Fan Fiction ❯ Raven's Destiny ❯ Revealed ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: Since I obviously don't own the copyright to Teen Titans, I'm taking advantage of the Fair Use Clause of the Copyright laws to write a story with them in it. Who knew the government would protect the little guys? Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

 

Chapter 2: Revealed

 

No one can wear a mask for very long…

- Seneca

 

“Terra,” Slade said simply, taking a few steps towards the girl, ignoring Raven completely. Raven turned, following Slade's gaze to the blonde haired girl. Terra was alive; the silver metal of Slade's suit gleamed in the freakish light of the night sky.

She was snarling at Slade, her upper lip trembling, “Slade.” Had Raven not turned to look at Terra, she might have mistaken Terra's voice for Robin's it was so filled with malice.

“How are you, my apprentice?” He asked mockingly.

Her hands balled into fists, “I am not your apprentice anymore, Slade.”

“It doesn't matter. I no longer need one.” He took a few leisure steps forward, paused and looked at her, tipping his head to his side, “You know, Terra, I really should thank you… in fact I think I will.” Slade lunged forward, arm pulled back to strike Terra down. But suddenly he stopped, a pillar of stone slamming fully into his chest, and before he could respond, another pillar shot from that one, hitting him in the jaw and slamming his head backwards with a sickening crack. Slade's head bent completely backwards, resting on his back, his eye looking at Raven.

Terra let out a few gasps of air, then took an unsteady step forward, “Raven… are you ok?”

Raven breathed in heavily, then to her horror, she saw Slade's eye move, “Terra!” The ragged yell leapt from her throat just as Slade threw his arm towards Terra, releasing a veritable wall of flame at her. Raven lost sight of her, the flames rushing towards her at an ungodly speed… Terra screamed, but it was cut off quickly, dissipating in the inferno that Slade had created.

For all the hate Raven once held for the girl, she still cried. No one deserved that. Slade simply lifted himself back up from the entwined pillars of stone, took a step forward towards the blaze, “Did you really think…” He grabbed his skull and with another sickening crack, pulled it back into its proper position, “THAT, was going to stop me?” He asked the flames, which leapt and curled in front of him. He shook his head, “Stupid girl, a failure in every way.” He turned, heading back to Raven, “Now, where was I? Ah yes…” The words died off as a rumble was heard from behind him. He turned back to see the wall of flames moving at him rapidly. He didn't move, and it slammed into him, as well as the wall of stone behind it. Slade was pinned by the stone as it slammed into another wall with a crushing force.

Raven groaned, lifting her hands to her head, then trying to stand. A hand fell on her shoulder gently, and she looked to see Terra, frowning watching her, “Come on… I don't know how long that will hold him…” Raven nodded and was lifted by Terra, who then braced Raven and they limped away together.

Raven nearly stumbled a dozen times as they trudged forward, farther and farther from the center of the city. Terra had supported her, making sure she didn't fall, a look of shock and horror plastered on her face as she saw the wave of destruction Raven had wrought. The thought occurred to Raven that this might be some fevered dream, that Terra was all in her mind, and that Slade had killed her. It would have made so much more sense. Raven looked to the girl who looked both horrified, but determined at the same time. Raven wondered how Terra was freed from her stone prison, how she could even be here and why she was here.

For all the times Raven had called Terra a traitor, for betraying and attacking them, she was worse, far worse in every way. Had she hated her so much because she had been fated to betray her friends while Terra had made a conscious decision? She couldn't even answer her own question as she was dragged away by Terra, pulled away from the grips of death to what might pass for safety in this god-forsaken world. Raven stumbled again; Terra put a hand on her, leaning her back steadying her. Raven looked at her for a moment. This wasn't a dream… it was real. Terra seemed to collapse at that moment, looking away, letting out a small whimper and then full-fledged tears. Raven found she was suddenly lacking support and nearly fell as Terra collapsed to her knees, looking at the ground.

Terra held her head in her hands, crying uncontrollably. Everything that had happened, her betrayal of the Titans still fresh in her mind… and… and then she had found them, in the street. Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy, stuck in stone, frozen as they ran in terror. She felt Raven looking down on her. All she could do was cry, finally looking up at… the person she had betrayed so quickly. Throwing away a friend, one she had plotted and betrayed and left for dead. Raven looked down at her with harsh eyes. Tears streamed down Terra's face. She would never be forgiven; she didn't deserve to be forgiven for all that she had done. She had tried, tried harder than she had ever tried before to set things right, and all of it had failed. The volcano had not destroyed the city. She had. And worse yet, she had somehow frozen the people she cared most about in stone.

There was a muffled sob from the girl kneeling before her and then Raven felt Terra grab her cloak, “Raven… I'm so sorry.” Terra's voice trembled, every word barely forced through, “I don't know how I did it! I didn't mean to do it… please, please you have to believe me, I never meant any of this, I never meant to destroy the city, I never wanted this, I tried to save everyone, and then everyone was stone, and then the city was destroyed and everything was gone and everyone was gone except you and Slade and… and… and oh god I am so sorry Raven…” The words came out in a flurry and Raven was left dumbstruck for a response. Terra thought she had done this… she was apologizing to Raven for destroying the city? Terra kneeled before her seeming to beg forgiveness for crimes she had not committed.

Raven's mouth moved slowly no words coming out. Terra cowered. She was horrified that Raven was going to say it was all her fault, that everything was her fault and that she didn't deserve any forgiveness… not that she deserved any of it. Her head fell forward, back into her hands, and she began crying again. How could she have done this?

“Terra…” Raven's hoarse voice was barely above a whisper, her throat was burning and seemingly coated in dust. Terra looked up terrified for the rebuke that was certain to follow. It was almost impossible for Raven to speak, but she forced the words out as best she could. She stopped again, then slowly kneeled down, eyes looking into Terra's, “Terra… you... didn't do this.”

“But… but I was in the cave and I tried to save everything and I failed and I destroyed everything and everyone is gone and oh god Raven, I'm so sorry please, forgive me…”

Raven shook her head, “That…” She coughed loudly, trying to clean her sore throat, “…was seven months ago… you saved the city… but you were sealed in stone…”

Terra's eyes went wide, “But… but how?”

Raven lowered her head, “We have been trying to free you… you didn't do any of this.”

Terra's gaze softened, letting it sink in, then grabbed onto Raven, “Thank you…”

Raven didn't respond, letting her hold on, but not grabbing onto her. Terra paused, realizing this, then pulled back, she grabbed her arms, cradling herself looking back down to the ground, “If… I didn't do this… Slade.” The hatred returned to her voice and she looked up with angry eyes.

Raven fell apart, inside of her, everything she had hidden from the other Titans wanted to burst forth. In a sick sense, it would make sense to tell the traitor that she was, in fact, a far more insidious traitor. But a voice stole this simple statement from her, “No, Terra, I had no such pleasure. I think that honor belongs to the one you just apologized to.”

Terra's expression soured and she stood, looking back to where Slade was, leaning up against a partially collapsed wall, “You lying manipulative bastard. I will never listen to you a…” A hand fell on her shoulder and Terra looked down to Raven who had tears forming in her eyes. Chaos erupted around them as stones exploded due to the overwhelming amount of emotions that Raven simply couldn't hold back anymore.

Terra looked back to Slade who tipped his head to the side, and then back to Raven whose head fell forward, “I'm sorry Terra… it was part of my destiny. I didn't want it to happen.”

Terra pulled away from Raven, taking a few steps backwards, tripping on a rock, and falling to the ground. Raven looked at Terra desperately, “I didn't want this! I DIDN'T WANT THIS!” She yelled as loudly as her voice could handle. Terra slowly pulled herself back. It wasn't happening, this wasn't happening, this was all some twisted sick dream. She was hallucinating.

The hand, the intense, burning sensation on her shoulder caused her to scream in agony, Slade, lifting her up his hands ablaze, said to the girl, “So, Terra, apprentice, how does it feel? Hmm?” Terra screamed, writhing in agony as the metal began to melt, the metal already scalding her skin from the heat.

“NO!” Raven let loose a choked yell and flung dozens of stones into him, tearing into his sides and armor. One chunk hit him in the face and smashed part of the mask, a deep crack drew throughout it and he released Terra who unceremoniously fell to the ground, teeth gritted in the pain.

“You little wretch.” He slowly moved his fingers across the mask, stepping on Terra's stomach, causing her to lurch forward gasping for the air that had been driven from her lungs. Slade ignored her, moving towards Raven, “You attacked my mask, didn't you?”

Raven fell backwards off of her knees and started to pull away as best she could. She was in no condition to fight Slade, neither of them was, but she had to do something. She couldn't just abandon Terra, not like she abandoned the others. Tossing her hand forward, covered in shadows, she threw forth a blast of energy. It slammed into Slade, holding him back for a second, and then he grunted and continued moving forward, intent on his goal.

“So, what are you going to do now that the gnats have failed you, that you have failed yourself? Are you finally going to give in to your own damnation? Or are you going to let me enjoy myself?” She was certain he was smiling behind that mask.

“Why do you fight damnation, Raven? You've already doomed humanity, why are you still fighting damnation?”

“Because I can.” She murmured to herself, looking up to Slade who crouched down in front of her.

He snorted, “Then I am going to enjoy this…” His fist was wrapped in flames and the air around her burned, her damned tattoos sizzled and she desperately pulled back a few more inches as the flames moved towards her face.

“No…” She whispered feebly, her powers simply giving out. She closed her eyes, pulling her head back as far as it could and lifting her arms in front of her for any protection they could give her. The hairs on her arms burned away, the remnants of her leotard began to smolder and suddenly the heat was gone.

Slade was thrown skyward; a boulder hefted from the ground underneath him, then turned and hurtled earthwards. Slade was beneath it, driven face first into the ground. There was a sickening sound of bones being crushed and flesh being rendered, then silence.

Raven looked over to see Terra slowly trying to stand. The metal on her shoulders had solidified, but a small trail of it had leaked down her suit creating small rivulets of metal, almost like tears trailing down a face. Terra trembled, touching the suit tentatively and then pulling away, howling in pain. Raven winced; Terra had saved her from a similar fate. Terra shuffled over to Raven, a combination of grim satisfaction and pity on her face.

“Raven…” Terra murmured, looking down to her… she was unable to figure out what word to place there. She wasn't even sure she would ever be able to call Raven `friend', having betrayed her and then doubted her so quickly. Raven was almost as pitiful as her; unable to control what happened around her no matter how hard she tried. The world was frozen around them, and then Terra collapsed the sheer agony driving through her, driving her to the ground. Raven gasped and pulled close, laying her hands on the suit, using her magic as best she could to heal what she could and siphon away as much pain as possible. Terra gritted her teeth and then turned over, looking up at Raven who had a concerned look on her face.

“Are you… ok, Terra?” Raven said, swallowing little more than the last remnants of saliva in her mouth, mixed with dust.

“Raven… I'm sorry…” Terra looked to where Slade lay, crushed under the boulder, “… he had everything to do with this… it wasn't your fault.”

Raven trembled slightly, how could Terra say something… so stupid, so ignorant, so… something she had so desperately wanted to hear. Raven wanted to cry, all of this was her fault for so long she had never thought there might be others to blame. Terra looked back up, “Raven… is there any way to reverse this?” Raven's mind raced, everything she had learned about the prophecies, she had never tried to find a way to reverse it, foolish ignorant mistake.

Her head bowed, “I… don't know.”

Terra winced, pulling herself back up a little, “We have to get to Titan's Tower…”

“It was destroyed in the effect of the spell… my father will arrive at dawn.” Raven's voice became hollow, “And then he will claim my soul.”

Terra's eyes widened in horror, “Claim your… soul?”

There was a rumble from behind them and the boulder fell off of Slade, “Yes, he will claim her soul and she will become his priestess.” Slade stood, slowly, shaking off the debris on his back and then the mask fell off. He turned, revealing his face; the flesh was seared and scorched away only a thin layer of peeling red skin remained. His cheeks were missing and his jaws were exposed. His one eye, the one so long hidden by the mask was devoid of a true eye, replaced by a small ball of flame that lapped up from its socket and burned the flesh and bone above. The emblem of Trigon was fixed into his flesh with the same wicked hellish ink. His jaw clenched together for a brief second. He then he pointed to Terra, “You really shouldn't have done that…”