Fan Fiction ❯ Demon in Disguise: On Tamaran ❯ Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Raven awoke the next day, warm and safe in Kory's arms. Now in human form, she stretched the best she could and yawned. She slipped quietly out of bed, so as not to awake Starfire, and leaned against a wall.

"Ah, you're awake I see." Raven jumped in surprise as she heard Xyannis's voice.

"Can I go?"

"Yes, Raven, you may leave. And I'm sorry for startling you."

"It's okay." Raven replied. She walked over to the bed and shook Koriand'r awake. "Kory, wake up. We can leave."

"Metrion, I am sleeping." the Tamaranean murmured.

"No you're not, come on." Raven took one of Koriand'r's slim golden hand's and pulled.

Star sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Very well, let us go."

They left the medical ward and headed straight for the cafeteria. Once there, Raven had herbal tea, and Starfire had a soup which was much like cream of mushroom; complete with floating pieces of fungus.

"Raven, Starfire," Kalista called, making her way to their table. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"No, we do not mind." Star said happily, smiling warmly at the Euphoran.

"So, Raven, are we friends?" Kalista asked as she took a seat next to the brooding sorceress.

"Close enough," Raven replied.

"Can I call you Metrion?"

"If you want to."

Just then Lorn walked up, his fang-toothed smile back in place. "Hey, Ravester, what's up?" he asked, indicating Raven. "Still in pain?"

"Not since last night. I didn't have time to thank you, so thanks. You know, if you were on Earth you could make a living giving massages."

"I'll consider that as a compliment, and you're welcome." Lorn said.

Just then a Tamaranean boy by the name of Fyand'r, who was about eighteen years in age, walked to their table and directly to Koriand'r. "Koriand'r, what are you doing with this disgusting piece of filth?" he asked, pointing at Raven. "You know that it's taken over one hundred lives, and you'll be next; make no mistake about that. So, come, disassociate yourself from it, and join me."

"I thank you for your concern, but it is not needed." Starfire said.

"Oh, let me guess, you love it, right?"

"Yes, I love Raven, and would trust her with my life."

"Don't be afraid Koriand'r, as long as I'm here there's nothing to fear from it. I will protect you."

"Leave now, please." Starfire said.

"I don't think so, if I leave there will be no one to protect you from that murderer."

"She told you to leave." Raven growled. "Now do as she says."

Fyand'r reached out a hand and took one of Kory's hands "Come with me." He then walked away, dragging Koriand'r.

"Wherever you are taking me, I do not wish to go." Starfire struggled.

Metrion stood up, knocking the chair down as she did so, and ran to Starfire. Her eyes glowed red and she directed her snarl at Fyand'r. "Let her go."

"And what'll you do if I don't?"

"Simple," In one fluid motion, Raven caught up the boy's arm, shoved a knee into his spine and smashed him to the ground. "This."

Fyand'r saw blackness edge in his vision and cried out in pain and terror as he tasted something liquid and metallic in his mouth. He screamed and the weight on his body lifted. The boy sat up, rubbing his eyes. "You're a demon!" he spat.

"Yeah, I am, and you're a sex-driven bastard." Raven countered. "And if you do anything like this to Starfire again, you'll lose more than a few drops of blood, that I promise you."

"Like what?"

"Use your imagination."

The boy looked up into the empath's angry face, stood, and ran out of the room in sheer terror.

"Star, are you okay?" Raven asked.

"Yes, Metrion, I am fine; and yourself?"

"Fine. I just thought I'd never have to use that move on anyone again, normally the end is deadly." She looked around and saw everyone staring at her; some with looks of terror, others with expressions of hate and loathing, but most with looks of admiration.

"Raven, I wish to thank you for rescuing me from Fyand'r." Kory said, smiling warmly.

"No problem." Metrion replied.

Later That Day

"And that is how it's done." the Warlord said, as he cleaved a hologram of a Branx into two bloody pieces. "Now who wants to go first?" The Warlord looked around at the students, saw that no one was very enthusiastic, and gestured for one to come forth. "Raven, how about you?"

Raven looked at the holographic remains of the alien. "I can't, I'm sorry."

"Sure you can, is it because there's no danger to it? Well that can be solved easily. Koriand'r, will you please help me in this exercise?"

Starfire got up from her chair and stood by her teacher. "I will gladly help you if it will benefit Metrion."

The holographic simulation was restarted. The Branx warrior walked towards Starfire, ready to kill. Raven saw this and jumped to her feet. Letting out an inhuman roar of rage, she charged. Ignoring the Solar Lance she was supposed to use, she looked at the weapons rack for a weapon more to her liking.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" As soon as these words were shouted a huge knife zipped handle first towards the sorceress who caught it. She then began to dismember her foe while protecting Kory with her eight foot tall frame. Raven chopped of the arms at the shoulders, then removed the legs at the hips, followed by slicing the man from the crown of the head down to the groin. When she had finished everyone was staring in horror including Starfire who had never seen Raven exhibit such violent tendencies.

"Metrion, why did you?,,," Star began.

"Kill him so brutally? Because if I hadn't, he would have killed you. Now, if you'll excuse me." Metrion then left the training hall.

She walked through the caverns, until she came to a door and opened it. She stepped into what was clearly a well furnished but unused living quarters. Every piece of furniture was covered with a thick layer of dust. The empath walked over to a couch and sank onto it with a heavy sigh.

"What is the matter, Raven?" a feminine voice asked.

Metrion looked up and saw a semi-transparent figure with long hair, with a very angular countenance, and wearing the university's uniform gliding towards her from out of the shadows. Aaaahh! Raven screamed. "If I'm the one who killed you I'm sorry! I really really am!"

The ghost raised a hand for silence. "Do not worry, young Raven, I am not one of your unintended victims. And please do not fear me, I am not going to hurt you; I merely wish to speak with you."

"You're not? You do?" Raven asked, slowly getting over the fear of the spirit's sudden appearance.

"Yes, I only wish to talk, nothing more."

"Who are you? Why are you here? How did you die?"

"Those are easy questions to answer. I am Equinox. I am here to offer my help to you. As for how I died, my life was taken by my own hands." the spirit, Equinox, answered.

"Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt, Metrion?"

"Does it hurt to die?"

"It can. As for my own experience with death, there was no pain involved."

"How did you--" Raven stopped in mid-question.

"How did I take my life? I ingested a plant which turned out to be lethal."

"You ate a plant? Sounds kindda like something Kory'd do."

"You are referring to Princess Koriand'r, yes?"

"Yes."

"Her love for you is great. You are also loved by another, do you know of whom I speak?"

"I am?"

"Indeed, very much so. You are loved by the Euphoran Kalista."

Raven's jaw dropped. "No. Not Kalista. That's impossible."

"Is it?"

"Of course it's impossible. I don't love her."

"Just because you do not share her feelings does not mean that she does not harbor those feelings for you."

"Who told you this?"

"Kalista herself told me of her feelings for you. She said that she knew that you are in love with Koriand'r, and had decided to conceal her feelings."

"Okay, so what am I gonna do about this?" Raven asked herself.

"This is one of these dilemmas of which I cannot counsel you. You will need to decide for yourself the actions you will take."

"So you say you wanna help me, what with?"

"I wish to help you with furthering your skills as a warrior. The princess explained to me the reason for your being here, and said that you have problems with fighting against others. She said that you are afraid that you might cause another's death. Do you wish for my help?"

Raven nodded. "Will you please?"

"Certainly. We will start tomorrow. Now retire to your quarters for the night."

"Where should we meet, and what time?"

"Meet me here after the sun sets if you are able. Now go." Equinox placed a ghostly hand on Raven's shoulder.

Instead of the touch of ice which the sorceress was expecting, the hand which passed through her shoulder felt pleasantly warm. "You're not cold."

"No, I am not."

"Raven, we seek your companionship!" came Starfire's voice from outside the room.

"In here, Kory!" Metrion called back.

Koriand'r entered with Kalista right behind her. "Metrion, we were worried about you."

"I'm sure you were, Kory, and thanks for your concern." Raven replied.

"So, Ray, I see you've met Equinox." Kalista noticed.

"Yes I have. Oh, and Star, thanks for your suggestion, I start training with Equinox tomorrow."

"I welcome you. I assumed that you would need the extra help, and my assumptions were indeed correct." Star said.

"Raven, about earlier in the training hall, I think you did one hell of a job in killing that hologram." Kalista congratulated.

"Thanks." Raven replied, unconsciously stepping away from the Euphoran.

"Something wrong, Metrion?" said Euphoran asked.

"No, I'm fine. Just tired." the sorceress lied.

"Oh. Then you should get to bed."

Raven then left with Koriand'r heading for their quarters for the night.

"You told her. You lied to me! You lied!" Kalista shouted at the ghost, once she was certain Koriand'r and Metrion were out of earshot.

"I assure you, I told you no falsehood. You did not specify for me to not inform Raven of your feelings for her. I believed she needed to know." Equinox replied calmly.

"But now she's uneasy around me. Thanks, Equinox, thanks a lot." Kalista said sarcastically while glaring at the spirit.

"I apologize for upsetting you, but Metrion deserves to know of your feelings." Equinox floated away, melding perfectly with the shadows from which she had appeared, leaving the angry Euphoran to leave the quarters feeling both betrayed and upset. Converting /tmp/phprXASsF to /dev/stdout