To the guest reviewer RobRae4Ever: I looked at the order of the episodes, and you're right. Starfire should've known that Trigon would be defeated because Raven is alive in the future. But, if you look at the episode, Jump City is basically a wasteland. Maybe it didn't occur to her that Trigon was defeated as she was used to seeing Jump City as someplace like San Francisco? You're right though, that is a major plot hole.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the original characters and the storyline. Everything else belongs to DC Comics.

Chapter Twenty-Six:

"In this world, there are nine rings of hell. One who wishes to return to the world of the living, must be physically, mentally and emotionally strong enough to journey through all nine. They must face every sin they have ever committed. Only when they are truly pure can they be reborn."

Raven swallows, looking at Azar and Raza. "And what ring am I in now?"

"You are in the first ring; Limbo. You must pass through here. From Limbo you will move through Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery. If you can get through Treachery, you will be reborn. You will no longer have to contend with your father's side. You will be free to attempt to destroy him and take back both of your worlds."

Raza's words fill her with a sense of hope. "Then leave me so I can start. I don't really have a choice."

Raven has read Dante's Inferno. She knows that Dante's visions of Hell are horribly accurate. The first thing she comes to in a field of mist is a white gate. A man guards it. Raven identifies the man to be Homer, author of the Odyssey and the Iliad.

"Will you be humble?" He asks in a grave tone. Raven tilts her head and responds with a silent nod. A moment passes. A light flashes. The gate opens and Raven steps through.

Her travel takes her to a second gate. This one is manned by Socrates, the Greek philosopher thought to be the founder of Western ideology. He is slightly less serious than Homer, but Raven doesn't know how to take that. Isn't this supposed to be a solemn venture?

"Will you be kind?"

Raven stiffens. Will I be? Can I be?

"I will try."

The moment passes. The light flashes. The gate opens and Raven steps through.

She is met by Pythagoras, the creator of the Pythagorean theory, at the third gate. This man analyzes her critically. Raven wonders if he is fitting her journey into the matrix.

"Will you be patient?"

"In all my ventures."

The moment passes. The light flashes. The gate opens and Raven steps through.

Aristotle, the Greek philosopher and scientist, stands before her. Is he also analyzing her? Or is he simply gauging her ability to succeed in this endeavor?

"I have watched your path. I ask you a question I already know the answer to, Rachel from the House of Nix. Will you be diligent?"

"I will never give up."

"Very well."

The moment passes. The light flashes. The gate opens and Raven steps through.

Cicero, the great Roman politician and orator, is the next challenge in her journey.

"I have been informed that I am not allowed to give you an inspirational speech. Instead I ask you a single question. Will you be liberal?"

"Have I not already?"

Cicero's ghostly figure smiles.

The moment passes. The light flashes. The gate opens and Raven steps through.

Raven sees a man she endeavors to resemble: the Greek physician Hippocrates.

"I admire you," she says honestly. He tilts his head in acceptance of the compliment.

"Will you be abstinent?"

"I will try."

The moment passes. The light flashes. The gate opens and Raven steps through.

"Seven virtues, seven sins," Raven murmurs as she sees Julius Caesar, "this must be the last gate."

"Will you be chaste?"

Raven simply nods in response. Her ability to be both chaste and abstinent will depend on Malchior's ability to keep his hands off her, but it's the thought that counts…right?

The moment passes. The light flashes. The gate opens.

Raven is now in the second ring of Hell: Lust.

The remaining Titans and their friends stand on the roof of an old building. They are Kole, Argent, Malchior, Beast Boy, Jinx, Herald, Cyborg, Starfire, Rorek and Robin- making them ten in number. A single thought runs through all of their minds. Will ten of us be enough?

"The first thing we need to figure out is if Herald can create a pocket dimension to banish Trigon into," Argent says. The gothic heroine has a basic understanding of magic, taught to her by Herald who happened to be her romantic counterpart.

Herald, however, disagrees with his girlfriend. "It won't work. I don't know why Raven asked for the three of us to join the seven of you, but it wasn't for my horn."

Robin bites his lip, trying to figure out the mystery Raven left them.

"What is Raven's connection to you three?" Malchior asks. Rorek's eyes widen in realization. "You don't think…?"

Jinx also seems to understand. "There's no way, she couldn't have."

"Maybe she did. Herald, was there ever a point where Raven saved your life? Argent? Kole? Robin? Starfire? Beast Boy? Cyborg?"

"Friend Raven has saved all of us," Starfire says. Her eyes dart around, looking at the demolished world. "Even when she gave up on everything else, Raven saved us. Why? How?"

"When a sorceress, half-demon or not, saves a person's life through healing, she leaves behind a bit of magical essence. Seven is an incredibly strong magical number," Rorek answers slowly. "There are seven of you. There is a… distinct possibility that Raven left each of you a part of her magic. Together, you should be able to cast the same spells she could cast, or heal the same maladies that she could heal. That in addition to the magic of Jinx, Malchior and I, well, we may be able to banish Trigon once and for all."

"Or, you could bring Raven back."

The heroes all stare.

"What, exactly, are you on about?"

AN: And now we get to see what the purpose of Kole, Argent and Herald are. Anyone else enjoy the Argent/Herald pairing? That just makes sense to me. Anyway, I think I said last chapter that those three will play a major role in the sequel. Who else thinks we should've heard more about Raven being in what is either the Underworld or Hell after she becomes the portal? Now you get to, and now you see why the plot alteration means a bunch of extra chapters...