Disclaimer: I still do not own Young justice (but I'm working on it) all rights go to their respective owner I only own the plot and the Rangers.
April 14, 5:00 PM, Mount Justice Training room.
"You must hit harder than that Kaldur!" yelled Agni who was watching him practice with Richie
Richie who was wielding a short sword and shield, was dodging and spinning out the way of Kaldur's attacks then dashing in and attacking.
It was a week since Anna and Richie were rescued. They had spent most of their hanging out with the Team. Agni refused to let them slack in any way shape or form from their training.
Kaldur brought his weapon heavily down onto Richie's shield.
"Richie you should have dodged that!" Agni yelled
Kaldur pounded Richie's shields unrelentingly in till Richie fell to the ground crying out his surrender. Kaldur helped him up and patted him on the shoulder.
"That was some fight you put up today Richie." Said Kaldur
Richie shook his head, "I was terrible today. I'm not used to fighting with a sword and shield I prefer a quarter staff or eskrima sticks."
"You both fought well today." Said Agni walking up to them "Rest up a bit maybe we'll be lucky and get a mission today, me and Robin talked with Batman we might have something to do today."
Agni walked out and went to his room; he opened the portal and went into the astral plane. Once inside he removed his armor and weapons, leaving his bracers on, hanging them in his armory, he dove into the lake to wash off. When he was done he returned to his cave and wrapped himself with a towel. He turned to put armor on and he saw Zatanna enter through a portal. He turned and ducked into his armory hoping she didn't see him.
"Agni, are you here?" she called looking around
Agni quickly put on his pants and boot and walked outside
"How did you get in here?" he demanded
Zatanna smirk, "You forgot to put on a shirt."
Agni scowled and ran back into his armory to get his vest and bag. When he returned he found Zatanna petting Beowulf
"Now tell me how you got in here?"
"When you brought me here I was able to copy the spell and bring myself here."
Agni groaned "Damn I should have thought about that. I just came here to get some different weapons."
"Sure you did."
Agni rolled his eyes and walked into the cave. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"Sure give me some of that lemonade we had before."
Agni came out with her lemonade and a tankard of ale. "You better not tell Anna how do get in here."
Zatanna laughed and drank her lemonade "Of course I won't."
Agni sighed and entered his armory "Batman said he had some leads today so I came to get some more proper weapons for your dimension."
"Like what?"
"Well I can't use my sword very often because you people are against killing. So I'm going to use some arrows Roy gave me and only my bow today."
"You don't use magic very often in fights."
Agni shook his head "All my special Arcane Archer arrows require some kind of magic, like my phase arrow I used."
Agni looked at his bows for a few minutes for a few minutes before taking a simple recurve one made out of wood. "I made this when I was a kid." He said looking at it fondly
"When was that?"
"About 190 years ago."
"At it still works?"
Agni gave it an experimental bend. "It seems so I mean I made it out of an oak tree and imbued it with magic."
Agni picked up his belt with its crossbows, knives and grenades on it and put it on. He stuck a dagger into his boot and checked to make sure his bracers were fully working.
"Is there a reason you came or was it to watch me suite up?"
"Do I need a reason to come?"
Agni thought about it. "No. if there was anyone I would allow here it would be you."
Zatanna smiled "I did come for a reason; Batman said to come back when you have the time so he can brief you for the next mission."
Agni looked up in disbelief "Is that what he said?"
Zatanna shook her head, "Not exactly"
"Let me guess it sounded more like 'get Agni over here right now he has a mission to go on."
Zatanna nodded her head giggling at Agni imitations of Batman
Agni walked over to his weapon collection and pulled out a katana, he proceeded to strap it to his back. He picked up a tomahawk and strapped it to his leg. He picked up his cloak and said. "Okay I'm ready."
Zatanna chanted something and opened a portal and motioned Agni to follow her. Agni quickly picked up a pistol and stuck it into the back of his belt and followed her in.
They were in the mission room with Robin, Anna, Richie, Kaldur, M'gann and Artemis.
Batman was standing solemnly behind them. "Thank you for taking your time." He said giving him the bat glare
"Your welcome." Agni said returning the gaze.
Robin gasped "Did he just glare back at the bat glare?" he hissed Anna
"You get used to it after a hundred years, trust me." She whispered back
Batman turned to the hologram and began speaking "We found out that there are several repots and rumors of monster coming from around this area we thought it may be good for you guys to go find out whatever's there. You can all take the Bioship this is only an observatory mission under no circumstances should you alert them, understood?"
Agni shook his head and raised his hand "I'm sorry sir but I will not follow that order. You do not know these monsters like I do you leave them alone within a few weeks there will be double the amount. When it comes to these monsters you shoot then on sight and you shoot to kill." Agni said
"Sadly he's right." Richie said with a sigh
Batman nodded "Fine we will do as you say. We think they may be hiding in this cave here." He said pointing to the map
"Find out what's in there as well."
"It may be a Cadmus hideout that has convinced them to stick around." Conner said
"It is not hard to appease those foul creatures." Anna replied
Batman nodded and dismissed them
They boarded the Bio-ship (much against Agni's will) and prepared to exit when Batman said something over the intercom.
"Team I just received news that there are several dozen of the monsters leaving and heading for the closes city. You must hurry. If there is anything you can bring back for qustionong like their leader that would be good. Good luck Team."
The Bio-ship blasted off in the direction they were given, in the matter of a few minute there were there watching the monsters move.
"What's the plan Kaldur?" asked Agni
Kaldur looked up at Agni with surprise on his face "I thought you were going to take this mission?"
"I though you were…" Agni replied
"Well what do you think we should do?" asked Kaldur
Agni looked downed the monsters "There is a river over there so you and Richie can fight from over there, Conner me and Zatanna will head then of and stop them."
Robin opened his mouth to protest but Anna shushed him
"Let him go with her, they fight well together and that means we can fight together." She said giving him a wink
"Artemis and Miss M and can them from the other side so they will be boxed in and have no place to escape. Richie what happens to a bunch of trapped trolls? "
"They start to fight one and another." Richie said promptly
Kaldur nodded "That sounds like a perfect plan to me, anyone against it?"
No one said anything so everyone prepared to descend.
"Remember you can only kill them with fire and acid."
"That may be a problem for me…" said Kaldur
"Why else do you think I sent Richie with you?" Agni said "Wait in till I summon and globe of darkness around them." Agni said
He, Zatanna and Conner jump and landed in front of the monsters. When they landed Agni stood forward and summoned a huge globe of darkness around the monsters. That gave enough time for everyone else to get into their positions and get ready. When the globe dissipated they charge, many trolls and goblins were already down on the floor from being stomped on or being hit. Agni notched an arrow and fired, it exploded into flames when it hit burning the trolls to the ground.
He pulled out his katana and leaped into the fray he stabbed a goblin through the chest and spun his blade around to hit another he paused and watched as Zatanna shouted "Erif llaf morf yks!" and fire balls fell and destroyed many trolls and goblins. Zatanna then pulled out her wand and started blasting goblins with spell like "Cigam elissim!" she blasted through them like nothing and met up with Agni in the middle who now had both hidden daggers out and was spinning and jumping cutting goblins down everywhere. He saw Robin past by him, Robin had his eskrima sticks out and was using his acrobatic skills and was bashing the goblins (who were confused and trying to break free) Anna was behind him doing just about the same thing as Zatanna except for her spell were slightly more complicated. Several arrows thudded into a group of trolls who were trying to fight their way out blowing them to apart. Miss M was floating above everyone levitating goblins and flinging them into others and trolls. Agni turned around and picked up his bow and jump onto the back of a particularly large troll who was trying to swing its club at M'gann, Agni shot several arrows into its head and sprung off, a few seconds later the troll exploded.
"Note to self" Agni said to fire several more arrows, "Thank Roy for giving me those arrows and make more."
Zatanna smiled and levitated into the air still firing from her wand. "Do you always talk to yourself?" she said
Agni grinned and swung his blade through a troll's leg. "When it pleases me to… Why you like it?"
"Maybe I do?" Zatanna said blasting a goblin that jump at her.
"Well that pleases me as well."
"I like pleasing you."
"That sounded very wrong" said Robin tossing batarangs as he ran by
Conner leaped past then and pounded a troll with his fists "Would you two stop flirting and continue fighting?" he yelled pouncing on another troll bashing a few goblins that were in the way. He ducked under a trolls club and grabbed its fist and threw it into another troll then carried on punching the daylight out of them.
Many explosions ensued from by the river where Richie was throwing grenade on all the trolls Kaldur had downed. When there were no more trolls left Kaldur shifted his Water-Bearers into mallets and started crushing all the goblins around him while Richie, who was right next to him, had his sword and shield out and was slicing and chopping the goblins with Kaldur. They met up with Robin, who was throwing batarangs into trolls and blowing them up, and continued to fight beside him and Anna.
When all the monsters were burnt or just laying dead on the ground they regrouped at the far end near the cave hidden by some trees.
"Everyone okay?" asked Agni
Every one nodded
"What's next then?" Agni asked looking at Kaldur
"We go in."
Then went to the edge of the cave entrance and slowly crept in.
Agni and Anna immediately looked at each other with confused expressions
Every stopped and looked at them
"What is it?" asked an alarmed Robin
"I just felt the Ogre Mage." Anna said
"Who is that?" asked Zatanna
"He is one of Abaddon's followers but there is no way he is here." Agni said narrowing his eyes
"Maybe it was the other thing we felt." Said Anna
"I thought I felt something like a portal opening." Zatanna said
"So did I…" said Agni
"Do you think it's possible that Abaddon has figured how to travel between dimensions?" asked M'gann
"He sent us here didn't he?"
"It's going to be really bad news if he can." Said Conner
"Lets focus on the mission first." Said Kaldur wisely
The continued to descend into the cave without finding anything, everyone began to tire when Agni stopped them.
"There are a group of something coming." he said literally disappearing in the same spot.
Everyone turned to Robin but he was also gone and so were Richie and M'gann. Anna, Zatanna, Conner and Kaldur looked at each other desperately
"Illusion spells?" Zatanna asked Anna who nodded her head
"Ekam su mees ekil eht llaw." They said together making everyone camouflage to make them appeared to be part of the wall
"You better hope that works." Said Agni from somewhere they couldn't see
"Well, what are you using to hide yourself?" asked Zatanna
"It's one of his abilities as a drow he can be quite hard to see in the dark if he wants to." Said Richie
"And what about you?" asked Conner
"Hello he's me of course he can disappear if he wants to." Said Robins voice
"Shh their coming." Agni said
They heard loud footsteps coming from down the hall. Trolls were pilling through the room dozens of them were following a large ogre that was holding a staff that looked like a small three with a diamond on top. He didn't notice them and marched up the hall with all the trolls following him. When almost all of them pasted, there were just a few straggling behind. Just as they were about to past M'gann sneeze.
The trolls turned around and peered around to see what the sound was. Agni suddenly appeared in front of them.
He flicked his hidden daggers out.
They opened their mouths and let out a shout
Agni stabbed them in the neck.
They fell down
Agni covered them with farie fire.
Agni disappeared
Several trolls came running down to see what was wrong.
"H'y why dem trolls ded?" said a troll
"Dunno wy we shad go t'll da m'ge" said another
"Wha' if its dem Rangers?"
Agni smiled and slipped his hood on and appeared behind them blocking their exit.
"Wow you're pretty smart for being a dumb troll."
"Hoho you be callin us dumb?" said one
"Um dats be da Blackranger he da troll killer."
"Well one of you seems to be extremely smart for a dumb troll."
"Puny little elf we crush and smash you." said a troll advancing towards him
"Are you sure you want to do that? If you look behind you you'll see I brought my friend Richie the really-immature-ranger."
"Hey!" protested Richie
"Oh and I think the Greyranger may be somewhere around here." Continued Agni without missing a beat.
Anna appeared next to them with her staff in hand with its head suddenly bright and menacing
"Uh.. we no wants fight we justs wants to goes now don'ts we?" said a small troll
Agni smiled "Oh no if you want to leave your going to give us information."
"We canats do that's we gets killed by big m'ge boss."
Agni shrugged "Okay you made up your mind."
Richie threw a batarang into one of the trolls and blew it up. The other trolls shrieked with fear
"Wanna talk now?" asked Agni
"Okays we talks we talks now!" one of them shrieked
"Good now how did the Ogre Mage get here?"
"We came in big black flashy thing 'e brungs us here."
"How many more are there?" asked Richie
"Lots and he brings more all da time."
Agni smiled. "Good now you two run and tell the damned Mage that I'm coming for him and I'm coming NOW!" he said stepping out of the way
The trolls ran for it and Agni counted to ten on his fingers. "Okay that's long enough. Rangers go!" he said running a few feet then stopping. He sighed "I mean Team lets move…"
"Kaldur can you go check inside and see if there is anything else in there? Call if you need us."
Kaldur nodded and ran down going lower down into the cave
Everyone ran up and outside where they ran into a circle of trolls.
There was one monster that was much larger than the others and was wearing a weird hat and the same staff.
"Ahh the Rangers and what is this? You find some more lackeys eh Agni? I bet your parents would be proud." it said
Agni took out his katana and slowly walked toward the Ogre "You dare talk to me like that? You dare talk to me like some kind of friend after what you did to me?"
Agni lowered his blades tip so it was almost touching the ground.
"You dare mention my parents after what you did to them?"
"What happened to his parents?" M'gann telepathically asked Richie and Anna
"They were capture in a raid and tortured by it." Replied Richie
"By it you mean the Ogre Mage?" asked Robin who was also part on the conversation
"Agni stop you don't want to do this." Shouted Anna
Agni out stretched his hand and formed a large fire ball in it. He slowly applied it to his sword making it glow with flames.
"Get him!" shot the Ogre
4 trolls ran up to him but hesitated for a second before attacking.
A second too long.
Agni dashed forward and whipped his sword out in a wipe sweeping circle slicing and setting the first troll on fire. He ducked under a swing and shoved his blade up to the hilt into the chest the second, he left it there slowly burning the troll and he flung the tomahawk from his leg into the head of the third. He whipped his crossbow out and shot several times into the stomach of the fourth. He slowly removed his katana from the chest of the troll and wiped the blood on its tunic.
The Ogre glared at him and motioned for a dozen more to go at him.
Agni picked up his tomahawk in his offhand and prepared to run in but before he could do anything Conner jumped over him onto the first troll beating it with his fist and lifting it up and swinging it into the next nearest one with a savage growl.
Zatanna came next shouting "Erif emusnoc uoy" at the trolls setting them ablaze. She then yelled "Erif llaf morf yks" bombarding the place with fire. Artemis's arrows came from behind them thudding into troll and blowing them up or melting them with acid.
Agni nodded his thanks. And tossed his tomahawk up in the air and let it spin a few times before catching it. He stared at the Ogre and continued to advance towards him.
The Ogre sneered and yelled at some more trolls to attack him. They ran at him but slammed into his magic shield stunning themselves. Agni waved his hand and sent electrical waves through them paralyzing them. Agni waved his hand in the other direction and a portal opened and Beowulf walked through it and greeted Agni before running and joining the fight.
A dozen or so tried to break ranks and flee but Miss M was upon them bashing them into each other throwing huge boulders at them. Richie and Robin ran up throwing grenades everywhere with their trademarked devious laugh.
Agni was rushing to the Ogre mage dodging its spell by rolling left and right and leaping over them he reached he and batted his staff aside with his tomahawk and bringing his sword down onto its head. Agni's blade slipped through the hat scoring a minor hit on its shoulder. Agni sprung backward and flipping on his sword arm and lobbing his tomahawk into the Ogres leg. Agni landed on his feet and picked up his sword charging back at the Ogre. Agni swung his blade left but it was blocked by the mages staff by biting deep into the wood. He flung Agni off him he ripped the tomahawk out of his leg and flung it aside and ran at Agni fire magic bolts at him.
"Do you know Agni that your parents put up a fight better than you did? Oh yes they took down some very close friends of my that day that I killed them."
Agni landed in a roll and immediately flung himself left to dodge the incoming bolts. He reached under his cloak and pulled out his crossbow he had with him and fire it to make sure it didn't get jammed. He then pointed it at the Ogre and fired it 5 times the fifth taking the Ogre off its feet and knocking it onto the ground. The Ogre stopped and clutched its chest and collapsed onto its knees Agni ran up to the Ogre Mage with his blade up and ready to strike.
"You want to know what your parent's last words were?" it said "They begged me not to harm you, the pitiful things they were, didn't even beg for their own lives." The Ogre stared at Agni its upper lip curled it a sneer and laughed "You may have won this battle dark elf but you will lose the war, oh let me assure you that and when I get you I will torture you a thousand tortures." It finished and slowly faded wit evil laughter
Agni ran up to it swinging his sword into the fade Ogre doing absolutely nothing. Agni spun around widely hoping that the Ogre only teleported somewhere nearby. When he realized that the Ogre was gone Agni screamed dropping his sword yelling with pure rage. His arms and hands slowly began so have fire appear in them; soon it looked like his whole body was covered in flames. He exploded washing the whole place with fire burning all the trolls on the spot. All the team ducked and tried to get out of harms way searching for the source of it. They all looked up and saw Agni with his arms in the air screaming and the fire erupting around him. It only lasted a few minutes, the flames rolling over everything, then as sudden as it appeared it disappeared the flames return to Agni his body sucking them up as they blew them out. Agni collapsed onto the ground sobbing. Tears dripped down his face and off his chin onto the ground. The team gathered around him offering him silent comfort.
Richie bent over and patted his back trying to help him up. Agni slowly calmed down and stood up his hands still smoking slightly. Zatanna ran over to him and hugged him tightly not saying a word. Agni picked up his sword and sheathed it on his back just as Kaldur came running in.
"There is a lot of stuff down there that mi-" he survey the scene "What did I miss this time?"
Agni opened his portal and walked into it, followed by Beowulf, without saying another word.
Zatanna made a motion to follow him but Anna stopped her.
"Let him go he needs to be alone." She said simply following the rest of the team to the Bio-ship.
The trip back was silent without much talking in till Conner broke the icy silence
"I thought his parents were killed in a raid?"
"They were captured and tortured then kill brutally." Said Richie
Robin stared into space thinking about his own parent's death.
When they reached the cave they explained to Batman in full what happened and to Kaldur what happened when he entered the cave.
Batman told then that they did a good job and to go to bed. And he would see then in the morning.
Artemis followed Robin and Batman out saying goodnight Kaldur did the same jumping into the ocean to swim back to Atlantis.
M'gann, Zatanna and Conner just stared at each other reflecting over the nights events. They bade each other goodnight and each went up to their rooms.
In the astral plane Agni had dropped his weapons by the cave and was sitting beside his lake still crying softly. He suddenly felt someone wrap their arms around him. He looked up and saw Zatanna staring deep into his eyes with comfort…
He hugged her back and silently thank the gods he had someone like her….
Another long chapter
Kind of sad though…
Review and Favorite please.