CoAD: Broken Mirrors

by SorifTheHunter

It was just a regular day for the Team, until the alarm went off to tell them there was a stranger in the front room. Just a spy from the Light, right? ...Right? No, of course not. The Team isn't THAT lucky. Things could never just be simple, could they? Now they had to deal with fantasy that shouldn't exist too. Beginning is being rewritten. Book 1 of the World's Collide Series

42. Chapter 42 The End? I Think Not

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. I only own the Rangers and the plot.

Sorry for the long wait... you'll see what took me so long

Robin and the Team groaned at the news.

"We just caught him and he is already back out?" Robin complained

Agni cursed under his breath and held up the scroll. "Good news isn't good without bad news."

Everyone nodded solemnly and fell silent

"So what is the plan?" Richie asked nervously, fingering a throwing star in his hand

Agni shrugged at looked at Batman who in turn stared at the scroll. "I think we should just wait for now," Batman said gruffly when he realized it wasn't in any language they understood he said "and try to round up as many people helping Abaddon as possible, but that can be a task mainly for the Justice League. For now just take a a rest but be prepared for a war at any moment."

Everyone nodded and agreed with him and smiled as they each thought of plans for their free time.

"Ya know," Robin said "There is a cool new club near the penthouse in New York."

"Sounds good to me, we could go tonight!" Arty shouted over him, it didn't even look like she heard where it was

"We don't really have anything better to do... so I'm in." Anna said looking around at the Rangers

"Well, count me in as well." Richie said cheerfully

Everyone seemed to turn to Agni who was slowly backing away trying to be noticed.

"Agni, you'll come won't you?" Zatanna asked looking at him

"It would take a miracle to get Agni to go anywhere where there are actual PEOPLE." Richie said with a chuckle

One hour later

"So miracles can happen..." Richie said.

He was sitting in Agni's room with Robin, Wally, Wallace, both Roy's, Connie and Conner.

"How was I convinced to go again?" Agni asked mournfully and very unhappily

"You weren't asked you were told you were going." (elven?) Roy said

Agni sighed "But I don't like going to places like that..." he complained

Robin rolled his eyes "Really? Why didn't you mention that?" he said

"Oh wait he did..." Richie said "I think he might have mentioned it once or twice."

"Every minute..." Wally said

"For the past hour." Wallace said, tossing a small ball in the air and catching it.

"And won't shut up about it." (human?) Roy said

Agni sighed again and opened his closet releasing a mountain of assorted weapons and other deadly things onto the floor. "Well I seem to have no clothes here. I think I might not be able to come." he said beginning to feel cheerful at the prospective of having not to go to a place filled with noise... and people

There was a knock on the door and it burst open.

Zatanna and Anna walked in with several packages in their arms.

"I know Agni burnt all the clothes we got, so I took the liberty to get him some more." Zatanna said, handing Agni a small package

"And we got for the rest of the Rangers as well." Anna added handing them each a package.

Agni groaned and hid his face in his pillow while he shook his head "Ye gods... what did I do to deserve this..."

Anna handed a package to Roy who turned around and handed it to the other Roy.

"Wrong me." he said with a snort of laughter

"You two need to stop wearing the same thing. Unlike the us you both look EXACTLY alike." Richie said

"Wally and Wallace look alike." Human Roy said

Wallace hook his head "I have different ears, and I dress better. Roy's' ears barely have any point to them, one wouldn't know that you were part elven at all unless they asked how old you were."

The Elven Roy opened the package and looked in. "Not red..." he said "I'm the REDranger. I'm suppose to wear red."

"I got the right colors." Agni said, throwing the package on the bed and frowning.

"Ye gave me red, elf." Connie said "Brown is me color."

Anna sighed and switched the packages. "There," she said "Everyone got their colors right?"

The Rangers nodded and stared at the clothes they were given.

"Why do you all wear a different color?" Robin asked

Agni shrugged "It's like a color code, it useful in combat. And each color defines us, our personality, element, fighting style, it all has a deeper meaning than just random colors."

"What color are each of you?" Zatanna asked

"Well," Agni began taking a deep breath, "I'm black, Roy is red, Anna is white, Kal is blue, Wallace is yellow, Connie is brown, Megg'n is purple, Arty is green ad Richie is... What color are you Richie?"

Richie shrugged and looked at his clothes. It was a black "I never really had a color... we kinda ran out before I picked."

"But I thought you guys have been a team for more than a hundred years?" Wally said

Agni nodded "More or less yes, but well... why do you elves live for so long? We are procrastinators... we are to lazy to even die." he said

"But still..." Robin said "A hundred years?"

Richie and raised his hand "Procrastinators unite." he said

"Tomorrow." Agni said with a yawn and a wave of his hand

Everyone rolled their eyes and chuckled

"That's not funny." Robin said with a weak smile

"You have to be elven to understand it" Richie said raising his hand to the mask on his face

Robin's hand shot out to prevent Richie from pulling of his mask

"Don't take that off here!" Robin hissed "I can't have anyone knowing who I really am."

Richie shrugged and lowered his hand

"We already know who you are..." Wallace said "We know who Richie is."

"Doesn't matter." Robin said "Batman told me not to let anyone know, if you guys know from Richie that's not my fault."

After a few more minutes of chatter they shooed the girls out of the room.

"We're leaving in fifteen minutes guys, so be ready." Zatanna called

"That means we can go get a sandwich-" Wally started

"And take a nap-" Wallace added

"An' probibly have a few drinks..." Connie continued

"Before they will be ready." Robin finished

Agni shook his head "I heard Megg'n say something about a new spell for cute looking hair, so that alone may cut the time in half."

Both Roys rolled their eyes "You guys are soo immature." they said at the same time.

Everyone turned and looked at them (and they looked at each other)

"Don't do that," Agni said "It's creepy."

Richie and Robin nodded in agreement as they slipped on matching pairs of sunglasses

Agni, with a sigh, slipped into a long dark blue shirt. "Why must I wear such things?" He complained again putting a black vest on over it and buttoning it.

Richie grimaced as as he slipped into a t-shirt and jeans. "They really are quite impractical..." he said

"I'm not sure..." Wallace said "It's pretty comfortable."

"And if Abaddon attacks us? They offer absolutely no protection" Richie asked

Roy shrugged "We'll have to make do. We're Rangers, we know how to make do with nothing."

"Still," Agni said "Why couldn't we wear those suits things? At least they looked cool."
"We're going to a club not a ball, Agni." Roy said

Agni looked at up at them and groaned "Why are the two of you wearing the same clothes? Like seriously I can't tell who is who..."

"Well we know I'm Roy." said one of them

"And I'm obviously Roy as well." the other said

"Hells bells..." Richie said, awe dripping off his tone "Did you just make a joke?"

"The world must be on its last legs if ROY is joking." Robin said blinking in astonishment.

Agni pulled on his black boots and sat on his bed. "How did Kal and Kaldur get out of going?" he asked enviously

"They were called in by Aquaman." Robin said smoothing down the front of his shirt and proceeding to help Richie, who was having trouble with buttons.

"You don't think I could call Superman and get him to bail me out?" Agni asked

Conner shook his head "I very much doubt he would come..."

Agni sighed as everyone finished getting dressed.

They slowly filed out of the room (with Agni behind them thinking of a way to get out of it,) The girls were waiting for them in the main entrance of the cave.

When the boys entered the room. Well the easiest way to say this was their jaws dropped.

Anna and Zatanna were wearing the same thing (just different colors). They were wearing a strapless dress in their respective color (White and dark blue) with knee high heel boots. M'gann and Megg'n were wearing clothes similar to their uniform but slightly more fancy without a cape. Arty (wearing the necklace making her look like Artemis with black hair) and Artemis were wearing black jeans with green short-sleeved-shirts.

"Agni... Robin..." Roy said

"Wha?" Agni replied with his eyes glued on Zatanna

"You're mouths is hanging open..." Richie said.

Robin's jaw shut closed immediately and he blinked "Wow..." he said simply

"What took you guys so long?" Anna said brushing her hair over her shoulder.

"Agni was stalling." Wallace said completely unabashedly still staring at them.

"We figured as much." Megg'n said

Agni sighed and walked up to them with the rest of the boys following him. "Well lets go already then..." he said "I want to get this done with."

"Agni they sell milkshakes there... At least I think they do." Wally said turning towards the hangar with everybody else

"We're taking the bio-ship most the way and walking the last few blocks." M'gann said cheerfully

Everyone nodded and turned to Agni.

"What? I'm not even going to bother disagreeing..." Agni said

"We are going as civilians." Richie said "Batman asked us to take NO unnecessary weapons."

"I don't have any weapons." Agni lied

Five minutes later there was several knives, two pistols, a .357 S&W Magnum revolver, four daggers, a short sword, six small throwing knives, a rapier, a shotgun, a stiletto, two tomahawks, a scimitar, and several cut-throat razors laying in a small pile on the ground.

"Agni, just dump the rest of your weapons on the floor, this is getting tiring." Wallace said

"I don't have any weapons left..."Agni said in a low tone

"Batman said, no weapons. That's means drop them all" human Roy said

Up to this point Agni was trying to inch away, now that his most obvious (but still very well hidden) weapons, he turned to flee.

Anna's wand appeared in thin air and she muttered a spell.

Agni froze in mid-step and they continued searching him

10 Minutes late

After some searching they found an assault rifle, a desert eagle, a machine pistol from under his hat, several mines, a RPG from his magically extended pocket, a Steyr Aug, a twelve foot whip, sixteen feet of heavy duty steel chain, several grappling hooks, a few spools of cheesewire, a broad sword, a double bladed battleaxe, a claymore, several claymore mines, a light machine gun, a matching set of hand and a half swords, a large laser gun, a hand laser gun, dual uzis, 20 kilograms of C4, a chainsaw, a morning star, a mace, a military issue Kevlar chest plate, a riot shield and matching helmet with the Ranger Symbol painted on it, a pair of spiked gauntlets, spiked shoes, two shortbows, three crossbows, several other assorted type of ranged weaponry, (which included a few longbows, his mini crossbows with several extra magazines, and several extra large quivers), enough grenades to win a war by himself, and two cans of pepper spray.

"Where does he keep all of that?" Robin asked staring at the huge pile of deadly weapons

"HOW does he carry all these weapons?" Zatanna asked

"Agni's magic is something NO ONE has been able to understand." Richie said

"What do you mean by 'Agni's magic'? Doesn't he use the same magic as the rest of you?" Conner asked

Richie shook his head "We all use the same basic magic, but aside from that everyone has their own magic style and techniques that we usually keep hidden from each other."

"What do you mean different styles? Isn't all magic the same?" Artemis asked

Anna shook her head " We'll give you a quick course on magic; There are several different branches of magic."

"And each branch has its own branches." Arty said

"Like Agni for the most part, as far as we know, uses a lot of weight and height spells." Anna said "That is how he has these many weapons on him and still able to stand."

They turned to Agni who was glaring at them though still unable to move

"I use stealthy and silent magic," Richie said "Anna uses healing and blessing magic."

Elven Roy nodded "Arcane Archers like me, Agni and Arty use a large variation of spells."
"Like our different arrows," Arty continued "We have the regular fireball-arrow, which just mainly causes large explosions, is destructive fire magic."

"The many-arrow is a mixture of illusion magic and conjuration." Elven Roy said "Made by... Lord Oliver himself." he finished with an annoyed look

The other Roy snorted and looked at the archers "Have anyone of you made any of your own spells?" he asked

"I made the phase-arrow." Roy said proudly

Everyone turned and listen to a series of grunts from the still frozen Agni.

"With lots of help from Agni." Roy added

"Arty pretty much made her own branch of magic." Richie said "With her magic sling."

"You mean I created my own brand of incredibly difficult and powerful magic that only I use." Arty corrected him with a small smile.

Another grunt came from Agni, it very clearly meant "You can let me go now or I'm going to kill you all"

"We'll explain to you more later." Anna said hastily releasing the spell

Agni sighed once he was able to move again and followed them to the hangar "You're making me go somewhere I really don't want to and, FLY there, completely unarmed..."

"Pfft, we know you have at least 10 more and by the time we get there, 20" Roy said

"Why do you dislike flying so much?" Wally asked "The rest of the Rangers seem not to care."

"Nay, me be wantin not to go up in that ting either." Connie said stroking his human beard.

"Agni's a drow-" Richie said

"Thanks for reminding me." Agni groaned climbing in with them

"-and drow are like cave elves," Richie continued, ignoring Agni's interruption "and dwarves. Both don't like heights and prefer the ground."

Agni nodded and took his seat as they took off from the cave into the sky.

"So where are we going?" Wallace asked after a few minutes of flying

"To this teenager club in-"

"You guys forgot this." Agni said loudly tossing a pair of mythril knuckles from out of nowhere onto the floor

Richie looked at him oddly and picked it up "Why are you taking it out now?"

Agni shrugged "I might as well follow Batman's wishes..." he said slowly

Everyone turned around and stared at him.

"Is there anything wrong, Agni?" Zatanna said

Agni looked up at here "Me? Nothing... why would something be wrong with me?"

"You just said..." Robin began "ya know what? Forget it."

Arty glanced up at Agni and smiled with a nod.

"10 minutes before we get there." Megg'n called from next to M'gann

Everyone nodded and began to straighten their clothes before getting out.

About 10 minutes later

They descended from bio-ship two blocks away from the club and began walked the rest of the distance.

"Hey isn't this-"

"They better have milkshakes there..." Agni said loudly from next to Zatanna

Almost everyone rolled their eyes as they turned a corner.

The Rangers halted and stared at what they saw.

There were lights flashing from the large building that was surrounded by a wave kids. Loud music was blasting so loud Agni, Richie and Roy flinched from their sensitive hearing.

Wally and Wallace were already about to zoom in when Robin called them back.

"Okay guys listen," Robin said "We are NOT on a mission and we are here strictly to enjoy ourselves. And as a request from Batman and Superman the Rangers are asked to try and fit in as much as possible."

Everyone again turned to Agni who just glared back and said "If you guys do that one more time I'm going to slap you ALL"

"Oh and Agni I have a message from Batman..." Robin said

Agni looked at him and frowned "Okay... what is it?"

"It was 'Agni stay out of trouble and don't attack everyone on sight' I think..."Robin said quickly

"Common I know Batman what did he really say?" Richie said

"Trust me, you don't want to know..." Robin said "It sounded more like 'Agni, don't get into any damned trouble or...' that's when I stopped listening"

Agni grinned for the first time that night and shrugged "Well I'm unarmed so there isn't much I can do..."

They turned to walked down to the club. After a few feet both Roys stopped and held their hands to their ears

"There's a bank robbery a few blocks from here." One of them said "We're just going to get down there and stop it."

"But yer not havin no weapons on ye." Connie said

Elven Roy turned around and drew a Symbol in the air in front of them.

"I've known Agni since I could remember," Elven Roy said as a large locker began to form in front of them "I learned never to be far from my weapons."

Agni nodded with another grin "I proud I taught you something other than how to shoot someones eye... from the other side of the city."

Elven Roy smiled at him and pulled two long bows and quivers out of the locker. He rummaged through it for a few seconds and took out two identical Red Arrow outfits.

"We'll try to not take to long." they said running off down an alley into the shadows.

"Lucky bastards..." Agni muttered under his breath. He heard Richie chuckle and he glared at him, but Richie simply pointed at his ears.

The Team gave the remaining Rangers another look over to make sure they looked relatively normal.

Zatanna waved her wand and Agni's sleeves rolled themselves up. "There," she said "You guys look fine."

"Except for my blueish purple skin" Agni said

"No one will notice." Robin said firmly

"And my dark blue hair." Agni added as they walked up to the door of the club

"Agni." Artemis said

"What?"

"Shut up."

"Fine..."

Wally and Wallace chuckled and were sitting at the bar drinking sodas before Agni even walked inside.

Inside was a large bar giving out sodas, milkshakes, juice and other drinks. Large speakers were set up every few feet blasting music that took a few minutes before their elven ears could get used to it. There was a large dance floor next to a the DJ and what looked like a karaoke stage. There were several tables and booths all around the room where plenty of teenagers were taking a break and sitting down.

Robin steered Agni to a table and sat down with him, Zatanna and Anna.

"Doesn't this hurt you?" Agni asked Anna

Anna nodded and flinched as the music grew louder.

Even Robin looked slightly uncomfortable from the loud music. "You'll get used to it after a few minutes."

As they sat down, the Rangers watched their surroundings. Whether it was for threats or curiosity of this dimension the Team didn't exactly know.

What confused Robin what ever time they tried to mention where they were either Agni or Arty would interrupt and change the subject.

Like when they first entered Wally said something about them being in New York City and Arty began talking loudly about the weather as if not to hear him.

A few friends of Agni and Zatanna and come over to the table for a few minutes. Someone named (what was it?) Jarred, he thought, had mentioned their location and Arty had mysteriously disappeared from the table. She returned a few minutes later saying she had went to the bathroom...

Wally and Wallace zoomed over each carrying several several drinks. Wallace plopped himself in between Agni and Zatanna and Wally did the same to Robin and Anna.

They began chatting cheerfully for several minutes. Even Agni smiled a bit and began to think that it wasn't so bad. After a while they began talking about some adventures they had before Abaddon turned evil. This particular story was a siege/rescue mission.

"-so it was around midnight," Richie was saying "when we decided to attack. Me and Agni ran towards the walls completely terrified and worried-"

"Not true." Agni interrupted

"So we reached the walls." Richie said "Wallace take it from here."

"Me and Connie made this thing that would shoot large sharpened tree trunks into the wall to made things like stairs they could climb." Wallace said drawing what looked like a large rocket launcher being fed whole tree trunks. "We fire the first one to great successes! It pounded into the wall and stayed there firmly giving Agni and Richie a boost up the wall."

Agni nodded at the memory with a small smile "You guys fired them at a fast rate so me and Richie were leaping from tree trunk to tree trunk with barely enough time to take a breath."

"Den da dark elf jumped to soon," Connie said laughing "and the next log almost cut him in half."

Agni burst out laughing along with everyone else "Yeah I remember that, I caught the wall and saw the log coming right at me so I let go and fired my grappling hook at it miraculously I caught it and climbed back up."

"You forgot to mention that you screamed like a little girl." Wallace said

Everyone laughed again at Agni's face when Wallace said that.

"Did not!" he retorted

"You so did." Wallace said between spasms of laughter

Agni frowned slightly and continued the story "When we finally reached the wall there was a ton of drow waiting for us."

"Because you screamed like a girl" Wallace interrupted

Agni raised and eyebrow and suddenly Wallace fell silent, he was still laughing but no sound was coming from him.

"Agni and I conjured several shadow clones." Richie continued "They held the drow off as we ran towards the gate."

"Shadow clones?" Robin asked

"It's pretty much a clone made out of shadows. They make great distractions or companions when we are outnumbered. Only the... Bat-clan can make them." Richie said

"The Bat-clan and Agni you mean, right?" Wally asked

Richie shook his head "Agni is part of the Bat-clan."

Everyone fell silent for a moment before M'gann broke the tension

"Where was Roy and Megg'n though all of this?" M'gann asked

"We were flying over head in my bio-ship with Abaddon." Megg'n said "We dropped down a few minutes later."

"It took dem 15 darned minutes to open der darned gate." Connie said

"We were heavily outnumbered, and I wasn't able to break the chain on the draw bridge..." Richie said

"Then we stormed into the castle." Wallace said continuing the story "They had already sustained some heavy losses from the past few days of the siege and their shadow clones. So we just cleared the court yard out in till they retreated to inside the castle."

Megg'n smiled as it was her turn to talk, "Well I handed the controls of the bio-ship to Abaddon..."

Agni smirked at the memory "And he crashed straight into the castle gate. He broke a leg doing so."

"Just as we were about to burst in we decided to do a head count." Richie said with a grin "And we found out the Redranger was missing."

"While the common soldiers kept watch over us, we searched through the debris, and there was a lot of it, for Roy." Arty said

"Then we heard commotion from within the caste, and lo and behold Roy walks out with Iivdril slumped over his shoulder and arrows whizzing past his head." Agni said "If it wasn't for the wards that Wizard Fate put on us we probably would have died during that mission."

They continued to talk for a long while before they heard the DJ call over the speakers.

"Its time for KARAOKE!" he shouted

"What the hell is that?" Wallace shouted over everyone's cheering

"ITS WHEN YOU GO UP AND SING!" Wally shouted back

Everyone turned around and looked at the small stage where a girl was singing a song the Rangers never heard before.

Robin leaned over to Agni and whispered into his ear. "Anna likes music right?" he asked

Agni nodded back pretending to be paying attention to the singing girl

"What kind?" Robin asked, his mouth was barely moving

"Love songs and the alike." Agni said his mouth not moving either.

"You remember that guy I should you on the internet?"

Agni nodded slightly "the Jesse mc-whatshisface guy?"

"Yeah him. Would she like him?"

Agni thought for a moment. It wasn't the music they were used to but it seemed like something she would like. So he nodded again.

"Good." Robin said out loud as the girl finished singing

"Now who's next?" the DJ called "How about the kid over there? The one with shades next to the guy in the cowboy hat."

The Team and Rangers turned and looked at Robin who had his hand up.

"Well come on up all ready." the DJ called

Robin walked up to the stage and grabbed the microphone.

"What song do you want, kid?" the DJ asked

"Just So You Know... by Jesse McCartney." Robin said with a grin

The DJ smiled back "Is this for anyone in particular?"

Robin blushed slightly and nodded. He turned and pointed at Anna and smiled. "This is for you."

As Robin began singing Agni felt his focus begin drifting away slightly, it was like someone was pulling him out of his body. He just blinked a few times and focused harder on Robin's singing.

"I thought you should know, I tried my best to let go-" Robin was singing.

Agni blinked and looked around, the room was fading a bit. He looked over to Richie who was staring off into space.

Suddenly everything was gone... they were sitting in an empty room

"-but I don't want too..." Robin stopped and look around the empty room. Only the Team and the Rangers were there.

"What in the 8 hells just happened?" Wallace said

Robin dropped the microphone and walked over to them "I think there might be 9..." he said

Agni was already standing up and looking around. "I'm not sure what happened..."

Everyone looked at each other warily. No one was sure what could have happened.

"Is there some kind of spell on us?" Robin asked

"Illusion magic!" Agni exclaimed

Zatanna shook her head "It doesn't feel like it..."

There was a bright flash and a dagger appeared in Agni's hand. "It's defiantly illusion magic." he said

Everyone stared as Agni brought the dagger down and tried to stabbed himself through the hand.

Robin leaped forward and disarmed him before he pierced himself

"What the hell are you doing?" Robin yelled

"He is trying to break the illusion magic." Richie said "The best way to do it is through a certain amount of pain."

"Can't you... ya know dispel it?" Artemis asked

"If it is illusion magic its way to powerful for even me or Agni to break." Anna said, she had been muttering several things while they argued.

In Agni's hand was another dagger and he tried to slam it into his arm, this time Richie disarmed him.

"Agni this could be a trick. Someone could want us to injure ourselves." Richie said as the dagger melted away.

"I'm telling you its illusion magic!" Agni argued

Everyone ignored them as they argued for a few minutes and looked around.

Wally zoomed out of the room and returned a minute later "There is no one for several miles." he said "Its like everyone jut disappeared..."

"Illusion magic..." Agni said again

They walked over to the bar, there were still half drunken drinks on the bar.

Agni casually picked up an untouched milkshake and chug it in a few gulps "All me senses are active." he said picking up a knife from next to a plate with half eaten food on it.

A throwing star knocked it out of his hand.

"Wait Agni." Richie said

"Can anyone hear us?" one of the two Roys said over their radios

Agni's hand went to his ear immediately "Copy that Redranger and Red Arrow. Where are you positions"

"We are located a kilometer away. Everyone has suddenly disappeared and we cannot contact anyone else." the Redranger said "We are advancing to your location now."

Agni nodded and his hand withdrew from the earpiece. "There is something wrong..." he said "Must be-"

"This isn't illusion magic, Agni. I've been under it several times. My thoughts are clear, not clouded that itself shows we aren't" Robin said.

"Can we contact Kal or Kaldur?" Richie asked

Robin shook his head. "Only the Roys."

"And I'm sure you guys have a great reason for that" Agni said sarcastically

"Obviously someone has cut off all other means of communication but our specific line." Robin said

Agni rolled his eyes "You mortals don't understand magic when its stands up and hits you in the face." he said picking up another knife.

"Agni! Stop that." Zatanna yelled

"Its illusion magic!" Agni said quietly

"Agni you have no idea what you are talking about. This is clearly not illusion magic." Anna said

Agni sighed. "Except for Roy and Kaldur I'm the oldest here, I would know illusion magic much better than you do, plus I'M A DAMNED SORCERER."

Everyone looked surprised at Agni when he shouted. For the most part Agni never raised his voice to shout, especially not at his friends.

Before anyone could say anything else both Human and Elven Roy entered the room with their bows already drawn.

Agni motioned to them to lower it and they did.

"So it wasn't only for us that everyone suddenly disappeared?" one of them asked (like seriously, it was impossible to tell them apart.)

Robin nodded "Agni thinks its illusion magic but Zatanna, Anna, and both me and Richie disagree."

Roy (they assumed elven) looked thoughtful "I thought it might be..." he said slowly. Before anyone could say anything he continued "Hear me out, I've been under similar magic while infiltrating the Ogre Mage's base once. But as said it was similar not exactly the same."

"What was difference?" Conner asked

"Well for a beginning it insisted on showing me my worst thoughts and dreams." Roy said

"Which were?"

"Not something I'm likely to tell you." Roy said with a sliver of a smirk

Agni's hand slowly inched to another knife which he noticed was slowly moving farther away from him. He forgot about the knife for a moment because he heard someone shriek.

They all looked at each other but it wasn't one of them.

"Okay, no splitting u- why do I even bother speaking?" Agni said as Arty ran down a hall way followed by Wallace "No Wallace don't-! ugh you annoying moron." he sighed "Everyone stay together. Got it?"

Everyone nodded

"Now be careful because illusion magic-"

"Agni."

"Yes?"

"Stop saying its illusion magic."

Robin and Richie both had their belts on over their shoulders, the magicians had their wands out and somehow, Agni didn't want to think how, Connie and Conner had hammers in their hands.

Roy opened his locker and tossed a crossbow at Artemis who took it gladly.

Everyone looked at Agni who had a khopesh sword in his hand and his bracers were visibly.

"I thought you were unarmed?" Robin asked astonishingly "I was sure you had nothing left."

"Well you were wrong." Agni said coldly

"I see no one but me followed the no weapons rule..." Wally said

"That's because you don't use weapons." Richie retorted swinging a staff around.

"Okay everyone follow me." Agni said "Stick close together and no one and I repeat NO ONE goes off alone."

"Why? We all know where we are." Robin said

"Illusion magic doesn't work like that." Agni said

"This isn't illusion magic!" Robin said

Agni just ignored him this time and slowly advanced down the hall behind the bar.

They walked on for several minutes encountering nothing but a long hall with a door every few feet.

"How is this possible? This place can't extend this far." Robin said from up front next to Agni

"Illusion ma-" Agni began

"Agni."

"Yes?"

"SHUT UP."

"Fine..."

They began checking the rooms after a while, finding nothing but plain empty rooms.

After what Robin said to be at least 3 miles they halted

"Okay this is weird I admit, but it just cant be illusion magic. I studied it back in the academy." Anna said leaning against the wall

"As did I." Agni said "Richie please analyze our current situation."

"Well, we seem to be in a never ending hallway with empty rooms, we cannot contact anyone who did not exit the bio-ship with us, two very well trained Ranger have disappeared along with what seems the rest of the city. Agni insist this is illusion magic even though me, Robin, Anna and Zatanna say the differ. The symptoms of illusion magic are; confusion, dizziness, thoughts that are not your own and usually you see your worst fears or particularly bad memories."

Agni nodded and looked at them "And stronger types of illusion magic can eliminate the dizziness and and confusion. Richie how do we break illusion magic."

"You can break most illusion magics with deep concentration-"

"Which I've already tried" Agni interrupted

"- or you have to wait for them to weaken and break themselves-"

"This one is just getting stronger." Agni put in

"-or the very strongest of illusion magics," Richie said glaring at Agni "Can be broken with a certain amount of pain depending on the strength of the magic."

As an example Agni's hidden dagger shot out of its bracer into his other hand. The pain was bad but he could see everyone around him waver like a television loosing its signal. Agni smiled "Did you guys see that?"

Everyone had either gasped or was looking at him like he was crazy

"See what?" Robin asked as he looked at him oddly

Agni sighed "Stab your hand." he said

No one made the motion to do so.

Agni shrugged "Fine, suite yourselves." Agni pulled out a pistol from lord-only-knows-where and shot himself in the chest.

Agni blinked and he was suddenly sitting back in the booth, he looked back at his friends o see their reactions.

They were all staring off into space.

"Damn..." Agni cursed looking over at them. Even Robin who was still singing, and doing a great job had a empty look in his eye.

Next to him Zatanna stirred and blinked.

"What the hell was-" she began but Agni put a finger to her lips to quiet her.

Agni closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. Suddenly both he and Zatanna were back in an empty room where Agni had shot himself a moment before.

Zatanna looked stunned for a moment. Agni's body was on the floor next to hers and their friends were no where to be seen

"I brought us back." Agni explained "We have to help the others."

"But-"

"It was illusion magic as I said." Agni interrupted (he had a habit of doing that) "When I caused my body enough pain it broke the hold the spell had on me."

"But then how did I come out?" Zatanna asked

Agni looked into her eyes with a very blank face "I think you know the answer. Not all pain is physical."

Zatanna nodded slowly, her face also pretty blank. "So what do we do?"

Agni shrugged "They are not going to listen to us, so we go kill them."

Zatanna gasped

"Not literally of course, just enough to break them out of the spell." Agni added hastily

They set off down the hall slowly and carefully. The lights flickered a few times and then went out completely.

"Of course why would... why would the lights stay on?" Agni hissed blinking hard and opening his eyes, now purple with darkvision (which is the same as infravision but allows the person to see in complete darkness with no problem, infravision allowes you to see heat signatures).

Zatanna's wand flickered and a small orb of light flew out of it.

They heard a scream down the hall.

"M'gann!" they both shouted rushing towards the sound.

They burst into a room that they thought they heard the scream.

M'gann was on the ground clutching her head screaming like someone was tearing her heart out.

Agni dashed over to her. "She's in a firm hold of the spell." he said prying he hands off her head. "I'm going to have to break her out."

"You're not going to shoot her, are you?" Zatanna asked

Agni shook his head "She's too deep into the spell now... I'm going to have to enter her mind."

"What should I do?" Zatanna asked

"Nothing. Like literally nothing and if anything happens..." Agni handed her his gun "Get out of here as fast as you can."

Zatanna nodded and looked into his eyes for a moment. "You're talking like you might never come out..." she said

Agni looked away for a moment before his eyes strayed back. "I might not..." he admitted

They stared at each other for another moment.

"Be safe." she whispered

Agni rolled his purple eyes "Is anything I do safe?" he said trying to reassure her.

Before he said anything else Zatanna had walked over to him and kissed him on the lips. Agni looked at her (slightly stunned) and nodded

"Don't worry." Agni said "Worst comes to worst is I'm banished from the Materiel plane into the Astral one, worst case scenario."

"Stop talking and go save her!" Zatanna said

Agni nodded and placed a hand on M'gann's forehead. "She's sweating and shaking..." he said "I must hurry." he turned and faced Zatanna again "Remember, Zatanna, whatever happens don't wait for me." Agni said that with such force she nodded.

Agni mouthed something she didn't quite get and entered M'gann's mind by pressing his index finger and his thumb onto her forehead

Its okay... everything will be fine Zatanna thought to herself He's defiantly been through worse.

Everything was quiet for a few minutes. Quieter than normal was what she thought

Her little orb of light was casting deep shadows on the wall. They were moving... even though the orb was standing still

That's a bit weird... she thought as she watch the shadows move around the room. The shadows seeped down the walls onto the ground in front of her, slowly they formed a figure of someone.

It was Doctor Fate

Zatanna gasped at the striking and shadowy image of her father.

"Hello dear." it said. Its shadowy black helmet was looking straight at her.

Zatanna looked at it and slowly raised her wand and pointed it at the shadow of her father.

"Don't do that, dear... why would you hurt your father?" it said taking a step closer and holding out its hand. "Why don't you put that wand down."

The orb of whizzed in front of the shadow making it hiss in pain

"Now now dear, don't do such things to your dear father."

"What do you want?" she said in a low voice

The shadow lifted its hand to its head and lowly lifted off the Helmet of Nabo revealing the features of Giovanni Zatara

"You're just an illusion... just an illusion?" Zatanna whispered, her wand hand was shaking in front of her

Another shadow slowly crept up behind her.

Zatanna spun around to see the back of another tall dark shadow.

"Agni?" she asked hesitantly

The shadow turned around, it looked similar to Agni, aside from the shining yellow eyes, the shining skin and the evil sadistic grin on its face

"Who else?" Shadow-Agni said, his grin stretching further and walking towards her.

Zatanna glanced over to the real Agni who was still crouched over the comatose M'gann.

"Oh him?" Shadow-Agni sneered "He's nothing compared to me, just a mere elf with a materiel form. I am TRUE power."

"Thgil tsalb" Zatanna muttered blasted Shadow-Agni with light.

The light flew at Shadow-Agni who simply disappeared and reappeared behind Shadow-Fate

"Ha! You think your puny little spell can harm us?" Shadow-Fate said with a laugh

Zatanna continued to blast different spells at them to no avail. As she did so, she began to notice M'gann was turning and making small noises in her unconscious state.

"You should stop fighting young one." Shadow-Fate said dodging another light blast "Your defeat is inevitable."

"You really should just join Abaddon and be through with these pitiful beings." Shadow-Agni said knocking Zatanna's wand out of her hand.

"You weren't suppose to mention Abaddon you fool." Shadow-Fate hissed

Shadow-Agni shrugged as a dark ugly sword hand-and-a-half sword appeared in his hand.

"Then we will do what will hurt the drow the most; kill his loved ones." Shadow-Agni said brandishing his sword

"No!" Shadow-Fate yelled "We were told not to kill them, Abaddon wants them to join him."

Zatanna watched Agni out of the corner of her eye, he was slowly moving away from M'gann, who has falling into the floor.

"I do not care for what Abaddon says." Shadow-Agni said closing in on Zatanna while dodging her spells. "I follow my own black heart."

Shadow-Agni turned for a moment to look at Shadow-Fate

He wasn't there...

Instead there was a very angry and weary dark elf with bright, glowing, shining hands.

"Oh ho..." Shadow-Agni said with his same evil grin on his face "The materiel me finally awakes and rushes to the aid of his loved one..."

"Shut up." Agni hissed

Shadow-Agni laughed and lifted his sword "Here to fight me again are you?"

"Again?" Zatanna asked

"You dare?" Agni said to the shadow, ignoring Zatanna "You dared summon that sword..."

"What sword? The shadowy one in his hand?" Zatanna asked, her eyes were darting between the real Agni and the shadow one.

"Its a Ranger sword." Agni said to Zatanna without taking his eyes off of the shadow form of himself "They were made by the Justice Guild for us... We are only to use them when we have to."

"How come you guys never talk about them?" Zatanna said

Shadow-Agni sneered and swung his sword around "Each Ranger was made a weapon to fit their fighting style."

"Fighting staff for Richie, magic wand for Anna, dual knives for Wallace, an axe for Connie, a longbow for Roy, a sling for Arty.. well you get the point." Agni said

"And for us... this." Shadow-Agni said lifting the sword.

"Hold on a moment... us?" Zatanna said

"Every soul has a shadow, as like matter and anti-matter, different yet much alike." Agni said, there were magical energies forming in his hand "Every being has his opposite, if that man is good, his... this" Agni pointed at the shadow "Will be evil... the opposite of his personality."

"What does he mean by 'here to fight me again'? Have you two met before?"

Agni nodded slowly and looked at his hand, the energy had formed a sword identical in shape to the one in the Evil-Shadow-Agni's hand. "When Abaddon turned into a demon he figured out how to unleashed a persons... well they do not truly have names."

"Why not?" Zatanna asked

"Names have power." Evil-Shadow-Nameless-Agni said "Just by giving a name to something you give it power. But truly we are like ghosts or ghouls."

"And now I will banish you back into the abyss." Agni said raising his sword "So far into the abyss that even the balors and Lucifer himself won't be able to hear you."

Evil-Shadow-Nameless-Agni sneered and raised his sword as well, matching Agni's style exactly "We shall see about that, dark one, oh we shall see."

Agni flung himself for with the Ranger sword in hand. His sword cut down and hit nothing but air.

Shadow-Agni smiled as the blade passed through them. "Don't you realize? This is just an illusion! I was just suppose to distract you long enough for the spell to take complete hold over you. If you cannot join Abaddon he will harvest you powers and talents from your dead bodies."

Agni cursed under his breath "We have to find the others!"

Shadows began swarming around them just to be blasted away from Zatanna.

"Nice one!" Agni shouted, his sword suddenly had light reflecting off of it, making the room much brighter.

They dashed out into the never-ending wall and looked around.

"Oh-"

"Don't swear Agni."

"What is it with you humans?"

They could hear screams coming from all down the halls. Zatanna ran down the hall checking everyone room they found. Agni on the other hand hobble down after her considerably slower.

Zatanna turned around and looked at him, Agni was slumped against the wall panting.

"Are you okay?" she asked

Agni looked up and nodded "Been better." he said standing up and brushing invisible dust off of his clothes.

They continued down the hall at a slower pace. They screams were getting closer.

Agni kicked a door. The screams were clearly coming from inside.

Inside was Artemis, her back was to the wall with her face in her hands.

Images were swirling around the walls of the room. They could clearly see what must have been her worst nightmares.

Agni flinched slightly at a particular gruesome one and looked away.

They shifted from nightmares to bad memories. Zatanna stared at the walls as they showed the Sports Master (her father) yelling at her, hitting her. It was terrifying.

Agni had dashed over to her and tried to pull her hands away from her face

"Damn, when did you get so strong?" Agni complained

Artemis continued sobbing into her hands.

Agni stood up with a frustrated look

"Foul images begone!" he yelled

His sword have a short burst of light and the images faded

"That is one powerful sword..." Zatanna said.

Agni was already kneeling down next to Artemis again.

"Artemis, its okay... the bad images are gone."

Artemis just wailed was swung her hand out at his face.

Agni awoke a few minutes late, he had a stinging pain on the top of his head. It sounded like Artemis had stopped wailing.. or someone killed her, and if she punched him EVER again he just might do that.

Agni sat up and looked around. His sword was on the ground not to far from Artemis's discarded bow. Upon further looking he saw Zatanna standing with Artemis who was obviously much calmer and looking at the magician who was saying soothing words.

"Ugh..." Agni said standing up. "I save you and you clobber me... is it me or does that sound like an unfair agreement?"

Agni blinked again, he felt something wash over him, like a wave on the beach. He was suddenly sitting in a very familiar place.

He was back at Castle Wayne with Master Bruce.

Agni watched as Richie came down and argued with Master Bruce over something.

"Oh no..." Agni said realizing what memory this was.

Agni closed his eyes as the balcony exploded. He could just barely feel heat roll over him as if he was truly there.

He slowly opened his eyes. He could see Richie laying in a small heap on the floor. His armor was burnt away and his skin was a ghastly black.

A tear rolled down Agni's eye as he saw this.

"Nruter ot ssensouicsnoc." came a faint whisper in his ear " Nruter ot ssensouicsnoc."

Agni opened his eyes. Over were standing Artemis, her eyes red and swollen, and Zatanna who looked tired but happy.

Agni's hand shot to his face where the tear was.

"You mention that to anyone and I will personally throw you both into the abyss." Agni growled standing up and almost falling back down.

"Sure you will." Zatanna said heaving him back up.

Agni groaned and ran a hand over his forehead "There was no reason to punch me..." he said

Artemis just grunted and picked up the bow Roy had given her.

"So, whats the plan?" Artemis asked

Agni shrugged "We find the others and try to find a way get out."

"Can't we use the shooting ourselves in the chest technique?" Artemis asked following them out the door

Agni shook his head "We are to deep in the spell." Agni said kicking open another random door "All illusion spells have another exit from them a hidden door if you will."

"And how do we find this hidden door? Artemis demanded

Agni shrugged and began walking at a faster pace towards the screams

"How am I suppose to know?" Agni retorted as the screams came closer "Ask Zatanna, she knows more about magic than I do."

Artemis looked over to Zatanna who merely shrugged

"My guess is as good as yours." Zatanna said halting at a door "I think I can hear screaming in here!" she called to Agni who was several feet away

"Then go in!" Agni called "Artemis go with her."

"And you?" Zatanna asked fumbling with the handle

Agni pointed to another door. "I think there's someone in here." he said "But the door is locked and sealed..."

"What are you going to do?" Artemis asked as Zatanna opened the door and dashed in

Agni's sword slowly began forming in his hand again. "This." he said simply slashing down at the door making a deep gash in it. He pounded the door a few more times in till it fell away.

Agni peeped inside expecting to find someone sobbing or screaming in the corner of the room

Instead he saw Robin and Richie sitting in the middle of the room playing cards...

On the walls were images of their parents dying. Every now and then the image would intensify at a certain moment like when they hit the ground or the rope breaking.

Richie glanced up and nodded "Oh great here we go again." he said to Robin

Agni looked at them curiously "You guys aren't screaming or crying..."

Robin looked up "Hmm... I think this might be the real one..."

"Uh real what?" Agni asked sitting down next to them and taking a few cards.

"Abaddon has been sending illusions... some look like you some look like Batman or Master Bruce... but their all just illusions." Richie sighed "You got a three?" he asked

Robin shook his head "Go fish." he said looking at Agni with a small frown "One that looked like Anna also came in earlier. Any kings?"

Agni looked at his cards and shook his head "Go fish." he said said as the continued to play in silence "Why does the one that looked like Anna seem to upset you, Robin?"

Robin looked up from his cards briefly "Doesn't matter." he said picking up another card

"It was because it kissed the illusion of you." Richie said after asking for a 10

Agni nodded slowly and resumed playing. "So uh... why aren't you guess upset from the images on the wall?"

Both of them looked up and shrugged

"Do you know how many villains try to use them against me?" Robin asked

"A lot?"

"Like twice every other week" Richie said "It stopped bothering us like... a long time ago"

"Ya know, Richie..." Robin mused "This might be the real Agni."

"But we saw him shoot himself... we didn't realize that this really is an illusion and he was right." Richie said

"Why didn't you do what I did when you realized it was an illusion?" Agni asked handing over a ace of diamonds

"It was too late." Robin said "We were already too deep into the spell for it to work."

Agni arched an eyebrow and looked at him "How would you know that?"

Robin rolled up his sleeve revealing a deep cut in his arm. "We tried..."

They finished the game and looked at each other for a few minutes

"So you believe I'm the real one?" Agni asked

Richie shrugged "You don't act like the others. But we need proof."

Agni opened his hand and his sword slowly formed in it.

Richie stared at it for a moment then suddenly his fist shot out at Agni's face.

A smile appeared on Agni's face as the hand stopped a few centimeters from his nose

"The other Agni flinched when he did that." Robin said

"Another me was here?" Agni asked

Richie nodded and stood up "Yes... but he was all shadowy and stuff, and he had a weird smile more like a grimace if you think about it."

Robin stood up as well "So you know how to get out of here?"

Agni shook his head "No, but I'm going to find a way."

"Good them we can help you." Robin said

"Yeah uh sure..." Agni said with a small smile "Lets just go see the others?"

Robin cocked his head "What others?"

They exited the room to see Artemis and Zatanna trying to hold the two speedsters still.

"They seem to think everything around them has slowed down." Zatanna said struggling to hold onto Wallace.

Robin and Richie stared at them for a second "Isn't that Wally and Wallace?" Robin asked slowly

Artemis looked from from Wally who looked like he was struggling with all his might "What happened to them?" She asked weakly, she hadn't exactly recovered from her own mental torture

"Everyone takes it differently." Agni said "It seems to just have numbed their minds and made them kinda... I'm not even sure I know a word for what they are right now."

"Bored?" offered Robin

"And thirsty." Richie added "How long have we been here?"

Agni shrugged and tried to hold Wallace still. "No idea... hours maybe." Agni frowned as Wallace punched him in the gut with unseen speed. "Any idea how to calm this guys down?"

Richie nodded and walked over to Wally, He lifted his staff (which he seems to always have on him) and bonked Wally on the head. Wally slumped to the grown knocked out cold

Robin nodded and took Richie's staff

"Ya know that might now be the best idea..." Agni said, he suddenly doubled over as Wallace kicked him "On second thought; be my guest."

When both speedsters were enjoying a nice nap they began to heard creepy voices whispering things. The air itself seemed to have gotten thicker. A low buzzing noise was echoing through the air

Agni's sword appeared in his hand almost immediately. "Spirits." he hissed

Artemis pulled out her bow and pointed it down the hall. "I can't see anything." she said

Robin nudged Wally with his foot "Maybe we hit them a bit to hard." he said

"If they don't wake in the next." Agni pretended to look at a watch "Thirty seconds... we'll have to carry them..."

Richie pointed his hand at them and a hieroglyph appeared at the end of his finger. Water gushed out of it onto the two sleeping redheads.

Wally and Wallace spluttered and looked around and screamed

"Nice to see you to." Agni said staring down the hall

"We are so going to tell everyone you scream like a girl." Richie said with a laugh.

"Y-you guys are moving normally now!" Wally shouted

"You mean YOU'RE moving normally." Artemis yelled, she was facing the other end of the wall. "Agni what do we do against these things?"

The dark elf just shrugged "Run and find the others?" he offered

"Sounds like a plan!" Zatanna said

Richie hauled the Wallace and Wally to their feet and everyone ran down the hall.

At first the two speedsters weren't able to run at the speed they usually do

"Oh sorry," Richie said "I must have had my staff charged with electricity."

"Jeez thanks a lot." Wally complained "You guys are so slow!"

As they ran down the hall Agni could feel someones aura coming close.

"Agni!" Zatanna shrieked "Spirits of the dead!"

Agni curses under his breath and spun around

"Be still!" he commanded

The air suddenly dropped several degrees and the buzzing stopped.

"Who are you to command usss?" a voice whispered

"Spirits like titles Agni, use to your advantage." a voice whispered into Agni's ear,

Agni turned around and saw no one but his companions. "I am Belir'hacyrd Aleanth, Prince of Drow and rescuer of..." Agni hesitated

"The heroes." Robin said

"That title doess not impress uss." The voices whispered harshly

"Then do let me finish." Agni said racking his brains "I am he who causes explosions, the one who rescues his friends from the clenches of death, I am he who has died and returned to die again-"

"What?!" Zatanna exclaimed

"-Dragon blood runs in my vein but a dragon I am not! I am the drow who uses has used magic, fought with sword, shot bows and yearn fight my enemies."

"You have barely managed to intressst uss." the harsh voiced hissed

"I...uh.. walked through the valley of shadows yet returned with light."

"And a broken arm..." Wallace muttered

"I've fought dragons, slayed demons and devils, raised towns, castle and fortresses alike." Agni said desperately "Chosen I was for the prophecy and the prophecy shall be fulfilled! I am he who has done favors for balors, given advice to unicorns, I am he who..." Agni halted

"He who what, young one? He who what?!"

"Uh guys..." Agni whispered from the corner of his mouth "I ran out of cool things I've done"

"Do not keep us waiting, Prince of Drow."

Agni gulped "I am he who has left and returned, I am the one who has blown my friends and enemies alike with fire ('sorry Richie' 'Its okay'), I am the horse summoner, the arcane warrior, I am the guardian of another Plane, I am he who has sickened of this game, I am Agni Amelani the Black and Head Ranger."

"Well then he who has left and returned, you can leave but do not return."

Agni bowed slightly and everyone began backing away

"We did not say the others can leave as well."

"These who accompany me have name and titles even more glorious than mine" Agni said

"Oh really?" the spirits hissed "Prove that to us then."

"Well with me is..." Agni began and looked at Robin who just shrugged in return.

"You hesitate, guardian of another plane? Why do you hesitate? Is it that your companions are not marvelous or important?"

"With me is Robin... hero of the... er..." Agni hopped from one foot to the other in thought "Hero of Gotham! The one who has been kicking ass since he was in diapers!"

Something jabbed Agni in the back, Agni turned to see Robin was saying something at him soundlessly.

"Is that all?" the voices whispered interested

Agni shook his head "Robin is he who follows the man of bats, the fighter of crime, the destroyer of evil, heir of Wayne, one who befriends those from another dimension."

"Then he may pass... yess the one who kicks ass since he was in diapers can passs."

Agni bowed "Must I introduce the others?"

"Of course you have to, thus is the rules." the spirits whispered softly

"Well okay then," Agni said "With me is Robin's twin, an elf of Wayne Castle."

If the spirits could arch their eyebrows they would have "Another follower of the man of bats?"

"Yes," Agni said "The one who has been burnt by his friend ,("Seriously Richie, I'm really sorry about that" "Just shut up and continue talking to them!"), the one who has befriended rouge drow, he who has fought dragons, pixies, giants, trolls, ghoulies and ghosties, evil spirits and the spirits of those who have fallen."

"You forgot the giant lizards..." Richie muttered

"Fought evil spirits, eh?" whispered the spirits "What kind of evil spirits?"

Richie stepped in front of Agni and spoke in a loud voice "I have defeated the spirits of the evil kings, the spirits of evil magicians, I have defeated shades and many other fearsome entities! I am he who never forsakes his friends, he who comes up with awesome pranks, I am Richie the elf, the colorless Ranger, the prankster, the twin of the hero Robin!"

The spirits sounded very interested b this point "Well Richie the prankster, you may pass. Come Agni the arcane warrior, tell us of your other friends."

Agni nodded "With me is Zatanna the magician, one who uses the magical arts to her wishes, one who has tamed a magical beast from the Astral plane, she is the daughter of Doctor Fate, she is the magician of New York City, she is the one-who-likes-to-shop."

"That is impressive but not enough."

"She is the only one to threaten me and get away with it scot free," Agni turned and looked at her "She is she with beautiful eyes, lovely hair, a perfect smile, strong will, and-" Agni said dreamily before he realized what he was saying and halted abruptly "she's fun to hang out with..." he ended lamely. Agni turned around and stared at the ground.

"It sseemss the arcane warrior fanciess the magician..." The spirits whispered in between themselves "We cannot ssseparate them, oh no that would be jussst wrong on our part, yess it would."

"But she is a magician a magic usser one who enslaves sssouls and ssspiritsss assss ousselvesss."

"Uh, I wasn't finished." Agni said quickly. "There is much more to her."

"Be silent Agni Prince of Drow, we wish to decide whether to let her go free, for we do not like magic users."

Agni gulped and very pointedly did not turn around and look at his companions but he could feel their stares stabbing into his back.

"She may go by." the spirits whispered after what seemed like hour but was truly only a minute "We feel she is worthy. The one who uses the magical arts to her wishes may leave as well."

Agni sighed in relief and looked at Wallace and Wally.

Wally shrugged but Wallace handed him a small piece of parchment.

Agni looked at it and his jaw dropped, his eyes shot up to Wallace who smiled and forcibly turned him around

"With me is Wallace... the great." Agni said with a mixture of amusement and sarcasm "the fastest elf alive, a wood elf of the Star Woods, a great hero and ladies man," here Agni sighed and face palmed "One who has to rescue his friends at least twice a day, he who has taught the best of heroes a thing or two, he who has out ran light and darkness alike, he who has awesome hair, the one that has eaten more steaks than any other man alive..."

"We do misss eating steaksss" the spirits said wistfully "Do you know how long it has been since we ate something?"

Agni shook his head "Must have been a long time."

The air hummed a but "Iss that all the titless for Wallace the great?" they asked

Agni shook his head again "No there are more... sadly." Agni sighed and continued reading the parchment "Wallace the brave, Wallace the bold, Wallace the witty, Wallace the awesome, Wallace the Yellow-Ranger, Wallace the one of many titles" Agni finished and paused before adding "Wallace the one who writes his own titles no matter how ridicules they are."

The air hummed again "He may leave uss asss well." they spirits said "If he swears to have some extra steaks for us."

"I solemnly swear I will eat three for each of you." Wallace said backing away to wear Robin, Richie and Zatanna were standing.

"Who elsse isss with you hmmm? We can feel a more humans not elves... not dwarvesss... humansss."

Agni nodded "With me as well is Artemis the archer. She who has shot amazing arrows, she who has beaten up Wallace the great on several occasions."

"She musst be tough then to defeat such a hero."

"She is Artemis, the huntress, the blonde trainee of another blonde, the blonde fighter, the blonde daughter of evil that is blondily good, the one blonde that is smart, " Agni smiled as he felt Artemis deciding whether to strangle him or not. "She is the the archer of modern ways."

"Then she way go assswell."

Agni sighed in relief and turned to Wally who stepped forward and puffed out his chest.

"I am Wally, hero of Star City, protege of the Flash, the fasts man alive."

"Fasster then the wood elf?"

Wallace opened his mouth to say no but a howl came out in stead

"What did you do that for?" he asked Artemis who had jabbed him in the ribs

"Yes much faster than Wallace." Wally said before continuing "I am he who has worn the Helmet of Nabo and taken it off, I am he who has befriended the arcane warrior and he-who-has-been kicking-ass-since-he-was-in-diapers!"

"Jussst becaussse you are in the shadow of greatnesss does not make you great."

"I am he who has eaten more nachos than is physically possible for a normal man, I am he who has an awesome hero costume, I am the runner, the speedster, the eater, I am Kid Flash!"

A breeze blew down the hall and circled around them.

"You have inpresssed ussss herosss. We will let you go now, but do make sssure not to return, we may not be able to dissobey Abaddon again."

"Abaddon is the one who has taken you from you nice after lives and brought you here?" Richie asked

"Yesss... againsst out will he did. We jusst wish to return to the nice afterlife we had."

Agni bowed "I will do my best to punish Abaddon for doing such things to you."

The air became noticeably clearer and the whisperings fainter "We than you then, Agni he who has done favors for balors, given advice to unicorns and now avenged the spirits."

Agni sighed and turned around to the hall they were moving down.

"Common we need to find everyone else!" he shouted as he dashed down the hall.

Approximately 10 minutes later

It had seemed like they were walking for hours. They were in an empty hall with no doors or windows. They only things they found were Connie slumped against the wall with kryptonite shackles on his hands and his weapon shattered on the floor next to him.

They heard continuous screams, grunts, curses, and the occasional shout of what sounded like 'cheese!', they were tired weary and just wanted to get back to the cave.

"Agni where are we going?" Robin asked shifter Connie to a more comfortably place on his back.

Agni shrugged and trudged along. "To were ever this all leads us." Agni halted suddenly as M'gann suddenly phased through the floor in front of them.

"There you guys are!" she said happily but also very wearily "I've been looking for you for hours!"

"M'gann!" Richie shouted "What happened to you?"

"We found her earlier." Zatanna said "She just kinda disappeared through the floor."

"I went to go look for others." M'gann said "And I found both Roys."

Agni sighed in relief "Where are they?" he asked

"Well... when I found them they were fighting with each other and now their unconscious." she said

"Should I ask?" Agni said taking Connie from Robin's shoulders and leaning him against the wall.

"No, it might be better if you don't."
Agni nodded and pressed his hand onto Connie's head as he did you M'gann "He's out cold..." Agni said "We'll have to carry him, we shouldn't use magic energy on him."

"Why not?" M'gann asked

"Let's just say magic doesn't go with most dwarves, especially not him." Richie said heaving Connie onto his back

"Remember the time he tried to lengthen his beard with magic?" Wallace asked with a chuckled

Agni smiled "It disappeared and he wouldn't leave his room for weeks."

They walked on following M'gann through the corridors. Several times she took a wrong turn and they reached a dead end and had to double back. When they finally reached the right room they found both of them slumped in the middle of the room.

The strange thing was their bodies kept flicker to the image of different things they hated or disliked, Green Arrow, Cheshire, Lex Luthor, robbers, and other assorted evil things.

Agni sighed and walked over to them. "They not hurt mentally... Richie?"

Richie nodded and walked over to them. He drew a hieroglyph in the air.

Both Roys gasped and their eyes shot open.

"You guys okay?" Agni asked as he grabbed their hands and helped them up.

They looked at each other confusedly for a moment

"But uh... weren't you Lex Luthor a minute ago?" one of them asked

"And you were Cheshire... and Oliver..." the other said

They both sighed and face palmed

"Stars and stones... how did we fall for that?" elven Roy said

The other shrugged and handed Roy one of the identical bows on the floor.

"So I guess we owe you a sorry for saying this wasn't illusion magic, and thinking you were crazy and telling you to shut up and all that." Robin said

Agni shrugged "It's okay..." he said "Just one thing."

"What?" Robin asked

"Never call me crazy, I'm insane everyone knows that." Agni said

Robin nodded with a smile

"No," Richie said "I'm sure your psychotic."

Agni shook his head "Nope. Insane trust me."

"Psychotic."

"Insane."

"Psychotic."

"Insane!"

"Psychotic!"

"Both of you are nuts!" Wallace said

"Nah their loony." Wally said

"More like their nuts." Robin said getting into the fun

"You guys are fighting over how much of a sociopath Agni is?" Zatanna asked "That's crazy."

"INSANE!" Agni roared with a hidden smile

Roy rolled his eyes and made for the door "Common we can argue how crazy you guys are later, like after we get out of this spell."

Agni nodded and followed him out muttering 'insane' under his breath.

"So we only need to find Conner, Arty, Megg'n and Anna, right?" Wallace asked

Agni nodded "Lets keep moving and hope I can sense their auras. Miss M can you go scout ahead?"

M'gann nodded and slowly faded into the wall

They continued moving along the corridor for a while, after a short amount of time they came to a large empty room and decided to rest for a short while.

Agni laid Connie on a small mattress he conjured and leaned against the wall.

"Is it me or is it getting cold really quickly?" Robin asked

Zatanna nodded and shivered a bit.

"Agni." Richie asked "Can you make a quick fire?"

The dark elf nodded and walked to the center of the room. He muttered a spell and a neat fire pit formed in the middle of the room. "Move Connie over near the fire." he said before, he began to stare at his hand and concentrate

"What is he doing?" Wally asked heaving Connie over with Wallace

"He's trying to summon his inner power.. you know make his hand burst into flames." Richie said

"Can he put them out?" Artemis asked

Richie shook his head "Not yet."

"Then why don't one of us just use magic for it?" Zatanna asked

"We shouldn't use any magic energy here." Agni said from in front of them, he didn't move his stare from his hand "There isn't any magic to be gathered from our surroundings and we only have a limited amount from our bodies, if we get into a real fight we'll need as much as we can get. Now for the gods sakes shut up and let me concentrate."

Everyone fell silent and watch as Agni concentrated

"Uh Agni..." Zatanna said from behind him

Agni sighed "What?"

"Your hair..."

Agni's hand dropped and he grabbed a braid of hair

There were small flames at the end of it

Agni's eyes widened and his whole head suddenly burst into flames.

Richie had drew a hieroglyph in the air within second and it blasted water at Agni's direction.

The fire-headed Agni spun out of the way from the water, the flames from his head spun with him, licking the ceiling and walls with flames.

Zatanna lifted her wand and pointed it at Agni but he held up his hand so she lowered it

"This wasn't what I was expecting..." he said shaking his head a bit

"Did you do that on purpose?" Robin asked

Agni shook his flaming head and sighed exhaling smoke "No, it happened on its own."

"How are you going to put it out?" Richie asked, a half drawn hieroglyph was shimmering in the air in front of him.

Agni shrugged and walked over to the fire pit. He shook his head and a flame launched into the pit setting it ablaze.

"How did you do that? There was nothing in there?" Robin asked

"Oh, I just used the souls of the dead as timber." Agni said shrugging

Everyone looked at him horrified as he laughed

"I'm kidding you fools." he said taking a deep breath to keep himself from laughing at their faces

"Then what are you using?" Robin asked again

"Well my dear little human, there are some things better left not talked about." Agni said, the flames on his head were slowly dieing

Everyone crowded around the large fire to keep warm.

Zatanna turned around to see Agni was no longer sitting with them but instead sitting across the room staring off into space absently setting his finger on fire for several seconds every few minutes.

She stood up and went to go sit with him when Robin asked her where she was going. He went silent immediately when Richie pointed at Agni. Robin nodded and shrugged and continued talking to Richie about the magic he uses

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" Zatanna asked standing over Agni

No answer

"Agni?" she asked

Agni's eyes blinked and he looked up "Oh.. uh yeah sure go ahead."

Zatanna sat down next to him and smiled "You were sleeping weren't you?"

Agni looked over to her and nodded "How did you know?"

Zatanna shrugged "You looked like you were."

Agni smiled and sighed. It was uncomfortably for him to sit with her after kissing her earlier and after what he said to the spirits. His hand slowly drifted down to his pocket... the necklace he bought and enchanted was still there, every time he tried to give it to her something came up and stopped him from doing so.

"What's in your pocket?" Zatanna asked

Agni's' hand shot out "Nothing, just my mythril knuckles." he said quickly

Zatanna looked at him curiously but didn't ask again. Agni could feel her shiver a bit.

"Are you cold?" he asked

She nodded and shrugged "I'd rather sit with you than by the fire."

Agni smiled again and pointed his finger at the floor, a small fire appeared on the bare stone.

"That's not faerie fire is it?" Zatanna asked

Agni shook his head "Its a special fire us drow and other underground creatures use. Its simple and doesn't take any energy."

They fell silent for a few minutes staring into the flames
"Why don't you tell me a story?" Zatanna said suddenly

Agni looked over at her "A story?"

"Yeah you seem to have a lot of them accumulated over the years you've been together with the Rangers."

Agni thought for a moment "Hmmm I know a pretty good story. Its from back before we were actually the Rangers, back when it was only me, Richie, Wallace and Roy."

"Well then tell me." Zatanna asked

"Its a hidden type of magic." Richie was saying to Robin "Its only used by me and very few others."

"It seemed like Egyptian magic I once saw someone use." Wally said

Richie nodded "Its very similar but more powerful and harder to use."

"You should teach me how to use it someday." Robin said

"I will if you want, just know its hard. It took me several years to master it." Richie said drawing random hieroglyphs in the air. "I really should top doing this, Agni did say to conserve magic, its just a hobby of mine."

"How did Agni become your guys leader anyways?" Artemis inquired

Richie shrugged "It wasn't always him." he said in a low voice "Abaddon was the head Ranger for a long while."

"Then he went bad?" Wally asked

"No..." Elven Roy said slowly "He was demoted because he was killing people."

"But you all kill people." Robin said, disgust was very clear in his tone

Wallace shook his head "The Rangers kill because we need to. In our world you learn very quickly its kill or be killed, shoot or be shot, stab or be decapitated. But we NEVER hurt an innocent."

"But who is to decide whether someone is innocent or not? That should not be your decisions." Human Roy said

Elven Roy shook his head "It is our decisions, we are kinda what you guys call police. We are the law. If we decide someone is to evil to be kept alive, someone is not worth living... it is our duty to kill him."

"So you guys are the judge, jury and executioners." Robin sneered

Richie nodded "It's not easy, Robin, to decide such things. We call a vote of the Rangers are that at the time. But Head Ranger gets final decision."

"Unless its battle." Wallace said "During battle its take out the enemy quickly and swiftly before the enemy takes you out."

"It's still wrong to kill." Artemis said

"Don't your guy's law system kill criminals?" Elven Roy asked

Robin nodded "But they are taken and tried in front of a whole jury first. And if sentenced to death its in a humane way or they are just sent to prison."

"Prison is good for some. But they always break out. They always return." Richie said "We learned after years upon years of them running away it just wasn't worth it any more. It was better to kill them and take their evil and worthless lives away."

"Anyways, we ARE the law system." Roy cut in "It is only one of several of our duties to try and sentence criminals and we kill then in very simple and usually painless ways unless they deserve it."

"What else do you guys do?" Wally said hoping it was something more on the cheerful side of life.

Richie shrugged "We do whatever is needed at the time, guard royals, train different part of the army, do different quests."

"What kind of quests?" Robin asked

"Everything really... everything from saving cats in trees to raiding enemy hideouts and caravans to protecting the borders from monster attacks to besieging enemy fortresses to training new recruits to serving as the law to really ANYTHING." Wallace said

"Do you guys get free time?" Human Roy asked

"Of course we do!" Richie exclaimed "What else are we going to do with the money we are paid?"

"Your guys are paid?!" Wally exclaimed

Wallace nodded "Of course, we are part of the army."

"Oh right... you guys aren't exactly 'heroes'..." Robin said

"Well that depends on your point of view really." Richie said "We do much of the same things and more really. Our king pays us as a good gesture-"

"-and several nobles and a lot of commoners demanded it." Wallace said

"That too." Richie said

"Do you guys go to school and stuff?" Wally asked

Richie sighed "Do you realize how old we are? We have lived for a LONG time... in this dimension guys like Kal and Agni could have known your great great grandparents."

"How uh... old is Anna?" Robin asked

Richie grinned "Mentally? Somewhere between fourteen to fifteen I think, but physically she's lived for about two hundred and like thirty years. I don't know exactly."

"Can I uh.. as you guys something?" Robin asked the Rangers

"You know you can ask me anything." Richie said "I am you after all anything you want to know I would have wanted to know anyways."

"Was their anything between Agni and Anna?" Robin asked bluntly

All the Rangers smirks, grins, and smiles disappeared

"Between who and who?" Richie asked

"Agni and-" Robin tried to say again

"I wish we could see the sky from... couldn't Abaddon have put in sky lights?" Elven Roy said loudly

"I'm hungry! Does anyone have any food?" Wallace said loudly, and was answered with an apple that hit him in the forehead.

"What is your guy's problem?" Artemis hissed "He just asked a simple question."

Richie glanced over at Agni who was in a deep conversation with Zatanna who was laughing at whatever he had said "We don't talk about that." he whispered

"So they did have something?" Human Roy asked, feeling kind of foolish for even caring

Richie looked over to Agni and caught his eye. His fingers moved in rapid motions that was hard even for Robin to see. Agni looked at Zatanna, who was sitting really close to him, for a long moment. He looked up and nodded slowly with a sad look on his face.

"Well..." Richie said after seeing the nod "What I'm going to tell you, you guys have to promise not to say anything anyone else."

Robin nodded slowly and inched closer as Richie lowered his voice.

"A several years ago," Richie began "Agni and Anna were going out."

"I figured they did." human Roy said

Richie nodded "They had been great friends most of their lives... a perfect couple you could say. Oh they fought every now and they but it was never anything big."

"So how did they break up?" Artemis asked

Richie shrugged "No one knows... Agni hasn't even told me what happened. All we know is one day they stormed back into the Mountain and refused to speak with each other. Agni acted as if she never existed, when he was forced to talk to her it was always cold and formal."

"But they seemed to have gotten over it haven't they?" Wally asked

Elven Roy shook his head "It gets worst from here."

Richie sighed "It was dark times... we were in the midst of a war with the drow and other underground creatures and out team... our team that had worked together for so many years was falling apart."

"How?" Robin asked

"Abaddon was the Head Ranger at the time... following his commands were harsh. Agni had no more spirit left in him. He had just finished the academy and was learning to become an arcane archer. Something he had yearned for, for years on end. He could barely lift his head. He was turning into another Abaddon. He began to fight heartlessly and merciless it was a horrible sight to see him becoming like Abaddon." Richie paused and sighed before continuing "And Anna... she just began to pin away. She wouldn't eat, she wouldn't train, nothing... whatever happened between them killed her and destroyed Agni."

"So what did you guys do?" Robin asked

Richie shrugged "There was nothing we could do except try to get them back together but it never worked." Richie stopped and held out his hand. A small hieroglyph appeared above his hand and turned into the same memory Agni had previously showed M'gann.

Robin stared in surprise at the Anna that was just sitting in the training room. Her eyes were sunken in, her hair wasn't in its usual ponytail. It just wasn't the Anna they new

"Whoa..." Wally said

"That is what happened?" Robin asked

Richie nodded and the image changed.

They could see a battle raging inside what looked like a little village.

Agni was running though the village, a sour look was on his face as he cut down everything in his path. Commoners that got in the way and enemies alike fell to his spinning blades. Agni leaped into the air and brought his swords into what looked like the Ogre Mage. The Ogre got back and and turned to run, it blasted a bolt from its staff at a nearby building, underneath it was Anna who was blasted retreating bandits halfheartedly.

Agni paused and looked at the falling building. Instead of what they thought he would do and go save Anna, he completely ignored her, not even a shout of warning , and he pursued the Ogre Mage.

The image faded back into the hieroglyph and then fully disappeared.

"That was Agni!?" human Roy exclaimed

Richie nodded sadly "He got even worse."

"Don't you guys have any idea of what could have happened between them?" Robin said

Elven Roy shook his head "They wouldn't talk about it."

"It could have been her saying something bad about his parents ." Wallace said

"But doesn't he hate his parents? Because they were evil and such?" Artemis asked

"Agni hates what they did not who they were. He actually greatly respects them for what they did in the end... and what they did for him." Richie said

"Which was?"

"They gave all the information they knew to our... uh Batman, and they rescued him from the hands of the other drow." Richie said

"Or maybe Agni said something about her father... anything could have happened." Wallace said shrugging "We will most likely never know... its just another one of his secrets"

A few minutes later

Agni smiled as he finished his story. It was one he greatly enjoyed, even if the humor was kinda dark and it wasn't necessarily a happy story, but hey if she enjoyed it that was enough. Zatanna had laughed her pretty laugh and that was enough for him.

Agni's hand slowly slid down to his pocket again. Well, if he was going to die he might as well give it to her while he had the chance.

Just as he was about to slide the necklace out of his pocket he notice a flash of light from the corner of his eye.

Sighing and cursing his bad timing Agni leaped up and followed everyone down the hall to where the flashes were coming from.

"Wallace, stay with Connie!" Robin shouted dashing after Richie

"No one go very far!" Agni shouted pulling his khopesh out. "Stay within sight of the camp!"

Before anyone of them came close to the hall that was flashing light they heard a unearthly roar.

"It's Superboy!" Robin shouted

Just as they reached the hall a ball of light came zooming down nearly hitting Richie.

"And Anna!" Richie shouted drawing several hieroglyphs in the air.

Agni sighed in relief and dashed to the halls entrance. "Do they need help? What are they fighting?"

Richie shrugged "I don't think going down there will-" Richie was cut off as a flying Anna came straight at him.

Whether by pure dumb luck or Robin's great skill, Anna wasn't hurt very badly. Richie on the other hand was winded by having his best friend and comrade hit him like a mac truck

Anna was back up in a moment with her wand put on front of her.

"Ye gods, not more of you." she moaned rubbing a cut on her arm.

Agni waved his hand in front of him and her wand flew across the room.

"Only the real Agni can do that spell." Anna whispered

"I better be the only Agni around" Agni aid with a smile as he retrieved the wand

"Agni!" Anna yelled coming to her senses "We're stuck in Abaddon's illusion magic!"

A snort came from Richie who was peering down the hall for the roaring and growling the could hear. "Well at least she got that straight." he said

"Is this a bad time to say I told you so?" Agni asked with a smile that faded from Anna's glare "I would assume that means no..."

Anna's head whipped around "Where's Conner?" she asked

Agni shrugged "We haven't found him yet..." he said

A yell came from Richie. An angry dark flash had plowed him over and dashed into the room.

"Then that's him." Anna said frightfully "He's lost his mind." she added

Conner knocked Robin aside before he had time to react and made for Anna.

Wally intercepted him but his strength was not much compared to Conner's

Agni leaped forward and absorbed most of the hit meant for Anna

"He attacked me and I tried to fend him off with magic" she said helping Agni back to his feet "I think it only made him angrier."

Robin pulled something from his belt and held in front of the charging Conner that made him flinch and back towards the furthest wall.

"Agni can you try to calm him from his mind?" Zatanna asked

"I'll try..." Agni said "But I don't think I'll be able to do anything... that's usually something Megg'n does."

Agni slowly crept over to Conner and place his hand on Conner's forehead.

About 20 minutes later

Agni opened his eyes. He was laying on his back near the fire, his head was roaring with pain, while his whole body felt stiff like he had been sitting still for a long time. Agni leaned his head up, he could see M'gann standing over Conner who seemed to have recovered perfectly fine.

"Da dark elf's awake." came a gruff voice from a few feet to his left

Agni sat up and looked around. Connie was awake looking happy (with a mug of foaming beer in his hand), Conner was obviously back in his normal mind and M'gann was back.

"What the HELL happened?" Agni growled, he had blood caked on the back of his head.

"Well you tried to enter his mind." Wallace said

"Then the next thing we knew you were flying across this room into the wall." Wally said pointing at a Agni shaped whole in the wall

"And you were in a coma... again." Richie said

"I'm starting yo think your drow recovering is not exactly the best. I'm sure going into a coma every other day isn't a good thing." Robin said

Agni stood and wobbly and almost fell but he was caught by Zatanna

"Do you remember what happened?" She asked holding his in till he steadied himself.

It all came rushing back to Agni what had happened. Conner had no defenses on the outskirts of his mind so Agni had entered freely, but what hit him afterward was... incredibly. The power that was stored in Conner's mind was unimaginable it had (literally) blown him away.

Agni explained what he felt as Anna fussed over the cut on his head.

"When did Connie wake up?" Agni asked when he finished explaining

"Ye landed on me afta smashin into da wall." Connie said

"M'gann showed up a few moments after that." Robin said "She was able to break whatever that was causing Conner to act like that."

"I found Arty and Megg'n." M'gann said "They being held by Abaddon not to far from here."

Agni nodded and sat up "That's good..." he said rubbing the back of his head. "We should get going then."

Everyone nodded and picked up the few belongings they had with them.

They followed M'gann down a few halls and corridors in till they came to a sharp bend where she halted.

"He's back there." she whispered "He's got Megg'n tied up."

Agni nodded "I can feel Arty's aura in there." he said

The light orbs Zatanna and Anna made began to waver and fade leaving them in complete darkness

"Damn..." Agni said under his breath.

"This isn't exactly good... even I can't see." Robin said in a low voice

"Darkness spell." Zatanna whispered

The Ranger's eyes began to glow different shades of red and and Agni's began to shine purple.

"That is so not fair..." Wally muttered

"Can't you do that thing you did before?" Zatanna asked "Where you gave us elven senses?"

"That's a special Ranger spell that only works under the sky. It won't work in here..." Richie said

"Isn't there any other magic we can use?" Wallace asked "They're going to need it."

"We could cast ultravission on them..." Anna said

Agni shrugged "Its better than nothing I guess."

Anna muttered a few spells over them and waited for them to kick in.

Magical eyes began to form around their heads giving them the ability so see in the complete darkness

"Whoa..." Robin said "This is awesome."

Agni nodded and peered around the corner "Not lets slip in there silently, okay?"

Everyone nodded and they slowly crept into the room.

Spread out. Agni said via M'gann's telepathic link

Agni slowly crept through the center of the room.

Light suddenly blared through out the room, partially blinding Agni in his darkvision eye mode. He could he cries of pain from the fellow rangers. Bright flashes of light while in darkvision mode... REALLY hurts.

Agni forced his eyes to return to normal and he looked around

There were several torches blazing on the wall. The Rangers were looking around slightly disoriented but on their guard. The Team had only a spell on them and had not felt the pain the Ranger did.

Agni looked around quickly and to his dismay he saw Megg'n chained, gagged and shackled to the far wall and he saw Abaddon sitting in a large throne adorned with skulls, and numerous runes. And behind him was...

Arty bowing down to him

The Team and the Rangers looked completely shocked at this. Agni was the only one who didn't betray any emotion.

"Greetings Agni..." Abaddon said with a large smile

"Abaddon." Agni replied, he could feel the presence of others in the room.

"I see you fell for my trap." Abaddon said gleefully

"How did you get through my mental defenses?" Agni demanded angrily "They were impenetrable!"

"Emphasize on the 'were', Agni..." Abaddon said "Do you not understand? You cannot beat me, you stand no chance against me and my new found allies."

Agni's eyes flickered over to Arty for a moment before settling on Megg'n

"Let her go Abaddon, this is between us." Agni said finally

Abaddon clicked his tongue and smile "Oh but its not only us, didn't the prophecy say oh something like 'both the good and evil will loose something precious to them'?"

"Well for starters.. you got the prophecy wrong..." Wallace said "And second even though she's he friend I do she is most precious..."

"No offense Megg'n." Agni said quickly. Megg'n just rolled her eye and muttered something against her gag

"Shouldn't you just kill him now, My lord?" Arty asked not daring to look up "Hasn't he been a nuisance enough?"

"A-Arty..." Anna said horrified "How could you join him?"

Arty looked up slowly and shrugged "Even I know that we cat win this. The mortals are of no consequence to him. He'll just wipe them out along with us."

Arty peered around at the heroes, they all looked horrified, sad and angry at her just as her teammates were. She looked closely at Robin... he looked just as angry, just as sad, but there was something about that unsettled her... there was a twinkle in his eyes when they met hers. As if he was hiding something no one else knew.

Abaddon stood up and his throne disappeared with a small *pop* noise "Enough chit-chat." he said "Now its time to meet your ultimate demise."

Robin grinned "You could barely take us down last time, you think you can do it now? The Rangers have been training us to be able to fight you."

Abaddon's smile opened into a loud laugh "You think I was going to fight you all alone? I don't have time for that."

"Then whatchya gonna do?" Wallace sneered

"Oh I brought some friends." Abaddon said cheerfully and clapped his hands twice.

Before anyone of the heroes or Rangers could react the walls around them disappeared, making the room a whole lot bigger. Two score of drow were surrounding them. The dark elves had crossbows very similar to Agni's out and pointing at them. All of them had an array of weapons on their belts.

Everyone glanced at Agni to see how he would react to seeing other dark elves, but what the saw wasn't Agni... It was the Blackranger, fully cloaked with hood and cape. His usual weapons were not with him so was barehanded. They turned and saw all they other Rangers were suddenly cloaked as well.

"Contingency spells..." Zatanna muttered to the Team

Agni smiled beneath his empty hood "No Abaddon... this time you will not get away"

And all chaos erupted

First the drow opened fire at them expecting to remove the heroes from the battle early on. They did not expect the Rangers to quickly dash over to them and cover them with their own cloaks.

Wallace screamed his war cry "Shalkwood!" and dashed into battle. Him and Wally had taken a lot of time to develop and perfect attacking formations for the two. Wallace pulled long knives from his belt and had dashed forward into the enemy before Wally realized what happened. As Wally tried to follow him and keep up Wallace realized he wasn't killing the drow merely knocking them over.

"You have to kill them!" Wallace hissed passing Wally one of his knives.

Wally shook his head and passed it back "We don't kill."

Across the room Richie was having similar problems with Robin

Robin found himself surrounded by enemies. At first he was reluctant to fight at all when he saw the Rangers slay anyone who came close enough to them. After a few moments of dodging attacks from the drow he was forced to retaliate with his eskrima sticks. He knocked a few of them out quickly with a few jabs and returned to the offensive looking for a way out of the fray.

Several drow he knocked down were already back up and cornering him. Robin was knocked down from the sheer amount of enemies. One lifted his axe to end Robin

A knife whistled through the air slashing the drow's throat open. Blood gushed out of the cut onto the floor. Robin stared in horror as the drow gave him a glare before falling lifeless into a pool of its own blood.

"Kill them!" Richie yelled bringing his small shield up to block an attack from a drow warrior

"I told you we don't kill people." Robin yelled back tripping a drow and paralyzingly him with a few quick pressure point pokes.

Richie side stepped a slash from another drow and whipped his blades out. The dark elf fell to his knees holding his stomach. Before Richie could finish him he saw a elf raise his crossbow at Robin, Richie's hand made several flicking motions and the drow around Robin fell down dead pierced with darts tipped with poison.

"If you don't kill them they will kill you." Richie said

A small axe flew by them sinking into the chest of a drow that was a few feet away from them. The dark elf's sword hit the floor and it follow.

"Get yer head inta der fight." Connie growled running by them as fast as his little legs could carry him. "Conner da nah have a probl'm killin dem."

Robin turned to see Conner's hammer fly clean through a drow leaving it with a hole where its chest should have been

"Don't kill them!" Robin yelled, his cries were drowned out by the screams of the battle, the cries of the dead and Agni's war cry

"FOR GLUNDORION AND THE FREE LAND!" Agni yelled, his ranger sword was in hand and he dashed at Abaddon

"There will be no more free land when I am done." Abaddon retorted clashing swords "When I finish with this dimension I will will return home, and with these," Abaddon pulled a gone from his belt and pointed it at Agni "The Justice Guild stand no chance. All will fall before my might!"

Agni's hunter senses took over, he was no longer Agni, he was no longer the Blackranger. He was a killer, he was a survivor. His only goal was to kill, create peace in his world. Even if that meant he would be a rouge and an outcast his whole life. A little bullet would not stop him from his goal.

The bang sounded through out the room as the bullet flew at Agni. Time slowed down for the heroes and Rangers. They say the drow suddenly slow to a snail pace.

"Hurry!" Arty called with a strained voice "I cannot hold the spell for long!"

Agni knocked the bullet aside with the flat of his sword. He spun around and with a few quick slashes the few drow foolish enough to come close to his battle with Abaddon were dead. Wallace was getting Megg'n out of her bonds while Wally began tying up enemies with a rope given to him by his other-dimensional self.

Robin was still staring at the dead drow in front of him, he was shocked that Richie could do such a thing. Richie was him wasn't he?

"Thirty seconds." Arty said

A hammer flew through the room as Conner took down as many as he could with all the speed he could muster. A dozen were on the ground, their bones broken and shattered.

Agni could feel time beginning to go back to normal, he spun around to see Zatanna, she was looking at him from the far side of the room, just out of reach of the time spell. Agni smiled, her and Anna together made a very formidable team. Both Roys were in front of them with their bows drawn and arrows in mid-flight.

Time returned to its normal speed just before Agni turned fully around. From the corner of his eye he could see Robin just standing there.

Agni ducked under Abaddon's swing just in time. He leaped into a roll over his next swing and came up next to Robin.

"You can grieve later." Agni yelled "There are monsters who do not deserve to live."

"Everyone deserves a chance..." Robin whispered

"They got their chance, Robin. You cannot grieve over the death of your enemies."

Robin slowly looked up and shook his head "I will not kill." he said simply

"Fine!" Agni shouted, he hand flew up knocking a sword away "Just don't stand there then!"

Robin nodded as Agni stabbed their attacker through the heart

"Little bird has no heart for killing?" Abaddon said as he ran up to them

Agni's blade met his. Agni snarled and sled his blade down Abaddon's, who withdrew before it hit the hilt.

Agni dashed forward again his sword leading in a quick thrust down at Abaddon's arm. His attack was absorbed by Abaddon's thick armor, leaving only a deep cut.

Abaddon took the opportunity to swing his claw at Agni. The rouge dark elf lifted his arm and intercepted it. The weight of the demon arm made him slide a few feet away. Before Abaddon could lift the arm again Agni was already back, his sword in his offhand so as to slice his sword arm.

Abaddon swung his sword inward and knocked Agni's sword outwards. His claw swung down hitting under Agni's open chest and knocking him off balance. Abaddon's blade was in the air before recovered his footing.

Agni's lifted his arm to block the strike. After silently thanking Master Bruce for making his bracers he smiled as Abaddon pressed his sword harder against his right arm.

"You know what Abaddon?" Agni said straining to keep from toppling over

"What?"

"Batman upgraded my bracers to be more modern." Agni said

Abaddon paled as Agni's bracer sent electrical currents down Abaddon's sword

Abaddon roared in pain and dropped his sword. Agni switched sword hands and smiled

"I'll have to remember to thank him." Agni said

Blades clashed against blades during that battle, the Rangers fought as hard as they could to protect the heroes who still adamantly refused to kill.

Spells were flying throughout the room.

"Taeh talb!" Zatanna shouted, sending a fireball into a drow's back

"Ezeerf ni rouy ecalp!" Anna yelled after her

A drow froze with his sword lifted to strike M'gann in the back. The martian turned around and smiled before blasting him away.

"You need to focus more!" Elven Roy said as the other Roy's arcane arrow failed

"I'm trying! This isn't easy ya know." the other shouted shooting a boxing glove arrow into the back of Abaddon's head

Arty was fighting hand to hand with Artemis while Agni was trying to take down Abaddon

"How could you betray your team like that?" Artemis yelled dodging a punch from her

Arty didn't reply, she was having trouble controlling her body with the shape changing amulet on. She kicked her foot out and felt it connect with Artemis's face, she followed it up with several hits that knocked Artemis out. She spun around picking her sling back out the ground and dashed over to where Agni was fighting Abaddon.

Their was was going nowhere, Agni slapped Abaddon across the arm with the flat of his blade and Abaddon would knock Agni about with his claw. Agni would swing his sword sword up high and Abaddon would block him with his own blade.

"Why won't you just die already?" Agni yelled lunging his sword into a gap in Abaddon's defenses

Abaddon winced as he felt the blade slice into his side. "I could say the same to you."

Agni spun in a full circle to dodge Abaddon's next blow and ducked under a thrown batarang from Robin.

Deflecting the batarang with his sword Abaddon was distracted just long enough for Agni disarm him. Abaddon flailed his claw around to keep Agni at bay.

"You have lost Abaddon. Don't you know when to give up?" Agni said diving his sword in for a quick hit.

Agni misjudged the distant and came up to slow. Abaddon's claw hit him in the chest and sent him sprawling on to the ground, his sword flew from his hand and clattered across the room. Agni looked up to see Abaddon towered over him, sword back in hand and poised for the killing strike.

Time seemed to slow for Agni... images flashed in his mind. Learning to use a bow, becoming a Ranger, becoming an Arcane Archer, all the fun times he had raiding dungeons killing dragons with the Rangers, camping in Shalkwood, dashing over the plains unable to keep up with Wallace, his relationship with Anna, everything, he remembered it all.

The times he spent in this dimension began to show up too, fighting alongside the Team in their various missions, going on patrol with Superman and Batman, hanging out with Green Arrow (Actually more like telling him how cool he was...), going to school with Zatanna, having his meals with her, Conner and M'gann, all the fun they had while he had been there... no he couldn't die his still hadn't brought peace to his world if he died... the prophecy would come true and Abaddon would rule the two worlds.

He could NOT let that happen

Agni gasped as he felt Abaddon's sword sink into his chest

Everything around him seem to stop, most the drow were dead, the Team, his friends and comrades were watching him, Zatanna screamed as the sword moved in deeper. Abaddon deflected a thrown dagger, blasting away a fireball aimed at him.

Agni's body jerked as the pain made his mind numb. He couldn't die here... not when there was so much left to do

Abaddon laugh as he twisted the sword a bit "I told you Agni, You cannot win! You have lost you have-"

His words were cut short, his eyes glazed over for a moment in sheer pain as something slowly slid through his chest

Arty slowly stepped away from Abaddon leaving her sword in his back

A blast of ice came from Zatanna's wand sending him into the wall. Blood ran from Abaddon's body jerked as he slowly pulled the sword out while grimacing. Arrows pounded into him, even a large boulder from Arty but to no avail. Abaddon ignored it and trudged back over to Agni

"Y-you though that could kill me?" he said slowly looking at the sword stained now with his blood "Do you now realize this? I am invincible! I am unkillable I will live forever and rule you all! Look at Agni, do you not see there is no one too stop me!"

Abaddon turned and looked at Agni who he assumed to be laying half dead on the floor with his sword still in his chest

But things tend not to go as he wants

Agni was standing shakily, Abaddon's sword was discarded on the floor, he was being held up by Zatanna.

Agni smiled "And you thought I would die that easily?" he said shaking Zatanna off as Abaddon came closer.

Pain erupted through Agni's body as Abaddon stabbed him again "Die Agni! You will die and know; your world will crumble after you. Dieing knowing that all your friends follow."

Agni smiled and and gripped the blade sticking out of his chest. He slowly twisted the blade out, to Abaddon's surprise, coughing up blood but smiling nonetheless.

"That Abaddon..." Agni said, his arms suddenly bursting into flames "Is where you are dead wrong"

Agni 's sword reappeared in his hand. Flames erupted down the blade as it lashed out at Abaddon. His stuck his arm out and a column of flames burst from his palms hitting Abaddon square in the chest.

The half-demon barely brought his sword up in time block the blow. Agni's sword cut clean through it leaving Abaddon with half a blade.

Agni's movements were a blur, his sword brought pain and death. The few surviving drow around were cut down as Agni's sword continually pounded Abaddon

"There is one there you will never understand Abaddon." Agni said as his sword sliced across the side of his face "When you have something to protect, something to live for... you will stop at nothing to achieve it."

Abaddon snarled as Agni's sword hit him again. He deflected the next blow with his claw and switch to the offensive. He brought his broken sword down at Agni breaking though his block and sending him into the ground.

Fire was pouring off of Agni again but not like this time, now it seemed more wanted, ore controlled. Fire flew off of his back as he cut his sword though the air, leaving flames trailing after it.

Abaddon wasn't prepared for the blow and his sunk deep into his demon arm. Agni's other hand hit Abaddon's chest for a moment it just rested there... then a ball of fire appeared blasting Abaddon into the furthest wall. Agni dashed forward and stabbed him before being pushed back only to do it again. Arm outstretched sword directly in front of him, Agni charged in.

Abaddon brought the remainder of his sword up in front of him. Agni's blade pierced right through it and hit Abaddon's chest. Abaddon gasped in the pain, he felt Agni had hit a lung. He managed to push Agni off and send him skidding across the big room.

"YOU WILL NOT STOP MY HOPES OF PEACE!" Agni roared as his aura began to fill the room "I WILL ACHIEVE MY GOAL, PEACE WILL REIN ON OUR LAND! AND YOU, YOU ABADDON WILL NOT BE THERE TO SEE IT! YOU LIFE ENDS RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Everyone else stared in awe as Agni leaped into the air, his flaming wings trailed after him guiding him down, sword over head onto Abaddon.

Abaddon brought his broken and cracked sword above his head to block.

But Agni's sword went clean through it.

The only drow left alive was Agni. The Team watched in horror as Agni's blade went right through Abaddon's blade, slicing off his demon arm, and cutting into the side of his chest.

Agni slowly withdrew his blade, his hand was blazing with a dark red fire.

Abaddon laughed as he saw Agni approach closer

"You defeated me Agni... but remember, remember my face now as you kill me remember how I laugh in the face of death, remember this when you lay to sleep or to meditate, remember me when you go to that school of your, remember me when you are with these mortals, remember this; I will be back." Abaddon's voice turned deep and horse, it filled the room with fear, pushing Agni's aura aside a bit "When you are asleep, when you train, when you are in another Plane, remember I WILL BE BACK, and I will hunt you down and I will kill anyone who dares protect you and you will fall to my blade and I will kill everyone who dares call you a comrade. Remember this Agni... Belir, Remember I WILL COME FOR YOU."

Agni spat in Abaddon's face and smiled

"I will wait for that day Abaddon. And if it comes, I will send you to the lowest part to the abyss and there you will rot."

Agni's hand flared and a large beam of fire erupted from his hand consuming Abaddon.

As the story draws to its end... Agni can finally leave his life in peace, have a real life and maybe go on another date with Zatanna.

But is this truly the end?

For some reason I think not...