Raven was only a few hundred feet away from the gate. Everyone stood still; ready to burst into action, given the command.
“You realize, if Tim doesn’t make it back in time, we’re toast, right?” Flash said, addressing Batman.
“He’ll make it in time.” Batman said without turning around.
“Yeah, Wally, you should have more faith.” A voice called from behind them.
Everyone turned around at once to see Robin, with the Emerald of Twilight held tightly in his hand, moving triumphantly toward them.
“Tim, you did it!” Starfire cried, meeting him halfway and giving him a hug.
“Yeah, Star, I did it.” He said with a smile, hugging her back.
Wonder Girl, Flash and Nightwing also ran to greet him, while Hawkman, Batman and Deadman kept focused on Raven’s approach.
“Uhm, I really hate ta break up this lovely reunion,” Deadman called back. “But, Raven’s entering Nanda Parbat now, so, if ya don’t mind… Could ya get yer asses over here!?”
The ground began shaking violently, making it difficult for some of the group to keep their balance. Raven, surrounded by dark energy engulfing the air around her, slowly approached them. She stopped just a few feet away, staring them down.
“Dick, if things get hairy, can you hold your own?” Robin whispered.
“I’m pretty banged up, but I’ll manage.” Nightwing replied.
Starfire tried speaking to Raven, hoping there was some way to reach her.
“Raven, you can fight this, I know you can! We are not your enemy!”
Raven said nothing at first, almost as if she were absorbing what Starfire had said, then, finally, she replied.
“DIE!” She hissed as dozens of portals appeared around the courtyard.
One after another, demons poured from the fresh openings, hissing and barking threats at their enemies.
“Tim, you do know how to work that thing right?” Nightwing asked, referring to the Emerald.
“Yeah, I think I just have to 'will' it to work.”
“Well, little bro, start 'willing'.”
The truth was Robin wanted to; he wanted to end it all now before things could get any worse, but something stopped him. A part of him still hoped for another way to save Raven, a way that didn’t involve her death.
As he hoped in vain, the snarling demons closed in. They were easily outnumbered twenty to one, maybe even more, but still, he hoped. Another second and the battle began, the monsters lashing out wildly, not caring if they hit some of their own as long as it meant drawing blood from their enemies. Hawkman was the first to move, slashing through five of them in one stroke. Blood gushed from the points of impact, splattering across Hawkman’s chest.
Batman was the next to jump in, removing the weapon from any demon he met and taking them down with a series of precise punches and kicks.
Finally, everyone one else followed, Starfire taking to the air, providing cover for everyone else. Wonder Girl, bashing in the skulls of anyone unlucky enough to get in her way. And Flash, running about taking down demon after demon at break-neck speed. But, the flow of demons was endless; just as they finished five, eight more entered through the still-opened portals.
Robin and Nightwing were the only ones who hadn’t moved.
“Tim, use the Emerald, now!” Nightwing said urgently, removing his escrima sticks from their holsters.
“But, Dick, there has to be another way. How can we kill a friend like this?”
“You’re not killing Raven, Tim, Trigon’s already done that! You’re just killing a shell that happens to look like Raven.”
“I… I guess you’re right.” Robin said reluctantly.
“I know it’s hard, but it has to be done. It’s what Raven wanted.”
The demons began overwhelming them, pouring in faster and faster from the portals. Robin knew what had to be done, but, why did it have to be this way?
Nightwing jumped into the fight, taking down two of them almost instantly. But, he was quickly becoming outnumbered.
Robin knew he had to end it immediately, no more hesitation… but, why couldn’t he do it?
The demons were becoming more fierce, learning from their mistakes. Nightwing was almost overrun, his injuries were slowing him down, he couldn’t hold out much longer.
C’mon, Tim! Robin thought.
Your brother’s going to die if you don’t end this now… Do it, Damn you!Nightwing turned back to Robin. Seeing that Robin wouldn’t be able to finish it, Nightwing ran toward him.
Tim can’t do it, He thought.
I’ll have to do it myself.Robin watched as Nightwing ran toward him, then, looking beyond him, he saw Raven, her eyes were locked on Nightwing.
Oh, God! She knows what he’s going to do! Robin thought urgently.
Without second’s hesitation, Raven conjured a ball of black flame and hurled it strait at Nightwing.
“Dick, look out!” Robin screamed.
But, it was too late; the flame was moving too fast to dodge. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Robin watched the flame grow closer and closer to Nightwing. Raven wasn’t playing around anymore, this would kill him, and there was nothing anyone could do.
Just as the flame was about to meet its target, Robin saw a streak of purple and red rush in the path of the flame.
A blood-curdling scream tore from Starfire’s lungs as the black flame hit her body. Her scream still hung in the air as her body turned to ash.
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