Titans Resistance #22

“Fairy elves, / Whose midnight revels, by a forest side / Or fountain, some belated peasant sees, / Or dreams he sees, while overhead the moon / Sits arbitress.”
John Milton

There every herd, by sad experience, knows
How, winged with fate, their elf-shot arrows fly,
When the sick ewe her summer food forgoes,
Or, stretched on earth, the heart-smit heifers lie.

Willam Collins



The Titans materialized, one by one, on a green, verdant hill, overlooking a brilliant, shimmering city that didn't even really seem to be there.

It was night in this world, but a deep, fundamental night that felt different and strange. To Supergirl, it reminded her of the vast depths of space travel. Not simply how wide the sky was, from horizon to horizon; not just how bright the stars were, but there was a feeling...a feeling of all consuming depth.

And the stars were.....wrong.

All the Titans knew how the stars were supposed to look from Earth. None of the familiar constellations were present, and the stars seemed....closer, somehow, brighter.

Also, a disproportionate number of them seemed to be yellow. Tiny little golden discs in the sky. To be that close, they should be properly suns, and light up the sky, and hurt to look at. But none of these things were the case.

Also, there wasn't a single white star in the sky. Blue, and green, and gold, and red, all glittering like precious gems. But not a single white one in all that vastness.

And the stars were fewer and far between. There was at least one stretch of sky with no stars at all; completely black.

“The physical laws must be different here,” Supergirl said in an amazed, almost dreamy voice.

The Changeling offered a smirk. “You could say that, yes.” He turned to look at the city. “Home...” he said, in a bittersweet, unhappy voice. He shook himself. “Come.” He lead the way down the hill.

The Seelie Court does not offend easily,” Deriven told them, “But neither should we do anything indiscreet. Stay close and do not get involved in any....entanglements.”

“As my mother did,” The Changeling bit out, then turned his head away and walked faster.

The unreal quality of the city did not lessen as they approached. The shimmering effect did not go away. The towers were tall, green and rounded at their tops, with mostly yellow light from the occasional diamond-shaped window.
“Is it phasing in and out of this dimension?” Supergirl asked, somewhat alarmed.

“Not in the way you mean,” Deriven answered. “The Seelie Court exists in several different planes of reality simultaneously. This is simply the easiest approach for humans.”

Crow floated on ahead of them, feet several inches off the ground, her cloak billowing behind her like wings.

“Show off,” Rose murmured.

Crow turned and gave her a small smile before floating on again.

“She heard me,” Rose shivered.

“She can read minds,” The Changeling said, not looking back. “Everyone learns quickly to be completely honest with her.”

“Is anybody else's brain trying to burn out over this?” Anarky asked in a wavery tone of voice.

“Stay focused,” Robin said.

“It's freaky,” Ravager agreed.

“It's beautiful,” Terra whispered.

Argent said nothing, looking around with wide eyes.

“Maybe my ring is protecting me,” Lantern said. “Or maybe I'm just used to alien worlds.”

“It is clearly very alien,” Supergirl agreed, taking no offense. “But I see nothing magical here yet.”

“You will,” Deriven promised.



They were headed towards what seemed a central courtyard. They had seen many Elves on the way through, dancing and cavorting through the shimmering, uncertain pathways they tread, but here in this roughly round clearing many Elves danced with each other, or ate meat cooked over open fires. Terra, Robin and Anarky, each to some extent having been raised on Tolkien, were surprised at the lack of trees or nature-worship; each decided, in their own way, to put such preconceptions aside. Rose and Argent each was more easily able to recognize the more archetypal legends of the Fae that were on display around them.

It didn't take anyone long to figure out that the Changeling was well named. He was shorter than any of the Elves around them, and his skin was a paler shade of green than theirs. Given his comments about his mother earlier, it didn't require Robin's analytical skills or Anarky's merciless intellect to work out that he was a half-breed. Which, Argent supposed, was what the term “changeling” had originally meant, instead of leaving a fae child in the crib.

The Elves did not quite have the tribal, shamanistic look that Crow had, but certainly they were heavily tattooed and didn't wear much clothing. Again this was a stark contrast with Changeling, who wore close, form-fitting, elegant garments.

Also, the Elves seemed to nearly ignore them. They got the occasional glance, the occasional grin; but no one spoke to them. Several of the nodded to Deriven, the Changeling, or Crow; but none spoke. Crow and Deriven seemed to take this in stride (or in Crow's case, in float); but the Changeling had his head bowed and the occasional muttered grunt was heard. Terra supposed his mixed heritage accounted for much of his frustration; he truly didn't belong anywhere. She felt sorry for him; she knew what it felt to be out of place as well.

At length, they came to the center of this wild dance. Sitting on what appeared to be a throne carved out of jade—or perhaps emerald?--sat an Elven woman who was even taller and more regal than usual. Like Changeling, she wore elegant garments that were mostly scarlet. She wore a gold and silver necklace with an azure gem.

“Queen Evey, Mistress of the Black Pearl,” The Changeling bowed low. All the others followed suit, even Ravager, though she did it with a sneer on her face.

“Nephew,” she returned. “And the magus Deriven. How good of you to come. These are Earth's sorcerers we have heard so much about?”

“They might not exactly agree with that definition,” The Changeling said, as Deriven urged Supergirl not to answer, “And one of them is not from Earth at all, but yes, these are the champions who have helped to reawaken the dream of magic on that world.”

“They know of the threat?”

“They are aware of the Great Demon and the other shadow creatures, but only as a vague concept, matron.”

The Elven Queen raised a brow. “They are the greatest threats, yes. More immediate is the Unseelie Court.”

“Magus Deriven has told them--” The Changeling began.

“Yes, I'm sure he has,” sighed the Queen. She turned to look at Deriven.

Picking up the cue, Deriven spoke in a placid voice. “It has been suggested, majesty, more than once, and by your own advisors, that the Unseelie Court and the creatures of the Outer Darkness may be in league.”

“On at least a superficial level, yes,” The Queen answered. “I am aware. And you are determined to fight the Great Demon first?”

“If possible, Great Lady, I would face his minions only, and not the avatar of darkness itself. If enough of his minions are thwarted, he will not manifest. To my mind, that is the first priority...”

She shook her head in apparent disdain. “Then the Changeling may accompany you, as well as four of my finest warriors. But I demand you help me against the Unseelie Court!”

“Always you have that pledge, lady. Always I serve Order.”

“Yes, so you do, but only according to your own designs. At any rate, you may enjoy our hospitality for a time. Then I am certainly you will wish to summon other mortals to assist you.”

“Thank you, Lady,” Deriven said graciously. He, the Changeling, and Crow bowed, and the others followed suit.



“That was unpleasant,” The Changeling said. “But not nearly as unpleasant as it could have been.”

“I thought there was a sense of urgency?” Terra prompted.

“There is,” He said, looking back at her, brows furrowed. “But time is...different over here.”

“Part of the problem is knowing when the Great Demon will manifest. It will be relatively soon, but not immediately. As you have already heard, my plan is to destroy enough of his thralls, to whom he is linked, to prevent his Arising.”

“Why do you call him 'The Great Demon? Doesn't he have a name?” Ravager wanted to know.

“Probably along the lines of speak of him and he shall appear,” Anarky muttered.

Deriven nodded. “While his true name spoken aloud would not be enough to summon him directly, it would attract his attention and motivate his minions to find us. That would be.....less than advisable. We want to fight them at a time of our choosing, with allies of our selection. The Elvin warriors Queen Evey promised us...and...others that I can call upon.”

“The Queen seemed very, um, snippy,” Ravager said. “Even more than you.”

The Changeling looked at her and his eyes flashed....then he simply looked tired. “She was a much happier, cheerful soul....before the Unseelie were emboldened by the rise of the Great Demon and his shadows.”

“You mentioned others?” Robin prompted.

“Ahem, yes. A seer of omens, for one. A caveman, for another. A herald of rifts....and, well. Crow?”

The black cloaked girl turned to them unhappily. “I am not the only child of darkness,” she said.

There is another in Deriven's care. We shall see to him later.”

“Yes. And actually, Pirate Queen,” Deriven said, turning to Ravager, “There was something I wanted to ask you.”

“Um, yah?” Ravager frowned.

“Have you had any contact with those in the depths?”

Ravager looked uncomfortable. “We know they're there, but they don't talk to us unless at absolute need. They still hate the surface world.”

Everyone was staring at her.

“What?” Anarky finally said.

“There's people living in the damned ocean!” she snapped. “Don't ask me to explain it. But they've always been there....and they don't like us much.”

Deriven looked sad. “I had hoped they would come to us.....well, perhaps if we survive this trial.”

“If,” the Changeling said.



“Hey,” Ravager said, nudging Terra. “You sweet on the green kid?”

“Not exactly,” Terra shook her head. “I feel for him. I understand some—not all of course—but some of his frustrations.”

“You sure it's not more than that?” Ravager teased.

Terra shook her head. “No....if only because I met Robin first.”

“Ahhh,” Ravager nodded her understanding. “Speaking of which, you gotta get to work on that girl....”

The Changeling could hear every word spoken. He turned away, blushing.

“Now then, Kryptonian,” Deriven said. “You wanted to see magic? True magic?”

“If you can,” Supergirl sniffed.

Deriven smiled. “Then come this way....”



Meanwhile, in Markovia.....

Prince Brion was mildly surprised that Empress Petra had not executed her new London functionary in a fit of pique, or even disciplined himself. The presence of vampires in London had shocked her somewhat, not to mention a vampire hunter allied with his Sister's little band, She had not taken it well, to be sure, but she had focused on the matter at hand and increased conscription and funded creation of new, more advanced Rocket Men suits. But she seemed in her own way, once she had absorbed the situation, to be almost....serene.

She had wanted to show him something, she said. Something she had been planning since even before Tara's defection. A thought that had, in one way or another, been in the minds of the Imperial line going back to the 1960s, with the original concept going back to the 1940s.

“Our vast financial war machine can be used for many purposes, my son,” she said as she lead him into a hallway that slanted slowly upwards.” The technology granted us by the war and tithes for conquered lands show us the way to the future.”

“I don't understand,” he said. And he didn't. He wasn't worried, exactly; but he did wonder what, in the entire world, his mother was talking about.

“You understand better than you know,” she smiled. “You've seen some of the paperwork for this, as you were in financial administration before your sister betrayed us. You've seen where the money is going.”

“The....experimental rocket division?” he asked uncertainly.

“Yes indeed. The Rocket Men are only the beginning. We had hoped to unite the world under our rule first, but the ongoing rebellions of both the Titans and the Society—not to mention, it must be said, the continued stability of the United States and Japan—have caused us to expand in this fashion first.”

“What fashion?” he asked, both nervous and exasperated.

The sloping ramp had become steeper and steeper, and now finally they had stepped through a sliding silver door, they were in a room that, had it been larger, Prince Brion would have considered a Planetarium. But it was much too cramped for that. If a third person had joined them, things would have become awkward.

Petra touched a button, and the dark dome over them opened wide.....and Prince Brion saw a rocket. A very, very large rocket stretching over head....

“A moon shot?” he asked, with almost childlike glee, his earlier concerns vanishing.

“Yes. It was always the plan to have atmospheric dome cities and underground warrens on Luna. Now with Terra's little cabal further slowing down our plans, the moon would make an ideal weapons launching platform. And there is yet another reason to hurry. After the....defeat....we suffered in the homeland by Terra and her cabal, the American President is pouring money both into NASA and private defense contractors to get to the moon first.”

“When will we be ready?” he breathed.

She smiled at her son, her good, loyal, obedient son. “Soon...”



They led Supergirl to a smaller, squarer space between two of the tall green towers of the faerie citadel. There were only a few Elves here, and they moved at a slower, more sedate pace. Some of them wore more clothing than was usual; flowing blue and green robes, albeit flimsy one.

“Ah, it is the unhappy brat,” one of these said, eyes sparkling merrily. “What do you have for us, straddler of two worlds?”

Terra cringed. No wonder the Changeling was so bitter, if they always treated him this way.

For his part, the Changeling smiled a thin smile. “A starchild in her own right, who denies magic even exists. You know the world Krypton from the old teachings?”

The Elf raised an eyebrow. “That we do. One of them is here?”

Supergirl stepped forward, eyes defiant. “Everything can be explained rationally.”

The Elf stared at her, eyes wide and mouth agape, then shouted with laughter.
“Explained, yes. Rationally, no!” He turned to Deriven. “Surely you've shown her a trick or two?”

“There was the matter of opening a bridge to Earth, and then bringing them here,” Deriven said apologetically. “But she still sees it as simple energy manipulation.”

“I see.” The Elf turned back to Supergirl. “Then you don't mind if we demonstrate that which you are so certain is rational on yourself?”

Supergirl lifted her chin. “I can withstand most attacks. Do what you will.”

“Not attacks,” the Changeling said. “Simple transformation.”

“She really doesn't believe, does she?” the other Elf marveled. “Despite being a starchild herself.”

“The Kryptonians have worshiped science as their god for hundreds of thousands of years,” Deriven said sadly. “Aside from a few proponents of the Cult of Rao, magic and faith are nearly dead on their world.”

“We do not worship science,” Supergirl sighed wearily. “But you say the Cult of Rao still exists. That is interesting. I wonder if I might debate them some day, if I ever go home.”

“They might not reveal themselves to you,” Deriven said. “You may wish merely to debate them, but some of the Science Council might wish them purged.”

Supergirl shook her head. “We do not operate that way.”

“No? Remind me to tell you the story of what happened on Gallifrey, before they were destroyed. But that is a story for another time.” Deriven gestured. “Stand there, and we will begin the ritual.”

Supergirl shrugged and stood where directed. Deriven, the Changeling, Crow, the Elf who had spoken to him, and female Elf stood around her and began to chant, slowly at first, then faster and faster.

Supergirl looked a little uncomfortable, but stood her ground, head held high, eyes defiant.

Eventually their chants became a blur of sound and there was a flash of light.....when it faded, Supergirl's costume had changed. She wore a stylized red suit with a long flowing blue cloak, and her head was no longer encased in a cowl; instead it fell free in a short blond tress.

Supergirl frowned. She showed neither surprise nor fear, only mild annoyance. “Will I get my old clothes back?”

“They will revert in time,” Deriven assured her. “And no, it is not an illusion.”

“Simple matter transformation then,” she shrugged.

“There was no apparatus, and occurred due to our collective wills,” the Changeling said. “Explain that.”

“I haven't had the time to study the situation,” she shrugged. “The clothes are....interesting, but I prefer my more traditional Kryptonian garb.”

“You would,” Robin said, laughing.

“We shall spend a little more time here,” said Deriven, “Then return to my lair for....some assistance.”



That “little time” seemed to be more than two hours, but beyond that the Titans could not be sure. Supergirl said nothing more about her impromptu costume change, but was seen playing with the blue cloak thoughtfully now and again.

The Elves were frenzied revelers, and clearly some sensual, bohemian stuff was going on, but they never saw it up close. The Changeling quietly indicated the Elves were under orders from Queen Evey not to become too wild with the Titans. Now was not the time for another like him to be created. Especially when the Elves needed the Titan's help.

When they finally returned to Deriven's sanctum, four Elvin warriors accompanied them. These were not the carefree types they had seen, but grim soldiers in dark green scale armor with long pikes, save their leader, and officer who wielded two wicked, long blades. They would stand down until needed. Ravager was positively fascinated by them.

“You sure there's no way to um...guard against creating another like you? And still have fun?” Ravager asked the Changeling.

He gave her a long, sad look. “There are such ways, but these four are all business, ready to fight our enemies. You should have asked back in the citadel.”

“The ones back there weren't my type.”

The Changeling rolled his eyes, and Anarky, for his part, seemed to be hanging his head, though it was hard to tell with his mask, hood, and hat.

“Enough chatter,” said Deriven. “Time to meet some of the others.” They left the Elven warriors behind and stepped up to one of the doors in the long, twisting corridor. Deriven knocked on the door three times in a measured beat, then uttered a single word. A symbol glowed briefly on the door, and then faded. He turned to grin for a moment at Supergirl. She rolled her eyes as the Titans followed the mage inside.

It was a large, dark chamber, too large to have fit inside the parameters of Deriven's sanctum.

“More dimensional manipulation?” Supergirl asked. It sounded more a question than a criticism.

“Yes,” Deriven whispered. “Now hush a moment, I need full concentration.”

They moved forward, until they began to be bathed in a red light. Some sort of creature was trapped in a cage of scarlet energy. A woman in red robes stood before it, looking at it sadly.

“Greetings, Lilith,” Deriven whispered. “What omens do you see in the future of this one?”

“His future is uncertain,” she whispered back, “But there is no doubt he will continue to be full of pain and frustration. She turned and nodded to Crow, who nodded in return.

The object under discussion screamed and writhed inside his cage.

“What is that?” Terra asked, horrified.

“Crow is not the only child of darkness here,” Deriven whispered. His eyes were grim. “That....is Kid Devil.”