LXXXVIII
Father and Daughter

Raven became the soul of the dragon once more, leaving gentle Elysium and her physical self behind for the new battlefields of Earth. Though they had not wished it, war was upon them… She feared for Bruce even more than she would say, not only because she had left him in the clutches of a madman, but also because her all-powerful father, the scourge of life, was to set foot upon the soil of their ill-prepared home world. And where Trigon trod, the dark crows of death followed.

Even now, she could sense the great beast across the world… it was impossible not to. He was too close now… anger, vengeance, hate, lust and the cold fury of destruction filled even the blackest void of space itself, crawling into her skin. As an empath, Raven was not immune to the onslaught of his dark passions… but she had spent a lifetime controlling these emotions, and the dragon was strong.

She understood why she was an empath. As Raven was able to project her emotions to those around her, Trigon was able to drown worlds with his. How could she even stand before him, let alone battle the totality of madness? She knew that to give into these passions was a victory for evil-incarnate, to become the puppet of the demon. She wondered if even the New Gods could stand before the true power of Trigon?...

The only answer was that they must.

As she found her way to the familiar building, Raven traveled along shadows of its corridors, finally located Bruce in a Pentagon room, close to where she had left him. She gave a prayer to the gods of mercy… her husband was alive! She appeared as her shadow-self beside him to wrap her love in soul-warmed arms.

With his remaining generals, Bruce Wayne watched the hideous things slide, slither and fly across the sands of Kahndaq on wi-screens. It was like a horror movie come to life and far too real.

Suddenly, the familiar shadow he had been longing for, appeared next to him and took him in its arms.

Five generals, all veterans of horrific, life-scarring wars immediately drew their side arms - aiming at the shadow figure. As thankful as he was to have Raven by him once more, Bruce retained the presence of mind to raise his hands and address his generals…

"Stand down everyone. It's alright, this is my wife… or at least a part of her. She's on our side."

"I had feared you were dead, my husband." Raven's soul voice spoke telepathically to him. Bruce smiled at his nervous audience.

"I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, I will need a moment. I may be unresponsive for a few minutes. She's our greatest hope in this war."

Raven appeared in Bruce's soul landscape once more, where she was able to materialize not as a shadow, but as herself. She had never considered how disturbing her shadow-self could be to an unexpecting bystander, but she could sense the fear and panic of the men and women around her husband.

Once again, they stood on the shores of the dark sea, feet planted upon the sands of her husband's consciousness. The volcano was mercifully quiet this time.

"I am sorry my husband, I did not mean to startle you. It was unsafe for me to come in my corporeal form."

"I'll take whatever I can get right now. I was so worried about you… Where are you?"

"In Elysium, my love, with the others. Scott Free is still near death."

"Do you mean you're…" Bruce Wayne didn't have the emotional strength to finish that sentence.

"No my love, we are alive." Her smile was beautiful. "We narrowly escaped Trigon's grasp as his demons descended upon us. I'm afraid Ra's al Ghul has taken Clark's body and the soul of Big Blue now travels with me. We must ask assistance of the New Gods to aid our cause and to save Scott Free… My father is more powerful than I can even dream to comprehend."

"You've been busy too. Talia is poisoned, but still alive for now. Luthor is dead. That makes me the President apparently."

"I am sorry I was not there for you…"

"I should have been with you. Can you come back to Earth?"

"I will my love. If you ask it of me, I will… But Scott Free lies dying on the eroding fields of Elysium and no mortal power on Earth may save him."

"…One hour… Come back to me in one hour. If we're going to die, I want to us to face whatever awaits us together."

"And if we live, I want to never again be parted from you."

They embraced and kissed like lovers separated by war… until they heard ominous laughing very close and the soft squeals of a bat…

Only twelve feet away, sitting beside the fiery bat of Bruce's vengeance was Trigon himself, petting the monstrous demon of revenge as it stood on all fours upon the bleak sands - in the affections of its true master. Raven's father was a muscular, crimson demon, with four eyes of fire and long white hair.

There was an aura of destruction and fear emanating from him, but for all the world he looked like a father in his favorite old chair on an overcast Sunday morning - petting the family dog. But Bruce did not like his smile at all as he spoke - images starting to form in his soul's eye…

"How little you think of me, my daughter. I come so far to greet you and you dishonor me, only now to sneak back into the arms of your lover while you believe my back is turned. Come, what terrible sins have you committed? Your father would like to know..."

"I will not let you hurt him!" Raven stepped in front of her husband and stood defiant against the demon, power beginning to course through her as the water began to crash upon the nearby shore.

"Me?..." Trigon laughed. "No dear daughter, you shall punish him. For his arrogance and hubris to ever believe he could love one such as yourself. If he had been strong enough to open the door for me to enter this world… as I had asked, I may have let him… briefly love you.

You were so close, Bruce Wayne. You only lacked that final resolve... But in the end, you let me down. I had to rely on another to lay waste to those meaningless souls… How could I ever permit such a weak-willed fool to be with my only daughter?"

"That he would accept me for who I am with such a father, that is his true strength! You would prey on his life's tragedy, to guide his soul to wickedness… He was too strong for you!"

"He has tenacity, I will admit." The demon continued to stroke the coarse fur of the bat. "But you are the great Trigon's daughter. You are of the gods, Raven. That is your birthright."

"Then I choose this man."

"But at what cost, little one?... Were you to sacrifice all that you love and join me, I would spare this world. Would you like that?"

"I would choose death first."

"Easy words to say… I will ask again upon your return. Bring everyone and everything you hold sacred to your heart, my child. Azar, the souls of Azarath, your mother, this weak man… They will be sacrificed upon your alter. It's very… liberating."

"We may die, Trigon, but it will not be for my sake. It will be on the battlefield against you."

"Sacrifice them however you like, but this path will be followed. It is your inheritance. Embrace it, or I shall embrace it for you. Dwell upon this, daughter."

In a flash of smoke, he was gone.

Raven turned to see Bruce on his hands and knees - trembling, pale as a ghost, gasping for air. With all of her power, she exuded a feeling of calm through his soul as she rushed to him to take him into her arms once more, cradling his head. His soul was a battlefield of terror.

"Shhh… It's alright my love. He's gone. I am here."

"Raven?... " There were tears in Bruce's eyes as he shook. "I was… He showed me terrible things… It was like I just had the nickel tour of Hell itself… I don't think I can ever be the same again…Dear God… Forgive me."

"That is his world, not ours. You are back with me and there is only the love and hope we share. We will fight for hope. Do you remember our promise?"

"I do… I will fight for hope… He's so… damned awful!"

"He is all things awful, a god of evil. A terrible burden upon any man's soul, let alone to taint it with his presence. But you are strong and I am here for you." She kissed his forehead once more and wiped away the remnants of tears from her husband's cheeks.

"Damn… You live your whole life thinking you're pretty tough until something like that gets inside you." He took a deep breath and exhaled. Color returned to his face.

"His weapons are the souls he ultimately consumes. Without even lifting a finger, Trigon could have the inhabitants of this world tear one another apart."

"I'm not sure how we're going to defeat him, Raven."

"Nor am I, my love. But we will try and never give up hope."

He then smiled up at her, that rare Bruce Wayne grin.

"And I will never give up on the wife who saves my soul every day…" He raised his face to hers, guiding her mouth downwards to his, to finish what had been interrupted before. He was amazed to find that with each encounter, he was more in love with this woman than he thought he could ever feel. When they were satisfied, he continued…

"Shouldn't you be going? Are you in pain?"

"No, my love. Not a single second has passed in Elysium from when I left. Time is much slower there."

"Good to know… Raven, these demons… will missiles work?"

"Unless Trigon intervenes, yes… conventional weapons should harm them. However, Trigon could disable any attack he wishes. Against my father, conventional weapons would do nothing but provoke him."

"All I needed to know… Be quick, OK?"

"I will be traveling to the edges of the Universe to meet the New Gods, but I will do my best. You must warn the entire world of Trigon's evil and prepare them for an army of gods."

"Heh… Can't wait. Good luck, Mrs. Wayne."

"May the fates themselves rally to our cause." A gentle hand to his cheek and shy smile - she was gone once more.

Bruce awoke… surrounded by emergency techs and generals looking down at him. It took him a second to realize that he was lying on the floor of the board room where he had been. He looked up at the concerned faces…

"I'm alright… How long have I been out?"

"…About five minutes, sir." One of the generals replied.

"America… We've got a lot to do…"

At that instant in Elysium, before Barbara Gordon's mouth had opened to speak a single syllable of protest, the spirit of Raven Wayne returned, her eyes opening.

"…Change your mind?" inquired Barbara curiously.

"No... I have returned. I believe I have learned something of Trigon's ultimate goal which should provide us a little time. His ambition is not so simple as the devastation of the Earth and the consumption of its souls."

"…What else does he want?" inquired Barbara.

"...Me."