"That's some story." Robin remarked slowly as Aiira finished the tale of her people. It had taken two hours, and after some heavy-handed coaxing from Cyborg, Changeling had joined the other three in hearing the table. All of the Titans bar Raven had heard the story, and all of them were awestruck for some reason or another. Raven had still not appeared at all, in fact, there was no indication of her still even being in the tower.

"And unfortunately I must admit to it all being true. We are not barbaric – the death is done out of necessity, but it is one of the more gruesome aspects of an immortal race."

"It ain't all it's cracked up to be, that's for sure."

"We deal with it. Every race has its good and its bad, this is our bad side. Or was – I'm not entirely sure."

"Is there no way of contacting anyone from your world?" Starfire asked.

"None. Apparently I'm not meant to know – but it's probably for the best. When I transformed into…this" Aiira ran one hand down herself, "I'm pretty sure I took out the biggest bridge on the planet in the process. Maybe not letting me come back is their way of saying I don't have to pay for the damages." She laughed softly at her attempt at a joke, and the others reciprocated the sound.

"Well, not all bad then." Changeling ran a hand through his hair, slowly drifting back towards the controller, sitting idle on the coffee table. A few seconds later it was back in his hands, and he was gaming again as if he had never stopped.

The other three stayed put.

"What about this war, then?" Robin queried, "Any idea who you're going after? Sounds pretty big."

"See, now this is where it gets just a little awkward." Aiira twiddled her thumbs, "I need everyone I can find, and I really don't know who I'm after. I have a few vague ideas, but I was half-hoping I could begin here."

A few feet away, Changeling crashed, the vehicle swerving from the track and plummeting into the poorly rendered white backdrop. He knew what she was on about, and the knee-jerk reaction had made him twitch and lose control. When he turned, his mouth was agape and the control slipped from his fingers to the floor. "Another war? You're joking. Do we have to? We've been through loads already."

"Garfield is right." Robin observed, watching his friend grimace at the use of his real name. "We've been through loads of battles and wars already. Sure, we're going to be heroes for a while yet, but we were hoping to have things calm down a bit, after everything we had to go through."

"In that case, I had better warn you of what could happen if you do not help. I know you want to calm down, as you just said, but this war concerns everything that even has the slightest bit of existence, the slightest bit of reality or non-reality. If I lose, everyone does, everyone good, everyone just, anyone who has even the slightest bit of kind thought in their minds and hearts goes with it. In short, if I die, you all die. Many of the people on this planet, this entire universe, will die. If I win, we survive. I can't say if your help would make a difference, but as I said, I'm looking for all the help I can get." It was a jarring prospect. Faced with total oblivion, what do you do? I've met people who don't care, people who rush to embrace destruction, those who would bravely stand against it and any number of other mind-sets.

"Well that changes things." Cyborg blinked.

"It certainly does, but as I said, I'm not sure what you're involvement would actually do, if anything. I've told you the stakes, I've told you what I'm doing. I'm not asking you to make any decisions just yet – I want you to think about this, at least. I won't have any problem either way, whatever you choose, but I just want you to consider it."

"We've saved the world before." Robin observed, "This is just a bit bigger."

"A lot bigger." Changeling disagreed.

"The war itself might be pretty small, really depending on how many I can gather. It's the territorial gain that really worries me. If we lose, there's no opportunity for a resistance, behind the lines, nothing. If we lose, we lose, and that is it."

"At least we'll know if we've won, then." Robin replied.

"So you're in?"

"I didn't say that, but even if we say no, we'll still help out, somehow."

"This war;" Starfire interjected, "there is no peaceful solution?"

Aiira gave a sad smile. "I wish there was, believe me. No, there is no room for peace or negotiation – it's all within the rules, and they are unbreakable. One side must stand, the other must fall, without exception. If you come across a loophole, I'll be glad to hear it."

"Well, I'm in."

Changeling's neck almost snapped as he spun round at the sound of that soft, brittle voice. As it would be no other, Raven stood in the doorway, eyes slowly drawing over the other five as they looked round.

"What made you change your mind?" Aiira didn't even sound surprised.

"We've saved the world before – as Robin said, this is just on a wider scale. It's always been us, with Brushogun, Trigon and the Brotherhood of Evil, it's been us every time. Always the Titans; I don't trust anyone else to do it for us anymore. Saving reality is bigger, but in the end it's still our problem." She brushed the unspoken criticism aside and sat down on the sofa, letting the cloak fall to the sides and revealing the greyish skin of hers, along with the swimsuit she wore as standard – would it be a bad time to say that she had nice boobs? I'm saying it either way – and glancing over to the others. "What?"

"You've been quiet lately. Is this what's been bothering you?" Changeling spoke up, voicing his concern as he always did.

"I didn't know about it until morning. Until now there was nothing to be worried about. I'm quiet – get used to it, I'm surprised you haven't already."

"So what has been bothering you?" Perhaps he was merely thick, but Changeling isn't easily brushed aside.

"I don't see why my business should be any concern of yours." Raven replied, her voice taut, "I thought I'd made it clear that what I do does not need to be shared with anyone else. I came in to express my willingness to help – must every time I walk in be an interrogation?"

"Yo! Easy, calm down Rae, he was just asking a question." Cyborg raised his hands peacefully. Raven wanted to reply, I know it, it showed and Aiira confirmed it, but she held her tongue. Her tone remained spiteful for a moment longer, then she seemed to soften and sighed softly, trying to control her emotions.

"Never mind." Was all she said. She doesn't like to be proven wrong, even now. Everyone has their shortcomings.

"So have I proven my control, or do you need me to beat up someone bigger?" Aiira inquired, attempting to shift the topic onto something less personal. "I can't finish off every villain in this world, I'm afraid, I don't have the time."

"You're fine for now." The girl replied dismissively, "But you still have work to do."

"My power increases naturally. My control will grow over time and you will come to realise that you don't control me. My control will come as is necessary, not when you want it to."

"You seem to have a remarkable idea of what's going on." Raven sniffed.

"I have no idea what's going on! I've been thrown into this and I'm going on what I've been told! My race only knew the barest fragments of what I'm meant to do, but if you think you know more than an immortal line of scholars then be my guest, impart your knowledge!" An awkward silence hung in the air between the two girls for a long moment, until Aiira decided she had had enough.
"Is there somewhere we can settle this? As…spectacular…as it would be, I'd rather not have to fight you."

"Then come on. I don't deserve to have to put up with this publically." Raven huffed, pushing herself to her feet again, whirling round the cloak and marching swiftly from the room. Aiira shrugged off the others and followed, a little more warily. She kept her distance from the other Titan, who seemed to be ascending somewhere.

The roof. Well, it seemed appropriate. It was somewhat private, for now, and it was easier than finding a new room in those damn corridors. Got me the first couple of times, I tell you. But that hasn't happened yet – I'm rambling, sorry.

It was early afternoon – the Titans had barely slept during the night, and chosen to catch up the moment they got back; Aiira doesn't need sleep anymore, and had been thinking until they woke up and the daily activities resumed. They emerged onto a rooftop washed with sunshine, and the concrete was hot to the touch. From the hatch was a clearly-spaced pathway to the volleyball court, to which the two individuals made their way.

"We're sorting this out now." Aiira stopped at the halfway line.

"We are." Raven stopped also, and turned until she could watch Aiira from under her hood. "I hate you, I hate this crap you're trying to pull me into, so I'm figuring the only way to return this to normal is to help you out and finish this shit. I'm stretched to breaking point almost every day, and I just want things to go back to normal. Maybe someone else can save the universe, but I'm not putting it down to chance."

"So you're pinning this on me?"

Are there no fighters left here anymore?

"No, I'm putting this down to having too much I've already been through. You're not half-demon, your father didn't try to destroy the world and almost succeed, you haven't spent your entire adolescence fighting jumped-up madmen who think they might actually get somewhere. I've spent too much time trying to keep something of a life to have it torn away by an unknown foe of unknown strength and number. I'm sorting this out, and then I'm done."

Are we the generation we've been waiting for?

"So you're just going to walk away from this? Going to give in your two cents then walk away?"
"It's the least I deserve." Raven spat into the ground, unwittingly allow fragments of her power to blaze around her in anger.

Or are we patiently burning,

"It's not about what you deserve. I didn't deserve any of this, no-one did. I'm not going to lie, I haven't been through as much as you have, but I can tell you for sure that you can't change your mind halfway through. You chose this life, you stick with it. If I have the guts to keep going, then you damn well can."

waiting to be saved?

"I used to have a similar delusion." The demon-girl looked away. "Then I grew up. If you really are convinced that this is the way to go, then by all means continue – I won't stop you, I don't care what you do to yourself. You've got a damn-sight harder job convincing me."

Our heroes, our idols, have mellowed with age.

"Then we will fail." Aiira whispered, as one piece of the prophecy began to make sense.

Following rules they once disobeyed.

"You have a strange priority."

They're now being led,

"One of light and one of dark, fates burning bright in the endless destruction. One shall rise and one shall fall, no impasse can be reached, no deal can be brokered. Each backed by warriors that respect their purpose, champions of their worlds, demagogues all, council sought, taken or dismissed, this thus marks the end of all that will and all that is." Aiira recited the prophecy verbatim to the Titan. "Each backed by warriors that respect their purpose." She repeated slowly.

"You must believe this, or there is no point in you trying."

When they used to lead the way.

"How convenient." Raven replied, patronisingly, "It's such a useful fact then that I am one of the best at defying prophecies."

Do you still believe in all the things that you stood by before?

"Do me a favour Raven, stop taking my own words and spinning them back at me. You volunteered to help save the universe, then you turn your back on it. What is it to be? If you want to try and cast it all away then so be it, but don't spend your time trying to slow me down. If you don't want to fucking bother, then I have other people to see." Aiira replied emphatically, throwing her hand out to emphasize the point. "Do not waste more of my time in this way – I mean to try and ask the help of others, but not you, not if you cannot bring yourself to agree of your own volition." She turned to leave.

Are you out there on the front lines,

"You really believe all that?" it was toneless, but it made the champion pause.

Or at home keeping score?

"Yes, and I will continue to do so."

Do you care to be the layer of the bricks that seal your fate?

"You believe the impossible – my mind is a wasteland, I've seen worlds come apart, others built, suns born and killed. You ask me to believe the impossible – that this is it. That it will go no further."

Aiira smiled slowly. Raven wasn't convinced, no, but she saw. As she said, she had fought against prophecies before, she had won and lost her own share of battles, and she knew what it was like to be the lynchpin, holding the world together. Though she could not fully admit to it, she couldn't let go. It went against what she did.

Or would you rather be the architect of what we might create?

Raven always fought, always hoped, always kept going. It wasn't her nature to stand by; she always stood up to be counted. No matter what, her mind and soul would not allow her to stand on the side-lines. Every world needs heroes, and she would not, could not, would never allow her world to be without them. It was a dilemma – she didn't want to have herself drawn into another conflict, but at the same time it was an anathema to her, not fighting.

"It's a simple choice, Raven, yes or no."

"I can't fight for something I don't even believe in." the Titan's voice sounded a little shaky, as her resolve finally began to waver as she was caught in the vice between the two options.

"But you do believe. You want to win, to survive, to keep on making sure people know that you're pushing back. I'm not sure if you believe in what I do just yet, but you believe in fighting back, and I need people like you by my side."

"Then count me in, council sought, taken or dismissed."

"You can't find her."

"I can damn well try, Eleanor."

"You have to search…well…everywhere. It's an impossible task."

"Well, I might as well get started then. I'm not standing by in this."

"I didn't say you should."

"Then please, do not try and dissuade me from this. I rescued you because I didn't want to just wait and watch to see what would happen. I will play my part, for good or ill, and I shall bear the consequences."

"Are you getting married?"

"Do I really sound that cliché?"

"Yep, but at least you've got the combat gear. Go on then, if you're going to do this, then go."

"Don't worry, I'm going to come back. A search does not mean I will neglect you, or anyone else."

Eleanor Lamb, you never cease to amaze me.

The ritual could not work – Kulsk could see it already. Every ritual of summoning for even the most lesser of creatures required sorcery and blood, blood of warriors, blood of those who drew power from the Empyrean. Only the most influential of the followers of the dark powers could afford the blood sacrifice or had influence enough to perform the ritual without it. He had tried to convince her so, but the promise of losing everything in his failure had made him want to try anyway. At least if he died here it would be serving the god of change.

The floor around him was already wet with the blood of dozens upon dozens of sacrifices, the offerings brought into the eight-pointed star sunk into the floor, their throats slit and lifeblood allowed to pour into the cracks, to suffuse the unholy altar with the souls of the dead.

At the edges of the shallow pit stood the sect of sorcerers, anyone who had even the most base knowledge of the dark chants necessary, and their droning rose around him, drowning out all other noise in a discordant wail. For us to hear that music it would have been excruciating, but to him it was glorious! A summoning, a hand reaching into the Empyrean! Maybe it would work; maybe his pitiful attempts may catch the eye of the changer himself and grant him what he deserved.

The wailing reached a crescendo, the unholy noises splitting the eardrums of the cultists that chanted it, and within the pit, Kulsk felt something happen. Something tugged at him, pulling from beyond the veil of reality, and he cried out in ecstasy as he realised that his summons had been answered, that he had succeeded in summoning…something. It was not what he expected.
The blood around him began to writhe, pseudo-tentacles forming and splashing apart as blood congealed and then dispersed.

An unspoken command rippled through the pool of rust-coloured liquid, and the stuff began to stick to him, washing over him in thin waves, coating him in this blood; he could only appreciate it for a few moments more, then he felt the pain.

It was as if every nerve in his body was being torn out, as if he was being thrown into the core of the planet alive, and he began to lose his mind. The blood found its way under his skin, through his pores, and began to expand around muscles and bones, and those nearby heard a dreadful cracking, the man's spine snapping as muscles expanded and grew. Newer, inhuman bones and muscle grew into place. All the while, Kulsk revelled in the power flooding through him, voices whispering in his ear promises of yet greater power…if he killed her.

Then it was over, and he was most certainly no longer human. He stood, hunched over, a mound of muscle and sinew dripping fresh blood, his skin coloured a violent shade of red and his features distorted, eyes that burned the mind and hands that could crush a man's life from his very bones. He had attracted the attention not of Tzeentch, but of Khorne. He didn't care, his mind, unhinged as it was and courted by daemons, he was too drunk on the dark power to understand the difference or even care, his thoughts only able to comprehend the slaughter he could now bring.
Kulsk stood slowly, eyes burning down on the followers of Tzeentch, now his enemies, and he reached towards the first and very calmly removed his head with a snap of his wrist. The blood did not pour to the ground, but snaked up his arm and into his skin, and the daemonic mutant felt a brief rush of power from the gore.

Kill her…

She asks questions…

She demands answers…

She is too powerful…

She must not be allowed to find our lord…

She must die…

"Kill her…" the worlds issued from his fanged maw unbidden in a guttural, grumbling moan. Even as he said the words, the blood taken from the cultist snaked back down towards his arm and out from his hand, a crimson blade forming in his hand, taller than a man and thicker than his waist. He searched around, pivoting within the deconsecrated chapel, before settling with the knowledge that there was no way out.

He turned the blade to the door, his first stroke biting through the thick wood and showing the two cultists stationed outside with splinters. The second stroke ripped the massive double doors from their hinges, crushing the guards even as they moved to escape. Moments later their bodies were pulped further as his armoured feet landed on the door, uncaring of the damage, the daemon strode onwards.

Ripples of energy leftover from the summoning were spreading out into the city, turning the skies to a rancid green and stretching the walls of reality to breaking point. For a moment, what remained of Kulsk saw every moment of that city, saw every point, and then his mind was stung, a malevolent presence within the city – his city – and he wanted it out.

He took a step forward into the desolation, and the ground exploded under him. He weighed about as much as a battle tank, but such was the strength of the blast that he was lifted from his feet, and hurled back into the chapel, bringing down the walls in his unexpected moment of flight. From the point of explosions shot a wash of darkness, blacker than he could see, and Menthis rose from it, calm despite the rage she could easily unleash.

"Answers…you will give me answers that you lied for!" Kulsk roared, dragging himself from the crater, swinging his blade wildly.

"I asked you to contact Tzeentch. You have defied my order, and you will get nothing save oblivion. I will let him be your judge." She was eerily calm. Her own sword was half the length of the daemon's, but keener, and though she didn't show it, the man's inability to follow orders had pissed her off.

That's one thing I learnt. You do not piss her off.

Does it surprise you, to see Menthis fighting soldiers who could be her own? You could be forgiven if you are – I was at first, when I was tracking her, she had no end to the surprises. As for Eleanor…I rescued her, not just from that life-pod from Rapture, but also from the insanity, the madness that had been pressed upon her in that place. She's one of the best, and so I left her in charge, for a time. As for Aiira and Raven…if you think they're having trouble, well, she was a real bitch to me when we first met, Raven was.