Into the Depths – Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen
Attack on Titan

May 24th, 2009. Sunday, 9:23 pm.

One was missing.

Such a thing shouldn’t have been a problem. They, as teens, didn’t spend every moment with each other – though, they did spend a lot of time in the presence of each other. It was lonely to be alone, after all. But they did have their moments. So, Terra leaving the group shouldn’t have felt strange or odd to them.

But it did to Dick.

There was silence between the group. The others didn’t feel it, but Dick could. Dick never was one to claim that he could feel things. He wasn’t like Raven, nor was he like Starfire. He never got ‘the bad feeling’ ever. His instincts sometimes told him when something wasn’t right, but it never felt like this.

That horrible suffocating dark feeling was rising back inside Dick. He couldn’t understand how this feeling related to Terra’s absence. But somehow, Dick just knew something was wrong – something was terribly wrong.

How right he was.

“Guys, do you feel that?” asked Dick quietly, as he curled an arm around his chest to rub against his other arm. For some reason, a chill was lifting in the air around Dick; goosebumps forming on his skin. He was currently wearing his suit – without the armor – instead of normal clothes, but he had forgone the mask. The others looked at him with confusion in their eyes.

“Feel what?” said Cyborg, giving Dick a concerned look.

“You don’t feel it?” whispered Dick, his voice timid; the worry beginning to press at his heart. “There’s something off in the Tower.”

“Like what?” asked Beast Boy.

“Off, Dick? What do you mean?”

“Something not right… Something dark.” Dick’s voice lowered to a soft, frightened whisper. “Something evil.”

Just as Dick said those words, his breathing caught in his chest; something clutching his very heart with a clawed hand. Dick doubled over, a small cry of pain escaping his lips; his hands grabbing at his chest where the pain resided. However, his friends didn’t have time to fully comprehend what had happened. At that precise moment, the power went out in the Tower. There was a gasping cry of fear from Starfire and a whimper from Beast Boy. Dim light from the radiant city gently streamed through the window – there was no moon this night.

A red beam of light illuminated the darkened room. A moment later, it was replaced with Cyborg’s flashlight, which was inside his shoulder. Dick felt gentle fingers touch his arm, while Beast Boy was sticking to Cyborg’s side, those green eyes bigger and wider than normal. The younger boy swallowed.

“Dude, what gives?” said Cyborg, his light flashing through the room. “Why’s the power going out? There’s no storm.”

“Cyborg,” gasped Dick, his fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt. Something was most definitely wrong. Whatever had been in the Tower before, it was here again. Dick could feel it. Something was attacking the Tower. Something was attacking the Tower. Dick spoke, trying to keep his voice from sounding raspy. “Cy, you and BB find Terra. Star and I will go get Raven. After that, we need to group back together. Something’s in the Tower. We’re under attack. Be on your guard at all times!”

“What? We’re under attack—”

“Yes!” snapped Dick. “There’s no time. Hurry and find Terra!”

In the darkness, with only Cyborg’s flashlight to illuminate anything, Dick heard their confirmations. The main room fell into darkness as Cyborg forced the main doors to open; the two boys taking the light with them as they turned to the hallway.

“Dick, are you well,” asked Starfire, the worry in her tone ever so prevalent. “You cried out in pain just as the light went off.”

“I’m fine—”

Dick suddenly lurched forward in the darkness as the pain ravaged his chest again. It truly felt like a claw was tearing his insides apart. Thick, twisting coughs burst from his throat and he grimaced from the intense pain that flared there. It was so powerful that he doubled over completely, falling to his knees as the strength left his legs. There was a startled gasp from Starfire beside him and he felt her trying to support him.

Green light glowed from Starfire’s hands as she tried to chase away the darkness.

As Dick dry heaved for a moment, his throat and chest burning with terrible, sharp pain, a dark laugh began to fill his ears. He glanced up searching the glowing darkness for that voice – that familiar voice. Terror was gripping his heart. He wasn’t asleep. He was awake. He was fully aware of his faculties. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening!

And yet…

He was hearing that same dark laughter from his dreams.

Another cough tore at his chest, his hand covering his mouth. He felt liquid spitting out into his hand and he could taste the familiar flavor of a metallic nature – he was coughing up blood. Dick could hear Starfire crying out his name, but he was in no condition to answer her back. Fear pumped through his veins as he heard that terrible voice – that voice that haunted his dreams every night.

‘It has begun. I told you, little Dickie, you’re going to lose everything you’ve ever known.’

“Why?” whispered Dick; his voice was hoarse. Another cough, a soft one, sent a wave of pain through his throat. Further blood spat into his hand. He heard Starfire go quiet, her cries stopping.

‘Oh? You want to know? I shouldn’t tell you… But you’re so much fun to play with, so I’ll be nice.’ There was a short pause. ‘It’s because you’re—’ And the voice dropped to an even darker, silkier tone that sent shivers down Dick’s back. ‘—dangerous.’

What? What is that supposed to mean?

“How d’you mean?”

‘It’s because you’re so special. Didn’t you know, Dickieboy? You and your sickly pure heart – only that could’ve affected and changed Slade so much. Slade, of all people.’ There was an angry snort. ‘Tsk. All three of them…’

“What does my father have to do with anything? What are you talking about?”

“Dick…?”

‘Oh, he has everything to do with this.’

Another icy chill slid down Dick’s back. At his confusion, that dark voice laughed in his mocking tone. Dick’s ears rang with that horrible, echoing sound.

What did that mean? Why was the voice talking about Slade? What did he have to do with this?

“Dick, please answer me,” said Starfire, the desperation filling her tone now. Dick looked up at her. Images flooded through his mind, every one of them involving a scene from his nightly terrors. Somehow, someway, his nightmare was talking to him during his waking hours. He was going to yell at Slade. Not going insane, was he? If this wasn’t the epitome of insanity, then Dick wasn’t the son of Slade.

Even in his brain, that comparison was a double edged sword.

Glowing green light filled Dick’s eyes as Starfire lifted her hand in the air. Dick could see the intense concern being expressed in her every feature. Then, her eyes widened as she glanced over him.

“Dick, you are bleeding.”

“I’m okay.”

“It is not normal to bring up blood from the inside,” cried Starfire, her free hand clasping Dick’s cheek. Her thumb traced his lips, effectively wiping the blood away. He didn’t have time to consider such an action. The pain still ate at his chest. Any other day and moment, and such an action would’ve sent the most pleasant of shivers down his spine – and also make his blush a fiery red.

No, he had to find Raven. He shouldn’t have sent the boys out of his sight. He shouldn’t have let them split apart. They should’ve stuck together. Anything could happen when they were apart. Someone could target them.

They all were in danger.

Dick forced himself to stand, ignoring the raging, clawing pain that assaulted his chest. He took a deep breath, expanding his lungs to their fullest and wincing in further pain. He wasn’t going to let whatever was attacking them win. It was obvious that whatever this person was, he had been targeting them for quite some time. This person, or even creature, had designed to attack them over a month ago.

And he had started with Dick, for it was over a month ago that the nightmares had begun.

This person had been planning this for weeks. As that realization flooded through Dick’s senses, the doppelganger stilled inside his chest. What did this being want? No matter how much Dick tried to think about it, he couldn’t find the answers. He didn’t even know who or what this enemy even was. He could handle villains. He could handle jailbreaks. He could handle weird metahumans and even intergalactic problems.

This, however, was on a whole new level.

“Star, listen to me,” said Dick, his tone extremely serious. Then, it dropped to a whisper, “And… And y–you can’t think I’m crazy.”

In the glow of Starfire’s starbolt, Dick could see the glimmering light in her eyes. There was quite a bit of fear that laid within those beautiful eyes. When Dick said that they were under attack, she took him seriously. He could read her eyes so well and the frightening thing was they were saying the same things Dick was thinking.

Just what were they going to do?

They were the Teen titans. It was their job to take down their enemies. They were a team. They were heroes. This was what they did. They protected people and fought against those who would harm others.

This is what they did.

And yet, the world was quick to forget that a number of its members had barely even begun puberty and most were barely eligible for their permit in driving.

How quick they were to forget.

“I would never think you crazy, Dick,” said Starfire, her hand warm against his cheek. She hadn’t removed it. “What is it?”

Dick took a deep breath. “Remember my nightmares?” There was a nod in the emerald glow. “I don’t think they’re normal. I think… I think someone is attacking us. And they’re also targeting me.”

‘Took you long enough to figure it out, Dickieboy.’

Dick closed his eyes, pained by the voice.

“He’s talking to me,” whispered Dick. “He keeps talking to me, telling me things.”

‘You best stop telling her this. The girl you love is liable to think you’ve gone off the deep end.’

“What does this enemy say?” asked Starfire, the strength undeniable in her voice. “Why does he not come forth and fight face to face? Is he a coward to use such sickening battle tactics? I am not amused by this!”

Dick was surprised by her intensity and just as she spoke those words, that familiar voice hissed in fury.

‘How dare she!’

It seemed that Starfire’s words were having an effect on the doppelganger, who appeared to be more than just part of a simple night terror. In the creature’s anger, part of its grip seemed to slip. Clarity entered Dick’s mind. The more the doppelganger ranted, the more the fog lifted.

Dick completely forced himself to tune the creature out – he didn’t have time for this.

“We need to regroup with the others. Let’s get Raven and then we need to stick together after that—”

A scream tore through the Tower; chilling in its pitch.

“Raven!”

At that frightening sound, the two of them tore out of the main room. Dick fought against the pain in his chest as he ran, the fear pumping through his veins like a fast acting poison; each pounding step accelerating the process. His mind was racing with the single thought: please let her be okay.

And the more he ran, the more the pain inside his chest lessened.

The voice that had spoken to him again in his wakeful hours and now Raven’s scream – everything seemed to be pointing to the fact that his nightmares were something to be wary of, as they were not just a reoccurring dream. This much Dick was sure of at that moment.

And somehow, a peace also entered his heart – he wasn’t going insane.

In the moment and in the stressful situation, it never crossed Dick’s mind to call Slade. While he did have a phone and also a special communicator solely used for talking with his father, a protection system hadn’t been created for emergencies.

No doubt, after this night, such a system would be put into play.

But, of course, it was a tad late for that.

Dick ran after Starfire through the hallway, the green glow of her powers the only beacon in the darkness. He was suddenly thankful that all the bedrooms were on the same floor. The two of them made quick work of the remaining hallways, until they reached Raven’s room. With a cry of power, Starfire wrenched the sliding door open.

“Raven, are you all right?” cried Starfire, flying into the room, with Dick following after her. He pulled out his staff and readied himself for a fight.

But there was no enemy there.

Raven was curled up on her bed, clutching a pillow, and fearfully trembling there. Starfire slowly floated over to her and placed a hand onto her shoulder. Dick walked to the bed and sat on the edge, his weight dropping the mattress slightly.

“Raven, what is the matter?” asked Starfire, her voice soft.

Maybe it was all in Dick’s mind. Was he just imagining all this? Raven didn’t seem like she had been attacked. She just appeared as if something was greatly troubling her. Maybe Terra had just gone to the bathroom.

“It’s nothing. Just a… Just a bad vis—dream. Just a dream.”

The alarm flooded back through Dick’s mind.

“Raven, what kind of dream?” asked Dick, his breath catching in his throat. She glanced at him, before she broke her gaze.

“It’s nothing.”

“Raven, I’m serious – this is important. What kind of dream?”

There was a small intake of breath. Slowly, Raven sat up from her place on the bed. Starfire still provided the emerald glow of light from her hand. The green hues lighted those violet eyes. Dick could still a haunting glimmer within them.

“I can’t talk about it,” whispered Raven.

Panic rose inside Dick. She knew. She was experiencing the same thing right now, wasn’t she? She was seeing the same things he had every night. Did she have her own dark self to deal with? Did the ones she love differ from Dick’s loved ones?

Dick grabbed Raven by the shoulders, startling the girl.

“Raven, I’ve had nightmares for weeks and they’re all the same.” The girl’s eyes widened. “Tell me your nightmare is the same as all mine. If you explain, then we can defeat this enemy. Someone is attacking us.”

Raven’s eyes slid away from connecting with Dick’s gaze.

“Raven, I know you’re scared,” whispered Dick, and now those violet eyes – glimmering in their light – lifted back up to meet crystal blue. “I am, too. But we need to know everything we can about this enemy. You know something, don’t you?”

Raven just shook her head, her eyes glancing away again.

“Raven, please.”

There was a moment where Raven didn’t move or say anything. Then, her gaze slowly lifted back up. There was an intense amount of pain inside her eyes.

“Something… is supposed to happen on my birthday,” whispered Raven, her arms wrapping around her waist. “Something bad.”

Dick couldn’t make the connection, nor did he understand. What did that have to do with the nightmares? Were they truly a premonition of what was to come? But why would the enemy target him? What did showing him such things do for the enemy? All it really did was cause Dick pain and confusion. What more could it serve?

Of course, he didn’t have much more time to consider it either.

The enemy struck.

Something terribly hard collided with intense force into Dick; blasting him to the side to crash into the wall. Bright stars popped in his mind as pain flared in all areas of his body.

“Dick!”

A moment later, there was another scream from Raven, just as Starfire pulled her away from the flying object. It connected with the bed with a tremendous crunch; completely destroying the bed there. Dick groaned deeply, his mind fuzzy in the waves of pain that washed over his senses. He pushed himself upward. As Dick looked up, his heart stopped in his chest.

In the air, standing on a floating rock, was Terra.

Her eyes glowed with the yellow light of her power. Starfire had pulled Raven to the side, saving her from being part of the destruction that was her bed. Dick could only look from the bed to Terra and it was then that he realized what had just happened.

Terra had attacked them.

“Terra, what is the meaning of this?” asked Starfire, slowly lowering Raven to the floor next to Dick.

In the quick moment, Dick’s mind was already quickly putting together the pieces. A female caller had given them that tip about the scorpion. Terra had more or less admitted to the fact that it had been her who had done this. The scorpion had been powerful, one of the like Dick had never seen before – despite its size.

With Terra’s power, it could’ve been all too easy to create such a creature.

But that still didn’t explain the lava inside.

“Hey, guys, I wasn’t expecting you to get here so fast,” said Terra, her eyes ever glowing; her tone completely different than the usual girl that had been their friend – their awkward, insecure friend. No, this tone held a dark confidence within it.

Had Slade been right about this girl from the beginning? Had Dick been so foolish to allow this girl entrance into their home, to feed her of their food, to become her friend – had all of that been wasted on someone who was their enemy?

“Terra, why are you attacking us?” asked Dick, slowly getting to his feet. He fell into a fighting stance, waiting for another attack, yet it was soft enough to come across as a nonthreatening one.

Had it all been a lie from the beginning? Terra always seemed strange. She always had a lie on her lips. She had lied about her age, where she had come from – she could’ve said anything and the Titans would’ve believed her. Wintergreen seemed to know something about her, but was it enough? Was it the complete picture? Why was Terra suddenly attacking them?

“It’s the birthday girl’s special day,” said Terra, her rock lowering to the ground. She leapt off and landed onto the floor. The only light that filled the room was from the light of Starfire, the light of Terra, and the lights of the city, which streamed through the hole in the wall that had been blasted through. It illuminated the destroyed bed. “Had to do something nice for her.”

“You aren’t making any sense, Terra,” said Dick, trying to keep his tone calm. “Why are you attacking us?”

In the reflecting, glowing light, Terra smiled darkly. “I have a message for Raven.”

There was a shuddering gasp from Raven.

“No, no, you stay away from me, you traitor,” said Raven, her voice quavering as she tried to maintain her calm. It was obvious that she was terribly frightened, however. Her hand was lifted into the air, black power flaring there. “Just keep away from me.”

“Oh, Rae, you know I can’t do that.”

Dick was watching the two of them where he stood. Raven was on the floor, curled against the wall, with Starfire at her side; protection completely in the alien girl’s glowing eyes.

Terra was targeting Raven. An unknown was targeting Dick. They had to be connected.

What the heck was going on around here?

“The message will be delivered,” said Terra, her smile growing darker. “Sorry, guys, but you can’t hate the messenger.”

With a loud cry, Terra lifted her arms in the air and thrust them forward. Dick rolled out of the way, the sounds of rock pelting the wall snapping in the air a second afterward. Just as Dick managed to get into a crouch, he saw Terra go after Raven. Starbolts defended her, the green blasts crashing into the open hole in the wall; the gap widening further.

“Starfire, take Raven and run!” shouted Dick, grabbing his staff off the floor from where it fell. He quickly blocked another round of rocks.

“But—”

“Go! Protect her at all costs!”

“Oh, I won’t let you get away from me,” said Terra, throwing more stones toward them. Starfire ignored Raven’s protests – something about flying by herself – and grabbed her. Starfire immediately flew out of the room with Raven. As Terra tried to go after them, Dick blocked her path. He made a stance, preparing himself for a fight.

“I won’t let you hurt Raven.”

“I never said I was going to hurt her,” said Terra, a small chuckle escaping, but it didn’t sound friendly whatsoever. “I just said I had a message for her.”

“Throwing those rocks seems pretty rough to me,” countered Dick. “Any intent you have is obviously is meant to harm. You don’t seem too friendly right now. So, if you want to get to Raven, then you’ll have to go through me.”

“With pleasure,” purred Terra.

A boulder flew out of the darkness. Dick barely had enough time to leap over it. He rushed forward, knowing that Terra was weak against hand to hand combat. A few blows were exchanged and Dick felt the confusion rise. She was doing decently – at least, better than she had in all their training times and the few with Slade.

How had she gained the control and the skill so quickly?

But she wasn’t excellent. She had gotten better somehow, yes. But it wasn’t a huge increase of skills. After being trained by Slade for seven months and beyond, such fighting had become child’s play to Dick. Of course, Terra had more than just hand to hand combat.

Just as Dick dodged an oncoming blow to the face from Terra, he dropped to a crouch and swept the girl off her feet. She fell onto the ground with a cry, landing on her back. Before Dick could restrain her, her eyes glowed yellow once more. A moment later, something hard caught Dick in the chest. He blasted backwards with a cry.

There was no impact.

Panic flooded through Dick’s systems as he realized he was falling out the destroyed section of the wall. He scrambled to get a grappling hook from his utility belt. Before he managed to pull it out, he felt claws grab at his shoulders. The projection of his fall was altered and a moment later, Dick’s feet met the ground.

The crashing sounds of the waves lifted into the air, the light from the city glimmering against its flickering surfaces. There were no stars to be noticed in the sky, despite it being a cloudless night – not to mention, the pollution of the city lights hid these as well. No moon was seen, either.

Beast Boy dropped next to Dick, his body transforming from the green pterodactyl to the green boy.

“Rob, what’s happening?” asked Beast Boy, just as Cyborg came running out of the front door of the Tower. “We can’t find Terra anywhere – even on the bottom floor – and then I saw you falling. What’s going on?”

“You’re not going to like the answer,” said Dick, glancing back up at the Tower. The height he had fallen was in the upper section of the T. If either his grappling hook or Beast Boy hadn’t worked in saving him, that would’ve been a height to be killed from – not something that was an attractive option whatsoever.

Did Terra care if she harmed any of them in the process? If she definitely had any major connection with that giant scorpion, had she cared even then if she injured any of them?

Whatever the answer, Dick knew one thing: Terra was dangerous.

And at the same time, Dick almost groaned in exasperation. The moment Slade found out about this, Dick was going to bet a hundred bucks that he was in for a longest lecture of his life – and probably the other Titans would be a part of it. None of them were going to escape the censuring tone that Slade would take when giving them a scathing tirade about letting strangers into their home.

And the man would be right, of course.

“What, why?” asked Beast Boy. A chilling breeze blew over them. Cyborg gave Dick a narrowing look.

“Where’s Starfire?”

“She’s with Raven, protecting her.”

“Why would Rae need protecting?” asked Beast Boy, tilting his head to the side. “She’s the scariest of us all!”

A small sound of amusement left Dick’s mouth, but it quickly faded as his expression darkened. “Because, Terra is targeting Raven.”

“What?!” came the duel exclamation. Dick didn’t answer, still looking up at the Tower’s height. Would Terra come down after him? Or would she go after Starfire and Raven? To complete her task, whatever that was, she was after Raven. The smart thing to do would be to go after Starfire, rather than engage a more powerful opponent. If Terra thought she was stronger than him, then she was more foolish than Dick had thought in the first place.

The ground shook briefly beneath their feet.

“Dick, you can’t be serious,” said Beast Boy, grabbing Dick by the arm, who looked down at the younger boy. Cyborg was lighting up some of the area with a flashlight from his shoulder. There was fear inside those green eyes and Dick noticed that the boy was doing it again – calling him by name. “Tell me you were just giving us a bad joke. Tell me that’s a lie.”

“It’s not, BB,” whispered Dick. “Terra is attacking the Tower. We were lied to – lied to from the very beginning. Dad was right. We should’ve been more careful.”

“But this is Terra!” cried Beast Boy, his gloved hands digging into Dick’s arm. “She’s our friend!”

“I know that. But apparently the feelings didn’t go both ways.”

“Why are you so calm!?” shouted Beast Boy, the fury blasting from his tone. His eyes seemed to glimmer more in agony. “How can you just stand there and be calm over this?”

“Beast Boy, I’m anything but calm,” whispered Dick, taking a deep breath as he did so. The younger boy’s eyes widened and he went silent.

It was true. At that very moment, he was forcing every single emotion inside his chest down. The voice had quieted, the pain beyond that of Terra’s attacks had ceased – all that was left was Dick’s calculating mind. While a part of his soul was furious at Terra’s betrayal, there was something inside there that was whispering an all true fact: Terra was just a little girl.

Terra was thirteen. She was shy at times. She got nervous around adults – like Slade, for example. She laughed with the group, tried to act cool, got exceptionally embarrassed about ‘girl’ subjects, could eat just about anything and everything – she was a normal person, a normal girl, a normal child. She wasn’t just another criminal.

She was their friend.

Therefore, she could still be stopped; she could still be convinced to stop her attack – and that was just what Dick planned to do through all this. He was going to give her a second chance, no matter what.

The ground shook again, more violently this time. Cracks widened the ground before red, orange light came through; heat steaming from the fissures. Then, numerous strange creatures plowed their way through the cracks; their bodies glowing with the red molten substance. Their bodies were simple in a humanoid form. They reminded Dick of Cinderblock, but without a face.

Super creepy much indeed.

“Oh, this is just great,” said Cyborg, glaring at the rock like creatures. There was something about them that Dick didn’t like. The air around them suddenly went warmer. There was a small sizzling sound from the creatures.

Dick had to bite down his mouth as an expletive rose inside his mind; one that would’ve made the old man back home drag him to the bathroom to wash out his mouth – and even his ears – with the foulest soap there. He wasn’t sure about Slade stance on swearing, however; and he hoped he never found out.

But the reason for it was simple: those monsters were filled with lava – that glowing, molten red substance had now made that all apparent.

Lovely.

“Guys, whatever you do, don’t make physical contact with them,” said Dick, slowly backing up. “They’re filled with lava, like that giant scorpion we fought a month ago.”

“No…” murmured Beast Boy, taking a step back as well. “That means…”

“From the beginning, Terra had the intent to infiltrate the Tower,” said Cyborg, his voice quiet. The creatures didn’t move, nor did they attack. The three boys didn’t make to attack either.

“Why are you both acting like you expected this?!” cried Beast Boy, his eyes filling with tears. “I don’t understand why—”

“Beast Boy, calm down,” said Dick, overriding him, before the young boy got too hysterical. “We didn’t expect this. I want you to calm yourself down and take each moment slowly. We’re going to get through this and one thing you can be sure of: this night won’t end without me trying to convince Terra to stop this.”

Beast Boy’s eyes widened at that pronouncement. Even Cyborg looked a little surprised. In those words, there was the unfailing confidence from Dick. He wasn’t going to let this girl stay their enemy. She had been their friend – friends stuck by each other’s sides no matter what. One mistake wasn’t going to separate them whatsoever.

Dick had long ago learned that.

There was a loud crash above in the heights of the Tower. Then, Starfire blasted out of a window, glass shattering in her wake. Stones flew after her and then a larger boulder, with Terra on it, zoomed through the air. Starfire whirled around in the air and sent two starbolts at her attacker. The first missed, but the second connected with the rock, shattering it completely.

There was a scream as Terra plummeted to the ground. Dick held out a hand, stopping Beast Boy from flying into the air.

“Wait. If she doesn’t regain herself, then stop her fall. This is a fight. Remember that, BB. We need to subdue her. She’s after Raven and we have to protect her first.”

Beast Boy didn’t seem to like this answer, but he didn’t say anything in response. Cyborg was still on his guard. There were about ten of the lava monsters around them, but they still didn’t seem to be attacking them yet. They stood there like sentries.

As Terra fell, Starfire flew down with her. Before she could grab Terra, another boulder broke from the ground, and flew upward, stopping her fall midflight. Dick let out the breath he had been holding. The Terra they had trained with couldn’t have done that, but after his experience with her so far, he knew she was going to continue to display more of her powers.

Something moved in Dick’s eyesight to the side. He glanced over to see black power pouring from the ground in the form of a crow. In its place stood Raven.

“Raven, what are you doing here?” demanded Dick. “You should be hiding.”

“I was after Starfire left to help you,” said Raven, her voice soft. “But this is my problem and I can’t let you fight her alone.”

“But—”

Dick was cut off, as the monsters began to move and attack. They all directed their attacks at Raven, thick mud spewing from their outstretched arms.

“Titans, go!” shouted Dick, throwing an ammunition disc at the line of fire. Ice exploded against the mud, steam rising in the air – confirming Dick’s suspicions about heat within the monsters.

Raven flew into the air with her levitation, avoiding each of the blasts that were directed towards her. Beast Boy transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Rex; an instant later, he twisted around and slammed his powerful tail into one of the monsters. Cyborg used his sonic cannon, blasting the bright blue light at the creatures.

At the connection of one his blasts, one of the monsters shattered into molten rocks, sending shards of hot, melting stones in all directions. Dick felt one of the rocks land on his upper arm as he fought off a nearby monster. He hissed underneath his breath as the rock heated the skin through his suit.

As Starfire flew to the ground to join the fight, Terra was right behind her as well.

Starfire dropped to the ground and came to Dick’s side; blasting an enemy aside with ease – just as Dick had been planning on taking it down. He glanced at her as she touched his arm.

“Are you well?” asked Starfire, the concern in her face.

“I’m fine, but these monsters are targeting Raven. You’re to protect her at all costs. Leave Terra up to me.”

“But—”

“Just do it!” cried Dick as he broke away and darted towards Terra. She had lifted her arms in the air to thrust them forward, sending a rain of rocks and stones towards Raven’s direction. Dick spun his staff expertly, blocking the attack. He tried to engage Terra, but she avoided fighting with him; keeping all her attention on Raven.

There was a screech of a hawk as Beast Boy flew into the air. Then, there was a tremendous crash as he landed in his large T-Rex form onto the monsters; crushing a number of them under his weight. His leather body protected much of his skin from the heat of the creatures. Then, the boy transformed back into his human form.

“Terra! Why are you doing this, stop it!”

There was a flicker of emotion that raced across Terra’s face, but it hardened a moment later.

“Sorry, Beast Boy, but I have a message to deliver.”

Not if I can help it, thought Dick. The girl turned her attention onto Raven once more.

“What you have concealed, you shall become!” shouted Terra. The light which glowed from her hands suddenly turned blood red. She pushed off her rock and was shot through the air like a bullet – straight towards Raven.

Dick didn’t have a second to think about it. He rushed to Raven, pushing all his energy into intercepting the attack. He reached her in time to shove her out of the way. A moment later, Terra’s outstretched hands connected with his wrists; the force of the blow blasting him into the ground. Pain ravaged his back as rocks crunched against his body. A scream escaped his lips without his bidding, the fiery, intense burning sensation from his wrists overpowering the rest of the pain in his back.

All the while, the battle between the rest of the Titans and the monsters continued to go on. Beast Boy had leapt, in the form of a tiger, in front of a monster to hover over Raven; roaring fiercely as he stood over her protectively.

Cyborg was using his cannon constantly, doing everything to avoid being touched by the monsters. Every one of them didn’t attack the other Titans. Their only target was Raven. Starfire threw starbolt after starbolt, with the occasional blast from her eyes – gained from her flight into space a few months ago.

From his spot on the ground, Dick gasped; his lungs trying to draw air in as fast as they could. With a hard cry, he wrenched Terra to the side. There was a gasp from her as Dick straddled her; crossing her arms over her chest and applying pressure there. She writhed beneath him, but he didn’t let go.

“Why are you doing this, Terra?” demanded Dick. “We were your friends! We took you in and made you one of our own. How could you betray us?”

“Let me go!”

“You’re our friend, how could you do this to us!?”

“I was never your friend.”

“That’s such crap!” snapped Dick, pushing down on her arms that she gave out a gasp. “Of course, you were and are our friend. What did we do to make you hate us like this?”

The light in her eyes darkened. “You were born.”

A snort rippled Dick’s throat. A moment later, he started laughing. He let her go and couldn’t help himself. The laughter rang through the air, never wavering in its mirth and strength. Terra pulled out from underneath him, kneeling on the ground as she stared at him; obviously surprised by this reaction. Then, Dick shook his head, finally letting the laughter fade.

“Are you trying to be dramatic?” asked Dick, his incredulous smile widening. “Because lemme tell ya, Terra, you’re failing at it.”

The girl blushed red, the color so intense that even in the dark night it could be seen. She bolted to her feet and furiously swiped her hand through the air.

“Don’t make fun of me!”

“I wasn’t.”

“Yes, you were, you’re laughing at me!”

“I’m laughing,” began Dick, getting to his feet and wincing as pain laced through his body. His wrists throbbed with the burns there. “At the absurdity of your betrayal. ‘You were born.’ What kind of crap is that? Tell me the real reason you turned on us.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything!” shouted Terra. “Now stop interfering!”

“You’d have to be insane to think I’ll stand by you hurting Raven or anyone of my friends,” said Dick, his eyes flashing darkly. “Yourself included.”

There was a barking, scoffing laugh from Terra. It was such a contrast to her small body.

“You guys are such beautiful hypocrites, it makes me laugh and sick up at the same time,” snapped Terra. “You guys say you’re friends, but you’re always fighting with each other. Was it really because Beast Boy had a crush on me? Even Cyborg seemed against your father. Can something so simple really put you all at odds with each other?”

Dick’s stomach stilled in the shock.

“That’s what made you turn on us? Because we’re imperfect?” cried Dick, the incredulity pouring through his tone. “Of course, we are and so are you! We’re just a bunch of kids living together. I’m surprised we don’t fight more. But it doesn’t matter. We’re still friends. We still love and care about each other. We may fight, yeah. But in the end, we stick together.”

“I don’t care,” said Terra, her tone dropping. “I just need to do my job. I don’t care if you hate me.”

“Were all those times I talked with you just a lie, then? Are you really that good of an actor?”

Terra stopped. She started trembling.

“You know, I don’t get you,” whispered Terra. “You were always different from the others and I never could understand why.”

“Terra—”

“Every time I talked to you, I felt like I was losing sight of what I was supposed to do. I don’t get it. Why is it every time I talk to you, I feel like…”

Dick’s eyes widened as she trailed off; glancing away. She had been weakened in her resolve – whenever she had talked with Dick, whenever he had tried to befriend her, she had wanted something more than her original objective. She truly had wanted to be friends.

What a liar she was.

But the vulnerability that she displayed vanished away. She turned her hardened gaze on him.

“You know, it was really nice of you to leave the Tower, Dick,” said Terra, her young voice taking on a darker tone. Her shoulders lifted up as she curled an arm around her waist. Dick recognized the actions as an act of defense. “Really, you almost had me convinced. But with you gone, I was reminded of my original goal. So, whatever you did to get yourself grounded, thank you.”

Dick sucked in his breath. Those words were like a knife into his heart. He nearly stumbled forward in shock from it. The pure horror of what she was saying filled every part of his soul. He could’ve prevented this. He could’ve been a better friend. He could’ve been there for her. He could’ve stopped this.

But because of his selfish choice, because he had made the same mistake twice, his sin was creating horrible consequences. It had been just a simple lie, but the consequences had been greater than he ever imagined. Slade had been right: better to have fading consequences than ones that would place their scarring marks on his life.

This was definitely one of those scars.

Of course, in some ways he was overreacting. True, he could’ve helped stop her from completely turning on them. Yes, he shouldn’t have lied to Slade. This moment could’ve been prevented. However, an attack couldn’t have been prevented.

Since Terra wasn’t the only enemy.

Dick closed his eyes for a moment, before he opened them. He took a deep breath as Terra watched him.

“So, all along you were lying to us?” asked Dick, his voice soft; yet the sounds of the fighting around them didn’t drown its volume. “You accused me of lying, when you were the one doing it all along.”

“Look, it’s nothing personal,” said Terra, her tone wavering as she took a step back. Liar. “I’m just doing a job in exchange for something I want,” she continued with a shrug.

“And what’s that?” demanded Dick. “What more could you want that we didn’t give you?”

“Control.”

The answer was swift.

Of course. She had fled in fear of her secret being exposed before. Control? That was it? A home, food, shelter, loving friends, kindness, laughter – all that was secondary to control? Control over what, her powers? Her life?

At that moment, nothing seemed more out of control.

“That’s all I want,” continued Terra. “I don’t want friends. You can hate me. I don’t care.”

It took one to know one. Even though Dick could’ve prevented this in some ways, if he hadn’t lied, he would have never truly realized how much Terra was good at the art. He could see it in her eyes and the way she did everything to avoid his full eye contact. Her body language spoke the same all too well. It took a liar to know a liar.

It was such a strange, conflicting moment, it would seem. However, Dick found his resolve right then.

“You are a liar,” whispered Dick. Then, he rushed forward. He remembered the time before when he had fought with Rose and when he had tried to extend himself when Terra had tried to flee the tower. Terra, thinking it was an attack, threw an onslaught of rocks and stones Dick’s way.

He dodged every one of them expertly, pulling out a second staff from his belt and extending it. Rocks in various sizes became his stepping stones. Terra threw more his way, the light in her eyes wavering as she tried to take him down. Dick felt his speed increase as the adrenaline poured through his veins faster. He swung his staff and shattered a few of the larger ones that tried to block his path.

Finally, he landed in front of her. She tried to back away and swing her leg in a kick. Dick ducked instantly, holding his stance in a crouch. Once Terra was on both her feet again, Dick dropped his staff and completed the distance – his arms surrounding the thin body in a firm hug.

Everything stopped.

The fighting that had been going on around the two of them ceased completely. The creatures fell back into the earth, and sounds and cries of fighting from the other Titans fell silent. Dick could feel the gasping breath from Terra on his neck, her chest heaving at a rapid speed. It almost felt as if she were beginning to hyperventilate right there in his arms.

So, Dick softened the hug. He lifted his hand to rest against her head, holding her there gently, with his other arm still wrapped around her and lightly patting her back.

“I want you to stop, Terra,” whispered Dick. “Even if you were lying, I know differently. You say you don’t care if we hate you, but you’re the biggest liar of all, aren’t you?”

There was a gasp against Dick’s chest. Hands tried to push themselves away, but this time, Dick wasn’t having any of it. He held onto her, no matter the struggles as she squirmed and twisted in his arms.

“Let go of me!”

“Why should I?” asked Dick, tightening his hold on her. “If I let go, will you fight? I rather the fighting stop. You’re our friend. Nothing will change that.”

There was a soft cry there. With a powerful wrench, Terra managed to escape from the hug. Part of the ground broke away and she lifted into the air, her arms wrapped around her chest in a defensive position. Her eyes were wide and glistening.

“Yeah, Terra!” cried Beast Boy. “You’re our friend. So, please, stop fighting with us. Please.”

“Yes, we do not wish to fight with you any longer, Terra.”

“Yeah, c’mon, girl, it’s no fun to fight like this.”

Terra fearfully glanced at each in turn, her sky blue eyes filled with glimmering light.

“Get your butt down here so I can kick it,” said Raven in a deadpan tone. Dick pursed his lips in a smile, knowing Raven’s harsh way in forgiveness. Terra’s eyes widened at this statement.

“No matter what, Terra, you can still be our friend,” said Dick, seeing that the girl was slowly beginning to break down. “Even with your mistakes. We all make them. It’s okay. Whatever you’re going through, it’ll be okay. We’re still friends no matter what.”

Dick turned to the others, looking each in the eyes. He could see that they felt the same resolve that he did on the matter. He smiled.

“Right, guys?”

Each nodded with a soft smile – even Raven, though, she did so without the smile – the light in her eyes said it all.

Tears filled Terra’s eyes. She dropped to the ground and softly jumped off her stone. She kept her arms wrapped around her waist and looked up at Dick with pleading sky blue eyes.

“D’you mean it?”

Relief entered Dick’s heart and he gave her a large smile. He held out his arms, hoping to beckon her back into a hug. “Really, Terra. So, will you stop trying to fight us?”

Terra nodded, her arms tightening around her waist some more. She took a step forward as the other Titans gathered around them.

“Yes, I won’t any more. I’m—”

There was a cry of pain as she suddenly doubled over. A moment later, she had dropped to her knees as she screamed in pain. Dick fell to her side, stopping her from completely falling to the ground. The others quickly gathered closer around the two of them.

“Terra!” cried Dick, turning her around in his arms. “What’s going on?”

The girl couldn’t hear him, it seemed. She writhed in pain, her face scrunched up. Her screams were deafening on the ears and made everyone around her feel helpless. Then, there was a brief moment where Terra spoke through her pain.

“He’s… angry,” she gasped.

“Who?”

But Dick never learned who. He noticed something disturbing as he held her in his arms. Her skin was growing hard and cold. Raven dropped beside them and put a hand onto the girl’s face.

“Terra, push him out,” said Raven, strength in her voice, but there was fear in her eyes. But the girl didn’t acknowledge it. Her skin was turning harder and harder, and it was then that Dick realized that she was turning to stone.

Multiple cries of “Terra!” flooded the night air, along with Dick’s cry as well. He watched her in horror. Her face grimaced and twisted in pain. Her eyes were filling with tears. They slipped down her cheeks as her sky blue eyes writhed with the pain; those orbs flittering from each face that looked worriedly down on her.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”

Tears were flowing down her face as the petrification rose upward. Her skin was turning grey as Dick held her in his arms. He couldn’t do anything to stop it. It sealed her away completely, her normally warm flesh turning to cold stone. A simmering, red marking of an S symbol, one which had accents within the centers of the curves of the shape, flared in contrast – red upon grey – on her forehead before it slowly faded away.

There in his arms lay the friend that they had come to care about, who had betrayed them once, and then tried to repent of that choice. But what remained there now was just a stone figure, one which resembled that of their friend. There were so many mixed emotions pouring through Dick’s heart. He glanced up at the others, his chest heaving terribly in his soft gasping breaths.

‘Stupid girl! How dare she betray the master! May she forever be punished for this!’

That horrible voice rose upward again. Dick’s eyes widened in shock. Then, it laughed darkly.

‘Don’t think you are safe, little Dickie. Do you remember my words? I told you before, I will steal from you every sweet thing you’ve ever known. I will destroy your friends and your family. Then, in the end, when you have nothing left, I will kill you. I swear this and promise it in the master’s name.’

His own dark voice rose inside his mind, repeating the words that he heard every single night. Every time he heard those words, even though they varied somewhat each time, they turned his heart to ice – like a crushing hand that was determined to destroy it. Dick’s heart froze up right then. They were becoming true. That horrible double of his had spoken truth.

Here he was, holding Terra’s frozen body. She was gone – stolen from them, just like the grey doppelganger had said.

And the worst part of it all?

He could’ve prevented this.

Or so he thought.

Pain overflowed Dick’s body. Blackness filled his eyes. His heart felt as if he were going to die. His dream was coming true; that horrific dream was coming true – that was all he could think about. In that moment, he couldn’t take it any more. He wasn’t sure if he was falling back, but he was. There were muffled cries – was someone calling his name? He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t hear any more. He couldn’t think any more. Then, in an instant, the blackness fully overtook him.

Cries called out the boy’s name. Friends gathered around the unconscious boy, anxious fear ever prevalent in their faces. However, they could not pry his hands from the figurine of their lost friend.

There were two trails of petrified tear tracks along the effigy’s cheeks, forever imprinting her sorrows in her frozen death.

ooOOOOOoo

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