Categories > Cartoons > Teen Titans > To the End of the World . . . and After
To the End of the World . . . and After
A Teen Titans fic, by DrT
Chapter VIII – The End of the World
March 5, Four Days Before the End of the World
The various Titans (Nightwing, Starfire, Cyborg, Bumblebee, Kid Flash, Jinx, and Changeling) were sitting around the dining table, waiting for breakfast (and a bit worried).
“At least nothing is burning,” Cyborg mumbled.
“I’m better prepared this time,” Raven stated, coming in from the kitchen area. She set a tray down laden with milk, coffee, and juice bottles. She was back a few moments later. “Three types of sausages for the carnivores, tofu bacon for Garfield.” She set the plates down. “Save me some sausage.” She was back a few moments later, setting down butter, margarine (again for Garfield), three types of syrup, and mustard.
When Raven came back again, most of the team looked at the platter with horror at the large, misshapen pancake, which looked half scorched and a bit runny at the same time. Cyborg looked the most horrified, while Changeling mostly looked worried. “This is Starfire’s,” Raven scolded. Star brightened and took possession as Raven went back to the kitchen. Raven brought in a huge stack of pancakes that looked very edible by human standards, and turned out to be so.
“So, why pancakes?” Jinx asked as the group served themselves.
“Tradition,” Raven answered. Seeing the confusion on a few faces, she elaborated. “When the end of the world is coming, I make pancakes for the last group breakfast.” The other four original Titans merely smiled.
“Is everyone packed who’s going today?” Nightwing asked after a moment of silence. Cyborg, Bumblebee, Kid Flash, and Jinx each nodded. They would be evacuated later that morning to the Watch Tower and would be helping with general evacuation. In the end, over the next 80 hours, over 105,000 people would hopefully be evacuated, perhaps even a few more. In 50 hours, the dimensional travelers would start leaving, a process that should take them about eighteen hours. Nightwing and Starfire would be leaving the evening before the last day, while Changeling would leave the next morning.
World-wide, meta-crime was down over 90 percent. It had disappeared totally from Jump City and a few other areas. Still, the various heroes had kept up patrols. Those would be rapidly decreasing over the next few days. At this point, it was unlikely, if not impossible, for the Clatorian to speed up their takeover enough to make a real difference even if they realized they had been detected. Still, considering the panic which would ensue if the knowledge reached the general public, everyone still strove to keep the secret.
Nightwing had never had more respect for Raven than he did over the few days between Cyborg’s departure and his own. To all appearances, she remained her usual cool, nearly stoic self, at least outside of her room. Granted, she always remained near Changeling when they were together, but she only allowed any contact when they were in the Tower. Nightwing could also see that it was Raven’s behavior in public which enabled himself and the other remaining Titans to also appear nearly normal. He could see slight tremors from the stress in both his own hands and Changeling’s, while Starfire was a bit jumpier than usual. Raven did not betray the slightest nervous reaction. In public, no one could tell the stress and worries besetting her.
Within the Tower, while the signs of the stress on the other three were even more apparent, a stranger would still think Raven was calm and collected. However, she was not only allowing more physical contact, she was even initiating it at times. It might just be a hand on Nightwing’s shoulder or upper arm as they passed or her not only allowing Starfire to hug her almost every time they passed but actually hugging her back, but Raven obviously welcomed the reassuring contact as much as the others. She could be found snuggled tight against Changeling on the sofa, his arm around her when he wasn’t playing games and merely leaning against him when he was. They even sometimes walked hand-in-hand through the corridors, something she had first allowed at Disney and at the Smithsonian.
The last full evening, just after 7:00, Nightwing and Starfire stood on the roof of Titans’ Tower for the final time. Silkie and their possessions had long been transported. Changeling had said his temporary goodbyes, and he left the other three to say their farewells.
Neither Nightwing nor Raven could think of anything to say, so they just shared a long hug. Starfire took his place, and merely said, “Fare well, until we meet again, sister of my heart.”
“Fare thee well, sister of my heart, until we can be together,” Raven agreed. Starfire reluctantly ended the hug, and Raven retreated back to join Changeling at the door to the roof. A few moments later, Starfire and Nightwing disappeared.
Raven forced herself to stop crying after only a few tears streaked down her cheek. Changeling silently handed her a handkerchief – he had bought a number of them a few weeks before, and was always ready to hand her one when they were alone and she could allow herself to weep.
“Thank you, Gar,” she said when she had calmed herself down and regained her mask. “Shall we go have some pizza? It’s not very available in 1920.”
“Sure,” he agreed. “Err, Rae? Before we go, can I ask you something?”
“Of course you may.” Changeling managed not to roll his eyes at the correction of his grammar. Instead, he knelt on his right knee, pulling a small box from his pocket as he did so. Raven’s eyes went wide. “I know the circumstances,” he said quietly. “I’ve always admired you, even if I used to be pretty confused about my other feelings for you. I’m not confused any more. I love you, Raven. I hope we’re physically together tomorrow night, and if we are, I very much would like to marry you. And if we’re not, then I want to think of you and me together anyway, even if we have to wait just over eleven years, or any time in between. Please say yes, Raven. Please, marry me?”
Raven just looked at him, her jaw making small motions, but no sound came out.
After just over a minute, Changeling said, “Err, Rae, my knee is starting to hurt.”
Raven took a deep breath and opened the box, which Changeling had forgotten to open. “Are you sure?” she finally said.
“I’m very sure,” he stated firmly.
“Garfield ‘Beast Boy’ Logan, you are an idiot,” she said softly. He would have been more worried if she had said it in a different tone, but this was almost affectionate. “Yes, you are an idiot . . . a very adorable idiot . . . and you’re MY idiot.” She slipped the ring on, not surprised that it fit perfectly, since Cyborg had sized the holo-ring for her right ring finger. “Hopefully in a few days, but if not, if I am able to return, I will marry you.” She pulled him to his feet so they could hug.
After a long embrace, Raven said, “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“While there is one thing we may not do, there are many other things we can . . . and will.” The pizza place stayed open late, after all. It could wait.
An even goofier smile on his face than usual, Changeling followed his fiancée down to her bedroom, hand-in-hand.
*
The End of the World
Raven looked at her old fashioned wind-up wristwatch, bought special for the occasion. 6:15.
The end of the world had in many senses already started, but now it was time for her to move from preparing her part to finishing it. She moved into the ritual chamber deep in the temple to Trigon, under the old library complex. She steeled herself and ritually drew two fluid ounces of blood from the sacrifices. Then, Raven woke them up.
The five came to over the next three minutes. Each went through the same general process of first realizing that they were well-secured while lying on stone, then seeing they were in a large chamber, although they couldn’t discern any details. And that they were well-able to complain about it all, which made them realize there were others present.
“Good evening,” Raven said.
That caused three of the five to be startled into silence for a moment, but two knew instantly who she was. One feared he knew where he was as well, while the other was just plain terrified. “Raven?” the first man asked, just a trace of fear in his low, melodic voice, “What are you doing?”
“I am doing several things. First, there are five of you. Let me introduce you to each other, as you cannot see each other from where you are on the pentagram.” That made the first speaker very nervous.
“Our first vocalist is one Slade ‘Deathstroke’ Wilson. I am quite certain you all know his reputation, and the reputation of each other. Next to him is Amanda Waller, who as I am sure you all know has been involved in several government operations, supposedly to keep an eye on the meta-heroes.”
“I told them you freaks were up to something,” the woman growled.
“Yes, and if you don’t waste too much time, you will find out what that is,” Raven retorted. “Next to her is Lex Luthor. I don’t believe he would need an introduction to many people; certainly not to the others here. Now our next guest has claimed a number of aliases as his real name, but you all know him as ‘the Joker.’ Do you even remember your birth name?”
“I wasn’t present at my birth, so no,” the Joker snapped.
“Last, and certainly least, is Doctor Arthur Light. Now, I am slightly pressed for time, or soon will be. I need to complete a ritual, and then explain what is going on. At that point, you will each have the opportunity that most of humanity will not have. . . .”
“Raven, no!”
“So listen well and decide well. I wish you well. Now, excuse me.”
“Raven!”
“What’s a raven? Who is this person?” the Joker demanded. Light was whimpering far too much to explain, so Slade, aided by Waller, explained who Raven was. Then, reluctantly, Slade explained Raven’s role in a near-apocalypse – and that it was likely they were in the ritual chamber of Trigon’s temple. They could hear Raven’s low voice chanting in the background the whole time, but could not make out the words.
Then: “Arise, Father! Your presence is under my command and control! Arise, so that we may speak and bargain!”
The chamber showed red as flames shot up out of the line of sight of the five bound on the floor. A huge deep voice demanded, “Who frees Trigon the Terrible only to try and imprison him again? Your blood will flow when I am free! Who dares . . . daughter?” The shock was evident.
“Father, you are not so much imprisoned as constrained so that I may talk, and then bargain, with you.”
“You dare?”
“I was given limited choices, Father. While you will not be happy with the offer, I still think you will find it . . . intriguing enough to accept. But my time is limited. Interrupt, and I will have to leave you to a fate that is out of your hands as well as mine.”
After a pause, “Explain then.”
“Do you know the Clatorian?”
“Inter-dimensional parasites! They . . . they are here! On your Earth!”
“Yes, Father, or at least deep within it. They were not discovered until it was too late to dislodge them. What else do you sense around this planet?”
After a moment, awe apparent in his voice, Trigon stated, “Death . . . tremendous death, and terror.”
“About two and a half hours ago, every nuclear weapon on Earth was exploded, as well as numerous deadly gas and other weapons. With the exception of the area around Jump City, every population center on Earth of over about forty-five thousand people was hit, and a few hundred smaller concentrations in some areas. At least thirty percent of the world’s population was dead within seconds, and over two thirds of the rest should be dead within an hour if they aren’t dead already. If the conditions were perfect, then at least ninety percent of the world’s population will be dead by then, so that they cannot be processed by the Clatorian, a fate, at least in the short and medium terms, far worse than what you could do to them.”
There was silence in the chamber for a few seconds, before Raven went on, her voice as dispassionate as usual. “I have been given the power to invest mystical ownership of this planet to you, Father, if you want it. Note: the planet, not the remaining people.”
“Why would I want a depopulated planet? One that, to prevent the Clatorian from taking possession and launching an invasion into this universe, must be totally obliterated?”
“Even that might not stop their invasions of this universe,” Raven stated. “Therefore, in a bit less than half an hour, the planet will be sent into the universe the Clatorian are invading from. When it arrives there, if you are in true mystical possession of it, it can serve as your platform to invade all the dimensions where the Clatorian are.”
After a moment’s thought, Trigon chuckled. “A fight which would likely last for untold ages, thereby distracting the Clatorian from this dimension, and me as well.”
“Yes, Father.”
“And to aid me, you offer me these five?”
“Five were needed to summon and capture you for the time needed,” Raven agreed. “However, you know what lies under Paradise Island?”
“A portal to Hades,” Trigon replied with a sneer.
“The barriers will be destroyed when the Earth is two-thirds of the way between dimensions. If you already hold title, when Hades’ forces invade they will automatically come under your command. No doubt at some point Hades and his allies will challenge you. . . .”
“Let them!” Trigon thundered. Then he asked, in a lower voice, “Allies?”
“Ares, Hercules, and a few others should be in Hades now, getting them all riled up,” Raven said. “They are not supposed to know about you.”
“And you, my daughter? Will you be my captain-general?” Trigon taunted.
“Thank you, but no,” Raven retorted. “These five are yours if you want them, and if they agree. One you know. The woman is a brilliant bureaucrat and ruthless political infighter. A second is even more inventively evil than Slade and more ruthless than the woman. One might be the most brilliant of the lot, if he wasn’t also the most insane.”
“And the last?”
“Let’s just say he was the one personal suggestion I made. While not quite on a par with the other four, I think you will find him worthy.”
“And what plans are laid for the short time between now and the full transition to the next dimension?”
“I will be leaving soon, either off this world or into eternity if that fails,” Raven replied calmly. “These five will have to make their individual choices, since you will need to adjust them before the Earth reaches half way through the transit. That’s when multiple Sarin bombs – that’s a very poisonous gas – will explode throughout Jump City and the surrounding area. The next universe has physical properties like the one you were born into, by the way. Now, enough of this. Prepare yourself, Father.” Although only Trigon could see it, Raven raised a device in her right hand. “This will release a memory sphere which has the agreement. Understand, and then give me your answer – an unequivocal yes or no.” A green sphere formed above Raven’s hand, which then flew into Trigon’s mind.
The agreement was clear, and if it wasn’t foolproof with no loopholes, it was close enough that Trigon knew he would never have time to study it in enough detail to find them. Either he entered into a war against the Clatorian which would likely take at least a few million years to win (he could never imagine himself losing) or be trapped until the Clatorian probably found him in a few hours, when he would have to fight his way out of whatever dimension he found himself in, which might bring the Clatorian after him in any event.
His daughter had literally trapped him without a good choice, and she and her Green Lantern allies (he could tell who had at least set up the memory sphere and created the contract) also had him backed into a corner. He would be the instrument of Raven’s revenge against the Clatorian in some fashion.
He again laughed and then stated, “Daughter, I fully agree to all the terms. And I want you to know this, while it has turned out that you are human in nearly every way, what you have done here today would make any demon proud of their offspring.”
Raven merely bowed. She well-knew that demons create offspring, demonic or otherwise, to further their power or exact revenge, or just to be cruel. At some point, the offspring would at least try to overcome their creator, if not for power, then for revenge. Her revenge against her Father was to trap him in a war which would hopefully take many millions, even billions, of years as it would cross many universes, all the while using him to get revenge against the Clatorian. Raven therefore knew there was only one response she could honestly make.
“While I hope your war against the Clatorian would last until the end of time, I would prefer, if there has to be a winner, that it is you.”
“In return for that, whatever claim I may have on your soul, I release to your fate.” If Raven were a demon, this would have freed her to fight to start her own kingdom outside her father’s realm, or be subjugated by others for trying.
Raven turned to the five. “You five should understand your choices – one, you die from Sarin poisoning, or perhaps from earthquakes when the Earth enters its new dimension, or, worst of all, you are found by the Clatorian and processed. Two, you choose to work for my father for eternity. No offense, but the odds are at least four of you, and in my opinion all five of you, were damned anyway. Still, there are no other choices that I see. Goodbye. Oh, and Slade?”
“What?”
“Robin asked me to tell you ‘so long’.”
Raven walked out of the chamber.
“So, Slade Wilson,” Trigon rumbled. “You told me you were nobody’s servant when you betrayed me. What do you say now?”
“I will be nobody’s servant,” Slade replied, “but that is different than being willing to serve under your command.” He sighed. “I am so willing.”
Well, not really different in this case, but Trigon let it go. “Very well. Now, who to be next. Ah, Lex Luthor, what say you?”
Raven did not hear the reply as she quickly ran to an upper level. She stepped on a platform and, after turning it on, opened her communicator. “Please,” she almost begged as she tossed her cloak to the floor, “get me out of here!”
“This is League One,” her communicator responded. “We have your comm signal and your transport platform signal, and are awaiting transport signal lock.”
Raven looked down at the display. Ideally, the transport should reach at least 97.5 percent lock for human transport. It might work once past 87 percent, although that was not deemed really safe, even for supplies. Raven saw the readout was just climbing into the 40s. She quickly kicked off her boots and stripped out of her leotard. In seconds, she had slipped on the dress she would need in 1920, should she have to go to the other dimension. A glance saw that the counter was at 57 and still climbing. Raven slipped on the old-style low-heeled black boots. She tied the laces and picked up the jacket, hat, and gloves which would complete the still hopefully unneeded outfit.
A glance showed the counter was still climbing, up to the upper sixties. Then, at 72, it stopped.
“Station to Raven, transport lock incomplete. On the underside of the console, you should find two toggle switches.”
“I found them,” Raven responded, her voice much calmer than she felt.
“Are they both set to the left?”
“They are.”
“Flip the left toggle to right, and then watch the read out.”
“Done.” Raven saw the signal boost up through the seventies, but it stopped at 80.
“The signal lock should increase without further power boosting, but that could take up to twenty-five minutes,” the voice said. He, and Raven, both knew that this process would therefore take far more time than she had, but he went on, “You have just over eleven minutes before the window for transferring to the other dimension closes. If you hit the other toggle, you will have just over two minutes of further, and perhaps stronger, boost, and then the power will give out in less than a minute, if it doesn’t burnout even faster.”
Raven knew it would take at least two minutes to leave on her own, and as much as she hated it, she really might need the extra time. She couldn’t wait for any further boosting of the signal using just the first process. She took a deep breath. “Switching the other toggle . . . now.”
The readout went from 80 to 84 very quickly, but then again slowed.
85.
86.
86.
86.
87.
Then, almost instantly, the system powered down.
Raven managed not to swear. “Raven to station. Is Garfield Logan present?”
“I’m here, Rae.”
Raven swallowed, and then calmly said, “I love you, Garfield.”
“I love you, too, Raven,” came the somewhat broken response.
“Raven out.”
Raven walked over to the runic design and powered it up. She then made certain she had all her supplies, including those in personal pocket dimensions which should travel with her, and only then looked up.
There was a small opening to another dimension. Raven sat in the middle of the runic design, closed her eyes in meditation, and began to chant. When she opened her eyes, the portal was now large enough to walk through.
All it showed was rock.
Fortunately, the image was moving, showing it was, as designed, seeking an open space. Raven glanced at her watch only once, and saw she still had time. She opened her senses briefly, and was again assured that the pocket dimensions she had created for what she was taking with her would follow her travels. Next, her hand touched the small pistol she had brought along. If this failed, she would not make the transition with the Earth; her Father would not be merciful.
After what seemed an eternity but which was really just over two minutes, the image showed a moonlit sky and rocky ground.
Raven stood and turned on an extra ring Cyborg had made her, which should give her twelve hours of invisibility, and then, her energy forming a black nimbus around her, she walked through the image to another Earth.
The rune array detected her leaving, and shut down, erasing itself by burning out. Four minutes later, the Earth shook as it began its transit to a different dimension, while Sarin gas crept down into the temple from the dying city above. Deeper down, in the ritual chamber, Trigon began laughing. He was finally taking over the Earth, albeit in a manner he would have preferred avoiding. The upcoming battle would be protracted by any being’s standards, but it should be glorious in its destruction.
And he owed it all to his daughter.
Out in space, as the Earth disappeared covered with the green energy from the Guardians pushing it, Garfield Logan and Koriand’r, both broke down.
A Teen Titans fic, by DrT
Chapter VIII – The End of the World
March 5, Four Days Before the End of the World
The various Titans (Nightwing, Starfire, Cyborg, Bumblebee, Kid Flash, Jinx, and Changeling) were sitting around the dining table, waiting for breakfast (and a bit worried).
“At least nothing is burning,” Cyborg mumbled.
“I’m better prepared this time,” Raven stated, coming in from the kitchen area. She set a tray down laden with milk, coffee, and juice bottles. She was back a few moments later. “Three types of sausages for the carnivores, tofu bacon for Garfield.” She set the plates down. “Save me some sausage.” She was back a few moments later, setting down butter, margarine (again for Garfield), three types of syrup, and mustard.
When Raven came back again, most of the team looked at the platter with horror at the large, misshapen pancake, which looked half scorched and a bit runny at the same time. Cyborg looked the most horrified, while Changeling mostly looked worried. “This is Starfire’s,” Raven scolded. Star brightened and took possession as Raven went back to the kitchen. Raven brought in a huge stack of pancakes that looked very edible by human standards, and turned out to be so.
“So, why pancakes?” Jinx asked as the group served themselves.
“Tradition,” Raven answered. Seeing the confusion on a few faces, she elaborated. “When the end of the world is coming, I make pancakes for the last group breakfast.” The other four original Titans merely smiled.
“Is everyone packed who’s going today?” Nightwing asked after a moment of silence. Cyborg, Bumblebee, Kid Flash, and Jinx each nodded. They would be evacuated later that morning to the Watch Tower and would be helping with general evacuation. In the end, over the next 80 hours, over 105,000 people would hopefully be evacuated, perhaps even a few more. In 50 hours, the dimensional travelers would start leaving, a process that should take them about eighteen hours. Nightwing and Starfire would be leaving the evening before the last day, while Changeling would leave the next morning.
World-wide, meta-crime was down over 90 percent. It had disappeared totally from Jump City and a few other areas. Still, the various heroes had kept up patrols. Those would be rapidly decreasing over the next few days. At this point, it was unlikely, if not impossible, for the Clatorian to speed up their takeover enough to make a real difference even if they realized they had been detected. Still, considering the panic which would ensue if the knowledge reached the general public, everyone still strove to keep the secret.
Nightwing had never had more respect for Raven than he did over the few days between Cyborg’s departure and his own. To all appearances, she remained her usual cool, nearly stoic self, at least outside of her room. Granted, she always remained near Changeling when they were together, but she only allowed any contact when they were in the Tower. Nightwing could also see that it was Raven’s behavior in public which enabled himself and the other remaining Titans to also appear nearly normal. He could see slight tremors from the stress in both his own hands and Changeling’s, while Starfire was a bit jumpier than usual. Raven did not betray the slightest nervous reaction. In public, no one could tell the stress and worries besetting her.
Within the Tower, while the signs of the stress on the other three were even more apparent, a stranger would still think Raven was calm and collected. However, she was not only allowing more physical contact, she was even initiating it at times. It might just be a hand on Nightwing’s shoulder or upper arm as they passed or her not only allowing Starfire to hug her almost every time they passed but actually hugging her back, but Raven obviously welcomed the reassuring contact as much as the others. She could be found snuggled tight against Changeling on the sofa, his arm around her when he wasn’t playing games and merely leaning against him when he was. They even sometimes walked hand-in-hand through the corridors, something she had first allowed at Disney and at the Smithsonian.
The last full evening, just after 7:00, Nightwing and Starfire stood on the roof of Titans’ Tower for the final time. Silkie and their possessions had long been transported. Changeling had said his temporary goodbyes, and he left the other three to say their farewells.
Neither Nightwing nor Raven could think of anything to say, so they just shared a long hug. Starfire took his place, and merely said, “Fare well, until we meet again, sister of my heart.”
“Fare thee well, sister of my heart, until we can be together,” Raven agreed. Starfire reluctantly ended the hug, and Raven retreated back to join Changeling at the door to the roof. A few moments later, Starfire and Nightwing disappeared.
Raven forced herself to stop crying after only a few tears streaked down her cheek. Changeling silently handed her a handkerchief – he had bought a number of them a few weeks before, and was always ready to hand her one when they were alone and she could allow herself to weep.
“Thank you, Gar,” she said when she had calmed herself down and regained her mask. “Shall we go have some pizza? It’s not very available in 1920.”
“Sure,” he agreed. “Err, Rae? Before we go, can I ask you something?”
“Of course you may.” Changeling managed not to roll his eyes at the correction of his grammar. Instead, he knelt on his right knee, pulling a small box from his pocket as he did so. Raven’s eyes went wide. “I know the circumstances,” he said quietly. “I’ve always admired you, even if I used to be pretty confused about my other feelings for you. I’m not confused any more. I love you, Raven. I hope we’re physically together tomorrow night, and if we are, I very much would like to marry you. And if we’re not, then I want to think of you and me together anyway, even if we have to wait just over eleven years, or any time in between. Please say yes, Raven. Please, marry me?”
Raven just looked at him, her jaw making small motions, but no sound came out.
After just over a minute, Changeling said, “Err, Rae, my knee is starting to hurt.”
Raven took a deep breath and opened the box, which Changeling had forgotten to open. “Are you sure?” she finally said.
“I’m very sure,” he stated firmly.
“Garfield ‘Beast Boy’ Logan, you are an idiot,” she said softly. He would have been more worried if she had said it in a different tone, but this was almost affectionate. “Yes, you are an idiot . . . a very adorable idiot . . . and you’re MY idiot.” She slipped the ring on, not surprised that it fit perfectly, since Cyborg had sized the holo-ring for her right ring finger. “Hopefully in a few days, but if not, if I am able to return, I will marry you.” She pulled him to his feet so they could hug.
After a long embrace, Raven said, “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“While there is one thing we may not do, there are many other things we can . . . and will.” The pizza place stayed open late, after all. It could wait.
An even goofier smile on his face than usual, Changeling followed his fiancée down to her bedroom, hand-in-hand.
*
The End of the World
Raven looked at her old fashioned wind-up wristwatch, bought special for the occasion. 6:15.
The end of the world had in many senses already started, but now it was time for her to move from preparing her part to finishing it. She moved into the ritual chamber deep in the temple to Trigon, under the old library complex. She steeled herself and ritually drew two fluid ounces of blood from the sacrifices. Then, Raven woke them up.
The five came to over the next three minutes. Each went through the same general process of first realizing that they were well-secured while lying on stone, then seeing they were in a large chamber, although they couldn’t discern any details. And that they were well-able to complain about it all, which made them realize there were others present.
“Good evening,” Raven said.
That caused three of the five to be startled into silence for a moment, but two knew instantly who she was. One feared he knew where he was as well, while the other was just plain terrified. “Raven?” the first man asked, just a trace of fear in his low, melodic voice, “What are you doing?”
“I am doing several things. First, there are five of you. Let me introduce you to each other, as you cannot see each other from where you are on the pentagram.” That made the first speaker very nervous.
“Our first vocalist is one Slade ‘Deathstroke’ Wilson. I am quite certain you all know his reputation, and the reputation of each other. Next to him is Amanda Waller, who as I am sure you all know has been involved in several government operations, supposedly to keep an eye on the meta-heroes.”
“I told them you freaks were up to something,” the woman growled.
“Yes, and if you don’t waste too much time, you will find out what that is,” Raven retorted. “Next to her is Lex Luthor. I don’t believe he would need an introduction to many people; certainly not to the others here. Now our next guest has claimed a number of aliases as his real name, but you all know him as ‘the Joker.’ Do you even remember your birth name?”
“I wasn’t present at my birth, so no,” the Joker snapped.
“Last, and certainly least, is Doctor Arthur Light. Now, I am slightly pressed for time, or soon will be. I need to complete a ritual, and then explain what is going on. At that point, you will each have the opportunity that most of humanity will not have. . . .”
“Raven, no!”
“So listen well and decide well. I wish you well. Now, excuse me.”
“Raven!”
“What’s a raven? Who is this person?” the Joker demanded. Light was whimpering far too much to explain, so Slade, aided by Waller, explained who Raven was. Then, reluctantly, Slade explained Raven’s role in a near-apocalypse – and that it was likely they were in the ritual chamber of Trigon’s temple. They could hear Raven’s low voice chanting in the background the whole time, but could not make out the words.
Then: “Arise, Father! Your presence is under my command and control! Arise, so that we may speak and bargain!”
The chamber showed red as flames shot up out of the line of sight of the five bound on the floor. A huge deep voice demanded, “Who frees Trigon the Terrible only to try and imprison him again? Your blood will flow when I am free! Who dares . . . daughter?” The shock was evident.
“Father, you are not so much imprisoned as constrained so that I may talk, and then bargain, with you.”
“You dare?”
“I was given limited choices, Father. While you will not be happy with the offer, I still think you will find it . . . intriguing enough to accept. But my time is limited. Interrupt, and I will have to leave you to a fate that is out of your hands as well as mine.”
After a pause, “Explain then.”
“Do you know the Clatorian?”
“Inter-dimensional parasites! They . . . they are here! On your Earth!”
“Yes, Father, or at least deep within it. They were not discovered until it was too late to dislodge them. What else do you sense around this planet?”
After a moment, awe apparent in his voice, Trigon stated, “Death . . . tremendous death, and terror.”
“About two and a half hours ago, every nuclear weapon on Earth was exploded, as well as numerous deadly gas and other weapons. With the exception of the area around Jump City, every population center on Earth of over about forty-five thousand people was hit, and a few hundred smaller concentrations in some areas. At least thirty percent of the world’s population was dead within seconds, and over two thirds of the rest should be dead within an hour if they aren’t dead already. If the conditions were perfect, then at least ninety percent of the world’s population will be dead by then, so that they cannot be processed by the Clatorian, a fate, at least in the short and medium terms, far worse than what you could do to them.”
There was silence in the chamber for a few seconds, before Raven went on, her voice as dispassionate as usual. “I have been given the power to invest mystical ownership of this planet to you, Father, if you want it. Note: the planet, not the remaining people.”
“Why would I want a depopulated planet? One that, to prevent the Clatorian from taking possession and launching an invasion into this universe, must be totally obliterated?”
“Even that might not stop their invasions of this universe,” Raven stated. “Therefore, in a bit less than half an hour, the planet will be sent into the universe the Clatorian are invading from. When it arrives there, if you are in true mystical possession of it, it can serve as your platform to invade all the dimensions where the Clatorian are.”
After a moment’s thought, Trigon chuckled. “A fight which would likely last for untold ages, thereby distracting the Clatorian from this dimension, and me as well.”
“Yes, Father.”
“And to aid me, you offer me these five?”
“Five were needed to summon and capture you for the time needed,” Raven agreed. “However, you know what lies under Paradise Island?”
“A portal to Hades,” Trigon replied with a sneer.
“The barriers will be destroyed when the Earth is two-thirds of the way between dimensions. If you already hold title, when Hades’ forces invade they will automatically come under your command. No doubt at some point Hades and his allies will challenge you. . . .”
“Let them!” Trigon thundered. Then he asked, in a lower voice, “Allies?”
“Ares, Hercules, and a few others should be in Hades now, getting them all riled up,” Raven said. “They are not supposed to know about you.”
“And you, my daughter? Will you be my captain-general?” Trigon taunted.
“Thank you, but no,” Raven retorted. “These five are yours if you want them, and if they agree. One you know. The woman is a brilliant bureaucrat and ruthless political infighter. A second is even more inventively evil than Slade and more ruthless than the woman. One might be the most brilliant of the lot, if he wasn’t also the most insane.”
“And the last?”
“Let’s just say he was the one personal suggestion I made. While not quite on a par with the other four, I think you will find him worthy.”
“And what plans are laid for the short time between now and the full transition to the next dimension?”
“I will be leaving soon, either off this world or into eternity if that fails,” Raven replied calmly. “These five will have to make their individual choices, since you will need to adjust them before the Earth reaches half way through the transit. That’s when multiple Sarin bombs – that’s a very poisonous gas – will explode throughout Jump City and the surrounding area. The next universe has physical properties like the one you were born into, by the way. Now, enough of this. Prepare yourself, Father.” Although only Trigon could see it, Raven raised a device in her right hand. “This will release a memory sphere which has the agreement. Understand, and then give me your answer – an unequivocal yes or no.” A green sphere formed above Raven’s hand, which then flew into Trigon’s mind.
The agreement was clear, and if it wasn’t foolproof with no loopholes, it was close enough that Trigon knew he would never have time to study it in enough detail to find them. Either he entered into a war against the Clatorian which would likely take at least a few million years to win (he could never imagine himself losing) or be trapped until the Clatorian probably found him in a few hours, when he would have to fight his way out of whatever dimension he found himself in, which might bring the Clatorian after him in any event.
His daughter had literally trapped him without a good choice, and she and her Green Lantern allies (he could tell who had at least set up the memory sphere and created the contract) also had him backed into a corner. He would be the instrument of Raven’s revenge against the Clatorian in some fashion.
He again laughed and then stated, “Daughter, I fully agree to all the terms. And I want you to know this, while it has turned out that you are human in nearly every way, what you have done here today would make any demon proud of their offspring.”
Raven merely bowed. She well-knew that demons create offspring, demonic or otherwise, to further their power or exact revenge, or just to be cruel. At some point, the offspring would at least try to overcome their creator, if not for power, then for revenge. Her revenge against her Father was to trap him in a war which would hopefully take many millions, even billions, of years as it would cross many universes, all the while using him to get revenge against the Clatorian. Raven therefore knew there was only one response she could honestly make.
“While I hope your war against the Clatorian would last until the end of time, I would prefer, if there has to be a winner, that it is you.”
“In return for that, whatever claim I may have on your soul, I release to your fate.” If Raven were a demon, this would have freed her to fight to start her own kingdom outside her father’s realm, or be subjugated by others for trying.
Raven turned to the five. “You five should understand your choices – one, you die from Sarin poisoning, or perhaps from earthquakes when the Earth enters its new dimension, or, worst of all, you are found by the Clatorian and processed. Two, you choose to work for my father for eternity. No offense, but the odds are at least four of you, and in my opinion all five of you, were damned anyway. Still, there are no other choices that I see. Goodbye. Oh, and Slade?”
“What?”
“Robin asked me to tell you ‘so long’.”
Raven walked out of the chamber.
“So, Slade Wilson,” Trigon rumbled. “You told me you were nobody’s servant when you betrayed me. What do you say now?”
“I will be nobody’s servant,” Slade replied, “but that is different than being willing to serve under your command.” He sighed. “I am so willing.”
Well, not really different in this case, but Trigon let it go. “Very well. Now, who to be next. Ah, Lex Luthor, what say you?”
Raven did not hear the reply as she quickly ran to an upper level. She stepped on a platform and, after turning it on, opened her communicator. “Please,” she almost begged as she tossed her cloak to the floor, “get me out of here!”
“This is League One,” her communicator responded. “We have your comm signal and your transport platform signal, and are awaiting transport signal lock.”
Raven looked down at the display. Ideally, the transport should reach at least 97.5 percent lock for human transport. It might work once past 87 percent, although that was not deemed really safe, even for supplies. Raven saw the readout was just climbing into the 40s. She quickly kicked off her boots and stripped out of her leotard. In seconds, she had slipped on the dress she would need in 1920, should she have to go to the other dimension. A glance saw that the counter was at 57 and still climbing. Raven slipped on the old-style low-heeled black boots. She tied the laces and picked up the jacket, hat, and gloves which would complete the still hopefully unneeded outfit.
A glance showed the counter was still climbing, up to the upper sixties. Then, at 72, it stopped.
“Station to Raven, transport lock incomplete. On the underside of the console, you should find two toggle switches.”
“I found them,” Raven responded, her voice much calmer than she felt.
“Are they both set to the left?”
“They are.”
“Flip the left toggle to right, and then watch the read out.”
“Done.” Raven saw the signal boost up through the seventies, but it stopped at 80.
“The signal lock should increase without further power boosting, but that could take up to twenty-five minutes,” the voice said. He, and Raven, both knew that this process would therefore take far more time than she had, but he went on, “You have just over eleven minutes before the window for transferring to the other dimension closes. If you hit the other toggle, you will have just over two minutes of further, and perhaps stronger, boost, and then the power will give out in less than a minute, if it doesn’t burnout even faster.”
Raven knew it would take at least two minutes to leave on her own, and as much as she hated it, she really might need the extra time. She couldn’t wait for any further boosting of the signal using just the first process. She took a deep breath. “Switching the other toggle . . . now.”
The readout went from 80 to 84 very quickly, but then again slowed.
85.
86.
86.
86.
87.
Then, almost instantly, the system powered down.
Raven managed not to swear. “Raven to station. Is Garfield Logan present?”
“I’m here, Rae.”
Raven swallowed, and then calmly said, “I love you, Garfield.”
“I love you, too, Raven,” came the somewhat broken response.
“Raven out.”
Raven walked over to the runic design and powered it up. She then made certain she had all her supplies, including those in personal pocket dimensions which should travel with her, and only then looked up.
There was a small opening to another dimension. Raven sat in the middle of the runic design, closed her eyes in meditation, and began to chant. When she opened her eyes, the portal was now large enough to walk through.
All it showed was rock.
Fortunately, the image was moving, showing it was, as designed, seeking an open space. Raven glanced at her watch only once, and saw she still had time. She opened her senses briefly, and was again assured that the pocket dimensions she had created for what she was taking with her would follow her travels. Next, her hand touched the small pistol she had brought along. If this failed, she would not make the transition with the Earth; her Father would not be merciful.
After what seemed an eternity but which was really just over two minutes, the image showed a moonlit sky and rocky ground.
Raven stood and turned on an extra ring Cyborg had made her, which should give her twelve hours of invisibility, and then, her energy forming a black nimbus around her, she walked through the image to another Earth.
The rune array detected her leaving, and shut down, erasing itself by burning out. Four minutes later, the Earth shook as it began its transit to a different dimension, while Sarin gas crept down into the temple from the dying city above. Deeper down, in the ritual chamber, Trigon began laughing. He was finally taking over the Earth, albeit in a manner he would have preferred avoiding. The upcoming battle would be protracted by any being’s standards, but it should be glorious in its destruction.
And he owed it all to his daughter.
Out in space, as the Earth disappeared covered with the green energy from the Guardians pushing it, Garfield Logan and Koriand’r, both broke down.
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