Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Dreams And Destinies ❯ Revelations ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter 11

Revelations

 

“I'm…I'm home.” Lyllandra whispered out loud as she stood in the hallway between the living room and her own room. She lifted her foot to take a step into the living room and then suddenly remembered that she had control of her own body again. She flexed her hands open and closed and took a few steps in place. Her limbs were once again obeying her. She heaved a sigh of relief. However she had ended up back home, she was grateful that the effect of the toxin seemed to not have followed her to her own world. She didn't want to ever feel anything like that again. She felt a moment of panic and pain as she remembered what she had done to her friends but forced it aside for now. She couldn't hurt them anymore and she needed to find out what was going on. She stepped into the living room and walked over to the couch. She stared at it for a long moment then gingerly sat in it. It certainly felt real. She looked around her, hardly able to believe she was actually back in her own world. “But how?” She whispered again, not sure why she was trying to keep quiet. She looked at the clock on the wall. It read just after 11:00 AM. Her mother would be at work.

Her mother.

How had she been faring the whole time while Lyllandra had been missing? Suddenly, Lyllandra felt a real fear of the time when her mother would come home. How would she explain herself? Would her mother even believe her? She found herself looking at the clock again. She frowned.

“But it was evening time back at Slade's hideout.” Had a whole night and morning passed between the times that she left the Titan's world and was thrown back in her own?

Still frowning, Lyllandra stood up and went into the bathroom. She looked in the mirror at herself. She still had all her hair, she was thin and pretty, she was still wearing the same dress she had bought with Starfire…and she had no wound from Slade's blade.

“Something's not right.” She murmured as she softly touched the area on her chest where she had felt the blade pierce her flesh. Slade had stabbed her. That she was more than sure of. And the place where he had stabbed her was sure to mean death. So why was there no wound? And why was she still cancer free?

“Am I dead?” She said suddenly. “Did Slade kill me and that's why I ended up back here?” Lyllandra had seen and experienced enough over the last few days to leave her mind open to almost any possibility but even that seemed too far a stretch. Not only could she still feel her heart beating soundly in her chest but she seriously doubted that heaven was her mother's country art deco house.

“Hmph. Maybe I'm in hell.” She said trying to lighten her mood but it didn't work. “Hey.” She snapped at her reflection. “You're home, you're healthy and you're out of the reach of Slade's influence. You're no longer any danger to your friends. This is the best possible thing that could have happened right?” What she said to herself made sense but she still couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong here.

Lyllandra walked back into the living room and noticed the memory chest in its usual spot along the far wall. She kneeled in front of it and opened it. The album that had started this whole mess was lying serenely on top of the other items. Suddenly feeling hopeful, Lyllandra grabbed the album and opened it immediately to the picture of her sixth birthday party. She looked at her father and most intently at his right hand.

But the ring was not there!

“What the..?” She was stunned and the hopeful feeling she'd had sunk. She'd been so sure for a moment that if she'd opened the book, the ring would still be there and she would be transported back to the Titan's world. Suddenly thinking hard, she looked at her own right middle finger and saw that there was no longer a dark mark encircling it's base. A wave of disappointment washed over her and she dropped the album to the floor, no longer caring about breaking it. She sat back on her rear on the floor and held her head in her hands. Her mind was spinning.

“Who am I kidding anyway?” She thought miserably. “The Titan's are much better of without me as a friend. I tried to kill them for crying out loud!” But she couldn't deny the fact that she wanted to go back. Even after what she'd done, even though she knew that she and Robin would never be together after what Slade had pulled on them, even though she was home and safe in her own world. Her brain tried to make her understand that she could forget about Robin and the others. The last few days had been nothing but a bad dream and now she was safe in her own, rational world. What was more, she was healthy and could go back to college and become a famous author as had always been her dream before getting sick. It was the best possible circumstances. The Titans didn't need her around. They could handle Slade by themselves. She could not help them. She'd only ever hurt them. Why did she think they would ever forgive her for what she'd done anyway?

“None of that matters anymore.” She said suddenly not intending to speak.

She looked up, surprised at the sense of certainty that overcame her. She did not know anywhere near even half the answers that she needed but nevertheless she was all at once sure that she would have died anyway, and sooner rather than later, if she hadn't been transported to the Titan's world. She was sure now more than ever that her feelings for Robin were her own and not one of Slade's tricks. She was also one hundred percent sure that she'd been sent to the Titan's for a reason. One infinitely more important than falling in love with their leader. She suddenly had the idea that Slade, by choosing her, had unwittingly brought about his own downfall.

She stood up and shook her head clear. She had no clue where any of this was coming from but she could not and would not ignore her feelings. Her intuition had served her too well in the past and thanks to it, she'd never been so sure of anything in her life. She looked around her mother's living room and with a mixed sense of sadness and excitement realized that as a result of the crazy happenings of the last few days, she no longer belonged in this world. She had to go back.

But how?

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Robin had managed to wrench himself loose from rhinoceros Beast Boy just in time to see Slade leap towards Lyllandra and stab her in the chest with a hidden blade. He'd screamed at Starfire and Cyborg to help Lyllandra but he'd known it was too late. Lyllandra had just looked at him with that calm, zombie look as the blade pierced her flesh and drove her backwards. He'd opened his mouth to yell when he heard Raven's last chant.

“Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!”

Suddenly both she and Lyllandra were enveloped in a black light so blinding that Robin had had to stop and shield his eyes. He could hear Slade yelling in fear and shock. When the light dissipated and he was able to see again, Robin looked to Lyllandra, who was no longer there! He spun around in a 360 but could not see her anywhere. He looked back to Raven who had once again fallen unconscious from over exertion of her powers.

Robin heard Slade begin to laugh and he turned around to face him. He saw Slade kneeling on the ground, the now blood-covered knife having fallen to the ground in front of him. Slade's laughter was a mixture of mind numbing frustration and amusement at how things had gone. The Titans had managed to send the girl back home but not without a final goodbye present from him. They'd wanted to save her life but he'd been too quick and, in her own world or not, she would die from the wound he'd given her. So if things had not gone exactly how he'd wanted them to go, at least he had that satisfaction.

Robin knew why Slade was laughing and he felt his blood boil dangerously under his skin. He'd killed Lyllandra. At the last moment before Raven had been able to save her, Slade had killed her.

“Not like this.” Robin growled low in anguish. “It shouldn't have been like this.” He could feel the grief raging within him and without another thought, he leapt at Slade, intending to rip his black heart right from his chest.

Slade had taken a beating both from Robin and from the prison of Raven's black power. He could hear his former apprentice coming for him now but he had no intention of fighting him. He would not let Robin take his revenge now and alleviate the sense of guilt Slade knew he had for not protecting the girl. He would let Robin revel in his black hate for now and perhaps one day, when that hate had consumed everything that he was, Slade would make his reappearance. He knew it would take a while but he knew it would eventually happen. And if there was one thing Slade had in spades, was patience.

He turned towards Robin still running at him. “We'll finish this another time Robin. I'll leave the knife as a little souvenir for you.” And before Robin could react, in a flash of smoke, Slade was gone.

Robin skidded to a halt. “No.” He said in disbelief. Slade could not have gotten away from him again! “NO! Dammit!” He yelled to an oblivious ceiling. He lowered his head in defeat and saw the knife still on the ground. He gingerly picked it up and saw the blood that dulled the once gleaming blade. Lyllandra's blood.

“This cannot be!” Starfire said suddenly behind him causing him to jump and almost hit her. She recoiled and he saw that she was staring at the knife in his hands and crying. “Slade cannot have killed Lyllandra! It just cannot be!” She was yelling by the end.

“But it is Star.” Robin said more calmly than he felt. “You saw him stab her. It was just as Raven said the last of her chant. She tried her best but she wasn't fast enough. None of us were.”

“But Robin…” Star wanted to tell Robin that she wasn't just saying that because she was upset. She was very upset over what had happened but she did not know how to convey to her friend that she did not believe Lyllandra was dead. She was, in fact, sure that Lyllandra was alive but she was once more trapped by her inability to grasp the finer nuances of the English language. She yelled in frustration and grabbed the knife from Robin's hands.

“This is not right!” She yelled at him. “Slade did not kill Lyllandra! It could not have happened that way!”

Robin saw how distraught Starfire was but he was wrong about the reasons. He saw what had happened with his own eyes. Slade had killed Lyllandra…and Robin was going to make him pay.

“I'm going to find him.” Robin said suddenly.

“What?” Starfire asked confused.

“I'm going to find Slade, and I'm going to make him pay for what he did to her!”

“Dude maybe we should go back to the tower and think this over.” Beast Boy said from where he had recovered and had run to Raven. He was carrying her as he walked over to Robin and Starfire. There were tears in his eyes too as he mourned the loss of his friend. “None of us are in any shape to go after Slade right now. Especially you after taking that beating from Lyl…Dude I'm sorry.” Beast Boy turned away at the look on Robin's face.

“What's there to think about! Slade killed her and I'm going to make him pay! It's as simple as that!” Robin yelled. Starfire looked at Robin fiercely and with a yell of frustration,

“She's not dead dammit!” She screamed and immediately clapped a hand to her mouth as the other Titans looked at her shocked. Beast Boy was so shocked to hear a profanity come out of gentle Starfire that he almost dropped Raven and would have if Cyborg hadn't arrived just then to take her.

“Starfire?” Robin wasn't sure what he was asking but Starfire wasn't finished with him.

“Robin you are such a…such a….Clorbag Varblernelk!” She yelled. “You are so busy listening to Slade and his lies that you are unwilling to listen to anyone else! Even when the answers you seek are right in front of your face!”

“Star.” Robin was beyond stunned. “What are you talking about?”

“You are so serious and logical!” Starfire yelled these words at him like they were mortal sins. “You refuse to listen to your heart and what it tells you. Even when you finally did start to listen, when you realized that what you felt for Lyllandra was more than you could hide, at the first test you turned tail and ran from those feelings and you betrayed the trust of the one person who shared those feelings with you! You chose to listen to Slade rather than listen to your own heart and now when it is most important all you can think about is what Slade did and you won't listen to me! And that makes you the biggest Clorbag Varblernelk have ever known!” Starfire was breathing heavily and tears coursed down her cheeks but they were tears of fear and frustration more than anything. Cyborg and Beast Boy looked on in pure shock. No one said anything until the meaning of Starfire's words finally sank into Robin's head.

“You…don't think she's dead, do you Starfire?” He asked quietly, he didn't really believe Starfire knew any such thing but he did not want to provoke anymore of her wrath.

Starfire's face lit up. “Yes that is it exactly! Lyllandra is not dead!”

“But that's not possible.” Beast Boy spoke up. “We all saw Slade stab her. Anyone would die from a wound like that.”

“I cannot tell you how I know.” Starfire struggled to find the words. “All I know is that I know.”

“That's a really nice sentiment Starfire,” Robin as calmly as possible. “And I know it's better to think of her as alive but…” He stopped when Starfire's eyes began to glow green.

“Why will you not trust me?” She asked, her expression turning sad. “I can feel that I am right. And if you would just forget your mind and listen, really listen to your heart then you would feel it too.”

“But…”

“Hold up y'all.” Cyborg said quickly giving Raven back to Beast Boy and opening the ancient looking book. He scanned through the pages for several seconds then with a loud, “I knew it! I knew I saw this right before.” He looked up at the others and actually smiled!

“I didn't get a chance to tell you guys about the other spell I found. It wasn't too far away from the spell about the ring and I'm sure Slade used it on you and Lyllandra.” He looked at Robin when he said this.

“Another spell? But wouldn't I have known if I was under a spell?” Robin asked confused.

“You know something? Starfire is right man.” Cyborg said exasperated. “You are too dang logical sometimes. This is magic remember?” He continued. “Slade said he had given you and Lyllandra the dreams of each other and the forest right? But the more I thought about it the more I realized that it wasn't possible. No matter what spell Slade used he couldn't enter your minds and `make' you dream anything. No spell exists that can give someone a specific dream. If Raven wasn't so exhausted over there I know she'd have my back on that one.” A sudden groan issued from Raven's prone form in Beast Boy's arms.

“Beautiful.” Cyborg smiled. “As if on cue.”

Raven groaned again and sat up slowly with Beast Boy's support. She opened her eyes and saw her friends standing around her. She also noticed the one friend who was missing.

“Lyllandra! Did I do it? Did she make it?”

“No.” Came from Robin

“Yes.” Came from Starfire. Raven looked very confusedly at Beast Boy who just shook his head.

“Don't ask me. I have no idea what the hell they're talking about.”

“I think she did make it.” Cyborg said sternly at Robin. “And now that Raven's awake I can explain why.” Without another word he knelt down beside Raven and showed her the page in the ancient book that had garnered his attention so. Raven read the spell and she began to smile.

“That explains a lot Cyborg.” She said finally. She looked at Robin. “Robin, do you feel that Lyllandra is dead?”

Robin sighed in frustration. “Yes Raven. I saw Slade stab her. I saw the blood. It's still on the knife here! There's no way she could have survived that!”

“I'm not asking you what you saw.” Raven said calmly. “I'm asking you if you really feel that she's dead.”

Robin sighed uncomfortably. The others were looking at him expectantly and that was bothering him. He wasn't exactly comfortable expressing himself at the best of times and it was even harder knowing that everyone was looking at him, waiting for an answer. But he knew, as Cyborg did, that when Raven reacted to something or asked a question like that, you listened. So he gave in and, well aware of how foolish he must look but trying to ignore that, he closed his eyes and focused the way that Raven had shown him when teaching him to meditate. He tried to block everything around him out. He tried to focus entirely on Lyllandra. It was hard at first because he kept seeing her reeling backward, Slade's knife sticking like a spire from her chest and his heart hurt terribly at that image. But he forced his mind open and brought a clear picture into focus.

Lyllandra stood before him, her blue dress hugging her figure like it was made especially for her. Her copper hair falling into those incredibly huge brown eyes that were lit up like a 1000 watt bulb. Lit up just like her smile when she had taken his hand back at the Titanium Tower.

The picture complete in his mind, he beat back the pain in his heart and made himself think about her actually being alive.

“Is it really possible?” He thought simultaneously shunning and embracing the bud of hope that appeared in his heart. “Lyllandra, are you alive?”

“Robin?” Her voice came suddenly and from nowhere.

“Lyllandra?” Robin opened his eyes and turned a full 360 looking for her. Her voice had been so clear he almost expected to see her standing right behind him. But there was no one there except the other Titans. He looked at Raven but she was propped up against Beast Boy with a very tired smile on her face.

“Raven what was that?” Robin asked tensely. Starfire and Beast Boy looked warily at their leader and at Raven but Cyborg's expression was one of someone who was totally in the loop.

“It's the spell Robin.” Raven said with half open eyes. “The spell connected you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Alright times up.” Came from Beast Boy where he still propped an almost asleep Raven. “No more revelations until we get back to the tower and Raven gets some rest. She's exhausted from trying to keep Slade still and breaking that stupid ring.” Robin wanted to say something but he saw the look in Beast Boy's eyes and remembered them holding hands on the couch. Beast Boy was concerned about the one he loved. Just like Robin.

“It's okay Rob.” Cyborg cut in. “I think I can explain what Raven meant while she sleeps it off back home.”

“Yeah Okay. We'll head back to the tower so Raven can rest but then we're going to figure this out once and for all.” The other Titans nodded and headed out the door they had all entered, Beast Boy holding Raven in lead. Robin made to follow Cyborg but stopped when he noticed Starfire was not following. She was standing still and silent in the same place since her outburst.

“Starfire. Are you okay?”

She did not answer him. She was looking at the floor and twiddling her thumbs. Robin recognized these actions as something she did when she was feeling nervous or ashamed. Knowing his best friend as well as he did, he suspected it was both.

“Starfire it's okay.” He said reassuringly. “We were both upset and I'm sorry I didn't believe you. You don't have to worry about what you said. Although I was really surprised to hear it from you. You're not usually so…”

“Forceful?” Starfire replied quietly. She did look up at Robin then and he could see in her eyes that while she was ashamed about her actions, she was not nervous at all. In fact, she still looked irritated with him.

“Star…”

“I wish I could make you understand.” She said with a hint of frustration and forlornness in her voice. “I wish I knew what to say to make all of you understand but I don't have the words. It is very frustrating.”

“Hey.” Robin stepped up to her and gave her a hug. He wanted to be comforting to his friend but his mind rebelled and he was suddenly remembering how it felt when he was holding Lyllandra after he'd saved her from falling over the side of the Titanium Tower. He let go of Starfire quickly and looked away from her. Fortunately for him, she was very focused on her inability to communicate what was bothering her so she did not notice his slip.

“I have been feeling things lately Robin. Certainties that have no reason. It is like…it like I am being..” She searched for the word.

“Guided?”

“Yes! That is it! It feels like I am being guided to some purpose but I do not know by whom or to where.”

“Well I think we've all felt that way at one time or another Star. Like there's some higher purpose guiding our every move.” Robin ventured now that he was successfully able to drive the smell of Lyllandra's hair from his mind.

Starfire just looked at him. “No, that is what humans call fate is it not? This is different. It seems a little more….focused.”

Robin might have asked her more about it but just then a beep on their communicators told them that Cyborg wanted to know what in the bloody blue blazes was keeping them so long. They dashed off for the surface.

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Lyllandra had been sitting on her couch, her knees pulled up to her chest and her head resting on them. She was thinking hard, racking her brain for any ideas how to get back to Robin and the others when suddenly she heard Robin's voice! And it sounded as if it was coming from right behind her!

She whirled around. “Robin?” But there was no one there. Lyllandra stood up feeling somewhat shaky. She hadn't been hearing things. She had heard Robin's voice loud and clear and he was asking if she was still alive!

“Yes I am!” She called out. “I don't know how but I am alive and okay! Robin are you there?” There was no answer. Lyllandra turned a full 360 still expecting him to be standing in the room with her. The voice had been so clear! But only empty space was there for her to see.

“Oh what is going on?”

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The Teen Titans had made it back to their tower and had congregated on the large half moon couch. Two were missing since Beast Boy had taken Raven to her room to sleep. He had threatened the others that he would turn into a skunk and fill the tower with `Eau De Beast Boy' if they started without him so Robin, Starfire and Cyborg sat on the couch waiting for their changeling friend, saying nothing.

Cyborg was thinking of the best way to explain all that he was sure was going on. Starfire was lost in thought searching her feelings for an explanation as to the strange notion that she and the others were being guided towards some as yet unknown end. Robin was, of course, thinking about Lyllandra. He knew he'd heard her voice back in Slade's hideout. That and what Raven had said made him more sure than ever that Lyllandra was in fact alive. He'd felt so relieved he thought his heart would burst from the intensity of the feeling. But his more logical mind had now taken control again and he wondered if she had indeed made it back to her own world. If she was alive, was she still hurt badly? How much time did he have to bring her back? Would she even want to come back after how he treated her? And the million dollar question. Was there even any way to bring her back?

His thoughts were interrupted by Beast Boy coming back out into the common room. He asked, “How is she doing Beast Boy?”

“I think she'll be alright. She's just exhausted. Took a lot out of her breaking the ring and keeping that bastard Slade still.” Beast Boy replied darkly. He had laid Raven onto her bed and she had come awake. She tried to get up saying that she needed to help Robin understand the truth but Beast Boy had gently pressed her back onto the bed and after she had conceded to his threat to turn into a giant snake and tie her down until she did fall asleep, he had kissed her on the forehead and left her to rest. Now he took up a spot beside Starfire and waved his hand at Cyborg, letting him know that he could now begin.

“Alright.” Cyborg said addressing everyone but looking at Robin. “First things first. We know now how Slade got Lyllandra here and what he wanted her for.”

“Yeah he wanted us to fall in love so he could take her, turn her against me and make me kill her.” Robin muttered.

“Yeah that's right. And it almost worked. But did anyone ever wonder why Lyllandra? I mean, of all the girls in all the worlds or parallel dimensions or whatever, why did he pick her?”

“Especially if she was going to die in her own world anyway.” Robin interjected. The others looked at him in shock and he realized that he hadn't gotten a chance to tell any of them the horrible secret that Slade had told him. He quickly told them how Lyllandra had been suffering from a deadly form of cancer in her own world and how she was close to dying when Slade transported her there through the spell.

“Dude!” Beast Boy gasped. “That explains a lot doesn't it? But are you sure you can believe what Slade said?”

“Just this one time,” A hushed voice came from the hallway. “You can believe Slade. Lyllandra told me all about it before we met you downtown the first time.”

“Awwww Raven!” Beast boy leapt up and ran to her. “You promised. Don't think I won't make good on my threat.”

“I'm fine. I have to be a part of this. It's too important.” Raven looked at Beast Boy intensely and reassuringly. Beast Boy sighed in defeat and helped her to the couch.

“So Lyllandra was dying and that was the secret she felt she had to hide from us.” Starfire mused. “I can understand that.”

“Yeah so back to the original question, why Lyllandra? The answer? I don't think even Slade knows. I don't think Slade really had a choice in the matter. I'm sure he likes to think he did but I think it was the spell that chose Lyllandra.”

“The first spell right Cyborg?” Raven asked from where she was sitting on the couch beside Beast Boy, her head on his shoulder. She still looked very tired but she was determined to finish this with the others.

“Yes what was the other spell you said Slade cast on Robin and Lyllandra?” Starfire asked getting interested.

“You're gonna love this. Slade started all this crap by getting a hold of a couple of really strong spells. The second spell we all know about but the first spell was the one that caused yours and Lyllandra's dreams Robin.”

“But I thought you said Slade couldn't cause us to dream anything?” Robin asked.

“I said he couldn't cause you to dream anything `specific'.” Cyborg corrected him. “But even so, the spell was not meant to cause you guys to dream. All it was meant to do, was connect you.”

“Connect them how?” Came from Beast Boy.

“Slade wanted to make you fall in love so that he could hurt you. So he started with this spell to connect your two minds. It wasn't a guarantee that you would fall for her, I mean, you could have had some truly surreal dream that you were playing tennis against each other in a field of daises while it rained champagne or something stupid like that but he was willing to bet it would connect you enough for what he wanted. So he casts the spell and for whatever reason that we don't know yet the spell chooses Lyllandra and you two started dreaming about each other. Why? You were in two different worlds and couldn't find each other. So the only avenue to meet was in your dreams.”

Robin looked like he wanted to argue but Cyborg continued before he could. “But that's where Slade's hand in that ended until he cast the spell that brought Lyllandra here. He just sat back and watched Robin from his little hidey holes around the city. He watched you start to behave very differently (and you were behaving differently man, all black circles under your eyes and even more quiet and broody than usual) and figured that his little trick was working. You were obviously being affected by the connection you were sharing with your `mystery girl'. So he waits a few weeks and then one day decides it's time for you to meet. So he calls Lyllandra here, cures her cancer and sends her to us with no memory of what happened. All she knows is that she's been having funky dreams and you my man fit her heart's description to a tee.” Cyborg smiled at Robin. “And you, recognizing her from the eyes in your dream, start feeling everything awake that you did asleep.”

“So that means…” Starfire began.

“Slade may have made it so they'd dream about each other, but Robin and Lyllandra fell in love all on their own.” Raven finished and looked at Robin, as did the others.

“It also means that Starfire was right.” Cyborg added. “Lyllandra can't be dead because the connection still exists between you. That's the only way you could have heard her. You two are still connected by the spell. As long as you can feel her Rob, she ain't dead.” He looked at Raven for confirmation that he was right and she nodded and smiled weakly.

Robin sat stunned as this new information sunk in. Everything Cyborg had said made perfect sense. His feelings were his own. Just like his friends had said. Suddenly he wished Starfire had saved her outburst until now. Now he felt like he really deserved it. No matter how many times Slade had played him, no matter how many times he vowed it would never happen again; it always did. He always played right into Slade's hands. Except this time he'd taken Lyllandra with him.

“At least she's still alive.” Robin muttered to himself. Starfire had been right. Robin looked at her. “Star you said that you felt like there was someone or something else involved here right? Something that's been making you feel differently?”

“Yes. It is as if there is a small voice in the back of my mind that tells me when something is right or when it is wrong.”

“You mean like intuition?” Raven sat up suddenly and was looking tense.

“More than that. I have had the intuition before. But this feels…intelligent.” Starfire pondered her words. “Oh I can not get the words right!”

“It's alright Starfire. I think I understand.” Raven didn't just look like she understood. She looked downright worried. “I was afraid this might happen.”

“You mean things are gonna get worse?” Beast Boy yelped.

“They could very well yes.” Raven answered soberly. “You see, the spells Slade cast came from very old and ancient book of magic. I don't know how he got a copy of it because the spells are extremely rare and hard to find. And that's for a good reason. You can't just cast one of those spells and walk away from it.” She sighed as she looked for a way to explain it properly. “There are forces in this universe. Ones that keep the balance. It works along the same lines as how I was able to destroy the ring when it was made of light and my power comes from darkness. When someone like Slade tries to use a spell as powerful as the one that connected Robin and Lyllandra across two dimensions, the natural way is disrupted. These forces kick in to restore the balance. They guide the ones involved to an end that will restore balance to the universe.”

“Well that's all fine and good my young Jedi but does that mean that we'll automatically win because defeating Slade will make things right?” Beast Boy asked.

“Not necessarily.” Raven sounded more worried. “These forces will make things right again. Any way they can. It doesn't matter who suffers as long as balance is restored.”

“But I have not felt anything malicious about this presence.” Starfire insisted.

“And they may not be malicious. But you may still not like where they're leading you.” Raven stated. Turning to Robin she said, “This may be why Lyllandra didn't die when Slade stabbed her. These balance forces are usually subtler. Most people assume it's intuition or in extreme cases, a sixth sense. But this time things are really out of whack. So their presence is more tangible. They have to interfere on a bigger scale because Slade caused too much disruption with his plans.”

“Who are `they' exactly?” Cyborg asked.

“They do not have a name. I learned about them back on Azarath when I was young. They're part of the teachings of most cultures in one way or another.”

“I believe I know what you mean.” Starfire interrupted. “We had a similar idea back on Tamaran. We called it the `Clorfkerneck'. The guides. It was the name we used when we had the intuition.”

“But why would they stop Lyllandra from being killed then?” Robin asked.

 

“She obviously has another part to play in all of this.” Raven said simply. “She's still needed to complete the cycle.”

“So does that mean that Lyllandra may soon be among us again?” Starfire asked happily.

“I don't know how.” Robin admitted sadly. Now that he knew the truth he wanted Lyllandra back with him more than anything. Even if she couldn't forgive his actions he had to at least try to apologize. But they couldn't use the same spell to bring her back as Slade had. If Raven was right, casting the spell a second time would put things in even more serious jeopardy.

“Actually.” Raven said suddenly, a small smile playing on her face. “I think I may have just the answer you're all looking for.” And with seemingly renewed energy, she floated up off the couch and down the hall towards her bedroom. The others looked at each other for a moment and then followed.