CXXV
The Worst Father in the Universe
As Trigon's wicked voice defiled her ears, it also filled her body, crushing Raven's spirit of hope under its oppressive tones, simultaneously releasing thousands of dark emotions.
That voice let her know that it was Trigon who had allowed her to come this far and to learn this much… and that he would allow her to do nothing about it. He had been called many things, including the Scourge of the Universe, but Raven had to bear the most ill-fated, the most despised name that anyone who knew what this monster had done – she was forced to call Trigon the Cruel…
"Father..."
As she turned to address him, to glance upon the evil God who had guided her here, who had used the pain and hatred of his infant first-born to fuel his own brutal agenda, no other words would follow.
Her breathing tightly ceased as her frightened heart stopped beating for perilous seconds; overwrought with a newfound panic while something invisible crushed her windpipe.
Two hundred feet below was her husband… struggling vainly in the unbreakable grip that Trigon had secured around his mortal throat... the demon happily squeezing the life from her husband. Bruce's legs flailed wildly – suspended off the ground by the murderous grasp of the grinning God. But as her husband could not breathe, so too could Raven not draw breath… In matters of life and death, their fates were matched!
As her consciousness lapsed and tumbled into darkness, so too did Raven. With the last of her remaining cognizance, she managed to teleport herself down to her fading husband, crumpling without strength to the ground - but also avoiding a fatal two hundred foot fall from where she had levitated. Beside her was the prone figure of the Phantom Stranger, struggling under the heavy, overbearing foot of Trigon that was lodged upon his chest.
Just before she blacked out, Trigon relaxed his grip upon her husband's throat, allowing the lovers to breathe once again in gulping, needy breaths… her blurred vision coming back into focus.
"Did you enjoy a chat with my favourite daughter, Raven?... I see you have done me the honour of accepting your true form, at least. Mmmm… You do look good in red…" He cast a critical eye upon her naked body, prostrated below him while she still gasped for air on the ground, his three eyes taking in every curve and feature, a thumb stroking his chin. "Yes… very nice. You shall make a fine bride."
"I… am… already… married!" She shouted out the words with each needed breath.
"Married?! To this?!" Trigon shook a semi-conscious Bruce in his powerful grip to emphasize the point…
"Daughter… Had not vile Verdandi cursed me with her needlepoint treachery, I would have rectified your mistake willingly. However, without the guidance of wise fathers, it is true that children often tumble into mistakes… especially when others seek to push them onto paths they do not belong.
This weak thing I hold now was not the fate I intended for you, foolish Raven. You had been promised to another. Now we must rely on your own responsible judgement to rectify these errors of your naive heart, my dear."
Raven was finally able to stand once more, to address her father on a level playing field… if such a thing existed before the presence of Trigon.
"Father… I know you do not understand, but I love Bruce. Our union was not a mistake, it was meant to be. As the child of Arella and Trigon, I want to be with this man… In my soul, I hold the love of all Azarath, the shining light to your darkness, waiting for you. You need only accept it and you shall remember these precious things I feel."
"I need to do no such thing…" Trigon scoffed. "Already I hold the light of a trillion souls within me, little Raven. Of what use is a thousand more? I already hold a power far beyond your wide-eyed comprehension… the Source of a new Universe waiting to be born!
And all this will be my Wedding gift to you, daughter… Power beyond what anyone has ever known!... One simple act… one bargain that must be kept. Become a Queen so that that you may rule the next one as a God! Existence itself will bow to your every whim… if you but honour your father's wishes."
"Do… not… trust… him…!" The Phantom Stranger struggled to warn Raven under Trigon's crushing foot, until the suited hero suddenly disappeared in a crimson puff of smoke.
"Bah! Let him share his heedless words with your groom… I have no further use for such a pompous lout… Now my dear, you've lived a very sheltered life for a very short amount of time. There are things a father such as I, who has lined for thousands of years, needs to teach you. The first thing is that you have already failed me numerous times. I had hoped that you would have at least feasted upon the fools of Azarath by the time I came to collect you…" Trigon sighed heavily. "But you do take after your mother… unfortunately. And as such, it was left to me…"
"I will not destroy this Universe. Nor will I marry another."
"…And then Azar sent you to Earth… to protect you." Trigon laughed. "Did you know I gave her a full year to rectify that mistake… a whole year! I had even hoped the Earth would teach you valuable lessons in my absence… of despair, of hatred, of sorrow... these lessons your mother had learned so well during her time there…
But then, my own daughter betrayed me! She seduced this pathetic piece of flesh! I never expected you to get married… Who would even marry you?! You are the child of Trigon! What man would ever dare to be such a fool as to actually love you?..."
Trigon allowed his three remaining eyes to follow the path along his arm to Bruce Wayne's own eyes, to find the man glaring back at the God.
"Oh yes… It was this man… This same fool I offered all the wonders and pleasures that his world had to give, a glorious Fate of his own choosing; a love to replace the one he had stolen from me, foregoing even the right of my revenge. How could I be more generous, mortal?!"
"I chose the Fate I wanted, Trigon." Bruce spoke in a hoarse whisper.
"Yes, what you have now is the Fate you deserved indeed. To slap me in the face after I offered you three Paradises… and then to gouge out my own eye. Is this the Fate you so chose?"
Raven knew that look in her father's eyes, and the joy that now emanated from his blackened heart…
"NOOO!"
"Ignorant child, even on your new world, they speak of my divine credo… an eye for an eye. You and I sealed our Pact in blood Raven, should not the third party do the same? Is the God of Revenge to forgive such transgressions against him?...
…Never."
Raven watched in motionless horror as her father's other hand now gripped Bruce's head like a vice, steadying it… as his pointed, crimson finger pressed against the exposed left eye of her beloved, causing the man she loved to scream in mortal anguish.
Vainly, she tried with all her might to teleport them anywhere, to make them go away and save her husband from Trigon's vengeful wrath… but he was the God of Revenge and no power she possessed could deny Trigon this foul act of retribution.
"GGAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
As the cruel finger pushed into Bruce's socket, it destroyed his left eye. Raven almost fainted from the pain. The lovers screamed simultaneously in profound agony, making beautiful music to the ears of Trigon.
Her father could have pushed his bloodied finger through her own broken heart as Raven's eye blazed in shared agony. While tears streamed down her own cheek, dark, vitreous fluid and blood streamed down the left cheek of Bruce.
"Ahhh… I left that far too long, mortal!" Trigon had pulled his finger from Bruce's darkened eye socket, and was marvelling at his vicious handiwork before he continued on.
"So it is true, your mortal Fates are joined… clever, clever girl. I suppose that hurt, didn't it? Well, now you understand a fraction of the pain you have caused me, unfaithful daughter…. Oh don't fret, my dear… I won't kill him… After all, how could I?! What sort of father would murder his own daughter on the eve of her Wedding? How heartless do you think I am?… After all, that is a husband's right!
But… I will make sure you are with this mortal in perpetuity. Your actions have forced my hand in this. You know, with just a little help from these Goddesses, your lover can be made into something else entirely.
His complete existence can be twisted into a single band of flesh... a living ring that you can wear around your delicate finger for all Eternity… as a living keepsake of these simpler times.
And then, after centuries, you will become accustomed to the pain he suffers for his love. I too know of these things, my dear. Perhaps you may even choose to strip his Fate from your own… allowing this poor, suffering man to receive final gift of death… at least for a moment.
Is this not his rightful place in the Universe? Wrapped around your finger? A brash, arrogant husband who dared to claim a divine daughter? And did I not promise him that he would suffer like no other mortal has ever suffered before?... I will not be called a liar, Raven."
"…Father, no!"
"He took my daughter!… But now, I am reminded that there is another ring… Yes, I have even brought you this Ring, my lovely Raven. Look, see how its darkness absorbs the light, even now as I hold it in my hand… Its darkness exuding in shadowy opulence… a beautiful ring for a beautiful girl."
In his outstretched palm, Trigon held an ebony black ring - adorned with an inverted triangle - six lines above it. It looked similar to the ring of a Green Lantern, but different. There was a foul power emanating from this black ring, a soul-curdling aura of despair.
It was pure evil.
"This ring has been given to me by your betrothed, Raven… his most precious gift. You have been such a selfish, unruly girl, but he has still consented to accept you as his bride.
You see, while you've been busy chatting at this family reunion, your poor father has had the difficult task of quelling this dark Lord's rage. So I warn you not test his patience any further… Even I could not protect you from that.
So what shall it be, daughter… the Ring of Flesh…" Trigon tossed Bruce at her feet like trash - her lover grunting in agonizing pain as he struck the ground.
"…or this Ring of Power?"
Raven went to Bruce immediately, cradling his head into her hands, her own eyes fixed upon the place where his left eye had only just been…
"Bruce… I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry…"
His hand reached up to rest upon her cheek - wiping away her tears as he held her gaze with his one eye. Slowly, he drew her head down to his own, whispering into her ear…
"Abraxas is the key… She doesn't know what love is… Give her… the souls of Azarath… to teach her."
Trigon was incensed.
"Then the ring of flesh it shall be! Do you think there is anything I can not do to your mortal, Raven?! I offered you a choice… I was even willing to let him live out his remaining days here on Ysmault. But now, even with his dying breath, he conspires against me! Does his treachery knows no bounds?! There is no honor in mortals!"
Raven stood up, defiantly facing Trigon.
"You are wrong, father! He is an honorable man. You have offered me no choice. I am already a married woman... I will not marry for a second time. And I will die before I let you hurt my husband again!"
Author's Note: So, not only is Trigon the worst father in the Universe, he's also the worst father-in-law! Poor Bruce is going to have a lot more in common with Nick Fury than he ever wanted…
Next Chapter: A Fairy Tale of Two Brothers.