64: The Final Showdown part 9

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(General P.O.V)

"Colonel! You need to see this!"

A soldier barged into the command center, throwing up a salute and interrupting the meeting.

Colonel Dean jumped to his feet as they all hurried out.

"It's...gone."

Dean muttered looking at Gotham. The black dome that had crested above the skyline was nowhere to be seen. Only a long winding smoke trail seemed to rise up from the center of the location the black dome had occupied.

The news chopper flew closer, the pilot careful and ready to pull away the second danger approached. They had come close to dying too many times before.

Once had been when Superman's heat beams had just barely avoided them, the heat washing across the news crew faces and frying their eyebrows.

"That far enough?"

The pilot asked over the site.

The reporter looked at the cameraman who shook his head.

"Pull in closer for a clear shot. The smoke is obscuring the crater."

She informed the pilot.

The pilot did as told, the chopper diving down towards the ground, to get clear of the smoke. Only for a massive red hand to break out of the green glowing crater.

The Pilot's eyes widened.

"Grab onto something!"

The massive hand tore off the side of the craft as it strafed to the right. Before they could breath a sigh of relief, the hand swiftly changed direction and clamped hard on the chopper, holding in it's powerful grasp.

"Fly us away!"

The reporter yelled, watching long red fingers topped with black nails wrapping around the chassis of the chopper.

Alarms begun blaring from the cockpit as the occupants were jostled around. The cameraman lost grip of his camera and dove after it. Unfortunately, the helicopter was rocked once more and the Cameraman bounced off the side and fell out of the chopper.

For one second, his life flashed before his eyes. Then he blinked.

"I got you!"

The reporter yelled, managing to grab onto her colleague's hand and pulling him inside the Chopper.

Then the metal around them started bending under the huge palm. Maybe getting saved had only prolonged the inevitable.

Things only got worse when the face of the thing responsible was finally revealed. Rising to his full height, Trigon walked among the Earth. The heroes were unsuccessful.

(Davian's P.O.V)

The statue crumbled under the Byakurai easier than I had expected. I mean, I had aimed it at the red gem on it's head ( an obvious weak point but still...)

"Is it just me or was that Kido spell stronger?"

I asked Chase while flying towards the ground, where a massive crater had formed as a result of said spell.

"You're right. I have seen you use that particular spell several times. I estimate it was about 50 percent stronger."

He answered.

"Does that mean what I think it does?"

I wondered, looking down at my hands with a greedy expression on my face.

"Your control is finally getting better. You can move onto higher ranked Kido spells."

Chase delivered the good news.

Yes! Finally!

Que a long training montage after this. I couldn't wait to experiment with more Kido spells. But first...

I stared at the inky darkness of the portal hovering at the center of the crater. My way out.

"Wait, what about them?"

Chase asked, causing me to look back at the serpent coiled near the edge of the crater. Specifically my eyes found his. The magician's. He stood behind the rest of the group who were hovering around Dawnstar and Karate Kid.

He held my gaze without flinching, even when my eyes begun glowing. Not the time.

"They stay out of my way and I'll do the same."

I replied, looking away.

"What if they don't? What if 'he' tries something else? Let's not forget about the heroes from the future either."

Chase pushed.

"Then he's done. I'll kill him."

I answered, walking forward to pass through the rift.

"As for Dawnstar and her companion, the Justice League will help them resolve whatever issue they have. We're staying as far from that as..."

My foot paused in mid step as the ground before me grabbed my attention. The shadows below moved strangely. They crept up from underfoot, forming into the multiple Raven Emoticlones.

"That was so cool! You really are powerful Davian."

Pink Raven gushed with a wide smile. She tried to fly towards me only for Green/Brave Raven to grab her cape and pull her down.

"Stick with the plan."

A new Raven sighed.

This one was wearing a yellow cloak and other attire that matched the color. She topped it up with with circular glasses on her face. It didn't take a genius to guess she represented Raven's intelligent part.

"We can't let you pass through."

Green stepped forward and stated, hands on her hip.

"Why not?"

I asked them as they moved to block my way.

From the left we had Pink Raven/happiness, yellow Raven/knowledge, Green Raven/Brave, Red Raven/ maybe anger, Gray Raven/timidity and finally an Orange Raven who seemed to doze off while yawning endlessly.

"Because I told them not to."

The statement did not come from any of them.

And despite the voice being similar to all the Raven Emoticlones, the only person who could deliver a statement in such a monotone was...

"Raven."

The real Raven. I looked at the source of her voice. The rift. Was she on the other side?

"No, I don't think so. You ask me and it feels like she IS the vortex."

Chase pitched in just as something begun to happen.

The vortex before me started spinning. Following that, black tentacles shot out of it's center mass, the end points of the tentacles touching the foreheads of each of the Emoticlones.

Their bodies lit up with enough magical energy it instantly put me on edge.

Chesha Neko was immediately out of it's sheath as I settled into a battle stance. The Emoticlones bodies begun glowing as they rose up to the sky.

"Bye..."

Pink Raven waved, then they dissolved into red energy that flew back into the vortex.

Rings of intricate symbols surrounded the vortex before the darkness burst apart.

Like a butterfly unfolding from a cocoon, Raven, the real one, the one wearing a purple leotard emerged. Her feet hovered at level with my chest. Her eyes were closed, black hair waving in the air.

Red tattoos crept up the bare skin of her limbs, burning with a strange power.

And through my Reikaku...I swallowed, emotion gripping me. It really was her. It felt like her.

"So, finally had enough of playing damsel in distress?"

I asked, relaxing from my battle stance but not sheathing my weapon.

However the relief I was feeling was heavy enough that I simply sat down on the ground, Chesha Neko next to me. It was apparent that I had mostly kept myself going through sheer will. Now that Raven was safe, I could breath easily.

Raven's eyes opened, revealing the same red eyes that I had seen from the possessed Leaguers.

I stiffened a little as she scanned her surroundings.

"Chase..."

I called out with narrowed eyes.

"She might be possessed but as this is her mind scape, the chances of that happening are low."

He assured but that did little to ease my worries. I couldn't imagine fighting the person I had come to rescue because she was possessed.

The group at the edge of the cliff earned themselves a frown from her, but that frown eased when her eyes landed on me.

I couldn't read the emotion but I could tell she wasn't about to start throwing shadow bolts my way atleast. I calmed down slightly.

"I met a couple of you's. Apparently a part of you thinks I'm crazy."

I told her with a lopsided smile.

The scarlet eyes dimmed as she blinked, slowly descending onto the ground before me. I felt the serpent with Constantine and the rest slither closer to us but cautiously stop halfway. At least they were considerate enough to give us some space.

Raven folded her legs under her and sat infront of me, still without saying anything. Infact her mind seemed to be far away.

I didn't say anything as well.

We just looked at each other. It felt like I hadn't seen her in days and it had only been a few hours. Crazy how so much stuff could happen so quickly.

Then she launched her body at me, tackling me in a surprising hug. I blinked, stunned. I was expecting a fight or a snarky comment but not a hug. Raven hated physical contact. And in a way I was the same. I loved my personal space but...

This hug was different. It was warm and filling. She radiated immense relief and joy at seeing me that I had already wrapped my hands around her before I knew it.

After a few more seconds, where she took a chance to sniff me when she thought I wasn't paying attention, she sighed.

"It's so good to see you."

She finally said.

I tightened the hold on her.

"Yeah...you too."

We stayed like that for a few more seconds that felt like minutes, before she slowly but firmly pulled away. I didn't understand why I suddenly begun missing her warmth.

Chase laughing in the background didn't help matters either.

Raven got to her feet, facing me with a hesitant smile.

"I saw you fight for me."

She stated.

"I saw you bleed. And I saw you hurt. The dome was not just a barrier, it was me. I could feel you defend me from harm."

She revealed, hugging her body and shivering at the memory. I stepped closer but she took one step back.

The message was clear.

"Wait. Stop...just stop."

She shook her head.

I did as she said, frowning slightly. My instincts told me there was a reason she was behaving so strangely. One second she's happy to see me, the next she's distant.

"Raven, what did you mean when you said you couldn't let me pass through?"

I asked.

"I can't let you leave." She said in determination, floating to the sky while the red tattoos flashed on her body.

"Any of you."

She added, announcing not just to me but to the others at my back. Her voice was loud enough to be audible.

"This is interesting."

Chase commented.

"Uhh...are we missing something here?"

Green Arrow asked the others.

The crack of a bullwhip caused Raven's eyes to shift to Catwoman.

"We are needed on the outside. You can't keep us here."

Raven shook her head.

"No you don't understand, there's..."

"Billions who will be saved if we stop Trigon from coming through. You're suggesting we hide away while the world goes to shite. Sorry Luv, not happening."

Constantine cut in as the head of the snake lowered to the ground, depositing the group behind us onto the crater.

"It's too late!"

Raven yelled, startling everyone.

"He's already here. Trigon won, We've lost. If I let you go, then none of you will live to see the end of the world."