Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Dreams And Destinies ❯ The Chapter Without A Name ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9

The Chapter With No Name

 

Starfire and Robin returned to the site of his battle with Slade to look for clues. Raven and Beast Boy were scanning the city from the sky and Cyborg had contacted them from his lab saying he'd had a sudden idea that he needed to check out and he would meet up with them soon.

Robin heard Cyborg's transmission with only half an ear. He was searching the area beside the pizza joint where he and Lyllandra had been eating and laughing only an hour before. Nothing about his feelings for Lyllandra could ever have been considered simple but now they were more complicated than he ever thought possible. His heart was screaming at him that he loved her. Slade was just messing around with him as usual and he should trust his feelings. But his deeply serious and logical brain was arguing that everything Slade had said made sense. It explained so much and if Slade had caused the dream, and the dream had caused the feelings, then nothing about it could possibly be real. His love for Lyllandra was Slade's doing and therefore, it was wrong.

“It's not her fault. Slade used her like he used me.” He whispered to himself as he looked at the table where he had been sitting with her. He'd been prepared right then and there to tell her how he felt, to ask her to stay in this world with him. But then…

“Slade.” He growled the name low in his throat, clenching his fists in anger. He decided there was only one thing for it. He would rescue Lyllandra from Slade's grasp, he would get Slade to send Lyllandra back to her own world where she could be safe and then he would destroy Slade once and for all. Even if it cost him his own life.

“Robin over here! I believe I have found something!” Starfire called. Robin turned his attention to her where she was leaning over picking something up off the ground. Robin ran to her and saw that in her outstretched hand was a turquoise necklace. The same one that Lyllandra had been wearing. Robin looked beyond Starfire and saw that she had found the necklace at the mouth of an alley. He walked a few yards into the alley and stopped when he saw a barely discernable “S” scrawled on the cover of a manhole.

Robin smiled grimly. “Leaving me a trail of bread crumbs eh Slade?” He called back to Starfire. “Star! Contact the others and tell them to get down here. I think I've found it.” And without waiting for her to respond, he whipped the manhole cover off and leapt down into the sewer.

Beast Boy and Raven were trying very hard to search for Lyllandra. They were both very concerned about their friend and knew time was of the essence. But when they both landed on a park bench after several minutes of scanning the city from above, Beast Boy could not resist the urge to pull Raven to him and kiss her deeply.

“What on earth did you do that for?” Raven asked breathlessly when Beast Boy finally let her go.

“Just a reminder. In case you had forgotten.” He replied smiling.

Raven blushed. She loved Beast Boy and she was fully prepared to let Love have the reigns a lot more but the feelings were still new to her and they would take some getting used to. She leaned to him and gave him a quick kiss of her own. When she stepped back she said in an exasperated tone of voice, “How could I possibly forget with you reminding me all the time?”

“Then my work is done.” He crossed his arms with a triumphant look on his face.

Raven rolled her eyes but inside, she was fighting the urge to burst out laughing at his antics. The need to resist her emotions getting totally out of control made her sad but she knew Beast Boy understood. She could be herself with him and he would get it. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she had never felt lighter in her life. She opened her mouth to tell him not to get too proud of himself but just then their communicators went off. Their expressions immediately changed and they both answered the beep in very serious tones.

“It is Starfire. Robin and I believe we have found the way into Slade's hiding place. Please meet us at the place of pizza on Rockwood and Third. There is a manhole cover in the alley which we believe will lead us to Lyllandra.”

Hearing Starfire's voice brought Raven's brain back to the world of Lyllandra being kidnapped by a dangerous Slade and the little time they probably had to find her. As Beast Boy talked to Starfire, she found herself thinking about what Cyborg had said about the composition of the ring. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but she knew she had heard something very like it before.

Her finger.

She looked down at her right hand, specifically at her middle finger for a long moment. It hit her like a ton of bricks.

“We're on our way Star.” Beast Boy replied. “You ready Raven?”

“Uh…go ahead. I have to talk to Cyborg for a minute.” She was already turning away from Beast Boy and opening her communicator.

Beast Boy looked at her puzzled for a moment but then wisely decided not to ask, turned himself into an eagle and flew off in the direction of the pizzeria.

“I'll be there as soon as I can Star.” Was Cyborg's reply when Starfire contacted him a few moments later. “I really think I'm on to something here with this ring. Raven just gave me a great lead. I'm sure it will be important. Can you handle things without me?”

“I am sure we will prevail.” Starfire said back. “We will bring Lyllandra home safely.”

“Good luck.” Came from Cyborg and then the communication ended.

Starfire looked at the hole where Robin had already descended. She knew he would not have waited for her. His need to rescue Lyllandra and do battle with Slade had, as usual, taken precedence over his own safety. Starfire sighed. She knew Robin was doubting his feelings for Lyllandra. She could understand but she did not believe that Slade was entirely responsible for their sudden and deep connection. She knew that the dream they had shared could explain her theory of them having met before. But that didn't feel exactly right either. Starfire had always been a very sensitive person, picking up quickly other people's emotions and other more subtle things, even if she couldn't always express her intuition in terms that her friends would understand. But she didn't know that the feelings she was having now, what was gnawing subtly in the back of her mind could very well be the key to the Teen Titans victory. If she had bothered to focus on the feelings, she may have discovered their meaning and in turn learned the secret behind everything that was happening but for now, concerned only for Lyllandra's and Robin's safety, she ignored the tug in her mind and floated down in the hole after Robin.

Slade was in the process of preparing another syringe when Lyllandra awoke again. But this one was not intended to knock her back out. Slade was thinking of an entirely different and much more sinister purpose with this syringe.

Lyllandra woke with a start and could feel the tears still coursing down her cheeks. For a moment she did not remember or care where she was. All she could see was Robin saying in a voice that chilled her soul that he did not love her and turning his back on her and walking into the dark forest. It had been so long since she had experienced a different dream that she wanted to convince herself that it was fake, a result of whatever crap Slade had pumped into her veins. But her intuition, bloody accurate as it usually was, told her that her dream had been different this time for a reason. “Robin believes Slade.” The thought came unbidden but she knew it was true. She could feel it.

The sound of a metal chair scraping on the floor brought her back to reality. Seeing her surroundings for the first time she realized she could not move but she knew that she was on the metal table in the small room she had discovered. She could feel the shackles on her wrists and ankles. She tried to wriggle but her already abused and raw skin screamed at her and she was forced to lie still. She could hear Slade behind her rattling around but she could not turn her head to see what he was doing. She felt scared and incredibly stupid. She had been caught again. Her only consolation was that she probably wouldn't have been able to get out of, wherever she was, anyway. She didn't know anything about the layout and Slade was incredibly strong.

Slade heard her stirring and came to the side of the table, looking down on her like he was looking at a piece of meat he was about to throw in the oven. Like he was trying to decide whether or not to throw that last sprinkle of seasoning on or not. Lyllandra could feel her anger welling up again. This bastard was NOT going to have his way!

“I'm glad you're awake.” Slade said casually leaning in closer so he could look in her eyes. She shut them tight but he forced them open and shined a bright light in them. “Feisty to the end I see. That's good.” He said as he shined the light first into her left eye then right, checking her pupils. “Robin would be so disappointed if you gave up too easily.”

“Get the hell away from me you freak!” Lyllandra yelled turning her head this way and that. Slade grabbed her head firmly in his hands and held her face close to his.

“I suggest you lie still and co-operate girl it is by my will alone that you survive this.” He said fiercely. “You can destroy the Titans and I can send you home or I can kill you now and destroy them myself. It's your choice.”

Lyllandra could barely speak with her head in Slade's hands but she forced out, “If you could have destroyed them on your own you would have done it already.” Slade let go of her head and it dropped hard back down on the table. Lyllandra braced for his wrath but Slade stood up and turned away.

“It's true of course.” He admitted. “I have tried on several occasions to rid myself of the Titans but they have proved to be far more formidable than I imagined. All of my best laid plans have failed.”

“Cry me a freaking river why don't you?” Lyllandra spat out sarcastically. She had an idea that she might not survive this night but she realized that the idea didn't frighten her. She had been expecting to die for quite a while now and despite her joy at her apparent new lease on life, if her death was the only way to save her friends and defeat Slade, then she would welcome it gladly.

Slade looked at her angrily. “I think you're trying to provoke me young lady. That's not a wise thing to do.” He advanced on her, a dangerous look in his eyes. Lyllandra forced herself too look bold. “I could kill you in a second.”

“You most certainly will not!” The yell came as two bursts of green flashed behind Slade and he dropped to the floor away from Lyllandra. Lyllandra lifted her head and saw Starfire standing in the doorway!

“Starfire!” She exclaimed in relief.

“Lyllandra oh thank Tamaran we reached you before Slade could harm you!” She ran past Slade and began to undo Lyllandra's bonds. When Lyllandra was able to sit up she saw Robin had come into the room and was currently standing over Slade, a Birdarang poised at the ready should he move.

“Robin!” Lyllandra said happily but he did not return her greeting. He didn't even look at her. Starfire helped her off the table and Lyllandra saw that her expression was one of sadness and disappointment as she looked at her leader.

“Get her out of here Starfire. I'll deal with Slade.” Robin finally spoke but he still did not look at Lyllandra.

Lyllandra felt disappointment of her own. “He wouldn't even say my name!” She thought despairingly. “Why would he listen to Slade?” Her expression was pained but she let Starfire lead her out of the door and into the large room she had been in before.

Robin stood over Slade threateningly. Slade lay on the floor looking up at him with grim amusement. “I see you found my clues Robin.” He narrowed his eyes mockingly. “Took you long enough.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Robin tossed the Birdarang away and stomped down at Slade with his left foot. He impacted between Slade's ribs and sent him sprawling towards the counter at the back of the room. “If you've hurt her at all…”

“Concerned are we?” Slade stood up, holding his ribs but he shook it off quickly. “Why Robin I didn't know you cared.”

“SHUT UP!” Robin yelled furiously and leapt towards Slade.

Starfire led Lyllandra towards the set of double doors that she had avoided earlier but Lyllandra shook herself free of Starfire and turned back towards the room where she could hear Robin and Slade fighting.

“Lyllandra what are you doing? You must get to safety.” Starfire pleaded.

“But Robin…”

“Robin will be fine. Beast Boy and Raven will be here momentarily. They will help him.” As she said this last, Robin let out a yell and there was a crash of metal against metal.

“NO!” Lyllandra ran back towards the room.

“Lyllandra wait!” Starfire ran after her.

Slade had caught Robin's kick and whipped him into the machines behind the table. They in turn crashed into the table and the whole thing fell over with a loud bang. For the moment, Robin was trapped beneath the rubble. Struggling through the wrecked metal, he saw Slade pick up a syringe from the counter at the far end of the room. While trying to fight his way out, Robin took notice of the strange surroundings.

“What is this place?” He couldn't help but ask.

“This?” Slade repeated. “This is the place where I saved young Lyllandra's life, before I sent her to you of course.”

“What?”

“Oh yes.” Slade grinned under his mask. “Your girlfriend was here for quite a while before you found her. She and I got to know each other very well.”

Robin could feel his blood boiling but he forced himself to remain calm. He wouldn't let Slade anger him out of learning his true plan.

“What did you do to her Slade?”

“I told you. I brought her here from her world and I saved her life. Oh yes. After I sent you both those wonderfully potent dreams for a while.”

“What do you mean you saved her life? Was her life in danger before you brought her here?”

Slade's eyes widened in shock. “Well now, I didn't know she hadn't told you about her…affliction.” Slade chuckled evilly. “That's very interesting. I would have thought she'd have told you everything seeing how close you were becoming.”

“What affliction? What the hell are you talking about?”

“My dear Robin.” Slade continued to laugh. “Before your little girlfriend was transported here into my ….dedicated hands, she was in her world…dying of cancer!” He laughed even louder at Robin's look of shock.

“You're…you're lying!”

“Am I? Why would I lie now? The truth is far too much fun.”

“Cancer?” Robin stood rooted to the spot. “Lyllandra's secret.” He thought. “The one that was so big that it was hurting Raven. But Cyborg didn't find anything wrong with her during the medical he gave her after we found her.”

As if reading his thoughts Slade said, “The spell I used to transport her here was old and powerful magic but it could not cure her. So she was kept here for four days and I treated her with the most powerful cancer treatments `my' world has to offer. After that, I used another spell to create the psyclone you found her in. It appeared to you that she had been `mysteriously' brought to this world and you had no idea I was ever involved. And she had no memory of her time here.”

Robin was silent for a moment as his brain took in this new and startling information. Lyllandra had been terribly sick and dying in her world. He thought back to how she had reacted when she had first come to and her hair had fallen in her face. He had registered her look of disbelief upon seeing her hair but had chalked it up to shock. And her drab, too big clothing. But if she had been receiving chemo treatments in her world….

“No wonder she didn't say anything.” He thought miserably. “She must have been so confused and upset. Why didn't I notice?” But that answer was easy enough. “I was too busy being obsessed with that stupid dream and too busy worrying about how I felt.”

“I should have known.” He said aloud. “I failed her.”

“No you didn't.” Came a voice from the doorway. Robin and Slade turned and saw Lyllandra standing there, Starfire right behind her.

“Lyllandra what are you doing? Get out of here!” Robin yelled.

“No.” Lyllandra looked extremely angry and she was close to tears. “I won't let you fight this bastard alone.” She went to where Robin was trying to move the table off of himself. In a better position than Robin, Lyllandra lifted some of the debris and he was able to wriggle out. She extended her hand to help him up. He took it but he still refused to look at her.

“How touching.” Slade said from his corner. He had not moved from his spot beside the counter and no one noticed that he had slipped the syringe behind his back. “I see there is no doubt in your heart my dear. I wish I could say the same thing about your foolish hero there.”

“Don't you talk about him like that and DON'T call me `my dear'.” Lyllandra rounded on Slade.

“I'd say she still loves you Robin. What do you think? I guess learning the truth about where her feelings came from didn't lessen her determination any.”

“You don't control my feelings or my destiny Slade.” Lyllandra yelled. Robin did look up at her then. She was looking at Slade but he could see the determination in her face. His feelings began a racetrack run around again. She still believed that what they felt together was real. But there was no way it could be.

Starfire had entered the room by this time and had moved over to where Lyllandra stood, her eyes and hands glowing green. “Whatever you are planning Slade, it will not work. Lyllandra is too strong to submit to your manipulations.” She looked at Robin. “We all are.” Robin looked away, suddenly feeling ashamed.

“You know Starfire I do believe you're right.” Slade admitted. “Lyllandra has certainly shown me that she is a strong willed woman who does not play into mind games.” He took a step closer to where Lyllandra stood with Robin. “Fortunately, I have something a lot more substantial in my arsenal.” And before Robin or Starfire could react, Slade whipped his left arm out and threw the syringe directly at Lyllandra's neck!

As she felt the impact and crumpled to the floor, she heard Starfire scream in anger and saw her shoot a flurry of Starbolts from her hands directly at Slade. But Starfire's voice was distorted and it took entirely too long for the Starbolts to emerge from her hands and hit Slade. Everything was going in slow motion and Lyllandra could feel a strange tingling sensation spreading throughout her entire body. She could feel her heart rate slowing down, it almost felt like she was falling asleep but her eyes remained open, she still had feeling in her body and she could still process everything that was happening, albeit from a turtle's perspective.

Robin caught Lyllandra as she fell. He held her in an upright position as she was sitting on her knees. “Lyllandra? Are you alright? Speak to me will you? Please!”

It took all the strength in her increasingly disobedient body to turn her head to look at Robin. She could hear his pleas for a sign that she was alright and she wanted to give him one but she wasn't alright. She was not alright at all.

Starfire's starbolts hit the counter where Slade had been standing exactly one nanosecond after he had leapt out of the way. He bulldozed right past Starfire and out of the room. Yelling her frustration, she turned and flew out after him. But he didn't have a chance to get anywhere. He exited into the larger room and ran right into a big, green, raging Tyrannosaurus! Slade skidded to a stop as Beast Boy reared over him and roared loud enough to bring down the walls if they weren't concrete. Slade sidewinded to the right and came up against a wall of the deepest black! And with a quiet “Azarath Metrion Zinthos!” the wall enveloped him like a ball. He struggled but Raven's magic was strong. For the moment, Slade was going nowhere.

“My friends!” Starfire exclaimed. “You have impeccable timing! But I'm afraid that Slade has harmed Lyllandra, although to what extent we do not know.”

As soon as she finished her sentence there was a loud crash from the smaller room followed by a yell! Starfire turned to see Robin come lurching out of the room, holding his shoulder. Almost immediately after him came Lyllandra who not only didn't look harmed at all but was actually running towards Robin and as Starfire watched in shock and horror, Lyllandra leapt into the air and landed a kick square into Robin's back sending him sprawling to the floor!

The Titans were too shocked to move as they watched Robin hit the dirt. Lyllandra stood just behind him, her face a mask.

“Lyllandra what….what are you doing?” Starfire practically screamed. Lyllandra looked at her and Starfire gasped. Lyllandra's eyes were empty. There was no trace of intelligence, or thought. There was no trace of Lyllandra.

Behind Starfire, Slade began to laugh.