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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:26:57 GMT -5
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:27:29 GMT -5
Teen Titans [/i] Issue #18: “The Trigon Empire” Part Two Written by Mark Bowers Cover by Ramon Villalobos Edited by Brian Burchette[/center] |
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:28:19 GMT -5
Donna Troy stood in her room in Titans Tower, looking at the figure ensnared by her magic lasso; the figure that had just admitted his love for her.
As the two of them looked at each other, both wondering what to say next, what to do next, neither of them noticed the sudden draft from the window that had just opened beside them.
“Who did you say you loved?” asked Donna again, double-checking. “And this time give me her full name.”
As the golden-skinned Titan known as Starfire flew into the room, the window closing behind her, she saw Nightwing standing there. She landed next to him, just as, forced by the magic lasso, he gave his reply to Wonder Girl’s question:
“I love Donna Troy.”
“Nightwing?!” Starfire gasped, feeling betrayed, and then, still confused, she stared over at Wonder Girl, her best friend and the person she’d always thought that she could trust the most. “Donna?” she said, as tears appeared at the corners of her eyes and her fists began to glow. Backing away from them both, she turned her gaze toward the window she’d entered by.
“Kory, wait! It’s not what it seems,” yelled Nightwing, but Starfire had turned her back on him, paying him no heed. So clouded was her mind by her emotions, she failed to notice his voice changing and his features transforming into those of Plastique. He reached out for her, but she was too fast, taking off through the window, this time not even bothering to open it, determined to travel as far away from Titans Tower and Dick Grayson as was Tamareanly possible.
Plastique turned his attention back to Donna. “I guess pretending to be Nightwing wasn’t my best idea,” he said sheepishly, as Starfire disappeared into the distance, faster and farther than his hand could reach. “I just thought that he owed you an apology after his fight with you. I didn’t mean to upset Starfire.”
Donna Troy released Plastique from her lasso. “Don’t worry about it, Sam. I’m sure she’ll be back. Titans go wandering off, but they all come back eventually,” she said, wandering over to the extra-strength window that Starfire had just smashed through and looking down at the scorched ground below, where, the previous night, the Titans had been battling Trigon. Now, most of those Titans, along with Trigon, were gone. “At least that’s how it used to work,” she added.
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:29:23 GMT -5
The Titans stood outside the dark R-shaped tower, deciding on their fate.
“So, what do we do?” asked Woodchucker, weary from his lack of sleep. “Enter the Raven’s Lair, or wait for the big bad to creep up.”
“Can’t we just hide somewhere, let this future Raven fight Trigon, and then take on the winner?” suggested Dagon.
“What?” exclaimed an exasperated Regina. “Let the ultimate evil meet the other ultimate evil? The Universe would be better off being destroyed by Trigon than being ruled by Raven. No, we can’t risk the two of them joining together. Your future’s at stake here. You can’t just ignore it.”
“This can’t be our future,” said Element, as he looked up at the dark sprawling R-shaped building before them. “It just doesn’t feel right. Even the elements are different.”
“Sorry, Yu, but this is what happens,” said Arrowette matter-of-factly, bringing her arm around him as she explained the unbelievable truth. “All of the heroes are gone, and Raven’s in charge now, ruling everything from that monstrosity.” She pointed at the dark building before them. “If Trigon doesn’t destroy us, then she’ll gladly do it. You mark my words.”
Kid Flash looked at his Raven, her head bowed, and her face ashen, as she listened to Arrowette’s words. “Don’t worry, Rae. We’ll find a way to get back.”
She didn’t even look up at him. “What if she’s right, Wallace? What if this is the future I create? If that’s the case then maybe it’s better if we don’t find a way back.”
“But...” began Wally.
“This is no time for consolatory words,” she said, turning her face toward him, as the ground started to shake beneath her. “Father’s almost here.”
“And bigger than ever,” said Roy, standing next to them, as he suddenly found himself standing in Trigon’s shadow... and then realized that their enemy was still nearly a mile away.
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:30:18 GMT -5
Nightwing walked into the meeting room, his eyes scanning the faces sat around the table. All of the remaining Titans were there – Wonder Girl, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Plastique – all except one.
“Starfire’s not here,” observed Nightwing. “Not answering her communicator either. I guess she must still be recovering from Doctor Light’s attack.”
As Wonder Girl and Plastique exchanged a quick glance, Nightwing continued.
“Any word on Flamebird?”
“No, she’s still missing,” said Gar. “I’m taking care of her dog, until Arrowette gets back... if she gets back.”
Nightwing looked straight at Gar. “She’ll be back... trust me,” he assured Gar, uncertain of whether he was right or not, but knowing that he’d do everything in his power to achieve that outcome. “Well, I guess we better get on with things,” he said, sitting down at the table. “I’ve obviously seen the news coverage, what little there was of it, but can anybody tell me exactly what happened last night?”
“Well, we were watching this movie,” explained Gar, “when this giant red guy with four eyes interrupted things. Anyway, turns out his name’s Trigon, and he’s Raven’s father.”
“So what were his powers?” asked Nightwing.
“Well, he doesn’t have a sense of humor. I tried impersonating him and just got stretched for it,” said Plastique, suddenly stretching to emphasize the fact.
“Also, he appears to be fairly invulnerable,” added Wonder Girl.
“So, what attacks does he use?” asked Nightwing, hoping to come up with some countermeasures should this Trigon ever return.
“Well, mainly he just stood around, and talked about destroying the Universe,” said Gar. “I don’t think he was that interested in us to tell the truth.”
“So, where did he and the others go?”
“They’ve gone to the future,” said Vic, “along with one of my hands.” He raised the hand that had gone missing, but, since it had regrown since, the point was somewhat lost.
“Well, in that case we have to follow them,” said Nightwing.
“How?” asked Plastique.
“Well, I got in touch with Batgirl earlier. She thought that maybe Zatanna or a Dr. Hunter might be able to help. Unfortunately, Babs must be on a case, because she’s not answering her phone anymore. Actually, Plastique, I was hoping that you’d be able to tell us how to get to the future,” replied Nightwing. “After all, you’re the only one here who comes from there.”
“Oh, it’s easy to follow them,” replied Plastique glibly. “It’ll just take a while.”
“How long are we talking here?” asked Nightwing.
“Several decades, more or less.”
As Nightwing glared at Plastique, Wonder Girl offered a more helpful suggestion. “There’s always the Royal Flush Gang. They came back into the past. Now that’s Regina’s gone, that just leaves the King and the Ace.”
“And the shadow-being,” mused Dick.
“Yeah, but you won’t be able to find him,” replied WonderGirl.
“Maybe not,” admitted Nightwing. “Still, I’m not sure the remaining members will be any help; their time-traveling member died in Vegas last year.”
“Yes, but he liked his back-up plans,” said Donna. “Maybe they know another way to return to the future.”
“But if they could return, wouldn’t they have gone there by now?” asked Vic.
“Maybe they didn’t want to,” offered Plastique. “It’s not the nicest of places. Anyway, as plans go, it sure beats just waiting around here, hoping they’ll just drop back here when they’ve defeated Trigon.”
Nightwing looked at Plastique skeptically. It sound like a wild goose chase to Dick, and Sam was probably just agreeing with it because it was Donna’s idea. Still, it was the nearest thing to a lead they had at the moment.
“Okay, I guess it’s time to see if the Royal Flush Gang can help,” said Dick reluctantly.
“Very well,” said Wonder Girl, standing up. “Plastique and I will go and visit the King, you and Gar can visit the Ace, while Vic can stick around here and find out from Psimon if there’s any way to defeat Trigon.”
“You really think there’s a way to defeat him?” asked a dumbfounded Gar.
“There’s got to be a way,” said Nightwing. “There’s just got to.”
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:31:06 GMT -5
As Trigon approached his daughter’s abode, he reduced his stature, partly so as not to overshoot his destination, partly so that the clouds would no longer obscure his view. As he came to a halt, he was barely as tall as the building before him. He looked down and was mildly surprised to see the same insects scurrying about his feet as he thought he’d left behind upon entering this dimension.
Last time he’d encountered them, apart from dealing with a disrespectful shapeshifter who’d dared to mimic him, he’d just stood still, hoping that his attackers would realize the futility of their actions and recognize his greatness, but clearly they were incapable of learning, for once again they were attacking him. Clearly, this time he needed to show them his true power.
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:31:39 GMT -5
It had been nearly a year since the Ace of Clubs had last used her powers. At first it had been entertaining, reading the minds of the other prisoners on her cell block, each with their own story to tell. But, as time had worn on, she’d found out that some of their stories were far from entertaining, horrific in fact, and while those stories were memorable they were, sadly, not forgettable.
Now, shorn of her playing card regalia, she strode into the prison’s visiting room, and peered through the thick glass window that separated her from Nightwing and Beast Boy. Using her powers once again, she found new stories; stories of hope, of determination, and of sadness.
“Ace?” said Nightwing, looking at the Ace of Clubs standing there, staring at them as if in a trance.
“Sorry,” she said, her eyes blinking as she suddenly synchronized herself back into reality, “I was just browsing. Oh, and please don’t call me Ace. I never wanted that title. I’d have settled for being one of the lower numbers, but then again I guess it was only my rank that saved me from being killed in Vegas, by that shadow-being. Just me, the Queen and the King left now, I guess.”
“Well, the Queen’s gone back to the future,” said Nightwing, “along with some of the Titans. And, with the shadow-being missing...”
“He’s alive?!” said the Ace, backing away, probing Nightwing’s mind and realizing the truth. “The shadow-being... he... he came back.”
“Yes,” admitted Gar, “but then he disappeared again.”
“And now the Queen’s gone, and you’ve come looking for the King and the Ace,” she said. “A bit of a coincidence that. Maybe the shadow-being’s taking care of unfinished business.”
“But it was Wonder Girl’s idea,” said Nightwing, and then he remembered her earlier words about the shadow-being – she’d said you won’t be able to find him, not we won’t be able to find him. “I should never have listened to her. I was just feeling guilty over our fight yesterday.”
“Looks like it’s time for Round Two,” said Gar.
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:32:19 GMT -5
It hadn’t been like this the first time they’d faced Trigon. Then it had all seemed so surreal, so unbelievable, as, half asleep, they’d fought this mighty red giant who’d just stood there, largely ignoring them. This time there was noise and confusion all around as bolts from his eyes blasted the ground around them, the vibrations making it difficult to stand, and his laughter filling the air like thunder. Still, even despite this, Woodchucker got the idea that Trigon was still only toying with them.
He looked over at Raven, pleading with her father to stop, as she struggled to be heard over the noise. Then he looked down at the axes in his hands, wondering why he was even bothering to throw them at the towering figure before them.
To his side, Roy, now once again out of ammunition, was gathering up old arrows to reuse. Digging in his quiver, he pulled out a metallic hand, that he’d picked up earlier, tied it to the end of an arrow and then wrapped the fingers on it into a fist. This makeshift boxing glove arrow wouldn’t make a difference now, but it reminded him of the past that he was fighting for. Meanwhile, for Arrowette, the novelty of being a hero was wearing off as she realized that she was going to die in action just like her parents had before her. Tearing the novelty heads off her arrows, she sharpened the ends, and fired them as hard as she could. If she was going down, she was going down fighting.
Regina just stood there, looking through the dust-filled air, over at Element, sitting on the ground, the vibrations flinging him around like a rag doll, as he tried to make sense of it all. But there was no sense to be found here, she thought, as she watched the archers unleashing their arrows, Woodchucker throwing his axes, Dagon just punching Trigon’s toes in frustration, and the red-and-gold blur of Kid Flash as he was constantly dodging eye blasts from Trigon. She looked over at Raven, who, like her, realized their time was numbered. Then she looked up at Trigon, who turned his gaze toward the projectiles coming toward him, the beams from his eyes suspending them in the sky, and then his gaze, along with the weapons, turned toward her.
She felt the arrows hit her, one by one, and then there was an axe in her arm, but by this time she could no longer feel anything as she stumbled toward her father.
As Roy turned to see where his arrows had gone, he saw Regina crawling toward him, arrows protruding from her body. She fell down in front of him, and he rushed over to her, falling to his knees, cradling her in his arms.
“Regina. It’ll be alright,” he said, as his tears fell on her blood-stained face.
“Call me... Lian,” she said, her voice ragged, and then she started to cough and to choke.
“Lian,” he said, sitting her up, but then the coughing stopped and her head slumped onto his chest.
Raven watched Roy kneeling there, holding on to the body of this girl he’d only known a day, but who meant so much to him. She wandered over, through the carnage, and laid her hand on his shoulder, hoping to ease his pain, only to find him brushing it angrily away. She backed off, seeing the way Roy was looking at her, as if this was all her fault. Maybe it was.
High in the R-shaped building behind him, a woman dressed in black felt Raven’s emotion, felt Roy’s emotion... and smiled.
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:32:55 GMT -5
“Do you think I should tell Nightwing about Starfire?” asked Plastique, as he and Wonder Girl awaited the arrival of the King of Clubs.
“I suspect he’ll have enough on his mind with today’s other big revelation,” she replied, as she saw the King’s arrival behind a thick glass window.
“You mean the other Titans disappearing?”
“No, that’s old news,” she said, trying hard not to laugh. “I mean this.” Her fist smashed through the window, grabbed the King, and started pulling him toward her.
“Donna?!” said Plastique, grabbing hold of Wonder Girl by the arm. “What are you doing? You’ll kill him.”
“Exactly,” she said, brutally ramming the King’s head against the floor, at the same time as she swung her elbow into Plastique’s pliable face.
“And once the King is dead... oops, looks like he already is, then I’ll turn my attention to you.”
She stood there, smiling at Plastique, as he wrapped his limbs around hers, trying to stop her. As she grabbed hold of his body, and started rolling him up, stretching him tight, seeing how much strain he could take, she began to hear the same scream that Trigon had got out of him the previous night.
“What’s the matter, baby? Don’t you love me anymore?”
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:34:14 GMT -5
Roy kept rushing at Trigon, each time being blasted back by his eyebeams. As the eyebeams rained down on him, he noticed Trigon’s hand going down toward Lian. Roy rushed back to her grabbing hold of her, as Trigon lifted his daughter up into the air.
With a casual gesture, Trigon brushed Roy off, leaving him to plummet to the ground. Hitting the ground hard, wrenching his arm, he passed out for a second, and then came to, to see the demon feasting on his daughter.
“Ah, the blood of the innocent,” said Trigon. “I’d forgotten how much I missed it.”
Dagon looked up at Trigon, sickened at this reminder of his own appetites, and then across to Roy, who was getting to his feet and rushing once again into an eyebeam, and this time collapsing to the ground.
Raven couldn’t take any more, and, with her soul self rising around her, she prepared to finish it all; to teleport directly into her father’s brain, ending this day for both of them. And then, just as the teleportation was about to begin, the energy of her father’s eye blast surrounded her and she found herself rooted to the spot. She looked up to see her father smiling at her, as his fist smashed down to the ground, narrowly missing Dagon.
Element had also had enough and seen enough. He got to his feet, brushing the unfamiliar earth from his costume, having now decided on his course of action. His powers didn’t seem to work in this strange land, but he wouldn’t need them for what he planned to do. He looked over at Raven. She was still screaming at her father to stop, but he still was refusing to listen. He just hoped that Trigon would listen to him.
“Great Trigon!” said Element, kneeling before Trigon. “I wish to follow you.”
Suddenly Trigon’s eyebeams stopped, and, as the remaining Titans continued to battle him, he just ignored them. This insect, it would appear, recognized his greatness. While he’d now grown bored and was ready to destroy this Universe if this other daughter of his didn’t show up soon, maybe this new worshipper was worthy of salvation... or sacrifice.
“Very well then,” said Trigon. “Are you willing to die for me?”
“It would be an honor, mighty Trigon, but first I beg you to answer my questions, in the hope that my tiny unworthy mind is capable of comprehending your answers.”
“Very well,” said a bemused Trigon, “you may seek enlightenment.”
“Well, how can you destroy the whole Universe? Wouldn’t you end up destroying yourself as well?”
“It would appear to be a paradox, ‘tis true,” began the crimson tyrant, relishing the chance to show off his oratory skills.
As he talked, the battlefield became still, with the others turning their attention toward Element, wondering why he was just surrendering like this. And then, one by one, as he continued to ask Trigon his philosophical queries, they realized that he was not selling his soul but rather buying them time.
As Kid Flash and Roy Harper left the battlefield, to enter the huge Raven’s Lair, Woodchucker noticed that Arrowette stayed put, preferring to face Trigon rather than his future daughter, and then he heard the many screams coming from inside.
The words frying pan and fire came to his mind, as he followed Wally and Roy into the darkness.
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:34:49 GMT -5
“How do we stop Trigon?” asked Cyborg’s machine-half, while it kept the human half of its mind sedated, to prevent Psimon from controlling it.
Psimon, restrained in a holding cell, just smiled. “The Dark God is unstoppable.”
“Well, in that case, how do we reach him?”
“When it’s your turn to die, then he’ll be here.”
“So, there’s nothing we can do?”
“You could pray,” suggested Psimon. “It won’t help, but it will pass the time.”
As Vic’s robot-half looked unemotionally at Psimon, his Titans communicator went off. Answering it, he saw Nightwing on the other end.
“Vic. You’ve got to close down Titans Tower. The shadow-being’s got control of Wonder Girl, and she’s heading there. We’ve just seen what she’s done to Plastique and... well, he’s not in the best of shape.”
Psimon laughed. “Looks like there’s a new Dark God in town.”
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:35:25 GMT -5
Woodchucker entered Raven’s Lair and there, in the entranceway lit by torches, he encountered the last person he’d expected to see – himself; or rather a golden statue of himself.
“Nice likeness,” he said, admiring it, amazed by how lifelike it looked. For a second it had taken his mind off the screams, but then he heard a new series of screams; screams he recognized - Wally’s.
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:35:58 GMT -5
The green pterodactyl, carrying Nightwing and a torn Plastique, swooped down towards their headquarters.
Wasting no time, Nightwing leapt off its back, and rushed into Titans Tower through the massive hole in the metal shield now covering the entrance.
“Vic,” he yelled into his communicator. “Where’s Wonder Girl?”
“Not seen her, Nightwing. If she’s here, she’s already ditched her communicator. I can’t get a trace on her. Wait... wait, I see her.”
“Where is she?” asked Nightwing frantically. “Is she with you?”
“No,” yelled Vic. “Turn around. Now.”
Nightwing turned to see Wonder Girl standing behind him.
“It’ll be more of a fair fight this time around,” she observed, cracking her knuckles. “Donna’s problem was that she kept pulling punches with you, kept trying to reason with you, didn’t want to kill you. I don’t have those weaknesses.”
“Sure, you’ve got Donna’s speed and strength,” said Nightwing, adopting a fighting stance, “but I wouldn’t get over-confid-“
Before he’d finished the sentence, Wonder Girl’s fist had sent him careening across the room. She walked over to his body.
“Hope you’re not dead, Boy Wonder. I’ve not finished with you yet.”
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:36:33 GMT -5
Roy Harper and Woodchucker ran up the staircase, following Wally’s screams, and found themselves in a room, staring at Kid Flash, who was standing there, enveloped in a cloak of darkness, screaming and convulsing as a dark figure looked on and laughed.
She looked like Raven, except her face was older, gaunter, and contorted, her brow almost resembling Trigon’s. Her body was covered by a dark cloak and, as she turned to her new visitors, they saw that her robotic right eye pulsed with a red light.
“More old friends,” she said, amused by the newcomers. “You really must stay.”
Roy and Woodchucker just stood there, looking between her and Kid Flash, whose face was contorted in agony and covered in sweat.
“Hush, Wallace,” she said, as the darkness around Kid Flash dissipated, leaving him to drop unconscious to the floor. “We’ve got to let our guests speak.”
Roy looked at the future Raven and decided that, with the day he was having, he didn’t have time for this weirdness. Nocking his arrow, he explained the situation to her: “There’s an invincible demon called Trigon outside. Help us to destroy him, and you might live. Any questions?”
“Yes,” she said, as her piercing eyes stared into Roy’s, and she walked up to him so that his arrow was now touching her head, right between her eyes. “The same question I asked you the last time we met, a time when you were so much older.”
“What question’s that?” asked Roy, noticing the temperature in the room suddenly dropping.
“How would you like me to kill you this time?”
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Post by starlord on May 22, 2007 20:37:06 GMT -5
To Be Concluded!
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