Fan Fiction ❯ The Raven ❯ The Raven ( Chapter 1 )

After reading Edgar Allan Poe's “The Raven”, I was intrigued by the thought that some of Raven's character was based off the poem (the tidal of the episode “Nevermore”, her name, the fact that she is creepy, etc.) and decided to write a fic that was entirely based on the poem, and not just partially. This is what I got.

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, nor do I own Edgar Allan Poe's version of the Raven. I will, however, be borrowing a few lines from Mr. Poe, seeing as how I am making a parody of his work. Just know that I do not take credit for them, and we will get along fine ^_^

 

The Raven

 

It was dark, dank and dreary outside. At close to midnight, it was just one of those nights that sends unexpected shivers up your spine; an unidentified chill running down your back. You can't quite place your finger on it, but you know that something is out there. Something supernatural, hiding in the omnipotent shadows, waiting for a chance to work its magic on you.

 

Yes it was just one of those nights. Perfect setting for a particular dark empath to work her magic. Raven had been in her room all night, pouring over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore. She was looking for one book in particular, a spell book of sorts. In it was an incantation that she hopped she could use to bring Terra back.

 

The others, after hours of searching for a cure, had already given up all hopes of ever seeing the fallen titan alive again. Raven on the other hand, was not so easily deterred. She would find a cure. She must find a cure, because she felt it was partially her fault to begin with.

 

`If only I had been nicer, accepted her and treated her with the respect she deserved, then maybe she wouldn't have run off to Slade and betrayed us.'

 

But that was the past now. Nothing could be done about that so there was no use in dwelling on it. The only thing Raven could do was right the wrong, and the only way to do that, was to find a way to revive Terra so they could make amends.

 

“Finally,” she muttered to herself, “the book I've been looking for.”

 

Raven was about to leave her room, when all of a sudden she felt a terrible pain in her head. It felt like someone was simultaneously squeezing her temples with a very large clamp, hitting her in the back of the head and neck with a sledge hammer, and stick a live 70 volt wire into the base of her head. Clutching her head in agony, Raven collapsed, landing hard on her side with a loud thump.

 

Her head was spinning and she thought she could hear voices, though she couldn't make out what they were saying because the pain in her head was too intense. Dark energy crackled around Raven and seeped into the floorboards as she lay on the ground, writhing in pain.

 

Then, as sudden as the pain had started, it stopped. The last of the black energy disappeared and Raven struggled to her feet. She didn't know what that was, but it wasn't fun. Sitting on her bed for a few minutes to catch her breath, Raven did a visual sweep of her room to see if there were any unusual items (unusual for her at least) that might have caused her sudden outburst of pain.

 

Though she didn't find anything out of the ordinary, her eyes were drawn to her mirror. She couldn't quite place it, but something about it seemed…off. It was almost as if the mirror were calling out to her, trying to take her in somehow.

 

Brushing it off as a trick of her mind due to lack of sleep, Raven stood up and retrieved the book from its resting place on her floor. She turned to leave for Terra's cave…paused…then snatched her mirror from her dresser. Raven didn't know why, but something was telling her she would need this.

 

Raven crept down the dark and dreary halls of Titans Tower as she made her way towards the Exit. The dark shadows and heavy air were starting to make the night creepy and uncomfortable, even for her…especially after what just happened in her room. As Raven continued down the ghastly hallway, she thought she heard a door open and close behind her. But when she turned to see who it was…no one was there.

 

Raven ran from the tower as fast as she could, stopping to catch her breath when she was out. Her heart was pounding in her throat and adrenaline was racing through her veins. A combination of lack of sleep and meditation, guilt, weariness, and the supernatural feeling in the air was making the tower a frightful place. This night was starting to get to her. She would be glad when it was all over.

 

Walking to the garage and opening it, Raven proceeded to walk through the underwater tunnel that connects their tower to the main land. She would have preferred to just fly or teleport there, but she needed to conserve her power; the spell she was about to perform would take every last ounce of it.

 

As soon as she was out of the tunnel, Raven realized that she would rather be in the tower right now than Jump City's Plutonian shore (A/N: Plutonian, as in Pluto, as in god of the underworld. So Plutonian is basically satanic, hellish, or otherwise extremely `want to cover you eyes and hide under a blanket' creepy). Every element that had made her flee the tower was magnified here. And it didn't help that the entire city was the same way; covered in a thick blanket of fog, and illuminated only by the soft moonlight. Earlier that evening there had been a huge thunderstorm that knocked out the power for the entire city while simultaneously melting the December snow with rain, so everything had a soft glow.

 

Raven walked as quickly as she could to Terra's cave. The dead trees along the way cast shadows that tried to grab her as she passed. The thick fog trying to blind her so she would trip and fall down a ravine. The cold air biting her skin, trying to tear chunks of it away. Raven wrapped her cloak tightly around her as she shuddered, though not from the cold.

 

As Raven walked, her mind drifted to Terra. How would she react to having Raven be the first thing she sees when she wakes up? Would she forgive Raven for not trusting her and shunning her, even if she deserved it? Would she want to go back to the titans? There were so many uncertainties about what would happen after she revived. So many ways for this to go wrong. `Stop that right now.' Raven commanded herself. `That kind of thinking won't accomplish anything. What might happen and what might go wrong don't matter. All I need to do is concentrate and don't allow my mind to wander into anymore pointless doubt.'

 

After a few more minutes of walking, Raven reached the mouth of the cave. Stalactites poked down from the curved entrance, making it look like a hungry maw waiting for its next meal. `Well this is a welcoming sight.' Raven thought sarcastically as she eyed the entrance. She knew it was pointless, but she was starting to get a little scared. Maybe it was just her lack of sleep playing trick on her, but she could have sworn she heard it whispering to her as two glowing red eyes above the “mouth”.

 

The wind blew the fog around her, churning it so that ghastly shapes appeared in it; Slade, Terra's golems, the Titans, Terra herself, all looking like ghosts as they approached her with outstretched hands. She knew it was pointless, but she was getting scared out of her wits. The scene thrilled her, filled her with fantastic terrors never felt before; so that now, to still the beating of her heart she stood repeating

 

“It's just my imagination playing tricks on my eyes; I'm tired so my imagination is playing tricks on my eyes. That is it, and nothing more.”

 

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, and gathering some courage, Raven walked through the ghastly apparitions and entered the cave. Fog ran around Raven's feet as it fell into the cave like water. By the time she had reached the end of the dark tunnel, Raven had sufficiently subdued her fear. It was pointless anyways.

 

Raven surveyed the cave she was now standing in. It was dimly lit by a hole near the roof that let in moonlight. There was a narrow, natural bridge that led to the plateau Terra was on. Normally she would have been able to look down the 100 ft drop to see the floor of the cave, but the mist had entered and settled down on the floor, so that now there was a sea of billowing, rolling fog that reached up to the bridge and plateau. There was also a light, moving mist filling the room that sent the ever-changing shadows on the walls into a voodoo dance. Given all this and the fact that there was an even greater omnipotent feeling in here than there was in the city, Raven could feel her heart start to pound again. Taking a giant gulp to swallow the knot in her throat and gripping her book, Raven made her way to the memorial that housed Terra.

 

A few weeks ago, Beast Boy had decided that if Terra wasn't going to come back, she at least needed a memorial or a tomb or something. So the Titans built a small shrine around Terra and put up a small tent around it.

 

As she approached the tent, Raven became aware that it looked like something was pressing up against the sides of the tent. Not only was it pressing, but it looked like it was moving. Almost like a hand trying to claw its way out of the tent.

 

“It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination.” Raven repeated to herself as she approached the tent. The mist started turning faster and louder and the sea of fog churned. “It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination.” The mist turned into a cyclone around the room, its loud moaning sounding like the gates of hell had opened. “It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination.” Raven was right in front of the tent and the clawing was getting harder and faster. The moaning was blaring in her ears and was accompanied by a woman's shriek. The sea of fog was rising up and down in ocean-worthy waves. Raven slowly reached out her hand to the door of the tent and the hand on the other side pushed out to reach it, trying to grab her. Then it one swift movement Raven opened wide the door…darkness there and nothing more.

 

The room was immediately calmed and reverted to the way it had been when she entered it, no more churning, no more shrieking, no more cyclone…and no Terra in the tent. Where had she gone to? The moving mist seemed to wrap around Raven, sending shivers up her body. Staring into the darkness, Raven wondered what had happened to the former Titan. “Terra…” Raven whispered, and then heard the mist echo back “Raven.” It sounded like Terra was right behind her, but no one was there!”

 

“That's it. I've had enough of this. I'm getting out of here.” Heart was beating in her throat and shaking as her hair started to stand up on end. Dropping her book and the mirror she forgot she had with her, Raven teleported out of the cave…or tried to anyways. “What the…what happened to my powers?!” Raven shouted in horror. All of a sudden the room started spinning again like before, but even stronger. Raven put her arms up in front of her face to shield it from the howling, moaning, shrieking wind that was attempting to push her off of the bridge.

 

As she struggled to stay standing, the mirror that she brought with her started to shake as black, crackling energy enveloped it, flowing around like electricity. Raven stared at it with wide, unbelieving eyes as a black hand grabbed her and pulled her into its depths. As soon as she was gone, everything calmed down in the room once again.

 

Raven landed with a hard thump on a floating rock. She was in her mind now. What ever was causing this, obviously wanted her here, so here was exactly where she wasn't going to be. But in order for her to get through her mind safely she would need her powers, which she currently, for some reason, didn't have. Maybe she could use her emotions to get through. Maybe they still had their powers. After searching her mind for 10 minutes, Raven came across the remains of six cloaks: a pink one, a yellow one, an orange one, a grey one, a red one, and a green one.

 

“That means that the only emotion left is fear. Great.” Raven started walking towards the forbidden door. She wasn't at all sad that her emotions were gone; they always needed to be controlled. Plus she couldn't be sad anymore. But she was afraid of what would happen. How would she get through her mind? What had happened to her other emotions? Adrenalin was racing through her body as a primal fear overtook her body. She wanted to run away, but she had no where to run to.

 

Eventually Raven reached the huge labyrinth, but found it and its guardian, lying in ruins. Whoever was here really didn't like the things that were in her head. Climbing through the rubble, Raven approached the forbidden door. But when she was 10 feet from it she saw black energy start crackling around it; the same energy that left her body when she was in her room and the same energy that pulled her into her mirror. Suddenly the crackling energy leapt off the door and started gathering itself into a ball. When all the energy was gathered, the ball unfolded into the shape of her soul-self raven (what she uses to do things like teleport). Then with mien of lord or lady, it perched above the forbidden door. Perched upon the hooded raven that symbolized the forbidden door; perched and sat and nothing more.

 

A smile crept across her face. So this is what had been “haunting” her? This was the reason her powers weren't working? It must have escaped her somehow.

 

“I was wondering were you'd gone.” Raven said with a smile. “I don't suppose you'd tell me how you escaped.” She said, more to herself than it. But in a raspy voice that sounded like a cross between a parrot and the sound that she heard the Pokemon make (that awful scratchy moan/cry) when Beast Boy used to play…Pokemon Red? Raven heard it answer. “Nevermore.”

 

Raven was shocked! She never knew that it could talk! Even if what it said had little meaning, the fact that it could say anything was incredible. Pondering this, Raven though out loud. “Doubtless, what it utters it its only stock and store.” Raven said to herself. But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered if there was more meaning behind what it had said. Raven wondered what this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of hers meant in croaking “Nevermore”. And as she pondered, her mind stared to wander, and she remembered the whole reason she was still awake: Terra. Raven would have been sad (if that emotion still existed) that she would never be able to revive Terra. Who knows where her body went. The other Titans had already accepted her death, now it looked like it was time for Raven to accept that she would see Terra nevermore too.

 

Then an idea came into her head. “raven,” she asked, “Why did you leave my body? Is it because of Terra? Do you know of a way to revive Terra, or at least where her body went?”

 

Quoth the raven “Nevermore.”

 

“Well if it wasn't for Terra then why did you leave my body?” Another thought flew into her head from left field. One that would have made her mad if she could be. “Did my father do this? Did my father release you?” Raven's powers came from her father, so it made sense to her that if he wanted to, he could make them leave her body. She may not have been able to be angry, but at the mention of his name she did become very afraid. A shiver crept up her spine and she drew her cloak tight around her like she had done before.

 

Quoth the raven “Nevermore.”

 

Raven was getting very frustrated. “If you're not going to tell me anything, then get back in my body and let me pass.” The raven didn't move, but just continued to sit there and stare at her. “I said move.” Raven shouted. “I command you, as your master and controller, to reenter my body and move aside!” The raven suddenly grew four red eyes and started to get bigger as it towered over Raven “Nevermore.” A wave of dark energy hit Raven and she screamed in fear because her soul self was rebelling against her, and she screamed in pain and agony because her body was being destroyed, leaving her soul behind. The dark energy continued to hit her, causing her more pain than she had ever felt before. Then in a final burst of energy, her body was totally obliterated, along with the forbidden door.

 

Outside, on the floor of the cave, the magic mirror that connected to Raven's mind cracked.

 

And the raven, never moving, still is sitting on the ruined statue that used to be a forbidden door. And its eyes have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming; and the shadow that it casts covers Raven's soul on the floor; and her soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor, shall be lifted nevermore.

 

The End

 

I hope you like this. Now, to those of you who are interested, here's the original poem by Edgar Allan Poe:

 

THE RAVEN

By: Edgar Allan Poe

 

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door --
           &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;   Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; -- vainly I had tried to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow -- sorrow for the lost Lenore --
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore --
           &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;   Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me -- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door --
Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door; --
           &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;   This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you " -- here I opened wide the door; ----
                        &nb sp;                 Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" --
           &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;   Merely this, and nothing more.

Then into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon I heard again a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore --
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;--
                       &nb sp;                  'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not an instant stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door --
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door --
           &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;   Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore --
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
          &nb sp;                         &nb sp;   Quoth the raven "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning -- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no sublunary being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door --
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
            ;            &n bsp;             ;   With such name as "Nevermore."

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered -- not a feather then he fluttered --
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before --
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
          &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;   Quoth the raven "Nevermore."

Wondering at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster so when Hope he would adjure --
Stern Despair returned, instead of the sweet Hope he dared adjure --
           &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;  That sad answer, "Never -- nevermore."

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore --
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
                        &nb sp;                Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
            ;            &n bsp;             ;    She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Angels whose faint foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee -- by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite -- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore;
Let me quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
          &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;    Quoth the raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! -- prophet still, if bird or devil! --
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted --
On this home by Horror haunted -- tell me truly, I implore --
Is there -- is there balm in Gilead? -- tell me -- tell me, I implore!"
          & nbsp;           &nbs p;            & nbsp;    Quoth the raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil -- prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us -- by that God we both adore --
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore --
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
          &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;    Quoth the raven "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting --
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! -- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
          &nbs p;            & nbsp;           &nbs p;   Quoth the raven "Nevermore."

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
            ;            &n bsp;             ;    Shall be lifted -- nevermore!