Hello all! WE ARE BACK IN THE WHERE IT ALL BEGAN! Thank you all for all the comments and reviews and all the love! Now...

ON WITH THE STORY!

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Two days in this ocean of sands, all of them trapped in this unforgiving heat during the day only to then take on the desert's chilly evenings. He remembered his journey across this land nearly a year ago and thought about the challenges that were presented to him then, it was difficult. This time he was much better equipped, but he couldn't help but wonder how he survived nearly five days with minimal supplies before he found that abandoned settlement. Originally he chalked it up to sheer luck. And he was even luckier when he collapsed and Sariel had mordaciously stumbled upon him. Now it wasn't just him alone, it was himself and his team, along with Deathstroke. The six of them on a journey to a land of ruin. And in doing so he brought the team he had built to a place where he had questioned and found himself amongst the flames and the presence of death.

The first day was the most brutal on the team. While they had prepared beforehand, and studied how to survive in a desert with such high temperatures, this place was toying with its prey. Everyone was hot, the heat was beginning to weigh everyone down and Robin wondered if this was indeed a good idea to bring them here. But it was the only way they could get across the border unbeknownst to the Yemen government and its variety of factions. Never mind the fact that the borders were all closed. So crossing the desert was the only way in and out. So he had to put his faith in his team, they would pull through as they always have.

Not that he wasn't faring any better, the sweat that gathered on his brow was evident enough of that. This land was ravage and he knew with all certainty that it could drive anyone to madness. But with his experiences from his last unplanned expedition, he was able to hide it a bit better. So by the time night was upon them and they had set up camp Robin had found himself checking in on everyone before he could find himself in his makeshift bed. Everyone was exhausted and practically out before him, all of them of course but for Slade. "They've done well." Robin shrugged as he folded back the door to his tent. "Yeah, I figured they would."

"I Never doubted you and your abilities to build a team, Richard. The reason I encouraged you to do so in the beginning was because I knew you could build something worthwhile. We needed a rather elite unit and you delivered."

Robin yawned, his eyes tiredly looked on at his master. "You're complimenting me now?" The mastermind merely shrugged, a smug look on his face. "We have a long way to At Talh, but we should reach it by tomorrow evening." Robin nodded before he said his good nights and simply folded into his sleeping bag. The sands underneath him weren't exactly the most comfortable, even with a sleeping pad under him. But it didn't matter, exhaustion took him.

The next day wasn't much different from the day before. With the exception that they had found a couple of abandoned jeeps that were slowly being devoured by the desert. Originally Robin had thought it best to drive across the desert, but that would also prove to bring up other problems. Flying by Helicopter and being dropped off would save them some time. And possibly a lot of hassle as he looked on at the vehicles. Driving out here would be a hassle, an annoying hassle. How many times would they have to stop to dig the jeep out of the sand, how many times would they have to push it out of the dunes? He frowned at the thought and was glad he had insisted they do the two-day walk. Although he would admit, that the AC would be nice at this point.

When they had reached At Talh, Slade took charge of purchasing the equipment and weapons they needed. So he left the man behind in a shop filled to the brim with every supply one could ask for including a variety of weapons, guns, and even the stuff he didn't need. Such as the cartons of cigarettes piled upon one another.

In the meantime, he had to find someone that he could purchase half a dozen camels from. While he did so the team dispersed, after he gave them all a clear warning of course. No causing problems and no being a problem. This world wasn't exactly open to Americans, despite Tanks' best efforts in his defense that he was actually Mexican. All in all, it didn't matter here, as long as you were from the outside world, you were considered different and possibly dangerous. Some wouldn't hesitate to shoot now and ask questions later. So when the team went their separate ways it made Asif a bit nervous, "Are you sure they'll be safe on their own?" Robin merely shrugged. "They should be smart enough not to start anything."

Asif sighed. "Alright." was all he said as he shook his head. "If you say so. I just don't want to clean up any messes." Robin simply smiled at his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure they'll be fine. Anyways, you ready to get us a good deal on some Camels, see if they can try and throw in a spare camel for a good deal." Robin's eyes looked to the trader in question and Asif shook his head while a smile appeared on his lips. "Yea yea, ok. I'll try." Language was always a barrier out here, especially since he didn't speak Arabic, but thankfully Asif knew the language. And somehow some way, Asif was able to get them the camels they needed, including a seventh one to help carry supplies. When they had arrived back at their meet-up point and shared their news he wasn't expecting anyone to be excited. Camels, while looking cute and harmless, could be quite the opposite. But they were the best option for getting across the remaining desert. "Are we seriously riding camels off into the desert?" Tank was quite surprised by this. "Like in the movies?" Robin could only nod at Tank's astonishment. The man seemed at that moment, like a child, about to experience something he's always wanted to. Kate, however, just rolled her eyes and Ksenia let out a bit of a chuckle.

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For a while he felt as if he should just stop looking for any reasons as to why this had happened, it wasn't like him at all. Normally he would plunge himself into the depths of his cases, he would find what he needed, and then tackle the mission. But this was too personal. Richard had betrayed him. He betrayed all of his friends and those who called him family. And it didn't help that after Luthor's event, he couldn't find a trace of him. As if he had just gone underground and disappeared. So he was left with nothing. But it didn't mean he still didn't attempt to find him regardless of his personal feelings. After a while, he began looking more and more into what exactly happened at Luthor's charity ball. And what he had found was interesting, to say the least. There was an image of this woman with red hair and striking red eyes. A picture that the building's cameras had captured, an image that caught his eye after looking through all of the security footage. And when he scanned the image through the internet, he found multiple images of this woman. She appeared as a woman of some higher position since she looked so professional. She obviously had money and a lot of it, he could tell by the way she dressed. Her suits, every single one, were designer. The cut and stylization screamed that much. And yet, there was nothing known about her other than a few tidbits here and there. Her name was Aurora Warchild. She was wealthy but no one knew exactly where she obtained her wealth, she had no family to inherit anything from. Was her money even legal? He couldn't even find an answer to that. There was nothing that led back to her. And she was a bit of a known conspiracy online, much like the men in black or the Illuminati and Bohemian Grove. She made public appearances, but she was a secret onto herself.

Who exactly was Aurora Warchild and why was she at Luthor's event? The other locations she had previously been seen at didn't have any connection to Lex Luthor or any supervillain. So why was she there? Unless she was the one who attacked the event. He had a feeling then that Richard had gotten himself over his head, and whatever he was going through right now wasn't just about Deathstroke and being his apprentice. The picture was much larger than that now. And he wondered, was Dick trying to fight against this woman? It sounded ridiculous, but if she had a military to attack anyone she wanted to... then the possibilities were endless.

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The last stretch of the journey was much more pleasant than the first two days. But he supposed riding by camelback had changed that. While the heat was still unbearable at times the brunt of walking through the sand was taken from them. Even Tank seemed to complain less about the heat since it looked like he was really enjoying his camel ride. Eventually, the team appeared to be somewhat ok with Deathstroke's presence. Although the only person to approach him rather than Robin was Kate, it took her a while to gather her nerve, but she always seemed to be the type to observe everything first before marching in. Unless she wanted to strangle you, then he would assume at that point there would be no planning, just strangling. However, when she confronted Slade about not needing a weapon, that she was the weapon, she was taken aback by Slade's own concern for her safety, suggesting that she should at the very least carry a knife on her person. A suggestion she took with a huff and a frown.

"What in the world?" Asif had pointed out something peculiar as they passed by. "What is that?" The group had stopped for a moment to try and take in what they were seeing. "It looks like a plane." Tank had shrugged it off as if it was nothing. Robin narrowed his eyes. "That looks like a pretty old plane."

"World War II model, and very well preserved." Slade looked on at the plane. "Makes you wonder how it got all the way out here."

"It also makes you wonder what else this desert is hiding," Robin smirked at the idea of unforeseen treasures beneath the sands. How much have they covered up over time? But with an urgency to continue their journey, they leave the relic behind. Slade drags behind for a bit as he watches Robin and his team move ahead. He flipped out his phone and realized that his old haunt in Jump City had been broken into. And while he had not been there since Robin and his team destroyed it, he did ensure that certain things were still working in case any Titan came to visit. Specifically, for Robin, if he ever came back to investigate, but considering Richard was now Renegade and stood at his side, what he had originally left there for the former boy wonder was now useless. And while on their visit to the island, he had meant to discard it. But he found that perhaps, if possible, he could taunt the Titans in a different way. And so he left the power on and left the computers he had on, albeit they were now meant to serve a singular purpose, to deliver a message in case anyone came looking. And apparently, someone did come looking. When he brought up the camera footage he found the alien princess hovering through his old lair. And when she started looking up things that definitely concerned Robin in his system, he figured it was time to let them know where Robin stood.

So he allowed her into his systems, made it easy for her too, and showed her everything.

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She returned to Jump City to find Raven in the same situation, and the boys were still at odds with one another while they healed from their injuries. The tower, once a beacon in the night sky, remained still and silent in Jump Cities Bay area. Nothing had changed in her short absence. So it didn't seem to matter that she went out alone that night. After she talked with the Batman, when she realized where to begin her search on the why of the matter, she made an effort to investigate herself. And soon she found herself in the bowls of Slade's old haunt, the very one they destroyed from Robin's first apprenticeship. Of course, the princess had suspected a trap once she found out that the power was still somehow being supplied to the lair, even in its ruined state, the computers hummed to life. And the screens that once held her statistics, along with the Titans, came to life.

"Hello Titans." Starfire's eyes grew wide at the sight of the familiar black and orange mask. For a moment, she thought that she was speaking directly to Slade, but it seemed it was a pre-recorded file uploaded for a Titan's inevitable arrival. "I suppose you're here for a reason, and as I suspect that reason would be for Robin. But it would appear that you are too late. I am grateful, however, that you didn't show up earlier, or I wouldn't be able to show you what your former leader has become."

The room went black for a few seconds before a video began to play. She gasped as the recording continued. It was all snippets taken from security cameras, but they all had a very distinct message. Each video that played was of Robin and his acts of crime, and each image grew progressively worse. The bar fight, the brutality of his hits, the fact that he shot a man in the leg. It wasn't Robin at all. And then the church. He lost so much, he lost what she could only describe as a friend since the girl had appeared in the other snippets of footage and she felt her heart sink at her death, and yet she became repulsed the moment he turned to hatred and anger. And in his raging emotions, he became a killer. Every little moment that Slade could gather on the fall of her friend was put into a sixty-second video.

"Do you want to know why?" She breathed heavily, Slade's voice still intimated her, but she had to remind herself that this was only a recording. "Robin grew to comprehend the world around him. That the world is not so cut and dry, and if he didn't take a stand and survive in a world that hated him, despised heroes and the people of the West, then he would die. In the beginning, all he ever wanted was to return home. But the longer he stayed, the more horrors he saw, the more he began to understand the world around him, and soon a spark was born in his turbulent mind. And soon after I watched how the spark within him grew to become a brilliant flame. He watched as innocents died all around him, and he came to a brutal realization that he couldn't help them all. But he could do something. So he fought to survive, he fought to save a friend, even if it meant that he left others to die. He made his choice. And now as my apprentice, he will go above and beyond everyone's expectations. So If I were you, I would be more concerned about your former leader than myself."

The screen went black and tears streamed down her face, she hadn't expected to cry. That wasn't part of the plan, but it couldn't be helped. "Robin." Slade's last few words of his apprentice being a threat only made her think back on the recent attacks. Slade was right, they should have been more concerned about who and what Robin would have become. But in hindsight, they all had too much faith in him. Robin wouldn't betray them, it didn't seem possible, but he did. And it hurt. In the beginning, they all had hope they would find him, but after Hot Spots encounter, everything changed. And still, they wanted to bring him home, bring him to justice. The idea that he would try and kill them was never brought up until the night they were in the tower, and Cyborg was suddenly very afraid for the team.

She took a deep breath and she left the haunt behind, never wanting to step foot in there again. She flew back to the hospital, back to Raven's bedside, and waited. Waiting until she could stop crying, waiting until this nightmare was over.

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"I can see a town." Tank pointed to the city in question. Robin merely sighed at the sight of it. Sa'dah looked just the same as it had before. Nothing had changed, but he didn't expect it to. The city itself was old, he estimated around 1000 years give or take, maybe even older. He only knew it was built around the Middle Ages and it was technically, a newer city in comparison to some others in the country. "Newer." he thought, ironic that a city built in the Middle Ages was newer. And for a moment, he wondered if this team even knew of the significance of this city, that it was once the capital of all of Yemen.

But he supposed it didn't matter now. "This is it, everything now is up to luck and perhaps a bit of wit," Robin smirked at Slade's comment. "Believing in luck now?" Slade scoffed at the idea. "Normally the idea of leaving anything to luck is abhorrent. However, in our case, a little may go a long way." The former hero chuckled but agreed. They could use a little luck at this moment.

The team had stopped and Asif had dismounted his camel and approached his friend. They were a bit away from the city itself. Now was the time to investigate the area. "We'll need to set up a camp. I don't think it best to set foot into that city until we know exactly where she is, or anyone that could be working for her." Robin nodded in agreement as he hopped off his camel. "We set up a base of operations first. And then we investigate." Slade's words rang true to the ears around him. Robin could only agree and soon enough he found himself giving his team various jobs in setting up the camp. And within no time, they had themselves a makeshift base of operations. There were six tents in total. One for Kate and Ksenia to share, another for Asif and Tank, one for himself, and a singular one for Slade as well. One was also for storage and another was a makeshift command tent.

When everything was complete, however, the team was sent on an observation mission, and they were all clearly surprised to find absolutely nothing. Not even a trace of anyone or anything that could lead back to the ben Elohim.

"This makes no sense." Robin shook his head. "She has to be here. Why else would she drop the ball like that? Sure it's obvious, but she would have planned around that. But it also doesn't make sense that she would be planning anything else. She wanted us here. Enough to tell us where to come. If she wants the Legacy so bad, why give us false information?"

Everyone was sitting around a fire that night, they had kept one on the down low, so as not to draw any attention themselves. It wasn't as if campfires weren't uncommon out here. "Did we come out there for nothing then?" Robin looked to Discords and took in her frown. "I don't believe so. I think she's making us wait." Asif nodded, "Like at the bar, and when she's ready she'll send someone to come and collect."

Tank grunted as he burnt his food over the fire, he frowned as he held it up and muttered something about hating charred food. "So we're just supposed to wait here?" Ksenia had taken a look at Tank's scorched meal before her attention turned back to the matter at hand. "We just can't wait forever, we don't have that much in supplies." Robin only nodded in agreement.

"For now, we rest." The group looked to the mastermind. "And we prepare, they could attack us at any moment. And we need to be prepared. So, who wants to take the first watch?"

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TY all for all the love and the comments and faves! Pls pls leave me a review!

Stay safe out there!

-Fangy