Chapter Thirteen
The ceremonial hall was divinely large. The ceiling vaulted high above with a dizzying array of sharp metal rafters reaching in all sorts of directions. The wall length windows were stained in moody purples and black glass. Pews faced towards a platform found at the end of the long trailing aisle, accented with a purple and gold running carpet. There was a form of a pedestal, and something that was hard to make out, but so obviously a pulpit. Eight tall candles surrounded the altar waiting to be lit. There was a low ambiance to the room as people accepted bubbly flute glasses and kept to themselves, speaking only with those they could trust. The servants of the ceremonial hall were somewhat weary when the Teen Titans entered, but offered them drinks nonetheless. Robin's face was pensive and stony as he picked out each guard poised in the room. They were near flickering braziers and pressed against the tall columns that extended from the walls. Beast Boy glanced around, aware of all the eyes on them and the silent whispers being exchanged. The green boy was used to the looks, but something felt so different and unsettling in that moment. Raven stepped forward towards the crowd, her blue boots muted against the thick carpets. Her face was unmoving, as usual, as she scanned the room. A pair of purple eyes stopped her, however. They could have belonged to a doe, they were so large and almost fearful. Her black hair was pulled from her face and she also looked around the ceremonial hall with a demeanor that did not match the others in the room. Beside her stood a taller woman with bright auburn hair. Raven recognized her as Forneah. She turned back to her team and silently used her head to nod in their direction. Robin came to Raven's side, staring ahead at them. The Underground Resistance recognized them, too, but nobody made a move to close gap through the throngs of attendees.
"You know, it's probably not safe that Nelda is here," Raven's voice was low. She barely looked to the leader. "An escaped prisoner from the royal hold here at the coronation? It could blow up in our faces before it even starts if someone recognizes her."
"Yalfore's not going to act first," Robin shook his head. "He's already set his trap."
"And we're going to fall directly into it?" Raven's brow knitted together.
"We don't have a choice. We're at a stalemate."
In the next beat, Robin wandered forward. He took the time to gaze at the architecture, taking note of any shifting guards. He stared down the aisle at the pulpit with its sharp edges and indistinct shape. Was it the moon shrouded in winding ivy vines? A meteor scorching through the sky? What did it symbolize to all these people? Despite growing so close to Starfire over a three year period, Robin was beginning to realize how much he didn't know about Tamaran and her life there. What did they worship? What were the traditions like? What had her family been like? She had always been such an open, bubbly person, but it was amazing to Robin just how much she had locked away in her heart, kept to herself, probably eating her alive. Now the little box had opened up and it was consuming her. He felt so dumb in that moment. How could he truly help her when he hadn't taken the time to recognize that pain? Were they making a mistake? Were they reading this all wrong? His hand tightened around his flute glass. It was too late to stop now. Even if Starfire wanted this, her people were in trouble. And Robin never turned his back on anybody in turmoil. He surfaced from his thoughts when he spied Beast Boy navigating the crowd where he stood a few lengths away from Nelda and Forneah.
"Hi," Beast Boy said plainly, looking at the people surrounding him. They seemed to shift away, as if he carried a dangerous plague. "How are you?"
"I am fine," Nelda nodded, fingering the edge of her flute glass. "Nervous, naturally."
"Ha, yeah, aren't we all?" Beast Boy sheepishly rubbed the nape of his neck. Slowly, the other Titans gathered in the vicinity. Cyborg had his back to the group, admiring the tall windows casting all kinds of shadows. Raven ran her hand along the pew, feeling the odd texture of the wood she had never seen before. Robin only stared at the pulpit again, immersed in what it was supposed to be. "Do you know anything about the coronation's schedule?"
Nelda glanced to her sister for a brief moment. "Forneah watched the ascension of Blackfire. Perhaps she is of more help." Robin cocked his head in their direction.
Forneah looked between each Titan before she nodded. "The coronation is always the same, no matter how much a farce ones ascension is or how short lived. There is a strict tradition to follow to grant one immunity as Grand Ruler. First, the candles of the new moon must be lit at the pulpit. Then, the princess will enter. She must give an oath in blood."
"In blood?" Robin echoed from where he stood.
"She slits her palm and adds her blood to the pulpit, as every Grand Ruler does," Forneah said. "It symbolizes the duty the Grand Ruler must uphold for the sanctity of Tamaran. Once that is done and her blood has joined those of the past Grand Rulers, she will give a ceremonial speech. It is over when she leads the people from the hall to gaze at the new moon together."
"So, whens our best chance?" Raven asked, her purple hair falling along the frame of her face.
"Before her blood is joined with those of the Grand Rulers," Forneah replied, glancing around the team of anxious and rather eager people. "There will be a moment of preoccupation where we can take our stand."
"What will you do?" Beast Boy cocked his head up.
"Nelda and I, plus our friends here, will speak the truths of the atrocities the council has committed. You are to serve as our protection."
"And what if Yalfore thinks we've put you up to this?" Robin asked, his brow furrowed together.
"We cannot stop what he thinks," Forneah shook her head passively. "But there may be a larger audience in attendance with our same ideas than we think."
Robin again looked down the aisle at the foreboding pulpit. He then let out a sigh, straightening his shoulders. "Alright. This plan will have to do."
"Before the unknown comes upon us..." Nelda spoke up now, her doe-like eyes piercing Beast Boy's. "I want to speak a piece of gratitude. To all of you. Since the darkness has overtaken Tamaran, we have only been told it is because of outsiders meddling with our own existence. That not a single species, alien nor human, could ever understand us. You are proving tonight, beneath the new moon, that there are humans who are capable of understanding us and helping us. Whether we win or we lose, Tamaran will never forget what you did here. No matter how they write of you in the lore books to come, there will always be people here tonight who remember what actually happened. You are all so brave and noble, taking a stand against such a darkness, putting your own lives on the line without a single person asking you to." Slowly, Nelda looked to Robin. "And I can only hope that it is all worth it. And that we all get what we deserve and long for."
Robin looked away, his face tightening and his heart oozing. Never before was so much at stake. In a way, he saw himself as dangling Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg from a clothesline against their will. He was pushing an entire community of people to leap into action for whatever they believed in. Robin felt selfish. He couldn't shake the intense feeling in his gut, though. He refused to put the rose colored glasses on and pass it all off. There was no way Robin could comfortably climb into the T-Ship and leave Starfire there in the unknown. The same would happen to her as Galfore. Slowly withering away, no way to make contact, and Robin sure as hell wouldn't wait for the day when a little card appeared in his mailbox, Starfire's name written lamely beside a date. Beast Boy had spoken Robin's own truth back in their room. He loved Starfire. And though the young leader had trouble speaking his feelings, he promised himself as soon as Starfire was to safety, he wouldn't hold himself back anymore. Life was too short. Things happened. Now, he stood there in a massive room that made him feel insignificant, with a feeling of regret harboring his entire body. What if he never got to speak how he truly felt? How would he ever live with that regret? How would he face his friends or ever look to his reflection again?
In the next moment, the drums, flutes, and bagpipes filled the ceremonial hall. Like it was instinct, the Tamaraneans placed their drinks on the tables against the walls and slowly began shifting into pews. The Teen Titans approached a table and looked to each other, giving a final nod of encouragement. Together, they seated themselves near the back, spying the Underground Resistance spreading out amongst the chaos of people finding spots. And then suddenly, the entire room was hushed. A pin could be heard dropping. Robin heard his own heart beating in his ears. After so much anticipation, the moment had come. Each Titan was wondering how they were going to pull this off. Cyborg glanced down to his arm, checking the status of the T-Ship. He ordered the engines to hum lowly to warm up. Raven closed her eyes for a brief moment, retracing her steps that had taken her to Robin, glancing to every hallway she could remember. If things got thick, her only plan was to grab her team and take them somewhere else. Beast Boy ran his clammy hands along his thighs, looking to the creepy pulpit ahead. He didn't know what he'd do, but being an elephant usually came in handy. Robin looked down the pew at the side of all his friend's faces. He could only wish none of them became a regret.
Muted boots were heard on the carpet and Robin looked up to find Yalfore making his way past their pew in flowing black garbs. He could have been mistaken for the Grim Reaper. Robin watched every movement he made. Yalfore's hands were poised behind his back, his chin tilted up, as he made his way to stand at the altar, looking over all his subjects. He made brief eye contact with Robin, making the young man tense up. There was an extended silence as Yalfore soaked the room in before he delicately placed his hands to the pedestal before him and licked his lips.
"It is with great honor," Yalfore's voice resounded off the dark walls and up into the vaulted ceiling, "that I welcome you to the coronation of our new Grand Ruler, Princess Koriand'r." He paused again, his slender fingers gripping the wood beneath his palms. "It is an unfortunate fact that Tamaran is no stranger to hard times. Wars, invasions, and illnesses have plagued our people for years, following us like a heavy cloud that will not release its own weight. Losing King Myand'r and Queen Luand'r marked the beginning of what seems to be an era of incompletion. We still feel those losses heavily within us. Each one of us carries the change the Gordanian invasion brought upon us. And it is with a heavy heart of sorrow, we also remember Grand Ruler interim, my own childhood playmate, Galfore. He fought valiantly for our people each time a new threat came our way. He had brought great promise to the throne, a remarkable change, that unfortunately was not seen through with his sudden passing. But today, while we remember silently all those we have lost, we now commemorate as a whole, for a new Grand Ruler is upon us, the own flesh and blood of Myand'r and Luand'r, who will change our future as we know it and clean up the history behind us. Princess Koriand'r is fair and just. She has traveled this galaxy for answers to our own problems. Princess Koriand'r is one just like you. She once walked these lush grounds full of abundant and beautiful foliage. She used to lay beneath these own stars and think of the world of Tamaran. She mourns with you and wishes to grow with you. Today marks a new era. We will shut out the incompletion and rebuild together. We will learn to laugh again, to trust again, and most importantly, live without fear. We will bounce back from all that has bound us and with Koriand'r at the helm... we cannot fail. Clergy, it is with honor and for order, that I ask you please light the eight candles of truth."
There was shuffling as eight men, donning the same garbs as Yalfore, approached a waxy candlestick. In unison, the cupped their palms around the wicks. The bright orange flames began to glow warmly. They then bowed to Yalfore before returning to the wings of the ceremonial hall. Robin and Raven caught each others eyes. He's a good liar. Yalfore stepped down from the platform, planting his feet squarely in the center of the aisle before the altar and holding his hands outward.
"Tonight, we are beneath the new moon. Symbolic to our people, Tamaran was born in the new moon. We honor this cycle of the moon as a means to give us hope and prosperity. May the new moons guidance to Princess Koriand'r help with her ascension to Grand Ruler and bring prosperity, hope, and rejuvenation to our poor laden souls. Please rise as we welcome Princess Koriand'r." There was a ripple affect as people rose to their feet. A hefty drum began beating, a flute interweaving with its tempo. The Titans turned and gawked towards the large doors that swung open, revealing Starfire in her ceremonial gown. Her auburn plaited hair sat on her shoulder, her dress hanging closely to her thin frame.
"Wow, Starfire looks beautiful!" Beast Boy said between the hits of the drum. Robin could only stare. There she was, done up in purples and blacks, a headpiece shiny on her brow. But her body lacked the fluidity she carried on earth. There wasn't even a smile on her face. Her emerald eyes were focused down the aisle at her destiny. The Tamaraneans began to clap as Starfire stepped forward. For Robin, it was all slow motion, watching the way her braid beat against her shoulder and her skirt waving between her strides. As she passed their pew, Starfire's emerald eyes met Robin's. He gazed endlessly into them, wanting to reach out to her. But unfortunately, she kept walking, pointing her eyes forward again. He felt every vein inside of him throbbing as Starfire approached Yalfore, folding her hands in front of her. Yalfore's smile had every muscle inside of Robin twisting.
"Princess Koriand'r..." His voice was so soft and calming. "In just a few mere moments, we will call you that no more. Please, turn around and look at the loyal subjects who also look to you." Slowly, Starfire turned, looking across the massive hall. Her head throbbed horrendously, she was nearly seeing double. However, the Teen Titans stood out to her and Starfire found herself focusing on Robin's pensive face. She was beginning to realize how much she truly was giving up. He looked so upset and Starfire wondered if that was the last way she'd ever see his face. Would she forever be haunted by that down trotted look, absolutely crushed? The other faces in the room looked to her in a way that was not known to Starfire. Despite the Tamaranean blood flowing through her, she did not feel it. None of this felt right. But there was nothing she could do. She bowed her head to the people before her, reluctantly accepting her fate. Yalfore's hand came across her shoulder. "It is time, Princess Koriand'r, to join your blood with that of past Grand Rulers, embedding into you their knowledge, their experiences, and bringing you to be one of them, forever immortalized in history."
Starfire's legs were shaky as she was guided up the steps to stand before the sharp pulpit. Yalfore smiled to her as he gripped her wrist, extending her hand up for the hall to see. The Titans all tensed. From the sash of his gown, Yalfore raised a silver dagger with a hilt to resemble vines. Robin's hands curled into fists, his eyes darting about the room. This was the moment, wasn't it? In just mere seconds, Starfire's blood would meld with those of the past, signifying the deepest honor of Tamaran. Yalfore's blade came to her skin and he watched as Starfire cringed away, crimson red filling her palm.
"STOP!" Robin came to his feet before he could even react to himself. His voice echoed up the high ceilings and Yalfore glared down the aisle, a wave of eyes following him. Yalfore held Starfire's wrist tightly, her blood soaking into the frill of her sleeve. The leader stepped into the aisle, his shoulders rising and falling as his veins boiled. "You can't get away with this, Yalfore!"
"Can't get away with what?" Yalfore shook his head, his annoyance kept mildly at bay. "Crown a new Grand Ruler and promise prosperity to our planet? You don't accept that?"
"Of course I want Tamaran to be free and safe again," Robin continued up the aisle towards the altar as a mass of whispering began to fill the hall. "But that's not what you want, Yalfore."
To his relief, the shifting of a pew rung out and Nelda stood with her shoulders square and her face pensive. "He is right. Fellow Tamaraneans, Yalfore is not on our side." There was now a murmur of chatter broken out across the large hall. Emerald eyes looked for answers. Starfire felt Yalfore's hand tighten around her wrist and she gazed down the aisle at Robin. Starfire didn't know what she was feeling. Her head threatened to explode on her shoulders as she watched his tense body rooted firmly in the center of the growing chaos. Her warm blood seared across her palm, threatening to fall into the pool of past Grand Rulers. "Tamaran is lead on the basis of fear and control," Nelda said, flicking her eyes across the room. "Those who do not agree, those who find themselves in difficult situations, are punished, unjustly, whisked away to never see the moons again. We cannot play dumb to this or pretend this is what makes life safer. Yalfore proclaims the danger and yet he is the danger. Tamaran will always continue to suffer unfairly at the hands of this jaded man. How long must we look the other way? How much more of the blood of Grand Rulers can we burn through before there is nothing left for us on this planet?"
Yalfore released Starfire's wrist and approached the altar. The princess sorely held her hand close, uncaring of the dribbling blood. All around her, things seemed to be in slow motion, though her heart accelerated forward rapidly. If her own people were speaking the words the Teen Titans had believed, Starfire couldn't help but feel foolish. On top of the already truly awful feeling that wretched her entire body, Starfire took a few steps back from Yalfore as the traditional ceremony came to a screeching halt. It couldn't be, she wanted to argue. She had known Yalfore for a lifetime. How could someone who had witnessed her birth, watched her accomplish milestones, have any ill intentions for her? Starfire was baffled and confounded. She stared intently at the back of Yalfore's stiff body, pursing her trembling lips together. The young Tamaranean liked to think she had grown into a mindful woman. Living on earth had given her a sense of confidence and understanding that she was beginning to suspect was inflated. Was it true? Was all of this orchestrated directly under her nose? How could she miss the signs? And what was wrong with her? Starfire's fingers curled into the burning cut across her palm.
"Order! Order in this ceremonial hall!" Yalfore called out, raising his hands. "What is being spoken is blasphemy. An even worse crime on the eve of such an important tradition for Tamaran. The threat to our planet will soon be no more. We will not live in fear of Gordanians, nor any outsiders who meddle in our affairs." He glared squarely down the aisle at Robin. If looks could kill, the leader of the Teen Titans was certain he'd be dead. But still, he kept himself standing there. He wasn't afraid. He wasn't doubting himself anymore. As his eyes turned onto Starfire, he saw just how wrong everything was. Starfire looked no more than a frightened child, like she had once been when she was sent away. "Who speaks before you now is no more than a-"
"Than a once trusted maid of the castle," Nelda stepped forward now, her purple dress gleaming in the moonlight spilling through the windows. "I worked in the castle for years. I once served Myand'r and Luand'r. Everything was fine until Galfore was crowned ad interim. Then something changed. And you, Yalfore, are the only denominator standing before us."
"My sister speaks the truth," Forneah stood across the room, her vibrant red hair tumbling over her shoulders. "One day, my sister simply disappeared. And without the work of these noble and humble earthlings, I may have never seen her again. Tonight, I am with my sister beneath the moon for the first time in nearly seven months. How many others of you have family with unknown fates? How many of you received forged letters in the mail with passive reasons as to why they simply had to leave? We must speak up. This is our planet. Never before have Tamaraneans simply disappeared. We are tethered to this planet and its moon cycle." Forneah turned to face the stiff man at the altar. "Galfore was a war hero. He was healthy and had several dozen years ahead of him. Something is not adding up."
The murmurs grew louder and Yalfore's slender fingers gripped the altar tightly. Why weren't they attacking? Wasn't that all the earthlings knew best? Towards the back of the room, a thick man, the size of a tree trunk, rose. "My brother, Kaiden'e, was a loyal subject of the arts for the kingdom. He was commissioned to paint Galfore's Grand Ruler picture. And yet, the picture hangs no where, and my brother has chosen to relocate supposedly."
"Where is the truth, Yalfore?" Nelda's face was dark and still as she looked upon him on the platform. "We will not sit in silence and watch you condemn honorable Koriand'r to her death. What have you to say? Or perhaps, shall we speak our truths beneath the shade of the Humbuck trees?"
"Silence!" Yalfore's voice echoed widely across the room and he did his best to not seethe from where he stood. "These accusations are unfounded! Tamaran has been a wilting flower since the Gordanians invaded. We have lost many noble young lives. Old ones, as well. But today, Princess Koriand'r stands before us in her youth ready to renew Tamaran to what it once was; to recapture what we once had. She is the key to having those seemingly lost return to the prosperity of their people."
Beast Boy stood now, despite feeling so meek beneath the high vaulted ceilings. "If Starfire is the key then why are you poisoning her?!" There were gasps that arose. It was hard to calculate whether it was because her english name was spoken aloud or by the claim itself.
Robin's face tightened. "We know you're working with Blackfire, Yalfore. You might as well give it up."
"You have no proof," Yalfore shot back, hoping to provoke the antsy young man.
"He does not," Nelda lifted her chin. "But I do. As the care giver of Galfore in his last days, I came across a vile made of Humbuck berries and a transcription between you and a Komand'r. It provoked the last of my days upon the cobblestones of Tamaran." People were shifting uncomfortably in their pews now and Yalfore refrained from twitching.
Robin reached to his belt and extended a metal rod, which he held pensively in his hands. "What do you have to say now, Yalfore?"
Yalfore tilted his chin up in a rigid manner. "Nothing, beside the fact you earthlings have ruined Princess Koriand'r's true ascension. Is this not your friend, Robin?" His eyes pierced straight down the aisle at the young man whose blood ran coarsely through his veins. "From my understanding, you adopted her on earth, where she so by chance landed. But you never truly understood what she was destined for. And still, I believe, you do not understand."
"I understand completely," Robin tilted his baton towards Yalfore. "We took Starfire in and she took care of herself. She was independent and free spirited, but still knew how to count on others for support. Something you're sorely lacking, Yalfore."
"And what could you insolent, dumbfounded human possibly understand about me?"
"Yalfore!" Starfire spoke up now and stepped forward, her green eyes shimmering.
"I am sorry, Princess Koriand'r, that your special day has been ruined," Yalfore clucked, gently touching her shoulder.
"No," Starfire shook her head. "I do not like the way you are speaking to my friends."
He blinked rapidly, obviously incredulous. "Your Majesty, just look at him," He gestured broadly to Robin, who did not move. "Do you not see what he is doing? He is poisoning the mind of your people. He's taking away what you've been promised, what you are entitled to. He is certainly not your friend. None of them are. Look what they've done to your poor subjects, who only wish to find some semblance of the life they just had. They just reopen old wounds like it's all they know."
"Starfire, don't listen to him," Robin's face tightened. "Yalfore and Blackfire are setting you up."
"I've heard enough out of your disrespectful mouth!" Yalfore lifted his hand, an electrified bolt exuding from his fingertips. It struck Robin in the chest, who was sent backwards. The Tamaraneans now came to their feet in waves. Some were unsure of what to think. Others realized they were witnessing true history unfolding. Majority didn't know what to make of the situation, exasperated by their fights and pleading that typically went unanswered.
"Robin!" Starfire gasped, trying to run forward. Yalfore, however, stopped her.
"Princess Koriand'r, we are beneath the most important moon to our people. Now is the time we must do right," He lifted her crusty, crimson hand. "Don't you want your people to have a good life? Don't you wish for us to live clearly, concisely, without all these problems muddling the pool? You are their only hope, Koriand'r."
Starfire's eyes were wet as she looked at Yalfore's pensive face. "The way our people can have a good life, though, is by not being frightened of those who are different from us. The people of earth mean us no harm. They care for us." Starfire gazed down the aisle with her pulsating head, watching as Robin slowly lifted himself back up. The other Teen Titans spilled into the aisle, coming to stand shoulder to shoulder with the panting Robin. "I am not the last hope for Tamaran," She said gently. "I am the final bridge."
"Well, aren't you just so eloquent and noble." Starfire gasped, her mind twirling, as she tilted her head back. Standing on the chandelier, dangling precariously out from the chain that held it to the ceiling, was Blackfire. Her dark haired sister was grinning nefariously. "Hello, sister dear."
"What are you doing!?" Yalfore sneered.
"Your little plan was going to pieces pretty quick," Blackfire said plainly, bringing her feet down to gently touch the aisle. She threw a fleeting smile in the direction of the Titans before she placed her hands on her hips.
"Sister... you've been here all along?" Starfire asked. Her head was splitting terribly, her stomach nearly upside down. She did not know what was happening.
"Actually, I just got in," Blackfire told her, turning towards the altar. "How could I miss my little sister's big day?"
"But if you are here..." Starfire shook her head. "Then why do I stand here in Mother's ceremonial garbs? And what of little brother?"
"You just don't get it, do you?" Blackfire straightened her shoulders. "You can't see you're on a sinking ship, even when the water is rushing all over you." She lifted her hand, admiring a flaring ball of purple forming above her palm, growing larger and larger with her energy. "Tamaran is like a vase, dear little sister. Once it's broken, there is no way to truly put it back together. With Mother and Father dead, the old idea, the way Tamaran used to be, can never be had again. And anyone who dares try is just a mindless fool thinking we could ever return to that way of life."
"But... why...?" Starfire asked, rather meekly. "Sister, I do not understand."
"And that is why you're here," Blackfire shot back quickly, her eyes beginning to glow. "Because you are apart of the mindless fools, just like Galfore, whose picturesque view of Tamaran is not attainable anymore. It's what we should never strive to be again. Tamaran won't be pushed around so easily any longer. Not with me and Yalfore at the helm and all those who bear witness. We will show the galaxy we are not so easily bullied. We are not scared. We are true warriors who can stand up for ourselves."
"My friends were right," Starfire said breathlessly. "Blackfire, it does not have to be this way." Starfire looked towards Yalfore, feeling an emotion well up inside her that she had no words to describe. Starfire jerked her wrist from his grasp. "How could you? Where is my little brother? Why did you kill your own friend?"
"I stood by your parents for decades, Princess Koriand'r," Yalfore replied plainly. "Without change, life stagnates. It becomes meaningless. And I do no act alone. Nor are my thoughts out of touch."
Towards the back of the room, a man spoke. "I am with Yalfore. Myand'r has always touted our people as warriors and warlords. But our powers, our leadership, has always stood in the way of having what we Tamaraneans have always deserved. We live on top of a festering wound. And if we do not change, we are only bound to make the same mistakes over and over again."
"You fools," Forneah clenched her teeth together. "How does slowly picking off the order of the new moon ascendants put us in any better of a predicament? Soon you'll all be knocking heads over who is the rightful leader and who knows best. Ryand'r is the rightful bearer of this throne. Things can change, but not as so long as we hurt each other. We cannot grow as a planet staging coups against our own kinds. We'd be no better than other races with civil wars."
"Soon, Ryand'r will have no bearing on this throne," Blackfire stated coolly. "And my dear little sister will join that flock of those who tried and failed."
Through all of her pain, Starfire was beginning to realize what was truly happening. Yalfore and Blackfire had outsmarted her. Through the haze in her mind, she remembered the chilling downfall of Tamaran that had never been set right again. Before her was a mixed crowd. Some that only wanted to seek healing. But others wanted vengeance. Starfire pressed her hand to her abdomen and shook her head despite everything spinning around her. "I will not allow myself, not a single other person, to suffer and befall the tragedies that still haunt us. I will not sit idly by and allow all of you to sink further into the gloom. There is a way to our idea of tranquility and renewed life. And, my friends, this is not the way." Starfire stepped forward and gripped the altar. "Blackfire, you will not rule this planet ever again. All you do is take us further away from what makes us Tamaraneans."
"Oh, and what will you do?" Blackfire arched her eyebrows. "You're in no condition to fight, little sister."
"But we are," Robin said, straightening his shoulders.
"Yeah, you mess with one Teen Titan," Cyborg shook his head. "You mess with all of the Teen Titans."
Blackfire snorted and turned towards the readied heroes. "A team of five. Against dozens and dozens of Tamaraneans who stand before us and share our vision. With our careful and steady hand, Tamaran will return to a power of the galaxy and beyond that. You cannot stop what is right. This is what's needed."
From behind her, with all of her might, Starfire lifted her hands and began culminating a large green bolt. Her eyes seared into the back of her sister's body, feeling an anger begging to be unleashed. Yalfore clucked his tongue however, lifting a small device. "Not so fast, Princess Koriand'r."
Robin's mouth fell open and his eyes widened as an electrical shock overtook Starfire. She let out frenzied cries as she staggered and held her temples. A blackness was caving in around her, all of her senses rushing away. For a brief moment, Starfire wondered if this was what dying was like. She fell forward off the platform, landing on her knees. Starfire panted heavily, raggedly, her shoulders rising and falling as the electrical currents waxed and waned over her petite body.
"What are you doing to her?!" Robin demanded, stepping forward.
"Using the gift Luand'r and Myand'r bestowed upon her the moment she was born," Yalfore replied calmly, watching as Starfire gave in to the sensations. There was a silence in the hall and not a single person knew not what to expect in the next moment. Starfire came to her feet, staring with a blank expression down the aisle. Her emerald eyes penetrated Robin's. "Starfire, protect what we hold so dear. Everyone else, fight for what you believe in. We shall see which idealization of Tamaran remains come the first mornings light." He smiled deviously.
In the next beat, with wicked fast reflexes, Starfire catapulted herself down the aisle. Her hands landed heavily into Robin's chest and they spun towards the door. Robin slammed into the sharp marble pillar and fell to a kneel. He lifted his eyes just in time to react to a series of starbolts sent by her. He rolled between the thick dust. "Starfire!" Robin panted. He stood and used his metal rod to deflect the shots she took at him. "It's me, Robin!"
"She cannot hear you," Yalfore said. "Tonight, Tamaran will be free!"
The hall fell into chaos as the Tamaraneans clashed with each other. Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy stood amongst the mess of people, watching as pews broke and windows shattered.
It was going to be a very long night.