Hey everyone! Hope you're all ready for yet more Teen Titanic awesomeness, because here's a brand-new chapter! In this chapter, the Gordanians hold a council meeting that could very well determine whether the universe is saved or doomed. Sound worth a read? I certainly hope so. Here's to hoping you read, review, and enjoy!

A/N: Again, I do not own Teen Titans or anything else DC based. And all that said, onward with the fic!

Chapter 8:

The Gordanian Council

Robin felt rather bemused as he sat alone in one of the Gordanian palace hallways. Granted, he was feeling very grateful to be alive and proud of Starfire for allowing them the chance to be granted the merciful hospitality they were now receiving, and by the Gordanians of all beings.

But at the same time, he could still remember their battle the night the Titans had been founded as if it were yesterday. He snarled upon remembering what Starfire had told him and the other titans about her being sold to them in exchange for peace between Tamaran and Gordania. But in the end, regardless of past history, the fact was that these same ruthless beings that had caused so much trouble were also now treating him with surprisingly generous hospitality. He shook his head.

Sometimes it still amazed him just how much the universe continued to be full of surprises.

"You appear to be deep in thought."

Robin's eyes widened, and he turned his head in time to see none other than the Tamaranean captain of the guard standing nearby. "What gave it away?" he asked sarcastically.

"I can understand why you feel unsure what to think about this situation." The captain nodded his head. "Much like you, I to am used to viewing the Gordanians as my mortal enemies. And the fact that they are now behaving in this hospitable fashion towards us leaves me quite stunned."

Robin chuckled. "You've certainly got that right."

"But I will also admit," the captain continued, "that you should feel proud of Koriand'r. Very proud of her indeed. It must have taken X'hal knows how much willpower for her to stay as calm as she did. I will say this, she has certainly proven a much better diplomat then I ever could hope to be."

"You're not the only one she can beat in that area," said Robin. Then he thought to himself. "You know, you seem to think rather highly of Starfire."

"Why would I not? She was formerly the crown princess and heir to the throne for Tamaran. She has also, from what I've been told, become one of the local defenders and heroes of the planet Earth." He hung his head, a slight flush of embarrassment coming onto his face. "And I'll admit, before the day she was sold to the Gordanians, she and I were . . . good friends."

Robin raised his eyebrow. "Good friends huh? Would you, by any chance, happen to be Karras?"

The captain of the guard briefly appeared quite surprised. But then he nodded, a still slightly stunned look on his face. "I take it, Koriand'r has told you about me."

"Earlier today during our trip here," Robin confirmed. "Before the Umbrosians attacked."

Karras thought to himself, and then chuckled nervously, rubbing his fingers through his long red hair. "I will admit," he said, "this does feel rather awkward."

"You're telling me," said Robin. "I literally just found out today that Starfire was once engaged to marry another man before she came to Earth. And I've just now found out that I've actually met that man in person." He then narrowed his eyes as he realized another detail. "And I can't help but feel like I may have met you some other time before today as well."

"That's because you did. Three years ago to be precise, the time you and your friends visited Tamaran alongside Koriand'r."

"I did?"

"Yes. You may recall how, right before that slimy and misguided, but ultimately somewhat honorable, Glgrdsklechhh revealed himself in the throne room, you and Koriand'r caught sight of a handsome Tamaranean warrior and initially presumed that warrior to be her chosen groom?"

"That was you?"

"Yes. Komand'r, in her time as Grand Ruler of Tamaran, thought it would be amusing for me to allow Koriand'r to be tricked into assuming at first that I would again be her chosen suitor before ultimately revealing the true chosen groom." He rolled his eyes. "A very dirty joke that I do not at all find any pride in committing."

Robin chuckled nervously. "Well, you don't mind the fact that I'm . . . you know. . .?"

"Not at all." Karras placed his hand on Robin's shoulder in a gesture of respect. "I observed how you behaved on Tamaran during the entire business with the wedding. I've seen how you and Koriand'r look at and behave around each other. I can tell that what exists between you two is a far more genuine love that would never have existed between her and me."

"You sure you didn't have any feelings for her?"

"Positive. While I would have respected Koriand'r and treated her right like any true man should, any relationship between us would not have truly been one of love. The entire marriage to be made between us was arranged solely for political purposes. My heart was already set for another long before mine and Koriand'r's parents agreed to the intended marriage. Since I'm now currently married to my originally desired love after years of work to convince my parents, I am most certainly not going to throw all that effort away for a fleeting farce of a romance between myself and Koriand'r. Especially not after how both of us have found happiness with people we both truly love."

Robin gulped. It was clear that Karras took this matter of discussion very seriously. "That's certainly a relief." He then thought to himself. "I will admit though, I am now curious about something."

"And what would that be?"

"During Star's time on Tamaran . . . was there anyone there you know of that she may have loved in . . . that way . . . before she met me?"

Karras thought to himself. "I do not know if there was any such man on Tamaran." He hung his head. "As much as I was willing to go through with our betrothal for the sake of keeping our parents happy, I largely didn't involve myself with anything to do with Princess Koriand'r's personal life. Though all that said, it is entirely possible that she may have had her heart devoted to someone else just as much as I did."

He turned his head to face Robin. "But regardless of whether she did, I believe that you need not concern yourself with the matter. Whomever she may have loved, it is clear that she well and truly loves you. In the event that there was someone else in her life before you, I'd be patient and let her develop the courage to tell you about that person herself."

"If you say so." As he said this, he found himself guiltily thinking about his old crush on Batgirl from his time under Batman's wing.

At the sound of footsteps, the two boys looked up in time to see Starfire.

"It is time," she stated. "The Gordanians are willing to initiate the council meeting, and they have requested our presence."

. . . . .

For several minutes, none of the Titans or Tamaraneans present in the council room could hear themselves think over the noise of the multiple Gordanian delegates and nobles arguing loudly with each other. Beast Boy alone was able to get a somewhat coherent idea of what they were saying despite how loud and quickly they were speaking. From what he could hear, it was clear that Greerak's decision to grant hospitality to the planet's unexpected guests was proving quite unpopular.

"This is an outrage! An outrage!" roared one of the Gordanian nobles. He clenched his fist, slamming it down on the massive council table. "Allowing our sworn enemies from Tamaran as well as Earthlings to still be alive and in our royal palace? Unheard of! Unacceptable!"

"Unspeakable," hissed another delegate, his forked tongue slobbering with disgust. "Atrocious. A blasphemy beyond words."

"King Vraarak would never have allowed this!"

"We used to be a proud and strong race! Now we have fallen far enough to blatantly cast aside our pride and honor and break bread with the enemy! Zog have shame upon us all."

"Prince Greerak was always a difficult one to teach, but this is madness! Insanity!"

"King Vraarak would have known the right thing to do! And so would have Prince Trarak if he were still alive!"

"Death to the undesirable visitors! Death to them! Death to them! Death to them all!"

Eventually, Greerak finally lost patience with his advisors' efforts to restore order. He stood up, lifted his trident, and slammed the blunt end of it down hard on the floor next to his seat, a flash of green light going off from it in the process.

"SILENCE!"

Miraculously, the entire room went silent. After what seemed like an eternity, all the Gordanians assembled relaxed and sat at attention in their seats, some of them much more audibly grumbling than others.

As the Titans watched, Greerak took a deep breath, and then exhaled. "Nobles, warriors, honorable councilmen. I call this meeting to order."

"Order," said the rest of the Gordanians.

Greerak nodded. "Just last week, we fell victim to a cowardly attack on our planet by the foul Tamaranean exile Blackfire, and an army of the living shadows of Umbrosia! Amongst the dead were my father, King Vraarak."

"Hear, hear!"

"Tonight, in the midst of mourning for my father and all the other fallen, I have allowed multiple Tamaraneans, plus four Earthlings, to be granted our generous hospitality following their being forced to land on our planet by an attack against them by these same shadows."

He folded his arms across his chest, and bowed his head. "I am aware that this is not a popular decision. Especially not after our longstanding history of enmity against Tamaran. But as impossible as you might believe it, this decision I have made to allow them our hospitality is the right one. And one that could well prove salvation for us."

The myriad detractors in the room were very quick to voice their disagreement.

Galfore slammed his own fist on the table from his own seat at the table. "ENOUGH!"

The Gordanians all fell silent, gaping at the imposing Tamaranean emperor in half shock and half grudging respect at the amount of volume he'd mustered.

"Let your king finish," said Galfore.

Greerak gave an appreciative nod in Galfore's direction, and then looked back at all the assembled nobles. "Tell me, in all our history, is it true that we have never, not once, allied ourselves or similarly associated with the Tamaraneans in any way that wasn't outright hate or warfare?"

"Never."

"Not once."

"The idea of such a thing being remotely possible is complete madness to even be considered, let alone be a reality."

Greerak raised his eyebrow. "If that is in fact the case, then explain to me," he drew out the annals scroll he'd read earlier that evening, unfurled it, and slid it across the table for the other Gordanians to read. "Why our own annals say otherwise?"

Everyone else in the room, Gordanian, Tamaranean, and Earthling alike, gaped in stunned silence at the Gordanian king. Then, one of the nobles picked up the scroll and started reading it. The noble's eyes widened. "Impossible."

Another noble scooched to his right and read the scroll over his compatriot's shoulder. "This cannot be," he said upon reading the same words.

A third noble took a look. "Lies. These are lies. It has to be."

The Gordanians all looked at their king, who shook his head.

"No. Lies, or at least mere half-truths, are what our kind has been teaching and believing about our own history for the last several centuries since the time of King Sombragor."

He gestured towards the scroll he'd produced. "This scroll, however, tells the truth of how our history really unfolded. And it tells crystal clearly how our kind were once gloriously allied with the Tamaraneans."

All the Gordanians who hadn't yet read the scroll reacted in shock at this information. The titans were also understandably surprised to hear about this.

Greerak nodded his head, and gestured at his fellow nobles. "Read this scroll and understand how we too fought against the living shadows alongside the Tamaraneans and the beams of light so many years ago. Understand how we remained close allies for many years after that conflict. And understand how we, like the Tamaraneans, were alongside the living shadows and lights to watch the duel between the two Tamaranean brothers while they served as hosts to their respective gods."

The titans gaped in shock at Greerak, Beast Boy and Cyborg even dropping their jaws.

"Gods?!" they both yelled.

Starfire placed both her hands over her mouth. "By X'hal."

"Oh no, your goddess was not involved in the conflict. At least, not directly. And neither was my kind's own god Zog. But the gods worshipped by the people of Umbrosia and Phosphoria were not like Zog and X'hal. These gods, unlike our own, were more than willing to join in their worshippers' conflict personally."

He gestured for the nobles to pass the scroll. It soon ended up in front of Starfire. "Read the scroll," he requested. "And see for yourself."

Starfire took one look at the scroll, gulped, and then picked it up so she could read it.

As she did so, Greerak nodded. "You are all aware, I presume, of the White Entity?"

Robin raised his eyebrows upon hearing that title. "The energy being responsible for the White Lanterns' power?"

"The same. But what few are aware of, is how this entity is in fact only an independent small fragment that used to be part of a much larger consciousness that calls itself the Prime Entity. And this being, an entity of pure light and immeasurable power, is worshipped and revered as the god of Phosphoria and its people."

He clasped his hands together, clawed fingers intertwining. "But deep within the shadows of Umbrosia and the darkness that it holds in place, there is the Prime Entity's polar opposite and eternal enemy, the Black Entity. And this entity, worshipped by the Umbrosians as their god, is a being that the entire universe must be thankful to have no more than a tangential association with the Black Lanterns. For if it were directly involved with this corps, then all of reality could very well have come to an end before it even began."

Beast Boy gulped. "Well why didn't he do so already anyway? I mean, surely he has the power to do so?"

"The answer is explained here," said Starfire. She pointed at the part she'd reached in reading the scroll. "According to this, much like the White Entity and all the other Entities that fuel the power of the respective lanterns, the Black and Prime Entities were incapable of existing and using their powers outside their respective homes unless they took possession of a host body. And any host body they took could not be provided by an Umbrosian or Phosphorian, as either of those beings would have been too easily cancelled out by the powers of their respective opposite."

"Exactly," Greerak broke in. "And in the time of Nightfire and Dayfire, the two brothers each gave one of those Entities permission to use them as hosts. And immediately after the arrival of our kind, the two brothers finally deemed the time right to call upon their respective Entities. And from that point onward, with each Entity working in harmony with their respective hosts, they did battle."

Silence hung in the air.

"How did this battle end?" one of the Gordanian nobles asked.

Starfire took another look at the scroll, and her eyebrow rose. "The scroll. . . it looks as if parts of it got erased."

Greerak sighed. "I feared this would be the case. I was told that King Sombragor had splashed acid upon this original copy of the annals before demanding its destruction. Now I know for certain that those rumors were true." He nodded his head resignedly. "Is there anything in there present after the part where it appears to be erased?"

"Yes. It says that, through some means, the two entities ended up expelled from their hosts and sent back to their respective homes, their respective forces being forced back home alongside them." She squinted closer towards the scroll. "There are some words still present in the erased area . . . something about an eclipse of some sort . . . weakening them."

Galfore thought to himself. "That is what Tamaran had come to believe was responsible for the Umbrosians and Phosphorians departing from the battle from what little record we had of the event in our own annals. Perhaps we weren't entirely wrong about this possibility."

"Well even if that is the case," one of the Gordanian nobles began. "That still doesn't explain why we should bother to. . ." he paused, seemingly choking on the words he was about to say. He gestured towards Galfore and Starfire. "To ally ourselves with these overemotional worms!"

"Yes, why should we? What good would such a ridiculous idea do? It's not like they have the power to summon an eclipse! And that's assuming such an event truly was what ended this entire mess the last time!"

"Very true," Greerak admitted. "Very true indeed. But nevertheless, we should at least try. For in the event of future battles against the living shadows, it would be wise to have some sort of allies alongside us, especially in the event that the living lights somehow get involved as well."

He lifted his head to face the two nobles who'd just now questioned the idea. "And besides, who's to say the idea of allying ourselves with Tamaran truly is such a ridiculous idea? As the annals clearly state, we did so before."

"And since we're even having this discussion right now," another noble broke in, "it obviously didn't last."

"Here, here."

"What do the annals say about that? Is there a scroll that gives an explanation?"

Greerak looked towards the advisor carrying the annals. The advisor drew out another scroll from the collection, unsheathed it, and unfurled it. "I'm afraid this scroll wasn't so lucky," he said. "It would appear that this one was completely made blank by Sombragor's acid."

The faces of everyone else in the room fell, the Gordanians even snarling in annoyance.

"Well isn't that just wonderful?!"

The noble who'd just spoken pointed a clawed finger at Galfore. "How are we to know that the 1st time we allied ourselves didn't ultimately fall apart simply on account of it being a worthless mistake?"

"How are we to know that this alliance wasn't a worthless mistake?"

The noble who'd just brought up this possibility nodded his head. "You heard the advisor. The entire scroll got erased by the acid. There's Zog knows how many other potential reasons that the original alliance fell apart."

"Yeah, it could have been an honest mistake, or an overreaction!"

"Well if that's the case," another noble hissed, glaring at Starfire. "It was probably the Tamaraneans' fault."

"Oh, like we're automatically blameless," hissed another noble. He pointed at the one who'd spoken before him. "Look at us idiot! It's not like we're a bunch of faultless saints! And like he said!" He pointed at Galfore. "We've always been the ones to declare war on Tamaran! Never the other way around! For all we know, the alliance falling apart could have been our fault!"

"Blasphemy!"

"Heresy!"

"Whose side are you on?!"

As all this shouting went on, all five of the titans glanced nervously at each other. Things were definitely getting tense.

"I must agree."

The noble to say that last phrase turned his head to face Greerak, a half sympathetic and half irritated look on his face. "With all due respect, I must question your judgment right now your Majesty. What you're suggesting is insane! I know that you're obviously still grieving and not in your right mind over your father's death. But you can't let such grief induced insanity allow you to make such brainless mistakes as this!"

The silence that resulted from this comment proved just as deafening as the shouting that had dominated the air beforehand. All the inhabitants stared in the direction of the one noble who'd spoken. Then they all looked at Greerak, who looked half stunned and half boiling with rage.

"Enough."

All the inhabitants turned their heads to face one elderly noble who had, up to that point, remained completely silent. This elderly noble closed his eyes, and nodded his head.

"I understand that this is not an idea that all of you are necessarily comfortable with," said the elder. "In fact, out of all of us, I had justifiable reason to hate the Tamaraneans beyond any chance of reasoning long before last week's attack. After all, it is no secret that I suspect a rogue Tamaranean to be responsible for my daughter, the queen's, death by poisoning."

He hung his head. "But now, despite this, I am able to see the sound reasoning and wisdom that so many of us simply cannot see. Maybe it's because of my many years of age and experience. Maybe it's something else entirely. But the truth, plain and simple, is that my grandson's suggestion, mystifying though it may be, is simply something we must do."

For a long while, the room was dead silent following the elderly Gordanian's words.

"Lord Valdroth," said one of the nobles. "Are you sure of this?"

Valdroth nodded. "I am as sure of this as I am old."

"But sir," said another one of the nobles. "Allying ourselves with the Tamaraneans? The very idea of it . . . is . . . is absurd." He gestured towards Starfire. "Our kind, and hers? We've been enemies . . . for so many years. And those four Earthlings alongside her? They've given us all the more extra reasons alongside the Justice League for us not to dare want to involve ourselves with anything involving Earth."

"Indeed."

Valdroth sighed. "But nonetheless, my decision is absolute."

He lifted his head. "So what if the Tamaraneans and our kind have been mutual enemies for Zog knows how many years now? Our kind could easily say the same thing before the last time we allied ourselves together. Would this time be any different from the first time?"

The other Gordanian nobles all thought to themselves. Even Galfore and the titans couldn't help but discreetly nod. Valdroth had brought up a valid point.

"As for the four Earthlings amongst us." He pointed at the other four titans. "If what I've heard about them from the accounts of Yarboth, Garzvohg, and the late Trogaar are in fact true, then they and the Tamaranean princess have proven credible warriors in their own right. Much like you've said, these younglings have given us just as much valid reason to be wary of Earth as the warriors of the Justice League. And at the rate things are going, any seasoned warriors would be a wise asset for us to have, regardless of age or species."

Upon hearing this, all the Gordanians in the room looked thoughtful. Except, that is, for the now very angry one who'd conveniently gotten the room silenced in time for Valdroth to speak.

"But, Valdroth," said one of the thoughtful looking Gordanian nobles. "We've been conditioned for so long to hate the Tamaraneans and view them as nothing more than our sworn enemies. Is it even remotely possible for us to work together? Especially after how the last time failed to last?"

"That is a question that, for all our sakes, we can only hope will be answered with a yes."

Valdroth clenched his fists, a determined look coming into his dull orange eyes. "As some wise being once said, only idiots would battle each other mindlessly in a burning house. As much as some of you may hate to admit it, the first embers have already been cast. Unless the living shadows are somehow halted within the near future, then the entire universe could be reduced to a metaphorical burning house. So answer me this, would it be more foolish for us to work side by side with one of our supposed enemies? Or to continue mindlessly fighting each other while too blinded by years of hatred and enmity to see how there is a more threatening common enemy out to destroy us both?"

Valdroth nodded his head. "It has been said that the enemy of one's enemy is one's friend." He directed his glance at the titans. "Therefore," he looked to Greerak. "I, Valdroth, say yes to my grandson's suggestion."

For a long while, all the other Gordanian nobles, bar the one angry looking one, looked at each other, uncertain as to what to say. Then, one of them finally seemed to come to a decision, and he stood up.

"I, Sindraar, say yes."

This second statement of approval seemed to prompt another noble to stand up and give approval, followed by another, and another, and another. In the end, much to the titans' shock and Galfore's hidden relief, all but one of the nobles ultimately stood up and added their approving voices. Some of them, naturally, were more reluctant than others. But nonetheless, it was now clear that there was almost a complete unanimous vote of approval now for this apparent old alliance between Gordania and Tamaran to be reborn.

The one Gordanian who still hadn't yet approved snarled, and finally stood up himself. He, however, was most definitely not about to add his voice in approval.

"You're mad!" he roared. "All of you are mad!" He pointed at Greerak. "I could definitely understand this upstart whelp considering saying yes to this mindlessness." He pointed at Valdroth. "And I could similarly understand such madness being agreed to by this brainless and senile fool!" He gestured his arms towards all the other nobles who'd stood and voiced their approval before him. "But from all of you?! Where are all the sensible and honorable Gordanian warriors that you've now taken the place of?"

He gestured towards Galfore and the titans. "Allying ourselves with those weakling vermin Tamaraneans?! And these four pathetic and impossibly lucky Earthling whelps?! The idea alone is absurd! Unthinkable! An abomination to all of Zog's teachings!" He shook his head violently, slamming his fists and tail in rage. "Such a hopeless and pathetic waste of brain power will never work! It already failed once before when only the Tamaraneans were the ones we were supposedly allied to! There is no way it would work now any more than it ever has!"

He directed a venomous glare towards the titans, his fists clenched and his forked tongue sticking out of his mouth as he hissed like a snake. "You will be the death of us worms. Nothing good has ever come from dealing with your kind! And nothing good ever will!"

"You have any better ideas Ulragor?"

Ulragor and the rest of the room's occupants turned their heads to the noble who'd just now spoken.

"Well? Do you?"

The other noble pointed at Valdroth. "Like Valdroth said, both our worlds are under threat of destruction! We are the only ones aware of the crisis so far who could potentially stop it!" He slammed his fist on the table. "And as much as this idea may not agree with many of us, it's better than nothing!" He pointed at Ulragor. "If you have any better ideas, say them now! Because I, for one, would much rather work alongside the Tamaraneans and live then keep having us fight each other and be killed by the Umbrosians!"

Much to the titans' relief, all the other nobles apart from Ulragor promptly started shouting and hissing in agreement.

Ulragor glowered at his countryman, steaming with rage. "Well unlike all of you, I care about my honor!" He clenched his fists. "So you're all going to take the coward's way out? Fine. Go ahead! But me? I'm going to do things the right way! And if I die because of this, so be it! For unlike all of you, I'd rather die with my pride and honor intact then shamefully cast it aside and drag our planet's good name into the ground just to save my own scaly hide!"

He stood from his seat, flapping his wings and clenching his hands around his staff. "It is clear that this miserable gathering of fools isn't worth my time! I am leaving! You can forget about having the forces of my city state around to help you! And when this brainless idea inevitably goes down in flames alongside all of us following the humiliating defeat you're obviously welcoming with open arms, don't bother coming to cry to me and beg for my assistance!"

He flew over the table, landing right in front of the doors to the council room. The two soldiers standing to the sides ran over to try to stop him. Ulragor knocked the first one aside with a swing of his right arm, and sent the second one flying backward with a swing of his tail. He slammed his staff against the doors, sending them flying open, and stormed out, hissing with fury while flapping his wings and swinging his tail.

The titans, Galfore, and the Gordanians all gaped in the direction of the doors.

"Well, he certainly took this with grace," Raven droned.

Greerak hissed, and then spat in the direction of the doors. "Leave him be. If he wishes to stay stuck in the past, so be it."

He stood up, his hands raised as he spoke to the assembled nobles. "But let us not allow Ulragor's shallow mindedness to weigh us down! Tonight marks a new era! Tonight, this latest conquest of the living shadows finally shall consider its days numbered! Tonight, the old alliance between Gordanians and Tamaraneans shall be reborn! And we have the former slave princess of Tamaran and her four allies from Earth to thank for it!"

He looked to Galfore. "Emperor Galfore of Tamaran. As King of Gordania, I ask you, do you accept our offer to renew our kind's old alliance?"

"I do."

Greerak turned his head to face Starfire. "Koriand'r," he said, his tone indicating a clear sense of respect. "As former crown princess of Tamaran and the one who indirectly allowed this renewal to be possible, I ask you, do you accept our offer to renew our kind's old alliance?"

Starfire thought to herself, half accepting of the idea and half bewildered still over the knowledge of how this alliance had even existed in the first place. But then she saw her friends nodding in approval behind her, and her decision was made. She stood from her seat, walked over to where Greerak was standing, and extended her hand towards him. "I accept."

The rest of the occupants looked to Greerak, who smiled. "Then let it be seen, let it be spoken, and let it be written! Tonight, the old alliance is reborn!" He clasped Starfire's extended hand with his own, the two teenage royals instantly engaging in a respectful handshake.

The handshake finished, Greerak turned to face his fellow countrymen. "From the ashes of my father's death, hope has been reborn for us all!" He lifted his hands. "This meeting is adjourned! Let us prepare ourselves for the war that is certain to come! Following that, let us celebrate the dawn of a new era; where with the defeat of the living shadows, all of us, Tamaranean, Gordanian, and Earthling alike shall engage in a great and glorious new future of friendship!"

The rest of the Gordanians rose from their chairs, raised their fists, and cheered triumphantly in agreement. Galfore nodded his head, and the titans all welcomed Starfire back amongst them in open arms, with all five of the teenage heroes feeling happy and proud of Starfire. Hope had indeed arisen from the ashes of an otherwise hopeless situation. Once again, they stood a chance at defeating the Umbrosians and saving the universe. And unexpected as it was, they now also had a well-deserved group of strong allies both willing and more than capable of helping them do it.

And just like that, another chapter done! I certainly hope you all like this one. Though admittedly, if anyone feels as if I had the titans themselves overly sidelined this chapter compared to the Gordanians, then I apologize in advance. All that said, I especially hope you like the outcome of this council meeting, the reveals that were made, and Robin's little talk with Karras to occur before this council meeting. And all that said, I again hope you read, enjoyed, and leave plenty of feedback (remember, no less then 2 reviews are required for this chapter before the next one to be finished and approved can be posted). Again, hope you all had fun!

Coming up next: In the time left before Blackfire and the Umbrosians initiate their planned 2nd attack on Gordania, the titans prove able to have a meeting with a being more than willing to allow himself and his forces to spread a little extra light . . . maybe a little TOO MUCH extra light . . . on the coming battles.