nothing more than to try and sooth out both mind and body, but like so many times before her body locked up, paralyzing her, and leaving her to deal with the affects. Teeth clenched into her bottom lip, muffling the cry in the back of her throat as suddenly the contents of her room flying in a maddening free for all.

Why had they come up! How had Robin brought them out? Why did it hurt as when Slade did it? Her teeth clenched down harder as she could feel the heat burn into her, radiate out as it began to eat up the fabric of her leotard, destroying it in the manor they'd done many times before.

Her head pounded with force, as Raven tried to think with logic. It shouldn't be possible. Robin had no mystical powers, unless somehow Slade or her father had given him any. This was…she had been the one to call them up. Her father had destroyed the peaceful affect of her cherished mantra, replacing it with the actions to bring forth the inscriptions. Raven should have realized that there would be no loop holes around her meditation. Trigon had been certain to snuff out any hope of that.

Unexpectedly Raven tasted blood in her mouth, a result of her biting down so hard on her lip. It was bubbly and hot, a match of how her body and mind felt, but the irony taste eased it all somehow. Almost as if tasting the blood acted as release for adrenaline, and it would seem endorphins. The pain slowly began to ebb, her tense body relaxing just slightly, all of it being replaced with that light feeling. It allowed the perfect chance for that growing, bottled rage to come crawling to the forefront of her mind. The moment Raven realized this; she began the terrible war to fight it back into suppression. Everything again on a physical level was shut out to attempt winning this task, including Robin's actions.

He parted her hair to behind her ear, and stared with a look of surprise. He hadn't realized that they hurt her. Only sometimes, he corrected himself, she wasn't in pain when she showed him moments ago. His mask covered eyes landed on her pale forehead, the skin showcasing the mark similar to Slade's. Curiously, he pulled off his glove and placed his palm over it. Reflexive nerve impulses forced Robin to instantly pull it back, only then he felt just how badly it burned.

His masked gaze dropped to that of his smoldering hand. In his palm there was the deep burning impression of Raven's charka gem…and something else. Robin could feel his breath catch up in his throat. Had she just branded him like she had Slade? Robin quickly discarded that theory. If that was the case wouldn't he have a similar mark to the one on Slade's neck? No, this was just the end result of carelessness.

Slowly, Robin lifted his head to stare back at Raven incredulously; astounded she was even standing with the sheer heat her body must have emitted to burn his hand. It was still affecting her, he did realize. She had withdrawn in herself, not even bothering to focus or listen to his words, not even having made acknowledgment he had touched her. Momentarily detached from his initial barrage of questions, his mind was open enough to feel, and what he felt seemed worse than the burn on his hand. The only way he could describe such a feeling was that of an eternity of unbearable hellish torture with no hope of an end. Raven was suffering.

There was no question in his mind, Robin turned to leave, holding his arms protectively against the projectiles dashing throughout the room. He had to get Cyborg up here, they had to get Raven to the med bay, put her on a sedative, or some form of anesthesia to block the effects of the inscriptions. He never should have pursued this, never—

Robin suddenly found his body pressured against a wall. His breath left him in a whoosh of air accompanied a groan. Then his back hit ceiling, his eyes opening just fast enough to see the floor beneath as it was coming up to great his face. This time Robin audible grimaced. The boy wonder was momentarily stunned, and with sluggish reflexes he tried to get to his feet. A firmly placed foot sent him rolling to his back. Black energy encased the collar of his cape, and he was lifted by the material to hang face to face with a finally responding Raven. Much to Robin's dismay, it was not the Raven had he had wished to see.

Four red eyes narrowed as the inscriptions blazed eerily on her pale skin like the embers of a fire. "Did you think you could corner me and demand answers of me without some consequence?" It was a low venomous hiss. One, Robin off handedly noted reminding him of her actions against Dr. Light.

She was enraged. No one makes demands of her, no one! "Well? What do you have to say?"

"Raven, get control—" The inscriptions flared in synch as the energy in her quartet of eyes.

"Shut up!" Robin found himself striking speedily into the wall. The sound of shattering glass filled the tense air. The slight sensation of stinging lit up certain portions of his back with in the seconds of impact. His cape had shielded him from the majority of the blow, but he had still managed to receive some lacerations. Then he fell to the desk below the mirror he'd hit, and then bounced off to land finally on the floor.

Raven approached him; hand out forwards, a threatening black around it, tendrils of dark energy seeping from her as if it were some sort of dark aura shield. Robin winced as he looked up to her, suddenly concerned that maybe he had pushed something too far. It couldn't be that the portal was opening, could it?

The demon stopped a momentary pause as she delicately tasted the emotions coming from the beaten form of the boy below her. She felt his concern, his worry. Raven couldn't help but giggle slightly, a sickening giggle that sent shivers up Robin's spine.

"You're scared.," she said with an amused, coy expression, "As you should be. Tell me, what frightens you?"

The black energy surrounded his neck again, lifting him to her. "Is it my presence?"

The energy around his neck tightened and Robin gagged. "My power?"

He gritted his teeth, doing his best to remain with a level head. "Or do you fear what I will bring?"

"I'm…not afraid…of you…," he chocked. "I'm…afraid…for you…!"

Raven's power suddenly released Robin from her hold. The demon was dumbstruck, taking steps back in that bewilderment. It was enough for Raven to latch onto, another mental battle began, and this time her body stumbled back into her book case, hands clutched fiercely to her head.

Despite his head was swimming, some gut instinct told him he had to continue what he had started, as if it would pull Raven of whatever trance she had been in. He got to his booted feet, swayed, before making his way towards her.

"Slade was sent to put these symbols on you.," he stated as fact, as it seemed the unnatural set of second eyes closed from sight, as she kept her natural pair clenched shut. She groaned and shook her head as if in disagreement.

"The Mark of Skath, Raven, these aren't just warnings. They've been torture to you. They make you do things you wouldn't normally do. What creature would do that to his daughter?"

Her clouded and drowning mind clawed to control. She once again felt the residual power the inscriptions fed her, and Raven clamped down on all will power to not give into the temptation of that power. Desperately she drank on Robin's words, some form of anchor to bring her back entirely, not even hearing them really.

"He branded you, he labeled you.," he pushed onward, "Labeled 'the gem' with the mark of demons. And the gem was born of evil's fire."

Raven finally opened her eyes, her chest heaving and taking in gasps of air. Bitterly, her eyes narrowed into beads. Everything that had been encased in her powers dropped free of its grasp. Through her teeth, Raven clenched out. "Shut. Up."

Weakly, she slid down her bookcase to the floor. There she sat, face hard, but weary, body shaking involuntarily from the painful stimulus. Hands went back to her temples and she rubbed them tenderly, trying to ease the migraine that remained present. Slowly the inscriptions waned from her skin. This experience served a powerful purpose. Meditation would either bring disturbing visions or inexplicable pain, possibly a complete control loss, the exact opposite of its function.

Hesitantly she lifted her eyes up to Robin, still standing beside her.

"I'm going to get Cyborg up here—" He began to lift up his communicator.

"Wait.," she pleaded, "I…"

What could she say? How could she explain? Raven had been so close to strangling Robin to death. It was one thing to threaten Slade. It was another to brand him and beat him to a broken pulp, but now she had gone too far.

Robin waited, circular object in his gloved hand. She met his masked gaze with earnest, apologetic orbs. Robin put the communicator away.

Raven exhaled a slight sigh of relief, shuddering with it, and resuming her shaky actions. The other lowered himself to her level. He seemed unfazed by what had just happened, as impossible as it sounded for anyone to be. Again, she fought to find her voice. "…I just…I…"

"Skath means demon."

Raven paused in her attempts. She stared at him in stunned, frightened silence. Then her head lowered, shoulders slump, body hung in guilt and shame. "Yes."

"Your father sent Slade to brand you." His voice was cold, but focused in his usual authoritive, detective tone. "To claim you and to tell everyone what he was, and to label what you are."

Raven's involuntary shaking became terrified trembling, as she kept her face from his, her hair falling to mask it in place of her hood.

"You are a demon."

The trembling grew to quaking as the back of her throat began to sting and her eyes began to well. Raven struggled back fruitlessly, unable to hide the first sniffling, gasping sob to escape her mouth. Her powers once again began to hurl items randomly throughout the room. After that, she gave up any resistance and for the first time since Raven could remember, she wept.

"Yes…," her voice cracked between gasps, "… I've tried to…to stop him…to remove his power over me…inside me...But I can't…!"

"Raven—"

"Robin, please," her face raised slightly to him, "I can't bear to know what you think of me now, what the others think of me…Please…" Her hands gripped the fabric of his red vest. "Please just kill me and end this, please just let me have that security that you don't hate me before it shatters me."

Robin stared down at her with the placidity that only Raven was known for. It was out, finally. She had tried so desperately, but her fight had been in vein. All ready she was trying her hardest to push away the emotion, to control herself, but this was it. Robin's response would truly decide what would become of her, and Raven didn't want to hear it.

"I can't kill you, Raven.," he stated strongly, concerned.

"There are worse things than death, I'm tired of fighting…," she begged, her head sinking again in her self pity.

This was it; if Robin would not put her out of her misery, than he would surely cast her into a deeper pit of it. Raven would surely be thrown into her father's hell of existence in seconds, and while she waited for what seemed like a final judgment, all Robin could initially do was stare.

He had never, never seen her so…broken. Yes, he'd been aware of how she felt during her mishap with Malchior. He'd been aware of how she looked after her birthday. Robin even remembered the defeated face she wore after she'd sent Slade in a round to hell and back. It was never like this. Never had he anticipated Raven to be so fearful of their opinions that she'd supplicate for death. Robin accomplished his goal, the truth was out; it was time to pick up the pieces.

"Raven…," the red and green clad leader gently, with his gloved hand he guided her face up to see his. "Just because he's a demon, that doesn't make you one as well."

Raven's brows furrowed in complete confusion. What…what did he just say to her? This couldn't be right. Robin was supposed to protect his team and destroy the threat. He should have killed her if he wasn't going to shun her. Her face contorted angrily, almost insulted, her tears and sobs momentarily subsided. If he was going to do her in, he could've at least been civil enough to end it fast. Suspiciously she stated, "You can't be serious."

"You aren't evil, Raven." Robin answered. "I've never been more serious."

There was honesty in his voice, in the way he carried himself. Raven glared at him disbelievingly as all the items caught in her powers slowly lowered to the ground. There was no way he was saying what he was, not after she had attempted at his own life. Yet…with the minor bond between them, she certainly didn't sense anything discriminating his words.

"You're just different, like the rest of us," he continued, "We're a family. Did you think we would kick you out just because of your heritage?"

"If you were sane you would kill me, forget throwing me out! How can you be comfortable knowing what I am? After what I just did to you," her tone was accusing.

"We share a bond," he added, "I know that you'd never hurt us intentionally, and someone who fought Slade like that just for our sakes, Raven I don't need any other proof to know you're anything but a demon."

"But just now—"

"You weren't in control," Robin interrupted.

The initial threat seeming to not be quite so threatening anymore. Robin accepted her. He truly, honestly accepted her. That was true, but… "You're just one person, Robin, the others—"

"Do not care what you are, only that you are our friend." A feminine voice belonging to that of Starfire interrupted.

Raven jerked her face out of Robin's hands, body flinching up entirely to its shaky feet. Her eyes landed to her bedroom door to see not just Starfire standing in its entrance, but the combined duo of both Cyborg and Beast Boy as well

"But…," Raven questioned. She was confused. They all couldn't mean it, could they? Anyone in their right mind should've been running in bloody terror just knowing the insecurity that demons existed, let alone be living with one, eating with one, trying to have fun with one. Were they all daft?

"We'll admit it explains a lot," Cyborg stated, "But it doesn't change anything. I mean anyone who'll actually listen to B's jokes can't be all that evil."

"Yeah, and—HEY," Beast Boy snapped.

Raven swallowed, merely stunned at their reactions. It was exactly the opposite of everything she'd expected to hear. It was too good to be true… Any minute now she was certain that she would either wake up to find it was a dream or that they'd all spontaneously change their minds. Nervously her face was set in its usual hard glare as her hands feverishly removed the only evidence that she had been crying.

As time progressed in a silent standstill, something dawned upon her. "You all knew before this, didn't you," she questioned cautiously. "You planned this."

"Cyborg managed to recover the sound tracts of the video feed when Slade was here.," Robin answered, "He'd told you not to shun your demonic legacy. After that we all sort of pieced it together."

"And we had realized how difficult it must have been hiding this from us. We wanted you to feel wanted and accepted here," Starfire explained.

"So we figured it was best to let you know we don't care about any of that stuff. Knowing you though, you'd have to learn it the hard way before you learned it at all.," Cyborg shrugged, though his expression appeared grim with that knowledge.

Robin handed Raven her discarded cloak, while hiding the injury on his hand with a retrieved glove, and she held it up to cover her now bikini like attire. She looked at him incredulously, suspiciously, and he was apologetic in stance. "I'm sorry. But we really wanted to let you know you can count on us."

"Yeah, you don't have to try doing any of it on your own.," Beast Boy reconfirmed.

The dark magus still focused upon them with a hard gaze. Was this really happening? They were actually accepting her? Maybe…just maybe she hadn't given her friends, her family enough of the credit they deserved. Slowly, a tiny, humble, yet remarkably thankful smile crept on her lips.

"Thank you…" Her face then turned dark, "You do realize how much I am going to kill you all very slowly…"

"Then if that is the case, I must insist upon a group hug before you begin our punishment!" Starfire was nearly bouncing off the walls in excitement, simply glad to know her friend felt she belonged there.

The empath wasn't given any time to get out of the direct path of danger. Before she knew it, her face was plastered against Cyborg's titanium pectoral and feeling very, very uncomfortable. Despite that, it didn't seem to really matter. She was in the company of friends, those who honestly loved her…and they would die because of it. The smile on Raven's face fell. They should've killed her.

Starfire released all four of them from her bone crunching strength. Several joints were cracked and popped (both bone and steal alike) as they straightened out. Ever the present party animal, Beast Boy was the first to jump to any reason to go out and get it seemed their choice meal.

"Dude, I think this totally calls for a pizza." He smugly looked at Raven with his cheesy grin, displaying his honorably fang.

Raven rolled her eyes, clutching the cloak tighter around her. "I think this calls for all of you leaving and so I can put some clothes on." A vein was clearly visible on her head.

"I hear ya, come on guys.," Cyborg announced, large hands coming behind the alien and the green guy to ward them out. They were in Raven's room, after all, and it was likely she would kill them twice over just for that.

"He he heee," Starfire clapped her hands, bouncing up and down. "And we must make tonight a movie night! I shall rent us the film about the paddies of rice with the men wearing funny cone shaped hats that are much too big for their heads!"

"I'll go call it in." Robin responded. First he would stop at the med bay to wrap his hand. Robin just shook his head, despite it all, the hint of a smile on his lips at Starfire's antics.

Raven noticed the look upon his face, but made no attention to it. She knew Robin to take great simple pleasure in knowing and being friends with someone like Starfire. Whether that simple pleasure went farther than that, Raven would never tell. It wasn't her business to dive too far into the emotions any of her team mates, family, had for the other. Her mood, however, only seemed to sink further. It would be horrendous to be responsible for destroying such innocence like that shared from Starfire.

She had to stop worrying about it. It was set in stone, get over it. Just focus on doing the best that can be done holding it back as long as possible. Meditation gone…it seemed even less of a resistance now.

Robin turned back again to her. She watched as he offered her a smile, a genuine smile of friendship. A lot of his concerns had been put to rest, and he was certain his goal had been met, that Raven knew she had a place in their hearts and home. Raven nodded as if to reconfirm his unspoken message and remained still as they all piled from her room…all but Cyborg. He too gave her a warm grin before approaching her and roughing up her hair.

"You gonna be ok," he asked.

"I'm fine.," she assured him. Better than she thought she would be.

"I'll be sure to give Robin a little talk," his voice had a serious, broadening tone to it. It was clear to Raven that Cyborg didn't approve of the means Robin used to achieve what they'd wanted. Of course there had been better ways, but Raven doubted they would get through to her. Even Cyborg mentioned that.

"I don't think that'll be necessary." she offhandedly replied. It didn't take a mental bond to know Robin would beat himself up for what he did later. The boy wonder would get over it. Besides, she had lashed out at him all ready. "Now would you mind?"

"Oh right," the chocolate skin titan answered, heading towards the door, but stopped. He then turned back around, took her hand and slipped a piece of paper into them. Questioning, Raven opened it to see a phone number scribbled in Cyborg's handwriting.

When she looked up asking for some form of explanation he sort of looked a bit flustered.

"It's Jinx. She called me earlier today. I don't know when you two have met up, but she's worried about you.," he murmured, "I didn't say anything to the others, but I thought maybe you'd like to get back to her."

Then there was that grin on his face, a mischievous, secretive grin. Raven knew without worry that this would stay between the two of them. Cyborg did share some form of friendship with all three Hive members, one that grew to some form of mutual truce at least between Jinx and him. He would notice if Jinx was using her call as a means of something more than she let on to, and during her brief time with her Raven received nothing but compassion and concern.

Raven waited and watched as Cyborg left the room. Once more she starred at the number before pocketing it. Jinx would be receiving a call later.

---

AN: Happy Festives, my readers and reviewers. I felt generous, and after the short chapter I thought, why not go over board and give you 40 pages of text, eh? To be honest, when I had written this chapter back in May/June, I felt obligated to make the connection between the term Skath and demon. Having read the Terror of Trigon comic arc (go buy now, dang it), I noticed the reference of skath and had to tie it in. Also, I felt I almost needed something to break apart from repeating a sum of the episode Prophecy. I had been disappointed with the explanation given at the end of the episode, thus had written a lengthy version in. But I did promise last time this wasn't just a chapter you could skip!

I hope this was a good chap. I honestly hated most of it, still do, but it's been overworked too many times to straighten. Enjoy, peeps.

Also note, the episode Prophecy was clearly not written by myself, and I take no credit for it. I had replicated elements, events, and dialogue to bridge the current fic back to the original season four. The usage of that episode, as always, was for personal/nonprofit use. Don't sue me.