Disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline and any original characters. Everything else belongs to DC Comics.
Twenty-Two:
"Rorek calling Robin."
Thinking back a few weeks to when Cyborg forced Rorek to learn how to use the communicator, Rorek was adamantly against it. Now that Raven is in danger? Rorek will be forever thanking Cyborg for insisting on his learning.
"Robin in, what do you need, Rorek?"
"Asteriel is a traitor. She knocked Raven out and teleported. I'm assuming she took Raven to Slade in Steel City." Robin's shocked face stares up at him from the communicator. "I'm sorry, Rorek, but repeat that? And give me the full story this time?"
Rorek repeats the story, from the alarm going off to warn them about Mumbo, to Asteriel knocking Raven to the ground and disappearing with her. "Listen, Rorek, we're about to infiltrate Slade's lair. Can you do the teleporting thing that Raven does?"
It's obvious to Rorek that the team's leader is fighting to keep his composure. His girlfriend is a traitor, and his best friend is missing as a result. Rorek shakes his head, both in response to Robin's question and his thought process.
"No, it is Raven's powers from her father that allow her to shade shift, which would be the technical term for her teleportation ability. I can shift to my dragon form and should be able to cross to the East Coast in less than two hours."
"Do that then. We'll see you when you get here, the coordinates have been sent to your communicator. Wish us luck."
Pressure is applied to her chest. Two hands press down repeatedly. A mouth breathes into hers. Tears fall down someone's cheeks, landing on her still body.
"Jinx, she's gone, give it up!"
Starfire stares in horrified disbelief as she watches her friend try to save her best friend. Robin grips Starfire's hand tightly, for no reason other than the strength of her hand. Hers is the only one that Robin can crush without actually hurting. He can tighten his hold as much as he needs without breaking her fingers.
"She isn't dead, Beast Boy. You don't get it! She's half-demon. She's immortal. This shouldn't… this shouldn't be enough to kill her. She didn't deplete her magical core. I don't… I need Rorek. I need Malchior. I can't… I'm not strong enough to heal this, whatever this is."
"Did you just say that Raven is half-demon?"
Tears continue to fall down Jinx's bruised and bloody face. "It's not important right now, Cy! I have to save her. You don't get it. None of you do. None of you could possibly understand."
When the team infiltrated the headquarters, they were met by Slade. It took all of Terra, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Robin's resources and abilities to get past him. They didn't even manage to capture him; just detain him long enough to start looking for Raven and Jinx. They followed the sound of pouring water, praying that it wasn't what they thought it was, to find Raven.
Only it was. Asteriel was gone, and Raven was laying half-dead on the floor. They'd somehow found Jinx almost immediately afterwards, Cyborg carrying Raven in his arms. Jinx's wail of disbelief upon seeing her sister's body was the most horrifying thing any member of the team had heard in a long while.
Jinx began trying CPR and every other manner of resuscitation that she knew. Nothing worked. Raven didn't even cough up water.
Moments later, when it seems all hope is gone, Rorek bursts through the door.
In the short amount of time the Titans have known him, Rorek has been a calm, level-headed and logical man. He's never raised his voice. He hasn't lost his temper. He's patient with everyone and everything, even Beast Boy's obsessive Mega Monkey 5 playing and Starfire's horrendous cooking. But now, Rorek stands in front of him like a demon fresh out of hell.
He flicks his hand, a gust of air shoving Jinx away from her sister. In a single fluid movement, he's kneeling next to the body. He pulls several vials from inside his tunic, presumably from inner pockets. He opens Raven's mouth and pours each vial in, one after another. In seconds, Raven is coughing. Rorek gently turns her on her side and pets her hair as her body purges the water.
He checks her breathing and her heart rate, listening carefully to find out if anything else is wrong. She falls back onto her back once the water is all gone, forcing breath out of her tired lungs. She looks up at Rorek with unwavering loyalty. She opens her mouth to say something and he shakes his head.
"You're forgiven, but next time, don't block me out."
She smiles, and promptly falls asleep.
"We have to track down Asteriel and Slade both. We can't let them get away with this," Terra says adamantly. Her teammates are in agreement, but no one knows where to go from here. Rorek sits next to Raven on the couch, holding her against his side gently. "You have to tell them, my Raven. It is time, and they need to know."
Raven doesn't bother to reply, she just stands up. "We have a bigger threat than Slade and Asteriel." In a dramatic movement, Raven removes her cloak from her body. Her pale gray skin is covered in glowing, red marks. "I know Jinx let slip that I am half-demon, and I know that this worries you. What you all have to understand is that I have my demon side under control. What you don't know, is my demonic parent."
"And that is?" Cyborg asks curiously. He's had many discussions with Raven and Jinx on the subject of the supernatural before, and is always interested to hear new sides of the story.
"Trigon, my father is Trigon the Terrible. He and his army of demons ravage my home that is a realm called Azarath. Most demons are involved in a prophecy, and I am no exception."
She takes a deep breath.
"The gem was born of evils fire; the gem shall be his portal. He comes to claim, he comes to sire the end of all things mortal."
The Titans stare at her. Raven smiles weakly and ducks her head, fighting to keep her composure. "And it means exactly what you think it does."
Starfire's eyes widen further, her mouth drops open and her hand flies up to cover it. "Friend Raven, you do not mean…"
"She means it," Rorek says quietly. "Raven's destiny is to die."
AN: We're heading for the End, folks, quite literally actually...