(Here it is, the climax of Shadow of the Past... I need nothing more to say, just read and Enjoy!)

CH15

Days passed into weeks, and fall changed into winter. Fresh snow began to blanket Jump City, turning it into a winter wonderland. The citizens moved on with their days, ignoring the continuing snow fall, especially the Titans.

After Shadow's letter to Raven at her welcome home party, the Titans, with the help of Blackfire and the Titans East, hoped to stop Shadow and what ever he has planned. Robin eventually forgot the Eternals. They haven't appeared since their attack on the tower months ago or come to finish off Raven, so the Titans believed the Eternals were gone forever…

The Titans trained and trained, from the recordings of Shadow's attack on the Titans just after the Eternals', seeing how he moves and how experienced he was. When Raven was healthy enough she began her training to gain back her powers, after a while she believed she was back at her normal state of magic, and with Robin's and Speedy's help they helped Raven have experience in hand to hand combat. By the time the snow fell on the city, the Titans, especially Raven was ready for what ever Shadow threw at them.

For Shadow, he was preparing for his own training, not only with his knowledge of his powers but with the Titans' as well and hopes of using their skill against them. His sword training, as a last resort, that commenced with agile and swiftness. When Shadow built up the confidence he needed, but when he felt it was time for the deliverance, he was ready.

But nothing came, each side waited for the other to make the first move. Shadow knew his message was inevitable, so why get anxious when the truth was to come sooner or later. Titans were the opposite, they want Shadow to deliver his message, only to get beaten by them and finally stop him and what ever he was going to do. The only problem was, they couldn't wait!

While the others were anxious to stop Shadow, Terra was anxious to see him personally. He hadn't return since the party, and she felt quite lonely. She couldn't tell anyone about her fragile relationship with him to anyone, not even to herself. With every passing day, her passion for the mysterious messenger grew, she wanted to see him, she even tried to search for him with no avail.

Raven was patient for Shadow, she wasn't going waste her time anticipating Shadow's move. He will come to her, she knew it. But what really bugged her was she had no idea what was his message was going to be about. Trigon sent her a message already. Her family is dead, so they had no message for her. No friends or aquantiouses, nothing. Who ever sent Shadow, Raven had no idea why.

One day, Raven sat in her room thinking of the question "Why?" No thought came to her. She began to grow scared, when a light in her room burst. "Calm down Raven." She said to herself. "Edgar wasn't scared of anything. But look how he turned up, buried six feet in the ground dead." Suddenly Raven thought of her only picture of her family. She went over to the dresser, only to see the lock broken. Raven pulled open her dresser full of pictures; she shuffled through them, but couldn't find it. She tried again, no picture. When she pulled everything out, she realized her penny, the one Beast Boy gave her before Trigon was gone. The last time she had was the night before the Eternals' attack and she remembered putting it back.

Then she tried to think of who could've taken it. Starfire…? No, she hasn't a clue she even has a dresser. Robin…too busy. Cyborg…he wouldn't risk coming in here again. Argent, Jericho and Hot Spot… No way, they are too scared to even try it… The Titans East just arrived and Blackfire was too busy proving Robin she's Titan material. That only left Beast Boy. "Impossible. He's been with me since…forever it seems like…and I told him about my past. Why would search for photos? Unless someone else…" Before Raven could draw a conclusion to her missing photo and penny mystery, sirens went off. Sighing, Raven closed the drawer and ran out of her room.

In the main room, every Titan came running in at the same time only to see Robin staring at the big television screen. It showed citizens getting attacked by Dr. Light, with Brother Blood with some of his faithful students near the bridge attacking cars and trucks causing mass panics among the people of Jump City. (Just to brief, both wanted revenge on the Titans, as usual, so they combined their skills in hoping to defeat the Titans once and for all…good luck!)

"We are calling out the Titans to fight!" Blood yelled, with his students cheering him on. "If they don't respond in within one hour, all of these people will pay for the Titans absence for every minute they are missing." To prove he wasn't bluffing, he grabbed an old guy and hit him in the gut, the man folded up gasping for air.

"If the Titans are smart enough, they will come and sub come to us!" Dr. Light added.

Robin went over and turned off the TV, "I guess we have a job to do. Shadow can wait. Titans go!" All of the available Titans came streaming out of the towers, flying, running, or driving they all made their way to put down the nuisance.

When the Titans made it, most of the citizens have already abandoned the soon to be battlefield, except for a few hostages, like the old man from the TV. Brother Blood and Dr. Light smiled as the Titans, Titans East, with Blackfire stood at attention to fight them…Fifteen against six.

"You guys seriously need a life." Robin said to them.

"True, but we will have one after we are through with you." Blood said, preparing for a fight along with his four obedient students.

Dr. Light was first to move, he aimed his light manipulator at the Titans. Before he could pull the trigger, a white light came out of nowhere and grabbed Dr. Light's weapon and arm and the light lifter him in the air and flung him into the nearest car then picked him up again and sent into another before being tossed into the air and slamming into the pavement.

Immediately everyone turned to Raven, who looked just as bewildered as everyone. "Hey, don't look at me." She said. Then for the first time since the Titans came into being, they were scared of knowing the right answer.

Then a sound came from a dark alley, near the battle zone. Everyone Titan and Blood alike waited for what ever made that noise to show itself. Emerging from the dark alley and stepped into the light…Tall and slim, dressed in a leather coat and wearing a Stalheilm helmet came forth. The Titans, despite their training, they were scared of him even so. Raven and Blood's team were beyond petrified, their blood ran cold. Raven seen him on the TV, but never in real life and he was a lot more intimidating than she realized. Brother Blood didn't think someone like this existed…

Shadow emerged, walking slowly from the alley way to the open streets, standing on the curb of the side walk. He looked at the Titans and Brother Blood, then back to the Titans. He smiled with anticipation; he caught both unprepared, good…

"So," Brother Blood said at last. "You are a new guy in this game?"

"No," Shadow said. "But you are just about to lose your turn." Before Blood realized what he meant, Shadow released a powerful, magic white whip across Blood's torso and sent him into a near by building. Shadow's twisted the whip onto Blood's students before they could retaliate, and sent them all over the area.

The Titans stood in disbelief, as Shadow hasn't been here no more than a minute and he already taken down the six villains without actually trying. When Shadow turned his attention to the Titans, Robin charged with his staff and Shadow stood where he was, but cocked his arm back, like he was going to punch, but his white power consumed Shadow's arm. Just as Robin drew closer and closer, he jumped into the air coming in at his target, with his staff ready to swing, Robin hoped Shadow didn't know what to expect.

Just seconds before both were to collide, Shadow's arm shot out and the white magic caught Robin in the chest, like he was hit by a Cyborg's beam. He flew back and landed hard in a shoveled up pile of snow by the side of the road.

Starfire, followed by her sister, took to the air. With green and purple star bolts ready to the go, Star and Blackfire sent volleys and volleys at Shadow. Shadow raised his hand in the air and a white shield formed around him. With the Tamaranians sisters' bolt hitting the shield and around it, explosion kicked at the ground. Again they flew high in the air and started again as Blackfire and Starfire began an aerial dive, like a dive bomber. Shadow's shield disappeared, he watched with great admiration at the Tamaranians' bravery. Just as the sisters drew closer, Shadow released his white-bird-like (like he did to that tempted-rapist in chapter 4) which grabbed Starfire and swung her into her sister, sending them plummeting to the earth.

With Shadow distracted, Hot Spot and Cyborg charged him. Cyborg shot his beam and Hot Spot sent flames at Shadow. When he noticed, he quickly ducked, just as Cyborg's beam missed him, but he had to dive away from Hot Spot's flame. Shadow got up, his hand turned white with power and sent the whip like form across Cyborg's chest and turned it on Hot Spot across his face. Both didn't see what hit them, they probably had no clue what happened to them as the landed hard on the ground.

That is when the Titans East took up the challenge, Speedy and Aqualad were closes. Shadow didn't expect the Titans to call on their pathetic spin off allies to fight, but as long as they were in his way, Shadow magically formed his bird claw and his whip, when Speedy just pulled out his bow and arrows the claws grabbed his leg and launched him up before he landed an a parked car a few feet away…Aqualad dodged the whip when his jumped over it, and was about to punch Shadow, when Shadow's magic arm shot out, like a rifle fire, that send Aqualad skidding down the street.

The twin fighters, Más y Menos charged at Shadow, they managed to trip him after he took down Speedy and Aqualad, when they returned Menos slapped Shadow's face then ran off. When Shadow finally gained his balanced, he noticed Más y Menos off in the distance making faces at him. Quickly he saw the twin fighters disappear… Shadow noticed that the snow was being kicked up, just the snow's disturbers came closer, and Shadow had a second to react. Just as Más y Menos were near, they smacked into Shadow's shield. With the counter force of Más y Menos's speed, the reaction of the collision sent them both "flying" down the street…

Bumblebee tragically tried Starfire's and Blackfire's dive bomber technique, she also made the same mistake of charging Shadow head on as all the others did. She didn't even see the white claw grab her, and just like the Tamaranians, Bumblebee plummeted to down to earth.

Argent tried to attack, but immediately after Shadow took down Bumblebee, he shot his magic at her, sending into another pile of snow. Jericho ran for her aid when Shadow's bird claw grabbed him from behind and slammed him hard into the pavement, knocking him out.

Beast Boy stood in front of Raven, trying to protect her. Shadow clinched his hand into a fist in anger. He wanted to hurt Beast Boy for his crush on her. No one has the right to love her, without Shadow having something to say. Beast Boy morphed into a wolf and charged, he jumped into the air, hoping to bit Shadow, only Shadow's whip hit him from the side, sending bouncing down the road.

Terra ran forward, when she was close enough to Shadow for him to notice her. When he did, they stared at each other. They remembered their kiss. Terra was in shock that Shadow was hurting her friends, after drawing the conclusion that Shadow wasn't really a bad guy, just misunderstood. Shadow heart felt someone just stabbed it… he really liked her, truly he did. She was the only friend he had here… Now they stood against each other as enemies.

Shadow knew what he had to do, so did Terra. Shadow looked away from her gaze, for the first time he felt something for some else. To him this was an impossible situation he found no alternative…

"I am sorry Terra." Shadow said with his voice in his whisper. He raised his hand at her that glowed white with power.

Terra felt the warmth of her tears; she didn't position herself for battle but stood there. She looked down; she really was in love with him somehow. But in her heart she knew it would come to this, what made it hard for her to realize, he liked her too. She also knew he had a job to do, and she wasn't going to be in his way.

"I am too." Terra said, Shadow looked away again as his magic slammed against Terra's chest and sent into a parked car where she was left unconscious.

Now Raven stood alone…

Raven never felt this kind of fear since Trigon, now she was the only one standing against an enemy who just taking down thirteen Titans and six enemies without breaking a sweat. When Shadow turned his attention to her, she felt her heart beating faster; she couldn't concentrate on her powers. She just stood there letting the fear consume her, letting her be a victim of Shadow's wrath!

"At last I am with you." Shadow said. "It is a privilege to stand in your presence, without the luxury of tubes and wires poking out of you, Rachel."

"So, you're Shadow. I know someday you'll come for me." Raven said. "What do you want from me?" She knew she could hear herself being nervous, but she couldn't help it.

Shadow chuckled, "Just lend me your ears and listen to my message."

"What kind of message?"

"The one that is going to change your life and those around you forever." Shadow replied. He was so close to Raven he could see her face despite she was wearing her hood over it and he could see the fear in her eyes. He knew she had nothing to fear from his message, but she was intimidated by him.

"What if I don't want to hear what ever you want to say to me?" Raven asked, longer she stood in Shadow's presence the more she got the courage to stand up to him.

Shadow slowly turned his back on her, "That depends, you can listen willingly or you're to be forced into it." Shadow's voice showed he wasn't joking. Raven didn't expect to meet someone that could be that serious, almost like her…

Raven wrapped her cloak around herself, under it her hand glowed with her magic. She was prepared to fight Shadow. She didn't want to listen to him, no matter who the message is from, she didn't want this message to take over her life like Trigon's message delivered by Slade or the notice that her brother Edgar was killed almost three years ago. No longer was she going to take these messages, no longer was she going to take on the burden of them…She was going to silence Shadow once and for all!

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos" Raven cried, her cape whipped away and her arm shot out and her black force zoomed from her hand at Shadow.

Shadow formed his shield just as Raven's magic was bearing in. The force of Raven's magic and Shadow's shield pushed both in the air. Raven fell back, while Shadow's shield may have protected him from her sneak attack, he still was tossed in the air and land next to a car.

Slowly both of got up, Shadow looked angry at Raven, so was Raven at Shadow…

"So this is your decision?" Shadow asked.

"Yes." Raven replied.

"So be it." Shadow's arm shot out and his white magic shot out and nicked Raven in the shoulder sending her back into the ground.

While Raven was recovering, her eyes glowed with power, but her face should she was now ticked off. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" She cried out and her black magic caught Shadow's helmet sending him spinning down the road.

Raven took this opportunity to levitate into the air; she floated high in the air both of her hands showing her magic. She concentrated on car near her; her black magic surrounded and consumed the car when it levitated in the air next to her.

Shadow barely had time to realize what hit him, when he glanced up to see Raven high in the air with a car floating next to her. "Coward," He said as he picked himself up. When Raven sent the car at Shadow, as it spin the car drew closer and closer. Shadow released his shield once more that consumed him. The car hit with a force, it bounced off the shield sending parts around the area.

Once the shield died away Shadow saw another car coming at him, this time he dived away as the second car smashed into the ground sending more debris than the first everywhere. Shadow tumbled forward then released his bird claw at Raven.

Raven saw the claw, but was too late as it grabbed her leg pilled her down to earth. She thought Shadow was going to let her hit the ground with her head to cushion the landing… but to her surprise Shadow guided his claw towards a pile of shoveled up snow. Raven landed on the snow…

"What are you doing?" Raven asked.

"I never had the heart to kill you, never. But doesn't mean I am not going to hurt enough for you to stop this foolish resistance." Shadow suddenly released hi white magical whip that hit the snow pile sending Raven onto the pavement.

Raven saw the whip coming back when she rolled out of the way. The whip hit the pavement sending chunks of the road all over the place. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" Raven said, and her own bird claw grabbed Shadow by his leg and tossed him into a near by car.

Shadow recovered from that, slowly. He felt his back in pain. He knew he couldn't last long with Raven there. He knew her magic had more kick in them, but his had skill in them and far more sneaky… for one, he didn't have to say Azarath Metrion Zinthos all the time, so revealing his attack like Raven does.

"You know this if futile. Even if you beat me Rachel, my message will come to you either way." Shadow slowly walked toward her. He knew was wide open to Raven's attack, but as long as he didn't try anything stupid, Raven couldn't attack him while he was not attacking for himself. "Why resist? Unlike those two previous notices you got that were meant to hurt you, mine in not. My message is from Azarath… the war is over."

"Is that you're message Shadow?" Raven asked. "Little good it did me. The war may be over, but it isn't going to change the fact that the war killed off million and destroyed countless lives in its destruction. It is never going to bring my brother back."

"Your brother? Wouldn't he happen to be named… Edgar Roth?" Shadow replied. Raven's eyes were wide in surprise. Shadow smiled when he discovered her ultimate surprise. "So he was your twin brother? He spoke fondly of you. Too bad he died the way he did."

Raven felt the tears in her eyes. The pain of losing him was returning, knowing she was alone in the world… "How did you know him?" she asked.

"It is easy, I knew him." Shadow said. "Horrible how he had to die. He was caught in an ambush while leading his platoon behind enemy lines. They took massive casualties. He happened to catch a crystal bolt from a muskare just as he was retreating. Never knew what killed him." (Note: in this story a crystal is related to bullets and a muskare was a magical equivalence to a rifle in magical terms.)

Raven began to cry… the notice she gotten never mentioned how he died, now that she was hearing from a guy she hardly knew was telling her how her brother died.

"What a pity. He died a coward. Shot in the back while running away. Edgar never knew what it takes to be a warrior, to stand up to his enemies. He was both a fool and a weakling…but one thing is he had his honor. When he talked about salvation and peace he knew what he was talking about."

Raven's sobs began to recline when she heard Shadow insulting her brother. She felt the anger swell up in her breast. She wanted to hurt Shadow more than she ever wanted before.

"It is sad really, he never gave up on you despite the fact you were the one to open the portal for Trigon, to end the world and humanity on Earth and Azarath. Edgar never gave up on you. He knew you were strong…he looked up to you." Shadow's words kept making Raven want to weep for her brother… "Now I can see that Edgar never gave up on you, but you gave up on him. Thanks to you Rachel, your own brother is dead because you lost faith in him… You might as well as held that muskare and pulled the trigger---"

"NO!" Raven cried out, her emotions were broke… objects began to explode around them. Before Shadow knew what he just done, Raven's magic spell caught him in the chest sending him across the battle zone and onto the bridge. Shadow tried to recover but another one of Raven's spells kept him down. Raven flew in the air keeping her enemy down.

She was in pain. No one, not her friend or Beast Boy could understand the absolute ache she has in her heart. She lost her mother and stepfather to Trigon's fanatic mortal supporter. She lost her twin brother in the flames of a war Trigon started… She was alone… no one can understand her name ROTH will die with her. And all of this pain and suffering was being taken out on Shadow.

When the final blow came that sent Shadow bouncing down the bridge and into a parked car, he knew Shadow made the mistake of releasing her rage… but this wasn't rage like she was angry, this was rage of truth. But he knew he had to do it. He had to see her in the pain, even though he was the one that was going to suffer…This was all part of it…

Raven landed and walked towards Shadow, who was on a car's windshield. Her tears kept seeping down her cheeks, her emotions were on the lose…but she didn't care. Soon objects began to stop exploding; all of her powers were on for the destruction of Shadow and his message once and for all.

"It is over Shadow. Your message dies with you." Raven said raising her hand all of her furies in her spell, all concentrated on Shadow's life.

Shadow then began to laugh hysterically… "You don't seem to get it Rachel. No matter if you kill me, you will know the truth. In the end you'll be in more pain than you are now." Shadow continues to laugh at Raven, he was laughing at death…

Raven then lost it… All of her strength burst out of her in her magic spell as it escaped her hand to rid the world of Shadow himself. When Shadow summoned with his strength, a shield that managed to bloke Raven spell, Shadow rolled off the hood of the car as Raven realized another, less powerful spell at him.

Shadow dived again, the spell missed by inches. He knew he couldn't keep this up. Then he realized some thing… his katana, his sword. He smiled at himself when he dodged another of Raven's fury. He stood up to his full height…

"Do you not know when to listen, Rachel? I am inevitable." Shadow said pulling his sword out just as Raven came at him… Suddenly his sword began to glow white as he pointed at her. With all of his concentration he managed to say one word… "Bar-ruk!" Shadow's sword seemed to explode that sent his white spell like a flood over the area… that caught Raven with the force that sent her flying backwards into the ground.

Raven got back onto her feet. She reached out her hand, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" she cried but nothing came! She tried again, same result…nothing.

"Neutralizing spell, Rachel… your powers won't help you for hours now." Shadow said as he walked towards her. Raven's rage was no replaced again by the fear… she can't fight him with his sword in hand. "Now Rachel, my message…"

Back at the battle zone, the Titans slowly began to recover from Shadow's attack. They all gathered around, moaning and complaining as they regrouped around the center…

"Why can't this guy just go down?" Hot Spot said, rubbing his head.

"We hit him with everything we got." Speedy added. "What is up with him?"

"You got me man." Robin said. Then he looked around, "Where are they? Shadow and Raven?"

Everyone looked around themselves, until, "On the bridge look!" Cyborg said. The Titans looked to see Shadow walking towards Raven with his sword drawn and Raven backing away quickly.

"Oh no!" Starfire said.

"What are we going to do?" Bumblebee said.

"Assist Raven." Robin replied.

"Are you insane?" Más y Menos said together. "That guy took us down quickly."

"Then what the hell are we going to do?" Robin asked.

"Let me handle Shadow." Everyone turned to see Beast Boy limping towards them. "I have been planning this moment since I met him. Let me take him down."

"How? Shadow had beaten you quickly. What to you have that Shadow won't expect?" Blackfire asked. "A bunny rabbit?"

"The Beast." Beast Boy answered.

The Titans looked at him with surprise. "Are you sure, man?" Cyborg asked. "You can't control it. That thing will consume you, why give him a chance?

"That Beast saved Raven when I couldn't. We may disagree on things, but we both love Raven. We made this plan, if Shadow defeated me, I'll let him handle him. He is the only one who can now."

"What if the Beast kills him?" Robin asked.

"Wouldn't it break your heart?" Beast Boy asked. When the leader of the Titans shook his head Beast Boy was relieved. "Let him take him down. I know he can, trust him for once."

When the Titans didn't argue anymore, Beast Boy concentrated to find the Beast within. Then Beast Boy started to cry in pain, his pupils in his eyes shrunken, his body began to grow, his uniform began to tear. Within a second the Beast roared in triumphant as the Titans looked on with amazement as the Beast ran to the bridge.

On the bridge… "Don't think you can escape Rachel. Your fate is tangled with the message, you can't run away from it is inevitable." Shadow said coming closer and closer to Raven he was about to reach and grab her when something else grabbed him and hoisted him up and next minute Shadow was staring at large monstrous green creature with massive teeth and horrible breath…

The Beast chucked Shadow across the bridge where he land again another parked car. Shadow slowly picked himself up. Just when he thought nothing can stand in his way that thing had to come and ruin his day as the Beast stood guarding Raven. When Shadow up his summoned his magic in his hand while his other gripped his sword…

When Shadow charged at the Beast and the Beast took off…

All hell will break lose...

(You really got to hate cliff hangers...! Oh, just when it was getting good. Don't miss the Battle between Shadow and the Beast...I divided this battle in three chapters...so wait for part 2 in CH16. Review and thanks for getting anxoius...)