Chapter 6: Land of Shadows
Alright, here we go! The last chapter I wrote for this story on my first attempt! After this, all chapters will be brand spankin' new. If you're just now tuning in, I recommend you go back and reread the first few chapters since I've done a big overhaul on them. Not just edits, but general plot points have been changed. You might be a leetle confused in future chapters if you haven't read the updated beginning!
Many thanks to all of those who have reviewed this story so far and who have returned to it after all these years!
Cyborg's feet hit the soggy ground first as the Titans landed on in front of the tower. Only a small stripe around the base of the building wasn't underwater. Robin landed next to him, and Beast Boy fluttered to the ground before morphing back into his human self. Starfire hovered above them all.
"Well, what now?" Beast Boy said as Cyborg knelt down to lay a sleeping Raven on the grass. The rain was more of a light shower than a deluge now, and the Titans felt no immediate urge to go inside. The dismal evening matched their mood too well. Robin joined Cyborg on the ground, arranging himself so that Raven's head rested in his lap and not in the mud. Not that it mattered much. They were all dirty and soaked through.
"Well?" Beast Boy said again, breaking the silence with an uncharacteristically solemn voice. "The Tempest dude is gone, it's still raining, the city is more flooded than Atlantis, and we're wetter than fish." The others stared at their resident lighthearted friend with disbelief. Mistaking their expressions for confusion, Beast Boy continued.
"I should know. I've been one," he said, wringing out the front of his shirt. Robin blinked a few times. "Well I have!" Beast Boy insisted. Robin shook himself out of his daze, water droplets flying from his black hair.
"Well, I guess the best thing to do now would be to go inside," Robin said thoughtfully. "We can dry off, eat, sleep, and decide what to do in the morning."
Starfire yawned. "Yes, friends, I am most tired. The day has been quite exhausting and long." She yawned again, finally touching back down on the ground to put a comforting hand on Cyborg and Beast Boy's shoulders. Beast Boy nodded in agreement, but Robin had refocused his attention on the girl in his lap. Cyborg glanced at his friend.
'More exhausting for some than others,' Cyborg thought. He had taken note of the looks Robin had been giving Raven the whole day, and now was no different. His furrowed brow, the tiny scowl on his face, the concern etched in the clench of his jaw. It was no secret their leader held strong feelings for the empath, and Cyborg knew Robin was feeling a world of guilt right now for letting her back into battle. Robin took a long breath and exhaled slowly.
"Robin?" Cyborg ventured. He looked up at the metal man. "What is it?"
"I don't get it," Robin said after a minute. "Tempest just left! He had us all in a vulnerable position, and he disappeared." Anger was creeping into Robin's already frustrated voice. "He could have killed us with one lightning strike, but he didn't. He seemed so bent on defeating us, and when we're finally in a weak position, he just isn't there! I just don't get it." Robin was flustered and his cheeks were tinged red. He sighed again.
"Who knows, man," Cyborg murmured, standing up and wiping the mud off his knee.
"We should get inside. We're all tired and Raven should get back to the med lab," Robin deadpanned. He stood and tenderly gathered Raven in his arms. With a backwards glance towards the others, he led their dripping group through the doors and into the warmth of the tower. Shoes squeaked against the tile and they left a trail of puddles behind them, but nobody cared. Cyborg watched Robin carefully. To the others, it seemed like he was letting the matter of Tempest rest for the moment, but Cyborg knew better.
The young hero didn't like it when he didn't know what was going on in his enemies' minds. Usually it was a simple matter, like the HIVE's penchant for pretty things or Cinderblock's enjoyment of smashing things. But then there was the ever-enigmatic Slade, and now Tempest. This new villain hadn't even gone into the city proper, choosing instead to stand above it and wreck havoc on Jump's citizens while taunting the Titans. It reeked of ulterior motives, and for the boy who took pride as the sharpest detective on the West coast and who could quickly recognize thought and action patterns in villains, not knowing what Tempest's motivation was would frustrate him to no end. It seemed Tempest was like Slade in that manner: a mind he couldn't see, a plan he couldn't penetrate. Tempest's decision to not kill them when it seemed he so easily could have was only part of the problem. There was no way of knowing what he would do next. Their only clue was his offhanded remark to Raven about her arm right before their attack orb exploded.
Cyborg shook himself from his thoughts as the elevator door slid open.
"We're all making a pit stop in the med lab, y'all," Cyborg said as they exited. "Everyone pick up some extra blankets and vitamin C. Nobody's getting sick."
"That stuff doesn't even work, dude," Beast Boy grumbled.
"But the little packets fizz so wonderfully when you add them to water!" Starfire said brightly. "I do call 'dibs' on the ducky blanket, too."
The doors hissed open and Robin set Raven down on one of the beds that were still upright. Near the window, the one she had rested on earlier was overturned from their scare with Cyborg. Sighing, Robin unclasped her cloak and set it to dry on a chair.
"Raven?" he heard Beast Boy whisper behind him. Whipping around, Robin looked down at her. Raven was twitching and mumbling incoherently.
"What is going on?" Starfire said, her voice laced with worry. Their leader immediately hushed her, a scared expression creeping onto his face.
"Robin?" Cyborg risked. When the boy did not respond, Cyborg followed his gaze to Raven's left wrist where her skin had not yet healed. For the first time, Cyborg noticed the word 'Tempest' engraved in her arm below the ripped fabric of the leotard.
"When did that happen?" Cyborg roared. Robin made no reply. The enraged metal man was about to say more, but the letters started to fade from Raven's arm and something else started to twist its way onto her skin. Her arm twitched in pain, hand curled into a tight fist, and suddenly her arm lashed out and hit the metal guardrail of the bed with a painful clang.
…
Raven was wandering through a dark, lush jungle, pushing her way through the dense undergrowth of thorns. The feeling of eyes on the back of her head was overwhelming, and Raven constantly glanced over her shoulder. A few times she imagined she saw a shadow ducking behind a tree, but she credited it to the dancing shadows playing in the moonlight. Where was she?
The unmistakable sound of a twig snapping heightened Raven's senses. She spun around, facing the direction of the sound, heart pumping and adrenaline rushing. Branches rustled in the wind and an eerie quiet settled over the landscape. No birds chirped, no animals sounded. The only noise was the terrified thumping of her heart. Raven's eyes searched the still shadows for a clue, but none came. She lifted her hands, focusing on her magic, but the comforting black glow of power did not come to her. A sudden, almost invisible movement caught her eye.
Raven immediately crouched down in the thicket, muscles tensed as her piercing amethyst eyes honed in on the tree where she saw something. Her eyes narrowed, the feeling of being watched once again surfacing. A slight rustle cut through the tangible silence that shrouded the trees, and she whirled around. Just a few feet in front of her, watching with black eyes, was a small monkey.
Raven's shoulders sagged as she watched the curious creature stare at her in confusion. It chittered at her before climbing back up a tree. Sighing loudly, Raven turned to continue her search for answers, or for an exit. She made it one step forward.
A tall black shadow stood less than five yards away. All breath left Raven's lungs as she stared into the hard silver eyes of the figure. They stony orbs glinted in a familiar way, and as Raven took one step back, the figure took one step forward. A dark hand materialized and separated itself from the dark shape and reached behind itself for something. Raven never found out what; she was already running.
Trees surrounded her as Raven entered a flat out sprint. She weaved her way through the dense jungle, whipping around trees and leaping over bushes as she desperately tried to find a way out. Her foot suddenly caught on a root and Raven skidded to a stop as she crashed headfirst into a tree. Stars danced in front of her eyes as she shakily stood and leaned against the rough bark, breath ragged in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to fly, standing on her tiptoes and holding her breath. Sounds of footsteps broke her concentration and she pushed off the tree, once again hurtling through the trees. A light appeared.
Through the bleak black and green of the jungle, a small patch of light shone off to Raven's right. She slid to a halt and turned sharply towards the opening in the trees, pressing on towards the growing beacon. Her breath came in short gasps as she ran faster. She could not sense a presence around her, but Raven dared not slow down. Her powers had only failed her since her arrival in this mysterious place.
Skating to a stop, Raven looked up the jagged rock face in front of her. The light had just been a ray of moonlight reflection off the tall, light grey cliff. Taking a backwards glance to the black abyss behind her, Raven decided her best bet was up.
She clambered onto a ledge about eleven feet off the ground, the first resting spot she could find. The cliff was a high one, and a difficult climb. The rock went straight up, an occasional rock shelf disrupting the face of sparse vegetation and sharp edges. Raven's spot protruded about three feet from the face. Taking a last look down at the hole in the tree line from where she had come, Raven locked eyes with the dark figure. A chill ran through her as she stared at it, unable to tear her eyes away from the silver glare. The shadow broke the stare first, trailing a look to the top of the cliff before disappearing into the shadows again.
Raven sighed in relief. Turning once more to the task before her, she began her ascent towards the starry sky.
…
"She won't wake up," Robin grunted as one of Raven's arms once again came very close to socking him in the face. She was sweating and felt cold to the touch, and the mumbling hadn't stopped. Suddenly, her movements ceased, and she lay still on the bed, panting. Robin wiped his brow and looked to Cyborg for answers. The taller boy was holding the restraint belts with trepidation in his eyes. He looked up to meet Robin's gaze.
"No," came a quiet voice. Robin and Cyborg looked over to see Starfire rise from her chair. "We will not restrain our friend. Something is happening to her, inside her mind, yes, but I do not think I could bear the sight." Starfire stood next to Robin and placed a gentle hand on Raven's head, brushing hair from her face. Robin nodded his agreement.
"You're right, Star," he whispered. Cyborg looked relieved as he dropped the belts back into their drawer.
"I just wish she would wake up," Beast Boy said. He was sitting on the floor, back against the wall by the doors, facing the others. "She's not healing herself or anything. Something weird is going on." Robin clenched his jaw, but to his credit, he did not say anything about Beast Boy's remarkable ability to point out the obvious.
"Cyborg?" Robin said, holding out a hand. Cyborg handed him a clean cloth and Robin pressed it to Raven's arm. The new message from Tempest stretched down the length of Raven's arm, but they had decided to leave it uncovered in case something else appeared, opting instead to just wipe the blood away as it came. The bleeding was slowing by now, anyways. The words 'Goodnight Titans' peeked out from beneath the cloth. The Titans were quiet for a few minutes, listening to the steady sounds of their own breathing and taking what little comfort they could in Raven's temporary peace.
"Robin," Beast Boy said suddenly, "where is the password to the research database?"
"Under the keyboard," Robin responded. "Why?" Beast Boy stood up, determination in his stance.
"Someone has to know something about this dude," the green boy said. "I'll be at the computer."
"I will assist," Starfire said. "There is something very familiar about this Tempest, like bell ringing as you say. I wish to do some research on my thoughts as well."
"Let us know if you find anything," Cyborg said, sitting in the chair Starfire had vacated. The two nodded and exited the room.
"How are you holding up?" Cyborg asked Robin quietly. Raven was beginning to gasp again.
"I should have left her here," Robin said predictably. Cyborg was ready, though.
"If Raven had stayed here, we'd be a pack of scorched bones," Cyborg responded, referring to the lightning ball Tempest had fired off at him, Beast Boy, and Starfire earlier.
"Still," Robin said. "She shouldn't have mixed with Tempest again so soon. He did something to her, Cy, I know it. The words that keep appearing, the fact that she can't wake up… I hope Starfire and Beast Boy figure out what else there is to this guy's power, and fast."
"Me, too," Cyborg said, watching as Robin held one of Raven's hands in his own. The twitching was starting again, her breath coming in short bursts once more.
"Fight it, Raven," Robin whispered. A short cry wrenched itself from Raven's lips, and with a gasp, her breathing stopped.
…
Raven was halfway up the face of the cliff when she slipped.
A light rain had begun to fall and the rock became more and more slippery as she climbed. It was getting harder to find hand holds in the rock and the ledges were fewer and farther apart. Raven was almost to the ledge that marked halfway. The rock was smooth here between her and that ledge. No handholds were available and the only visible plants were out of reach. Raven gritted her teeth and stretched up as far as she could. Her fingertips came closer and closer to the shelf.
"Little more…" Raven murmured to herself. She swiped at the rock, missing it by mere centimeters. Moaning in desperation, Raven tried again only to get the same result. She let out a frustrated sigh and looked down.
She immediately regretted it.
Seventy feet below her, the jungle was a sea of darkness and danger. The closest ledge below her was one of the bigger ones, maybe six feet wide, but probably ten feet down. Raven swallowed hard and looked back up.
She drew a deep breath and adjusted her feet, trying to calm herself before putting her plan into action. Taking another breath, she jumped. Reaching, Raven grabbed the lip of the rock with her right hand and hung there. She felt her hand start to slide off the slick rock and quickly brought her other hand up, scrambling to find purchase on it. Panicking, she clawed at the unforgiving surface. Her hand brushed against a vine of some sorts and she grabbed it, trying to haul her upper body onto the ledge. She pulled on the vine and it came with her, seemingly unattached. Raven let it go and grabbed at the rock again, getting her left elbow up onto the ledge, but then it slid back off and suddenly she was dangling by the fingertips of her right hand. Biting back the urge to scream, she swung her left hand back up to try and grab onto something, but all she met was air, and then her right hand gave out.
Wind whipped past her face as she tumbled ten feet down to the ledge below. Raven tried to land on her feet, but her knees buckled from exhaustion and she rolled towards the edge.
Raven threw out an arm in an attempt to stop her momentum. The rolling stopped and she opened her eyes to find she had managed to stop right before the ledge gave way to a long free fall into certain death. She took a deep breath and rolled back onto her stomach. Dizzily standing, Raven looked back up at the mocking cliff. But she was firm in her goal to get up there before morning broke. Stepping to the wall, she once again set off.
Same shelf, same dilemma, but this time, Raven thought she found an easier solution. The vine she had grabbed earlier was attached to the rock, after all. It dangled over the upper shelf and Raven easily reached it and pulled, hard. It held fast. Before she had any second thoughts, Raven entrusted her life to the puny piece of vegetation and finally hauled herself up and onto the shelf.
The moon was beginning to set when Raven finally dragged her weary body up onto the grass at the top of the cliff. Lying on her back, her chest heaved as her lungs screamed for oxygen. Her arms and legs trembled and she wanted nothing more than to sleep, but as soon as her eyes closed, the eerie silver glare of what she had taken to calling the Thing caused her eyelids to shoot back open. Raven rolled onto her stomach, watching angrily as a tear dripped off the tip of her nose into the grass.
She was lost, tired, and scared. There was nothing more to it, and the sooner she admitted that to herself, the sooner she could get on with it and figure a way out of this place. There was a gaping hole in her memory of how she got to this place, something that scared her even more than the Thing or the cliff. She wished her friends were here; she wished Robin were here. Raven shook herself mentally. Now was not the time to be a stupid damsel in distress. She didn't do damsel. She could figure this out herself. The first rays of sunlight crept out from behind the trees, and Raven pulled herself to her feet and began walking.
Her walk was a short one. The grassy stretch she was on quickly entered the trees, and shortly thereafter, the solid ground ended at a swift river. The waters were dark, and trees and other things flew down the waterway at breakneck speeds. A thick tree trunk lay across the river a few yards upstream. Raven frowned and looked to either side of her, peering down the river. If she had to guess, the only way to continue her journey was to go across. Quickly crossing the distance to the log, Raven threw caution to the winds and clambered onto the makeshift bridge.
The tree rolled a bit on her first step, but it soon settled, the branches and roots at either end steadying it. Raven slowly crept across, picking her way around dead branches and holes in the bark. The river boiled beneath her, angry waters churning. Glancing upstream, Raven stopped dead. A huge log was rumbling down the river straight towards her and her bridge. Her muscles were frozen.
The log slammed into the bridge, and for a moment, it seemed like the thick tree would hold its position. Raven's teeth ceased their rattling and she lifted her head from where she was lying facedown, clinging to the tree. That's when it started tipping.
The tree began to roll down the stream as the log pressed against it, and Raven was thrown from the bark into the freezing rapids. She slammed into rocks and other river clutter, trying to keep her feet out in front of her and her head above the water. She felt her shin scrape against a rock as she entered a short downhill rapid, and she flew over the small fall. Coming up sputtering, she gasped for air as she realized the water had calmed significantly. It still moved quickly, but the surface was smooth, void of rocks and rapids. Raven took the chance to gulp down oxygen and cough up water.
Thunder echoed around her, but the sky was clear. A dense fog approached from downstream, and as Raven grew closer to the fog, the river picked up speed and the thunder grew louder.
"Shit," she mumbled as she realized where she was headed. She began paddling frantically towards the bank, but suddenly the fog was all around her and then she was falling through the air.
The pounding of water on water drowned out the sound of her screaming, and soon she hit the water feet first. The moving river immediately whisked her away from the bottom of the falls, and Raven struggled to keep her head above the frothing water as she felt a fierce wind whip past her face. The water threw her over another, smaller edge, and then she was floating quietly in a calm pool of still black water.
Ripples broke the mirror surface of the pool as Raven silently swam towards the edge of the water where the black lightened to a murky blue. Soft sand rose beneath her feet, and she first walked, then crawled through the gradually lightning water to a shore of soft white and lush green. Water poured over her lips as she coughed, air not coming quickly enough. Reaching the edge, she pulled herself onto the sand and collapsed. Around her, tall sentries of leaves and wood blocked out the morning sun as her bruised body shivered in the shadows.
…
Robin and Cyborg watched as Raven gasped for air. She would take deep breaths and then choke, as if she were drowning. After about a minute, to Robin an eternity, the worried horror ended and Raven's breath slowed to deep, gentle breathing. Silently, Robin wondered if it would stay like that this time.
"He's controlling her dreams or something," Cyborg said, watching thoughtfully as Raven's struggles slowed along with her breathing and her face relaxed.
"Or he sent her someplace," Robin responded, thinking aloud as well. "Think the others will find anything?" Cyborg shrugged.
"Beast Boy is actually pretty good with computers, but in this case, I'm banking on Star finding something," Cyborg said. "This guy has magic up his sleeve, and she's really the only one besides Raven who knows anything about anyone who isn't from Earth."
Robin brushed a strand of damp lavender hair from Raven's face with a sigh. She looked so… exhausted. He felt her hand tremble beneath his, muscles quietly shaking. Somehow, he knew it wasn't just dreams that Tempest was controlling right now, like Cyborg thought. She was somewhere else, fighting something back, or running from it. And she was so tired. Robin studied her face, took in the deep circles that had developed beneath her eyes over the past few hours. If only he could help her.
From here on out, all chapters will be NEW! Which means it will take me much longer to write them, but I'm excited for what I have planned! leave a review on your way out, please? =)