Hello everyone! Hope you're ready for yet more Teen Titanic awesomeness, because here's a new chapter! In this chapter, with just a tiny bit of extra time left before Blackfire and her nefarious cohorts initiate their 2nd attack on Gordania, the titans have a meeting with a being who is more than willing to shed extra light . . . maybe a little TOO MUCH extra light . . . on the upcoming trials. Sound fun? I certainly hope so!

A/N: Just so you're reminded, I do not own Teen Titans or anything else DC based. The only things I DO own are the Umbrosians . . . and a certain rival race of the Umbrosians that finally get a physical introduction in this chapter. All that said, onward with the fic people!

Chapter 9:

Seeing the Light

"You are certain the preparations can't be finished any sooner?"

The lowly underling nodded his head. "I'm afraid I am my lord." He gestured towards the chasm behind him where countless other Umbrosians were hard at work. "We've been working tirelessly ever since the celebrations last night came to an end. But I'm afraid that the earliest we'll be ready to set off for the attack on Gordania will be tomorrow morning."

Nolfavrel sighed. "I see. Don't let us be delayed to any later then tomorrow."

"Understood."

"Good. Now get back to work."

The underling shuffled off hurriedly back into the chasm to resume his duties.

"Things aren't quite going to plan I see."

Nolfavrel turned his head, and his eyes narrowed at the sight of a smug looking Cometbolt standing alongside an annoyed looking Blackfire. The white-haired Tamaranean chuckled, and folded his arms across his chest. "Setbacks like this can truly be annoying." He reached into his sack. "I could help speed things along if you want."

"That will not be necessary Cometbolt," said Blackfire. "We have no need to submit our own allies to mind control. Besides, we need to save that device for if my sister is in fact alive so that you can use it for your proposed alternate suggestion."

Cometbolt lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I understand," he said. "Just felt like offering."

Nolfavrel rolled his eyes. "Is there any other way you could make yourself useful right now?"

Cometbolt thought to himself. "I could probably go oversee the weapon repairs and ship preparations."

"You do that," said Blackfire.

Cometbolt bowed respectfully to Blackfire, and then flew off to get to work. No sooner was he gone when Blackfire turned her head to face Nolfavrel, an irritated look on her face. "I am already starting to wonder if I made the right choice in letting him join up with us."

Nolfavrel raised his eyebrow. "Already? I'm impressed."

Blackfire rolled her eyes upon hearing this sarcastic remark from the Umbrosian leader. Nevertheless, it was very darkly impressive just how much she was already regretting saying yes to Cometbolt joining forces with her.

As she had found out the hard way after the previous night's celebrations had ended, Cometbolt's prior position as a general in the Tamaranean army had left him far from prepared or willing to take orders. He had also proven very impatient, self-centered, and arrogant as a result of both his time as general and the memories of his more 'heroic and valiant' days. Needless to say, he was proving a royal pain to work with.

"Don't even get me started on that one power of his that allows him to be three times as annoying. If he and you weren't so insistent on the possibility of my sister still being alive, I'd have asked you to have him fed to your god hours ago."

"In the unlikely event that your sister and her companions are indeed dead, I shall arrange for exactly that."

Nolfavrel sighed, and shook his head. "As unlikely as it is though, part of me still hopes that maybe your delusional hope is in fact a reality. Not only would that mean that I'd get to feed that upstart kinsman of yours to the almighty, but it would also mean that there'd be no one around to appropriately serve as host to the almighty's eternal enemy."

. . . . .

"I still can't believe this is happening."

"Believe it Beast Boy. It's happening."

The two chromatically challenged titans shook their heads, still quite bemused at everything that had gone down the previous night.

"It's certainly not every day that we find ourselves teaming up with our enemies," said Beast Boy.

"And here I was thinking Robin was the one who constantly saw things in black and white."

Beast Boy and Raven turned their heads in time to see Cyborg standing nearby. The half robot nodded his head. "I'll still admit though, out of all the possibilities that could have unfolded, forming an alliance with the Gordanians was definitely not something that I considered possible."

He walked over and sat down next to the chromatically challenged duo. "I probably shouldn't be so surprised though. Considering the universe we live in, surprises like this really aren't so surprising."

"That's an understatement."

Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven turned their heads in time to see Robin and Starfire walking towards them hand-in-hand. Robin nodded his head. "You'd think that we'd all be used to that fact. But nope, even to this day, despite having done battle with concrete golems, sentient ooze, dragons, and even literal demons, people like us are still surprised by such minor things as joining forces with a race of enemy aliens."

Starfire promptly raced her eyebrow teasingly. "I presume you wouldn't lump all aliens in this category?"

Robin chuckled, and squeezed Starfire's hand. "Don't worry Starfire. I already know that Superman and the other aliens on the Justice League can be trusted." He looked straight at her, a smile on his face. "And of course, there's you and your people."

Starfire giggled. "Well I'm glad you're smart enough to know that."

"Get a room," Raven droned.

Beast Boy and Cyborg chuckled, and Robin glared.

Starfire giggled, let go of Robin's hand, and flew over to join her friends.

"So," said Cyborg. "What's the status?"

"Things are looking the good friend. Even now, my people and the Gordanians alike are working without tires to make sure they are as the absolutely prepared as can be possible."

The other titans raised their eyebrows.

"You mean tirelessly," said Beast Boy.

"Is that not what I said?"

"I still hope it will be enough."

The other titans looked to Robin.

"How could it not?" Starfire asked.

"Yeah man," said Cyborg. "We've got all our skills, plus the combined might of Tamaran and Gordania."

Cyborg had a point. Not only had the old alliance between Tamaran and Gordania been reforged, but the Gordanians had even allowed Galfore to repair the technology on the royal Tamaranean starship that would allow him to contact Tamaran so that they could send sufficient reinforcements that could potentially arrive as early as that very afternoon. All in all, they were shaping up to have a sizable army on their side against Blackfire and the Umbrosians.

"I'm still not sure if that's enough." Robin sighed. "I don't know why, but I can't help but feel like we're still missing an extra edge."

"What more edge could we need?" Beast Boy asked.

"Perhaps a little extra light against the darkness is what your leader feels is still needed?"

The titans turned their heads in time to see Greerak lounging on a nearby bench.

"Your majesty," said Starfire, bowing slightly. "Forgive us. We did not realize you were here."

"Think nothing of it," said the young Gordanian king. "And please, just Greerak is fine . . . for you anyway."

Greerak straightened into a sitting position, his legs dangling over the ground beneath the bench. "Nevertheless, what I suggested, is that indeed what you currently believe needed, Warbird?"

Robin raised his eyebrow. "Warbird?"

"Your consort tells me that you are named after a native Earth bird. Presumably, for a warrior such as yourself, you have chosen a truly magnificent and vicious bird to name yourself after. Hence, the title 'Warbird'."

Beast Boy and Cyborg sniggered upon hearing Starfire get referred to as Robin's consort, as well as the hilariously inaccurate assumption Greerak had made about the specific bird Robin was named for. The boy wonder, however, couldn't help but think to himself about the explanation he'd just received for his new nickname.

"Warbird." He folded his arms across his chest, an approving look on his face as he nodded. "I like the sound of that."

"Don't expect us to start calling you that," said Raven.

Robin glared at the sorceress.

"Your answer, Warbird?"

Robin faced Greerak. "Well . . . in a way, yes. Why?"

"I was hoping you'd answer with a yes." Greerak rose from the bench and gestured for the titans to follow him. "Come. There is something that I believe you'd best be shown."

. . . . .

The titans narrowed their eyes in curiosity at the two strange jagged crystals resting upon a plinth in the center of the room they'd just been escorted to. "What the heck are these?" Beast Boy asked.

"A pair of crystals that, depending on which one you access the power of, can either spell the universe's salvation, or its doom."

Greerak pointed at the ominous black crystal on the left side of the plinth. "This crystal, when called upon, will open a portal straight to the realm of the living shadows."

He pointed at the dazzling white crystal opposite the black crystal. "This crystal, however, will allow the creation of a gate to the realm of the living lights." He picked up the white crystal, extending it towards Starfire. "This crystal, I believe, would be most useful."

"You want us to go to Phosphoria?" Starfire asked. "And ask the living lights to aid us like they did last time?"

Greerak nodded his head. "Yes."

Starfire looked to her friends. Raven raised her eyebrow at Greerak.

"How is it you have these in your possession?"

"After Nightfire's execution, his crystal key to Umbrosia was confiscated. And in the end, it was decided that my kin would be the most appropriate guardians to keep watch over both it, and the key to Phosphoria. And with the living shadows now once again on the verge of attempting galactic conquest, that decision has proven very fortunate indeed."

He extended the crystal towards Starfire once more. "Please, take it."

Starfire thought to herself, uncertain what to say.

Her fellow titans were similarly uncertain on what the best answer was.

"I say do it," said Beast Boy. "Robin was feeling the need for more soldiers, and you've gotta admit, the Phosphorians certainly would make ideal reinforcements. After all, they are the Umbrosians' natural enemies."

"I have to agree," said Cyborg. "Like Robin said, we could really use some extra firepower to go with our current alliance roster. Besides, they were allies alongside the Tamaraneans and Gordanians against the Umbrosians the last time. I'm sure they'd be willing to fight alongside us against their sworn enemies a 2nd time."

"Doesn't mean they should," said Raven. "Don't you remember what Galfore said? They may be natural enemies to the Umbrosians, but they're also supposedly fanatics who wish to purge the entire universe of all darkness, including the safe kind. I don't know about you, but I don't know if that's the kind of thing we want to actively risk causing."

"As much as I was afraid we didn't have enough, I'm afraid I have to agree with Raven." Robin sighed. "The Umbrosians may be a significant galaxy ending threat, but I can't entirely say that getting the Phosphorians involved will necessarily be any better. Like Raven and Galfore said, they're apparently more than a little too obsessed with ridding the universe of darkness. Judging by that, and what I've heard about the White Entity, I highly doubt that this Prime Entity that they worship will be any more appealing to work with in the long run."

"Friends, please, you are not helping."

The other titans gulped, and held their tongues.

Starfire took a deep breath, her eyes closed as she thought to herself. She looked at her friends, then at the crystal in Greerak's hands, then at her friends, and then at the crystal again. She sighed, and hung her head. "I've thought carefully." She lifted her head, extending her hand towards the crystal in the process. She grabbed onto it, lifting it towards her face. "And my decision is yes."

Robin narrowed his eyes warily. "Star?" he asked. "Are you sure that this is what you want? We could yet find a different species to ally ourselves with . . ."

"Against a literal god?"

This comment from Starfire stopped the boy wonder cold.

The Tamaranean princess directed a solemn look in her boyfriend's direction. "Think about it. Knowing my sister, do you truly believe that she'd say no to letting herself be the host for this Black Entity that the Umbrosians worship?"

Robin and the other titans all thought to themselves. Starfire had now brought up a very valid point.

"I had not thought about this matter earlier in the garden, but the sight of these crystals has now reminded me of how it is nonetheless true. We may have our own skill, and the combined might of Tamaran and Gordania, but you are all to correct Robin to want more on our side. For truly, what good is what we currently have against an army that has a god on its side?"

The other titans looked each other in the eyes, uncertain how to respond. Even Raven couldn't think of a proper response. For despite being the daughter of a demon with virtually god-like power, she was nonetheless only the daughter of a demon. And from a logical standpoint, a demon, even one as powerful as Trigon, would almost certainly be a considerable step below an actual god.

Starfire nodded, a clear 'I rest my case' message in the gesture. "And in the event that Blackfire has already said yes to serving as the Black Entity's vessel, we would almost certainly stand very little, if any, chance of success against her when she joins the battle personally." She stared at the crystal. "Unless, just maybe, we ourselves also had a god's help. For even in the unlikely event that she hasn't yet said yes to possession by the Black Entity, it surely couldn't hurt to see if the Phosphorians and this Prime Entity are at least willing to potentially aid us. As has been made clear, the Umbrosians are just as much their enemies as they are ours."

The other titans, particularly Robin and Raven, thought carefully to themselves, and then nodded.

"Alright," said Robin. "We'll at least have a meeting with them. But for all our sakes, whatever final decision gets made, please be cautious about it."

"Fear not Robin," Starfire said. "I will." She looked to Greerak, the crystal clutched tightly in her grasp. "I am ready."

The Gordanian ruler nodded, drew out a small scroll from a hole within the plinth's side, and handed it to Starfire. "Upon this scroll are the words you must say to open the gate."

Starfire opened the scroll, reading it in her left hand while still holding the crystal in her right hand. "Bright One," she began. "Eternal night approaches. Let me come to you, King of the Light, in my hour of need."

The crystal glowed, and then suddenly fired a beam of light from its tip towards the ceiling.

Greerak and the titans jumped back in shock, Starfire even letting go of the crystal in the process. Surprisingly enough, the stone remained hovering in the air, still glowing and firing the beam from its tip. The glowing gradually became brighter and brighter until the entire crystal itself merged with the glow and expanded into a giant vortex of brilliant white light.

As the six occupants of the room gazed at this vortex, a harsh booming voice shouted from within, "ENTER, ONE WHO CALLS ME! I HAVE HEARD YOU, AND SHALL HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!"

Starfire paused, and looked to her fellow titans, who nodded, and gestured for her to go.

"AND BRING YOUR FOUR COMPANIONS WITH YOU!" the voice bellowed. "THEY HAVE NEED TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY JUST AS MUCH AS YOU!"

The other titans shrugged, and looked to Greerak alongside Starfire. The Gordanian ruler nodded, and gestured for them to go ahead. The titans all took a deep breath, and then walked through the glowing vortex to enter Phosphoria.

. . . . .

Upon entry, the five teen heroes instantly reared back, lifted their hands, and closed their eyes in discomfort upon getting full exposure to the VERY bright light that now surrounded them. Beast Boy even hissed in pain, turned into a tortoise, and curled up into his shell in an effort to escape.

An irritated groan split the air. "BY THE UNIVERSE, REALLY?!"

The titans all opened their eyes, Beast Boy even very reluctantly sticking his head out of his shell, as they tried their best to see through the impossibly bright light to find whoever was speaking.

"OH ALRIGHT," the voice boomed. "I SUPPOSE I SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED THIS! ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING HOW YOUR PREDECESSOR KEVAND'R AND HIS ENTOURAGE COULDN'T HANDLE IT EITHER!"

The titans heard what sounded like a pair of giant wings flapping thrice, and the brightness of the light dimmed down to a more manageable level.

Once the titans adjusted, and Beast Boy had reverted back to human form, they were able to see that they were in what looked like a bright white room. The room itself, Beast Boy couldn't help but notice would not have looked out of place in Castle Oblivion from the Kingdom Hearts video games. At the same time, it also had elements of a Greek or Roman temple. In the very center of the room was a giant circular plinth that could have easily been replaced with a brazier. Surrounding this plinth was a mass swarm of humanoid light beings that resembled tall white cloaks, but also had what seemed like wings of bright light and crested bird-like heads in the place of 'hoods', complete with brilliant glowing blue eyes. But it was the being standing upon the plinth that truly grabbed the titans' attention.

This being, for lack of a better term, looked magnificent. Like the smaller beings surrounding it, it was made entirely out of white light. But instead of a cloak, it looked more similar in shape to a winged serpent. With the exception of its neck and the entirety of its upper body, its snake-like body was coiled up upon the plinth, with its arrow-head spiked tail lying over the edge. It had a massive pair of white bird-like wings spread out and dangling high above the ground attached to the very center of its body. Its head, meanwhile, in contrast to the bird-like heads of the smaller figures, had a head that more closely resembled that of a stereotypical stylized pteranodon with a serrated beak. It's glowing blue eyes, however, apart from being considerably bigger and brighter, were exactly like the ones on the multiple smaller beings gathered on the floor around it.

The titans all gulped, gaping in awe at the awe inspiring being. If there had been any doubt before, it was shattered beyond repair now. This being was truly the Prime Entity. So focused were they on the Entity that they completely failed to notice the vortex from which they'd entered close and vanish.

The Entity nodded approvingly at the sight of the titans gazing at it in awe. "Yes, very impressive indeed."

It stared straight at Starfire. "Welcome Koriand'r of Tamaran. It is an honor to have you in my presence upon Phosphoria." It gestured towards the Phosphorians gathered around it. "My devoted followers. Please, leave while I discuss business with our guests."

The Phosphorians bowed. "As you wish Almighty." They started glowing, eventually transforming into increasingly bright flashes of light. And once the single giant flash of light they'd all transformed into vanished, the titans and Prime Entity were the only ones left present in the room.

The Entity nodded, warbling curtly, and positioned its wings as if about to use them for walking. "Confirm to me, Koriand'r, why you have come."

Starfire looked to her friends, who nodded. She gulped, turned her head to face the Entity, and took a deep breath.

"Forgive me if I have disturbed you." She bowed. "You may yet already be aware of this. But the Umbrosians are once again on the move, and wish to try again to spread their eternal darkness across the entire universe; and my sister Komand'r is leading them alongside their own foul deity."

The Prime Entity nodded, warbling noncommittally. "I suspected as much. Let me guess, you wish to ask for my aid, and that of my followers, just like your predecessor Kevand'r did for his conflict against the Umbrosians and his own brother Gomerand'r?"

Starfire hung her head. "Yes," she confirmed. "That is indeed the case."

"Just as I suspected. It's been so many years now since last time, and my followers and I have been waiting for this moment to finally come once more. To have confirmation of our enemies finally daring to come slinking out of their hiding place once more is truly splendid."

It reared upward, lifted its head to face the ceiling, and rapidly flapped its wings, drumming up such strong winds that the titans were forced to shield their faces with their arms and lean forward to prevent themselves from being blown backwards off their feet. Beast Boy even ended up forced to turn into a woolly mammoth when just leaning forward in human form turned out to not be enough.

The Entity finally finished flapping its wings and resumed its earlier position. "Say no more. I may not be pleased with how abruptly and unsatisfyingly my previous partnership with Kevand'r came to an end. But I will nonetheless provide you with aid." It nodded its head. "I shall spread the news of your request for aid to the Phosphorian council, and they in turn shall spread it to Phosphoria's soldiers. This time, we shall together finish what was started last time. Together we shall vanquish all the Umbrosians as well as their foul pretender that dares to call himself my equal in Godhood, and your vile sister shall die with them."

Starfire hung her head and wrung her hands, and the other titans raised their eyebrows. They'd already been starting to feel like the Prime Entity appeared more than a little too eager to accept Starfire's request for aid. But the fact that he now wished to kill Blackfire as well as the Umbrosians and the Black Entity only confirmed how difficult this was going to be.

The Prime Entity raised its own 'eyebrow'. "Is there a problem?"

Starfire sighed. "Forgive me, but I can't help but wonder . . . is killing my sister truly necessary?"

There was a pause. A rather uncomfortably long pause. Then the Prime Entity's eyes narrowed. "It appears that history continues to repeat itself today."

"What do you mean?"

"Is it not obvious? Much like you now show doubt on the merits of you and I killing your sister alongside the foul shadows she dares to work with, your predecessor Kevand'r similarly wished to find a way to avoid killing Gomerand'r in combat like I suggested."

"Why is that a problem?"

"Is the answer not clear?"

The Entity leaned forward, its blue eyes on the verge of literally blazing. "Twice now you have allowed her to live with a smack upon the wrist, even after finding out about her being responsible for truly despicable actions. Both times, she has come back to haunt you once again with something worse and even more morally reprehensible then last time. But this time, as a direct result of how you chose to handle her previous transgressions, she is now at risk of casting the entire universe into an eternal night so dark that not even my own light would be enough to pierce it. And yet, despite even that, you still wish to let her live?"

The Entity shook its head, hissing hatefully. "I am sorry Koriand'r. But the alternative you ask of me will only be yet another exercise in futility. You have allowed your sister twice a chance to accept the error of her ways and reform; and both times she has rewarded your good will by throwing it in your face. Once is forgivable. Twice is still at least halfway reasonable. But thrice? No. Your sister has had her chance, and she's blown it more times now than she ever should have been allowed. Lest the entire universe gets cast into the oblivion of eternal darkness, this naïve belief you have that she can still yet change her ways must stop. will not mince words. Your sister must die."

"No!" Starfire yelled, her eyes and fists glowing with star bolt energy. "I don't believe that! I can't believe that! I won't!"

"You will. It may take time yes, but in the end, once the entire universe is bathed in the glory and paradise of eternal light and eternal virtue without so much as a speck of darkness that my power will bring with the death of your sister and the forces she now aligns herself with, you will come in time to thank me."

Robin raised his eyebrow. "So you do wish to purge the universe of all forms of darkness."

"And what would be wrong with that?"

The Entity turned its head to face Robin and the other titans. "You are certainly aware of the various problems that even now continue to plague your planet as well as countless others across the universe thanks to the darkness, villainy, and sin that still continue to exist within it. But think about a universe where all that was no more. A paradise where nothing but virtue, heroism, and light reign supreme without so much as a single ounce of any vice, villainy, or darkness present to say otherwise. Tell me, how it could be at all possible that the universe would not desire such a paradise, and the embrace of eternal light with it!"

"You're wrong," said Raven. She stepped forward to stand next to Starfire. "You may not understand it, especially considering how you're literally nothing but light, but darkness is not inherently evil. In the right individuals, and the right circumstances, there is some good in darkness."

"You may think so," said the Entity. "But try telling that to the rest of the universe. Especially the parts that have suffered because of the same Tamaranean that Koriand'r even now naïvely wishes to spare. Or because of the countless other beings, monsters, and similar agents of darkness that you and countless other so called 'heroes' have continued to allow to live more times than a measly three."

"That's enough," Robin yelled.

"Yeah," said Beast Boy. "Who are you to call us 'so called'? The five of us? And all those other heroes you just dismissed? We've all saved our home world, countless others, and the entire universe so many times even the various gods don't know for sure how many times! That's certainly more than you can say!"

"And yet," the Prime Entity responded, impossibly calmly all things considered, "the universe even now still suffers for your supposedly saving it."

It gestured with its left wing. "Think about all the villains and monsters that even now still continue to run around and cause the universe to suffer even after all the previous times they've been halted in their tracks! Think of the multiple newly born and active ones that continue to sprout up into existence to join those others already at work! Think about how much better the universe would be, or how much suffering could be prevented, if someone had the decency to put a stop to it all before it could even happen!" It slammed its left wing back on the floor, rearing up in the process. "You and all those other heroes have never saved a thing! They never have, and they never will! All they've ever done at the rate they're currently going is to prolong the agony the entire universe must suffer while it waits for the eventual destined day that the very paradise I speak of finally comes from a source far slower than myself."

It leaned forward. "Think about this, suppose you came upon a situation where legitimately the only way to prevent complete world ending catastrophe was to kill a specific person. No really, think about it! Such a scenario isn't nearly as impossible as any art or culture would have you believe! What if killing that one specific person was truly the only way to save the world? Or even the whole universe? Would you heartlessly sacrifice the entire universe, including both yourselves and the very person you wanted to spare, just to avoid getting any blood on your hands? Be honest with me now! Would you?!"

The titans all looked each other in the eyes nervously, quite uncertain on how to respond. They had no desire to kill Blackfire, let alone completely abandon their principals. But at the same time, what sort of heroes would they be to say yes to the kind of suggestion that the Prime Entity had brought up?

The Entity nodded. "I take it by your silence that I have made a very good point indeed. Why? Because I speak the truth. Admit it titans. In this battle of principals, you've lost." It flapped its wings once more, but this time much less forcefully than before. "Multiple others wiser than you have said it best. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

Cyborg narrowed his human eye, and he directed a side glance at Robin and Beast Boy. "I can certainly see where the White Entity gets his winning personality."

The Prime Entity directed its gaze towards Cyborg, its eyes blazing. A giant pillar of white light erupted from the floor directly in front of Cyborg's feet. The half robot jumped back in fright, an emasculating shriek erupting from his mouth in the process. The other four titans similarly reared away in surprise, Beast Boy even turning into a cat and jumping on Raven and wrapping his legs around her neck and face for good measure.

"I allowed you, the other two Earthlings, and the Azarathian, to accompany Koriand'r on my own good will, robot." It extended its head closer towards the group. "You'd be wise to not test my patience."

It directed its gaze back towards Starfire. "Koriand'r, answer me this, what is more important to you? The life of that heartless monster you call a sister? Or the lives of yourself, your friends, and the countless other innocent beings throughout the universe who will be forced to suffer an impossible magnitude if you don't have the guts to permanently stop your sister and the Umbrosians in their tracks?"

Starfire stayed silent for a while, the other titans not daring to say anything. "I . . . I don't know. What you're asking . . . it goes against everything my friends and I have believed in for so many years now."

"Do you want my help or not?"

"I do. I really do, it's just that. . ." Starfire paused. "May I suggest a compromise?"

"Explain."

"I do want your help, and I also want your followers to help as well. But what you're asking of me and my friends. Well, surely you can understand how big of a change you're asking of us. I do believe I'll need just a tiny amount of time to further think. But nevertheless, perhaps, can I at least try to defeat my sister and her forces without direct aid from you and your followers, but still have the ability to at least call upon you and your forces just in case?"

The Prime Entity allowed an uncomfortably long pause to unfold before finally responding. "History repeats itself once more. I'm not sure I like it." It nodded its head. "But nonetheless, I will allow it."

It lifted its left wing, a small orb of light materializing at the tip. This light faded away, revealing a marble-sized white crystal orb, which it lowered to within Starfire's reach. "At the time you deem it necessary for me to aid you, call upon me with that orb, and I shall come to claim you as my vessel. Once we have bonded, we shall fight together against your sister and my eternal enemy the Black Entity. The words you will need to say shall be branded into your memory upon departure from this planet."

Starfire grabbed onto the orb, gingerly taking it from the Entity's outstretched wing, and then placed it into one of her skirt pockets. She bowed her head. "Thank you Celestial One. It has been an honor to be in your presence."

"You are most welcome, Koriand'r of Tamaran." The Entity nodded its head. "Expect my soldiers and I to arrive as soon as you've called. Farewell."

The titans nodded, and the entity summoned the same vortex that they'd used to enter back into existence. The titans turned and began to walk towards it. Right as they were all about to enter, however, the Entity proved itself to have a final few words to say.

"But be warned," said the Entity. "As much as you may hope otherwise, the time will come that you will find yourself needing Phosphoria's direct aid and calling upon me."

The titans paused.

"I will . . . take your word for it," said Starfire. She shook her head. "Come friends."

The titans departed from Phosphoria, the portal closing behind them immediately after they'd vanished through to Gordania.

And just like that, another chapter done! I really hope you read and enjoy this chapter! I especially hope you like the newly physically introduced Phosphorians . . . especially the Prime Entity. Me personally, I feel like I really nailed my intended personality of him being a case of 'good is not nice' without straying into making him sound too much like a villain. But if you think I didn't do as good of a job as I think I did (or any opinion you have on the matter really), feel free to let me know. And all that said, I really do hope you all leave plenty of (NONFLAME PEOPLE!) feedback (remember, I require an exact minimum of 2 reviews for this chapter before I can allow the next completed and appropriately edited chapter to be posted. Get it? Got it? Good. Again, hope you all enjoyed!

Coming up next: The time has come for the Titans, Tamaraneans, and Gordanians to fight their first battle together against the Umbrosian forces. How shall they fare? Find out next chapter!