Hope you like this heart-felt beginning part of the chapter!
Chapter 11
"The Beginning Of the End"
Terra:
"The time has come. The prophecy shall be fulfilled. Tonight at dusk, when the planets align, the portal will be opened. Finally, I shall be free from this vile prison, and the Earth shall be mine!"
"I will make sure Raven realizes her destiny. Just keep Aqualad safe," I warned, in turn.
"Bring the Gem to me, and you shall get what you asked for," Trigon replied.
"Deal." I agreed, standing from my kneeling position. I was covered in metal and thread, with his signature 'S' brand plated in a circle on the front of my outfit. "Its a beautiful day for the end of the world."
Trigon and I both looked up at the foretelling sky, where the sun eclipsed.
"She's waking up to her message at this moment," Trigon said, "Its a good thing that green boy is not with her. She might have worried him."
I snorted, turning to leave, "I'll take them out today, then. I want the best view of the eclipse."
"I just think its a nice day, is all," I defended myself, lightly, "Why not go out into the forest, for a walk? Something fun, to lighten up the mood."
Robin scratched his chin, thoughtfully, "Sounds good to me. Let's get the others."
I smiled at how easily I could fool him and I nodded, hurrying off to Aqualad's room. I'd have to convince him today that everything would be alright so long as the two of us got through it together. His unknown closure, for, most likely by the end of the day, his world and our (his) friends would be dead.
I knocked and after a pause, he opened it, "Oh hey, Terra. What's up?"
"Robin and I are collecting people for a trip outside. Wanna help me round them up?" I asked, smiling.
He nodded, cupping my hand in his and smiling at the blush, "Anything for you."
Good. He was already getting the concept.
"Come on, then," I said, pushing my hair to hide my face, and the blush.
I started walking but he tugged me back, pulling me against his body. The veil of my hair now covered half of my face and I stared at his smirk, stunned and confused as to why he would not move. His hand gently tucked my hair back behind my ear.
"I like when I can see your face," Aqualad explained, releasing all of me but my hand. "Alright, let's go."
"Okay," I squeaked, my cheeks burning.
Raven:
The rising sun leaked into my room and I opened my eyes, feeling strangely awake. I looked down and gasped.
The marks were back, shining brightly through my clothing. I panicked.
I ripped my covers aside, pulling my cloak on and just running outside without anything else to do. I ended up in front on the roof, staring up at the sky with a panicked and unsure expression before staring down at my arms, solemnly. I heard footsteps behind me and panicked, letting my arms fall and my cloak drape comfortably over me, covering me.
"What are you doing up so early?"
He came up beside me, standing cheerfully as I stared at the ground.
"I could ask you the same thing," I replied, in a monotone.
"I love the sunrise, the promise of a new day," Robin replied. "Anythings possible."
"Are you always so cheery?"
"Pretty much." He said, without an hesitance whatsoever. "Looks like its gonna be a beautiful day."
I looked up at him, wondering if I should tell him. They deserved to know but . . . why ruin their last day?
"Yeah." Smiling, I looked up at the person who was like my twin, "Hungry?"
Beast Boy:
"This was a really good idea, Terra," Argent had said, relaxing and leaning back.
She'd smiled, "Thanks."
Aqualad and Terra had wondered off by now, as had Raven and I, hand in hand. Cyborg, Starfire, and Robin were with us on our walk as well, though Raven and I were the only ones being affectionate.
"Dude," I shouted in surprise and they all turned, alarmed.
That was until I picked a penny up off of the ground, surprised at finding one all the way out here, "Find a penny pick it up . . . something, something, something, good luck! Its my lucky day!" Raven gave me a flick on my head, and I flinched away, rubbing my head and pouting.
"Don't scare us like that," she insisted, continuing and walking ahead, towards the tree.
I shrugged, giving a little victory dance.
"Friends, I believe I am having a most glorious time!" Starfire said happily. She called to Raven, "Friend, do you wish to go to the mall of shopping today with our holo-rings? I feel an outing is needed!"
"Sure," Raven replied. "Whatever you want, Starfire."
Starfire seemed pleased, but Robin, Cyborg, and I shared confused looks.
My brow rose, suspiciously, and I walked over to Raven, up behind her. "Everything okay?"
"I just want everyone to have a nice day today," she replied, plainly.
My hand rose, ready to touch her shoulder. I hesitated, for some reason. "Raven . . ."
The sky suddenly darkened and we all looked up to see the moon, heading slowly across it. From below the waterfall, our friends gave shouts of surprise, also noticing the unexpected eclipse. From below, night shot up, engulfing the area.
"It was morning two seconds ago, right?" I heard someone shout frantically from below, looking around for some for of assurance they weren't going insane. None was given, as everyone was in shock.
"Whoa, weird," I began, before noticing Raven.
She lurched forward, backward, and turned, giving another few stumble before finally beginning to fall back. For a moment I thought she was having some epileptic fit until I saw her arm extend, a hand reaching out to grab hold of nothing. I saw her arm, to my horror, covered in the same marks she'd had when falling off the building.
"What's going on?" I demanded, shocked.
Robin ran over, as did Starfire and Cyborg. "Raven!"
Raven hit the floor, unconscious, and immediately the four of us ran over. Robin held her head up while I squatted next to her, a horrible feeling sitting in the pit of my stomach.
"Why didn't you tell us," I whispered, clutching her hand.
"Its happening, isn't it?" Robin asked, clearly along the same train of thought as I was.
Starfire's hands were near her mouth, fear emanating off of her in waves. "Please Raven, today is the day, it is-?"
"The end of the world," Raven interrupted, hardly more then a whisper.
My heart shattered, watching her close her eyes tightly as tears streamed down her face. Robin relinquished his hold as I moved to take his place, and held her against me as she continued to cry, silently.
"I thought we had more time," she said, more to me then anyone else, but Robin answered anyways.
"We do."
"Where are you taking me?" Raven demanded, as Cyborg carried her through the halls.
I would've done it, but I trailed in the back, tense, but hiding my emotions from Raven, since she couldn't see me and was far too enthralled by what was happening then anything else. If I'd have carried her, she would've known how intense my emotions were. Only one thought remained dominant in my head: What if this was all for nothing?
This scared me so badly I was shaking until Robin spoke again, bringing me back to the reality of here and now.
"You said there was nothing we could do. We didn't agree, so we've been preparing for this day," Robin explained. The others were not there, it was just the five of us, including myself. They were preparing, just like Robin had said.
Speaking of which, our always blunt leader placed his hand in the scanner, palm flat, and the red light turned green, allowing us entrance into the 'secret room'. The door opened, revealing it to Raven for the first time. Curious, I watched her face turned from confused to stunned.
"You did all this for me?" She gasped.
Robin nodded, "We're ready to take on Trigon."
Irritation suddenly flared within her, I could feel it. Displaced frustration, I quickly moved towards her, though it went unnoticed by anyone but myself.
"No, you can't be," she said, shaking her head as if we were being misguided by trying to help her. "Just go, save yourselves!" Before she could continue I touched her arm, calming her. She looked at me before nodding, accepting this.
"We're not giving up," I told her, "And neither are you."
"Right," Robin continued, "Our plan is simple. Raven, you are the portal. Trigon needs you to take over the Earth."
"But if Trigon can't get to the portal," Cyborg cut in. "Then he can't take over."
Starfire, as usual, was her usual happy, content self. "So all we must do is keep the Trigon from getting to Raven."
Raven sighed, defeat wreaking from her. I didn't know where this was coming from, but I had a feeling her dearest father wasn't exactly sending her positive emotions. "You can't."
"We will," Robin replied, defiantly.
We all entered the room in silence, and Cyborg walked to center, setting Raven down on her feet. She stood steady, and the marks had evaporated, so she was fine.
"You'll be safe in here," Cyborg placed his fists on his sides, inspecting the room before looking at Raven. He then continued to assure both her and everyone else present, "Everything's ready. I've installed all the latest state-of-the-art technology. Nothing alive is getting in here."
"And these symbols should keep out everything else," Starfire gestured to the walls symbolism, showing with her hands. She then added, more shyly and somewhat embarrassed. "We took them out of your books."
I nodded, next to Starfire, "Just in case you needed a little extra mojo."
Raven looked at all of us for a moment. "This is all . . . great. But its not going to make a difference." She turned her back on us, looking up towards the roof where the sky was now stained. "Today the prophecy will be fulfilled. Trigon is coming, there's no stopping him. Whatever books you took, I read the others. Not one of them gave me any hope of surviving."
I growled, clenching my fists and forcing myself to remain quiet. I wasn't losing her. Not to the Lord of the Dead, The Grim Reaper, or whoever the hell else might try to take her from me. Santa Claus could fuck himself too.
"There's never been a villain we couldn't stop before," Robin reminded her.
"Trigon isn't a villain!" Raven retorted, "He's what makes the villains. He's the source of all evil, and everything bad anywhere. The incarnation of what's wrong-."
"Okay, bad," I snapped, then quickly controlled myself. "We get it."
"No," Raven said, her shoulders hunching. "You don't. You don't know Trigon."
"You act like you do," I pointed out, my eyes narrowing. "Raven, is there something you're not telling me?"
She didn't reply.
"Well, Trigon doesn't know the Titans either," Robin cut in. "Stay in here." He pointed upwards, towards a pink-tinted window. "We'll be watching from up there if you need us."
The doors slid open as Cyborg, Robin, and then Starfire began to leave. Irritated and feeling she was hiding something from me, I started to leave as well before realizing if she was hiding something from me, it was most likely for my own good, or in some insane attempt to protect me when I could take care of myself. I gripped the object in my pocket, stopping and turning to look at her. Raven looked so pitiful and defeated at that moment, her head down with her arms to her side and refusing to watch me or anyone else leave her alone.
Raven:
Out of nowhere, my wrist was gripped and I looked up to see Beast Boy smiling at me, his other hand not holding my wrist placing something in my hand.
"For luck," he said, before running out of the room to catch up to the others.
I looked down, once the doors had shut, and saw the penny he'd picked up from the ground. The one he'd been so obnoxiously excited about for no reason whatsoever. This day wasn't exactly turning out lucky.
Depression washed over as I looked down at it, sparkling up at me, "All the luck in the world won't help us now."
Terra:
Taking a nap at a time like this was beyond difficult, because after saying I needed to take one, people stopped completely to give me the strangest of looks, including Aqualad.
"What? I'm gonna need all my strength, and I was up late last night. I didn't get much sleep," I defended.
Eventually, I escaped for enough time to take a nap, and found myself immediately in the lava-filled cave I'd become so familiar with ever since this all began.
"The hour is approaching," I said, my instincts taking over, "The army is ready."
"You had best perform," Trigon replied, eyes narrowing at me.
I stood, once again having awoken kneeling. "I'll do my job," I assured him. "You'd better have everything ready for when I get back." With this threat I turned to the barren and seemingly harmless ground below, raising my hands as my eyes glowed, "Rise!"
The Earth shook, and beasts of fire came up from the floor, just like I knew they would. Soon they gathered, filing in row after row until you couldn't see the end anymore.
"Bring me the portal," Trigon ordered them.
They didn't respond, but they'd gotten the message. I had too, and walked to the front of their marks, "Warriors, march!"
"Your projection is with them at this moment," Trigon said, as I passed them. "They suspect nothing. Ignorant fools!"
His laugh was what followed us up top.
Cyborg:
"So far, everything's pretty much normal," I said, trying to lighten the dark and somber watchroom.
Beast Boy tensed, clearly unhappy, "Yup, just your normal last day on Earth, right?"
"It's no ones last day," Robin snapped, trying to remind him to keep his cool.
Starfire stood, "Everything is going to be okay, yes?"
"I hope so," he replied, sadly.
In unison, we all looked down to where Raven sat, hovering in the air as she tried to meditate.
Raven:
They can't stop him, I worried, in my head. Nothing can stop him.
I felt the penny's weight in my hand.
But they're willing to risk everything for me. If anyone could stop Trigon, maybe they could.
"You know better then to fill your head with senseless ideas."
I knew that voice, but . . . no! My eyes were open now, forcing myself to look calm. I didn't want to worry my friends and love watching in the window just behind me on the wall.
You aren't here. I clutched the penny, tightly and scared. You can't be!
"I am always with you," the voice replied. I felt this horrible tremor, like someone was behind me. But I refused to look, insisting my fear was making me hallucinate someone that had raped my mother and turned her into the person she was now.
"You are part of me."
He couldn't be here.
"Forever."
But he was.
I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to remain calm. "Get, out!"
A wind rushed through me and I gasped, opening my eyes to find stone walls come up from seemingly nowhere, surrounding me and putting me into a place I was not.
"There is no stopping what's about to happen."
I stared in horror at the firy caverns. How could one person be so horrible? How could I be related to that person?
"This is the reason I sired you."
Sired. Is that was he called it?
"You were born so I could rule the Earth."
I jumped to my feet, turning to face him. For a moment, the spark of anger left, as I was finally looking into the eyes of my father. The person who gave me to Arella (however unwillingly) in the first place. Four red eyes, hateful even without yelling, looked back at me.
The fire returned, "What if I don't let you? What if I don't become the portal!"
Now he was angry. This thrilled me.
"It is not your place to tell me what to do!"
A ball of flame errupted, surrounding him and knocking me backwards. When I recovered to look up at him, hovering in the air once again, I saw his eyes still watching me, as if the flame was his face.
"I am the one with all the power! I am the one who decides your destiny! You do not have a choice!"
Furious, I pulled my arms back above my head, pulling up energy as quick as I could grab it and using all of my force to throw at the flames. It bounced off, harmlessly, dying easily. I glared hatefully. The shield dropped, revealing an enormous, strange looking shadow.
"You'll always be daddies little girl," he taunted.
My hand cut to the side, my denial of this statement, "I am nothing like you!"
Suddenly my eyes burned, and I clutched my face, a splitting headache ripping across me. I cried out in pain, falling to the floor. I heard his footsteps from behind me as he approached.
A father indeed.
"You wanted to protect your friends. Arella tried to keep you from knowing. But you cannot deny the evil within you."
I looked down, shocked to see I could see my reflection in the lava. Like water rather then a death liquid. My eyes were four, just like his. An image of Madame Rouge and Adonis flared in my mind, remembering their faces just before they died-.
NO! I wasn't him! I wasn't him!
"You will bring destruction to everything and everyone. Like father, like daughter."
"No," I gasped, my head rising so I didn't have to look at myself anymore.
"You cannot hide from your destiny," Trigon said back, angrily.
I could feel him behind me now.
Starfire:
Raven sat, hunched, in the corner. I was fearful for her, for she seemed very much distressed.
"The Trigon has contact her," I said to my friends, "We must assist!"
"She's safest if she stays in there," Robin replied, not taking his eyes off of friend Raven. Though Robin does very much try to hide it, I am always able to see when he is in a distressed state. At this time, I believed he was as such.
"Robin's right," friend Cyborg said, his head turning towards one of the many screens we had obtained in this room of watching. "Besides, we've got company."
On the screen, many small dots were in the process of moving towards our home, in the forest. At this time I was very frightened, for myself, friend Raven, my other friends, and especially Robin.
Terra:
I stepped towards our home, the costume I wore turning me back into the she-demon the others thought I was. Just a black and powerful essence that couldn't be killed, injured, or defeated while I wore it.
That's when a light shown, and all of the Titans stood at the top of the waterfall. The light, I knew, was a signal for the others to come to assist them in fighting in case of emergency. I smirked, watching them each leap down from the top, to stand in front of me. Starfire with her eyes and hands glowing, Robin with his bow-staff, Cyborg's arm ready and charged, and Beast Boy crouched low to the ground, looking all too sadistically pleased to see me.
"You again," He growled, "Ever heard the phrase 'paybacks a bitch' down where you're from?"
I ignored him. I was, after all, on a mission. No pleasantries this time. "Give me the girl."
"No way," Robin replied, getting ready to attack.
"You don't really have a choice in the matter," I said, examining my nails boredly before clutching my fist. "I'm taking her."
"Oh yeah?" Kid Flash shouted, coming from over the waterfall with some of the others. Jinx, Argent, the Harold, Blackfire, Bumblebee, and Mas y Menos. Thankfully, no Aqualad. The rest were protecting Raven, and the three kids. Kole and Jericho had wanted to come, but Red X wasn't, and so both forced her into staying. Chivalrously, Jericho had stayed as well. "You and what army?"
My smirk grew, and the fire beasts reared up from below, surrounding them all.
Kid Flash's face dropped and Jinx sighed, "You just had to ask, didn't you?"
I clutched my fist, impatient with this, "Attack!"
They were swarmed.
I watched this with interest, smiling gleefully until out of nowhere, Beast Boy ripped through my army, coming right at me. Surprised, I narrowly avoided him, in his human form at that, lunge at me.
"You'll pay for what you did to her," He snarled, crouching with one hand on the ground. "I could kill you."
I motioned for him to come get me, "I would very much like to see you try."
Beast Boy's face turned into such a sneer I was mildly disturbed, "You haven't seen anything yet."
His beast form took only milliseconds to change into and my eyes widened, shocked he would use his most violent animal. I then realized it wasn't all that shocking and rolled away, avoiding his swipe. But he grabbed me with his other hand, and I struggled, shoving against the large hand that held me. I could hardly breathe before he slammed me into the floor, pounding away a good five inches with my body. He proceeded to throw me into a nearby rock wall, and I gasped for air, getting back to my feet. His hand slammed into my face, and had I not been invincible, I would surely have been dead.
But I was, and so, leaning back on my ankles I stood back up, straight as before. Beast Boy's white eyes widened considerably, and I smirked, my own yellow eyes gleaming brightly. Before he could recover I pulled my hand back, punching him in the middle and sending him sprawling back into the battle of fire beasts. To my surprise, I realized my projection was with them, fighting, but always just missing a fire beast. They attacked my image as well, and it would look very convincing unless you actually knew it was fake. Not that anyone was really looking anyways. Deciding to get rid of myself and save Trigon the energy, I pulled her out of the battle, throwing her against the wall. I heard someone shout my name and resisted the urge to look. They didn't go after me as I fell, limp, to the floor. Trigon silently praised this in my head. Now, I remained seemingly asleep on the floor, unconscious, but not bleeding.
We were advancing when Cyborg suddenly shot a blue line, clearly where we were not to cross, killing some of my arm and making the others back up. I looked up to see Bumblebee holding him before letting him go.
He stood, with a cry of, "Nobody's getting in here!" Before setting off something like an electric blue bomb. It engulfed my creatures and headed directly at me, and my eyes widened in shock.
Beast Boy:
Tired, but otherwise fine, I panted, holding my knees and waiting for the smoke to clear. We all stood, in a straight line, waiting and hoping that Cyborg's last burst (which had powered him down considerably) had killed them.
But when it cleared, we were stunned to see a smoking, but otherwise okay She-Demon, crack her neck just like she had the last time I'd broken it, and stand like nothing had happened. We all stared, unable to believe our eyes. More ranks of monsters rose, replacing the ones we had destroyed.
"Now," The She-Demon said, pacing across the lines before turning to us with a smile, "Where were we, again?"
Raven:
With my four red eyes still placed on my face, I refused to let him see just how terrified I actually was. My cape billowed in invisible wind and his shadow stood strong and tall, watching me carefully.
"Your friends cannot stop the inevitable," He was saying. I turned, alarmed, to see his eyes behind me. "They are doomed. Do you really want their last day to end like this?"
He picked me up, easily, in one hand. I stood on it, and he lifted it, so I was at his eye-level.
"How can you bear to watch them suffer?"
I looked down, guiltily. I could picture them, fighting for their lives all because of me. All of this was my fault, I reminded myself. I could only whimper, "Don't hurt them."
"I'm not the one hurting them," He replied, defensively. "You are. You know what must be done."
"But, father," I begged, hoping the term of affection would be enough to change his mind. However vain the hope was, I wasn't strong anymore. I had no more fight left in me. "I don't want to."
"You cannot hide from your destiny."
His fist closed around me. I awoke with a start.
I did know what I had to do.
"Red X!" I shouted, knowing he was there. I could sense everything know, and I pulled my hood farther over my head, hiding my eyes, in case they hadn't change back.
He ran in immediately, "Raven, what's wrong?"
"Is everyone alright?" I demanded, "Why are you still here?"
"Raven-."
"Why aren't you helping them!"
The last part had been a shriek and I raised my hand to his neck, and it glowed a furious black. At that moment I knew my eyes were four red ones instead of two purple ones. Red X stood, his hands up, simply watching me cautiously and waiting for me to make whatever mood I wanted. The others ran in, all of them, including Melvin and her brothers and Kole.
"Kole, take the kids and get out," Red X ordered.
"But-."
"Kole," Red X snapped, in such a voice she quickly ushered them out. Jericho followed. Aqualad, and everyone else who had stayed behind to protect me now stayed captive in a room with me, while I basically held Red X hostage.
"I have to make things right," I said, weakly, my voice cracking.
Red X seemed to consider this, "Is killing me the right thing to do, then?"
"I can't . . . I won't kill my friends." I replied, determined. I then turned sympathetic, moving to the center of the room with my hand raised in the air, "But I'm sorry, this will hurt."
A black shock ran through them, doing nothing but knocking them out. That's all I wanted. I ran outside, fearing I was already too late to do what I had to.
I had a promise to keep.
Beast Boy:
With a last slam, I was thrown into the arms of a fire beast. Surprisingly, it did not burn, with was an anomaly in itself, but unimportant as we were all now captive to the She-Demon.
"Do you really want to spend your last day on Earth fighting?" She demanded, irritated.
I struggled in vain, as did our other friends. "This is not my last day!"
She lifted a flaming hand, aiming for me carefully, assuring she would not miss. I gave a last tug before tensing, preparing myself for a painful, searing death.
"STOP!"
Her hand extinguished, and the beasts released all of us, slinking back into the circle around us, almost as if they were afraid of whatever was approaching. But I knew.
I could feel her presence.
It didn't seem that way for anyone else, for they looked in wonder towards where the monsters that had attacked us obediently parted, revealing a figure I had caressed on countless occasions.
"Raven?" Cyborg demanded, shocked.
Jinx took a step towards her. "How did you get out of the Safety Room?"
She flew past us all, including me, not sparing any of us a glance as she landed in front of the girl. The She-Demon placed her hands expectantly on her hips, waiting.
Raven looked up at her, "I will go with you."
I ran in front of her, immediately, throwing my arms out to the sides, in between her and the She-Demon. Neither made any attempt to move me, and they couldn't, even if they tried.
"We won't let them take you," I shouted.
"Raven, what happened to Red X and the others?" Jinx persisted, "How did you get out?"
Raven turned to look at her, stonily. "They're safe, and alive, if that's what you mean. Not awake, but fine."
Jinx's face dropped, as did many of our friends.
"You need to get back in the Safety Room," Starfire ordered. As a last thing, she clasped her hands together, begging, "Please."
Raven looked down. "I can't hide from my destiny any longer."
Robin appeared horrified, "No."
Raven glanced up from the floor, right into my eyes. They said everything, begging her not to do this, just to get back inside so we could keep fighting for her. She would be safe. I would die knowing she was safe, and I didn't care.
"I promised," she said suddenly.
My brows scrunched, "What?"
Then the image came roaring back to me, as did her words.
"You won't lose me," Raven promised. "I'll protect you, no matter what."
My eyes widened, "No. Raven, don't-!"
Her hand flashed into the sky, before I could finish. Through my pain, I felt a heat rushing through my body. Oddly enough, it felt tingly, but was soon replaced by such a pain, I thought my head would explode. I felt myself placed gently on the ground, and the last of the fire faded, replaced by an ache that touched everywhere and everything.
"Goodbye," she whispered, leaning over to kiss my forehead. And then, ever so quietly, "Be safe."
She stood back up, and I heard, "Let's go," before falling into darkness.
Raven:
I felt awful, but I'd done what I could for them. The rest was guesswork, and mostly up to them from now on. The future of the universe in the hands of a bunch of teenagers.
What had we done?
We descended down flight after flight of a spiral staircase. When we reached the bottom, it was just a long hallway, with 'Scath' marks all over the place. The eclipse shown bright in the sky, showing what was to come.
"The chamber has been prepared for you," The She-Demon said, curtly. "Everything is ready for Trigon's ascent."
Feeling a bit of hatred towards this girl within me, I couldn't help but flaunt what I knew, "You're a fool. Whatever he promised, he won't deliver."
"Dear child," she growled, becoming taller then me again, like she had last time. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"You think I don't know my own father?" I said, quietly. Though I'd only just met him, I felt like I knew everything about him. And I probably did, given the connection we now shared. I could feel the power, finally unleashed, within me.
"You are merely a portal," she continued, flicking her smoke hair back, "An insignificant pawn in Trigon's game."
"Then I guess we have that in common. And once he gets what he wants," I smirked. "You'll be insignificant too."
She rounded on me, hands and eyes blazing. "Shut your mouth!"
Immediately, the army turned against her, restraining her from touching me. I watched this with interest.
"Get off me!" She screamed, flailing. "Do as I command!"
They wrestled her to her knees, and she shrunk, back into the size of a petite young girl. I then realized, watching her yellow eyes glow, I knew something else of Trigon's about her. She was looking at the ground. I couldn't have that, and immediately the fire beasts took her head, forcing her to look up at me.
I closed my eyes, smiling to myself. "Come to thing of, you're already insignificant," my eyes opened, revealing the four blood-red ones I was starting to get used to, "Terra."
"How did you . . ." She gasped, "When-?"
"Even your own army won't listen to you," I continued, as if she hadn't spoken.
Furious now, Terra gave grunts and shouts as she fought against them.
I turned my back on her, "Leave her."
And my army left, leaving Terra shocked, alone, and confused by herself on the stone cold floor.
Traitors never win, I told myself. And it would be her own fault if Aqualad or anyone else found out about this. What fun would it be if I ruined the surprise and told everyone about it?
Beast Boy:
We all groaned awake. I shoved myself to my feet. "Ugh, Raven?"
"Agh," Cyborg complained, rolling his neck, "She really packs a wallop."
"Dude, we were only trying to help her," Kid Flash complained. Jinx smacked him, and he fell onto his stomach, with another groan.
I saw Starfire get to her feet, a lot more gracefully then the rest of us as she stared at the eclipsed sun. The Tamaranian looked at the floor in shame, like she'd failed something. "I fear it is already too late to assist her."
Robin walked over beside her, "Its never too late."
Cyborg checked his arm, three red bleeps moving on a map in it. "She's making her way back to the Old Library."
Immediately, we set off.
Hold on, Raven, hold on.
"Let's go," Robin ordered.
Terra:
"The portal approaches," I began, respectfully, after passing out on the ancient floor. "The hour is near. Is my piece of land and water prepared?"
Trigon's eyes narrowed. "Land? For what? The Gem returned of her own free will. You did not deliver her, I did."
My hands balled up into fists. I began to shake with rage, "We had a deal. I held up my part of the bargain!"
He laughed, mocking me. My eyes widened, realizing that however much I hated Raven and every one of the Titans, she was right. My hands flared with fire and I hurled fireball after fireball at Trigon's eyes, though, they seemed to have no affect.
"I granted you these powers," he reminded me, as I kept attacking him. "And I can take them away!"
Hands of fire reached out from nowhere, from Trigon's general direction, consuming me in his flame. I felt the a different feeling then when Trigon had given me the powers, for this was far more painful. Unable to scream, my eyes were huge.
I felt when I disappeared.
Raven:
The penny still in my hand was all I had left of Beast Boy. It was all I could do, just to hold it. To know that he would be alright from now on, and wouldn't have to fight right now. I could keep my promise.
"It is time," I said, to the fire beasts and myself. I lifted my head to sky, where the eclipsed sun and moon still sat. "The prophecy shall be fulfilled."
I'd barely taken two steps before a commotion started behind me and I turned, alarmed.
They were all there, attacking, violently. The beasts immediately grabbed them, restraining my friends and ready to destroy them immediately, whether I gave the order or not.
"Raven!" Robin shouted, his hand reaching out to where I stood.
I waved my hand, and immediately the creatures stopped, obedient as always.
My friends stepped forward, stopping a few feet before me. I couldn't look at them, but I felt Beast Boy's furious gaze on me. It was almost unbearable, knowing how disappointed he was in me. But this was for the better.
"It has already begun," I stated, boldly. But seeing them all . . . I lost my courage, removing my hood and letting it fall. "And there's no stopping what's meant to be."
"Your willing to give up everything," Robin started, leading the group farther towards me. "All because of something Arella told you in a fit of madness? What if it's wrong?"
Forcing myself to look at the floor and not Beast Boy, I continued, "Robin, I know what I know."
"I don't except that."
I flinched, looking to my right, clenching my teeth and closing my eyes. Anything to get away from his voice. Right now, it was the only thing that could waver my decision. I had to do this for them. For all of them. For him.
"Raven, you can take control," Red X cut in, stepping forward. I relaxed, slightly. "You can make this not happen. I've known you for two years now, no one is more stubborn and headstrong then you when you can be. We can stop this!"
I shook my head, "I've known since this started this was what was going to happen. I tried to hide it from you all, tried to keep myself away so you wouldn't be hurt when it did. I hoped running away meant running from my problems to." I smiled, sadly, "But I guess that didn't work."
"But no one knows there destiny!" Jinx insisted, "There are things you can't possibly know!"
"There are some things I don't understand," I agreed, finally looking up from the floor. "Like how I could make such wonderful friends when I'm from such a horrible person." My friends stared at me, horrified. I continued to avoid Beast Boy's gaze. "All I wanted was to make your last day perfect. But instead, you spent it worrying about me."
I continued to gaze at the floor in my shame when I felt warm and familiar hands take mine, and I looked up in dull surprise. My facade never wavered. I couldn't let him know just how much I wanted to stay, how much I wanted to not take this gamble with there lives and mine, though it was our only chance.
"That's what friends do," Beast Boy stated, the other hand stroking my face. "Raven, you can't expect me to give up on you. Please Rae, I'm begging you, just come home."
It was too easy to fool them. I pulled my hand away, stepping backwards and hurt and shock slapped across Beast Boy's face, and it stung. It made me feel like I was being torn apart, but I had to do this. "I can't. And as my friends, you have to let me go."
I waved my hand again, a wall of darkness blocking them from me.
Robin:
Beast Boy looked stricken, and we had no time to react before there was a barrier between our friend and Raven. Terra seemed off, but who wasn't right now?
Raven turned her back on us, lifting her hood. Stairs rose from where she stepped, one by one, each taller then the last, until they were rising towards the hand of stone, sticking up from the ground.
I ran forward, punching the wall with a grunt.
My cry of fury did nothing to stop Raven's ascent. Instead, it fueled everyone else.
All pounded against the walls, powers and limbs alike, each of us desperate to get through Raven's wall to reach her, to keep her from what she was about to do. Beast Boy was suddenly a T-Rex, slamming his body into the wall. I saw Raven flinch, as she climbed, but otherwise did nothing, reaching the hand.
All Raven did was sit, in the center of the hand, floating like she was meditating.
"The Gem was born of evil's fire."
We all froze, staring in disbelief as she repeated Arella's earlier words.
"The Gem shall be his portal.
He comes to claim.
He comes to sire.
The end of all things mortal!"
As she said this, the red marks appeared all over her body, and her eyes glowed white.
Beast Boy suddenly charged forward, slamming his hands against the wall with a grunt, "NO!"
Raven's arms and legs slammed out, with a large grunt of pain. The red marks ripped off of her body, peeling like a band-aid. They surrounded her in a circle, on three levels.
Starfire reached out to her best friend, "Raven!"
When she got no response, she ran to me, and I hugged her, watching Raven with frustration. I wasn't used to being helpless, in any type of situation. This couldn't be happening!
Raven simply hovered in the air, the marks of Scath surrounding her. A white light began emanating from her middle, expanding in a circle and consuming her form. Beast Boy, in front of us, fell to his knees, his hands pressed flat against the wall. Raven's eyes closed, tightly, before opening them and letting her head push back with a silent scream. Her hand, clenched this whole time, opened. We couldn't see what was there, but apparently Beast Boy could. He gasped, choking almost.
And even still, the shield remained.
Then, the ball of light and red exploded, like a star, and consumed the hand, tossing aside both stone and fire. When it finally reached the floor, the floor began to rumble around us, a blinding light coming for a moment. We lifted our arms, and then we saw him.
He rose, quickly, spinning and whipping around. He was taller then should've been possible, and had antlers next to his ears. The only clothing covering him was a loin cloth, and his feet were hooves.
No.
"The Earth is mine!"
PHEW! THAT WAS SO TIRING!
So what was Raven talking about? Will Raven be able to keep his promise? Will Beast Boy be able to keep his?
And WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO TERRA!
UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER!