Part 47: Darkness

The creature was waiting, they knew that much. They were both now trapped within Shadowcobra room, waiting in terrified anticipation.

The creature had appeared right after they had watched the movie "Wicked Scary 2". It was thought to be a manifestation of Raven's fears or something conjured up by Control Freak, but both theories were soon discarded.

The thing was after them, hunting them down, picking out each one of them one at a time.

Beast Boy and Terra were the first and others followed. Now, only Shadowcobra a.k.a Zodiac Knight Shadowcobra and Raven remained. They could do either two things: Wait for the thing to come and get them, or fight back. The creature was able to use their friends' powers once it consumed them so fighting it would be hard and they couldn't just wait. That settled it. Even if they were going to die, they would die fighting.

Raven got up first, only to be pulled back down by Shadowcobra. She glared at him, but after hearing his story, she understood what he had meant. He didn't want to lose her, he didn't want to be alone anymore.

"We have to fight it, Shadow," she said to the Snake Knight

"How?" he said, almost a whisper. "How are we going to fight something that can very well use our friends' own powers against us?"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "I never knew you to be frightened or give up," she said.

"True, but I do know how to face facts and that thing is much stronger than when we first tangled with it. Also," he gritted his teeth, eyes closed tight, "I don't want to lose anymore friends."

Raven wrapped her slender arms around his body, leaning her head against his chest. "You won't, Shadow."

"How do you know that?"

"Because, I have a plan."

They went outside, staying close to each other as they walked down the dark hallways. The creature could be anywhere and everywhere at the same time. The darkness was its home and the shadows its doors.

And as if on cue, the creature came out of the shadows and stood before them. It looked both grotesque and horrifying as the faces of the taken Titans decorated the surface of its body.

"Now!" Raven ordered as her eyes glowed white. "Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" She blasted dark energy at the thing only for her attack to be blocked by a green wall of energy. Shadowcobra saw this and took the chance to change into shadows and travel along the surface of the wall. He reappeared behind the creature and grabbed it in a sleeper hold. He smashed his fist against the creature's head with no affect. One of the creature's tentacles wrapped around Shadowcobra's head and threw him off itself. Raven saw this and panicked.

"Shadow!" her concentration broke, giving the creature its chance. The creature's tentacles shot forward and wrapped themselves around Raven's arms, legs and body. Ravne started chanting, "Azerath, Metrion, Zin-" but only to be cut off as the creature wrapped a tentacle around the lower half of her head, closing her mouth.

Shadowcobra got up and saw what was happening. "Raven!" he shouted. No, not again. Not now! He leapt forward, attempting to rescue Raven. The creature's mouth opened and fired Starbolt after Starbolt as Shadowcobra. He dodged them with ease. When he was close enough, one of the creature's tentacles transformed into Cyborg's sonic cannon and blasted Shadowcobra straight in the stomach. Two other tentacles transformed into large gorilla arms and slammed into the snake knight, sending him falling to the floor. Shadowcobra held his chest and stomach in pain as he saw the creature consume Raven.

"Raven!" Images of Misha came into his mind. Misha! Not again!

He blasted the monster repeatedly with Shadow blasts only for them to be smacked away and back at him. Raven was still in its grasp, but the creature had a new idea. It slammed both of its gorilla rams onto the floor, causing a small tremor that knocked Shadowcobra off his feet. He was then pelted with sonic blasts and Starbolts as well as Jinx's hex magic. There were also fireballs from Draco's power being hurled at him, burning his clothes as well as the skin underneath. He flinched at the pain, but ignored it. During all of this, the creature had swallowed Raven whole.

"RAVEN! NO!" Shadowcobra roared as he abandoned his energy attacks and went straight at the creature, only to be smashed against the wall. Shadowcobra fell, unconscious. His only thoughts were of Raven.

Raven, Misha, I've failed you…Darkness followed soon after.

Shadowcobra's POV:

Darkness. That was all I could see. It would be best if I stayed in this darkness.

Why, you ask?

Because I have lost everything.

My friends were gone. Taken away one by one, right before my very eyes. There was nothing I could've done to save them, any of them.

Now, my sweet Raven, my little blackbird, was taken away from me. She was taken away from me like Misha was.

Alone. That was my worst fear. I didn't want to be alone. I hated being alone! But now I am alone and it was all my fault

I opened my eyes to see the monster gone. It had taken away Raven and I was powerless to stop it.

How long was I unconscious? Minutes? Hours? It was too hard to tell. The tower was still dark and the sun hadn't risen yet.

The peculiar thing was that the creature hadn't taken me when it had the chance. After it had taken Raven, it could've taken me when I was incapacitated. But I shouldn't be curious. It was a monster, anyway. It might have left to nurse it wounds.

I struggled to get up, leaning against the wall to regain my balance. I flinched slightly at the pain in my arm and leg as well as the pain in my chest.

I wasn't strong enough against the creature and ran scared when it had taken my friends. I was a coward and I paid for it with the lives of my friends.

Wait! How did I know they were dead? They could be very well alive for all I know. The creature needed them alive so that it could access their powers.

Their powers! That was it! It wanted their powers, but for what?

I tried to remain calm but I was scared. The unholy thing could be anywhere and could strike at anytime. I had to prepare myself.

I scanned the whole Tower with my powers, attempting to find it.

Got it.

It was somewhere in the living room, waiting. Waiting for me no doubt. I reached into my pocket and took out my snake deck. It was time to push away my fears and fight back.

It was time to get my friends back.

It was time to get Raven back.

Phasing slowly through the wall, I finally arrived in the living room. It was as it was before when the monster had attacked and it was where the monster was standing.

There it stood, before me, in front of the television. It still had the same grotesque appearance it had portrayed during its previous attacks. It growled and snarled at me but I stood firm. I took out my deck. But, before I transformed, I looked at the pendant I was wearing. There was no time for hesitation.

"ZODIAC FORCE! SNAKE!" The purple and black energy encased my body, transforming itself into my armor.

"ZODIAC KNIGHT SHADOWCOBRA!" I announced as I stood defiantly before the creature. The creature roared and shot a fog of black smoke that quickly transformed into black rats and ravens meant to attack me. I held my scepter in front and tightened my grip as I leapt into battle.

"DIE!" I screamed as I swung my scepter wildly, throwing the filthy creatures off me. I drew a card from my belt and inserted it into my scepter. "Sword Vent- Snake Coil Saber!" I grabbed the sword and slashed at the creatures. They disintegrated as I did so, reducing their numbers.

The creature saw this and threw its tentacles towards me. I countered with my scepter, smacking away the appendages and then slashing them off. The creature roared with pain but still continued with its onslaught.

The tentacles were completely gone and the creature stood before me, still in pain. Suddenly, it started to reform its body. Its single "leg" started separating into two with large clawed toes on the feet. A large tail grew from its back and new tentacles grew from its back, flailing around madly. The face of my friends were completely absorbed into it.

The creature cackled and then recited a chant I knew so well.

"Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos!" I was covered in black energy and flung well across the room, only stopping as I slammed against the wall. What hurt me was the voice was a demonic version of Raven's.

The creature's arms transformed into sonic cannons and fired. I was able to dodge, but the shock wave sent the couch flying and slamming against me.

The creature spoke in a monstrous version of Cyborg's, "Booyah!" It then sent a wave of pink energy under my feet, causing the floor to break. I fell through the resulting hole and landed on the lower floor.

The creature reappered before me and flung Starfire's Starbolts at me, yelling out "Klorbag!" over and over again. I quickly drew a card and inserted it into my scepter.

"Guard Vent-Cobra Shield!" The purple shield protected me from the volley of blasts, but a very powerful one shattered my shield and sent me flying. I rolled on the ground and clutched my body in pain. I was exhausted and in pain. I was going to lose.

The creature shot its tentacles at me and wrapped themselves around my body, covering me completely. The creature then consumed me like it did the others

"Sorry, Titans. I've failed you…" was all I could say as the creature absorbed me into itself.

To be continued…