Teen Titans: Shadowpact pt.3

Solomon Grundy and Gentleman Ghost had arrived at the ancient tree in the center of a dense forest where their master, Blackbriar Thorn, had been imprisoned.

The tree stood in the center of a small clearing in the center of the forest, a few feet away in all directions from the rest of the forest around it. A number of remains of stone ruins were scattered about, showing that the area used to be used for the old order of druids who’d served under Thorn centuries ago. The tree itself had dark bark, making it look like a malformed growth from the earth. It was thick and taller than most of the tress around it. A small set of crumbled stone steps were set in front of it leading to the center where distorted shape of what seemed like a man was carved yet also looked like it was grown from the tree itself.

As both servants stood before the tree Ghost took a step forward and revealed both the Staff of Thorns and the Mortis Orb, saying “We have acquired your staff and orb, master Thorn.”

After that Ghost put the Orb into the small section of the Staff where it fit perfectly. A small wave of energy exerted from it, hitting the tree and making it start to glow slightly. Both looked to see as the eyes of the shape of Blackbriar Thorn in the tree opened, reveling two sunken in wooden eyes.

“I can feel it.” His voice ran out all over the area. “I can feel the forces of power awakening all around. The connection with the ancient magic’s of the world. It is all starting to come back to me.” The tree began to move a little, as if breathing, before Thorn said “Give me the Staff, Ghost. So that I may walk in this world again!”

As Gentleman Ghost took a step forward the sound of something in the air made both he and Grundy look to see as the shadow Raven appeared from the ground, with she and the Sentinels of Magic appearing from it.

“Not this day, Thorn!” Dr. Fate said after he appeared.

“Ah.” Thorn’s voice rang out. “The great Sentinels of Magic. Defenders of the world from the dark forces. Admirable as your past efforts against me before, Fate, you and your band of trick conjurers fail this day.”

“Wanna bet?” Blue Devil said before firing his trident at Ghost.

Using his staff Gentleman Ghost created a force field to block the attack, being pushed back a little by the force of it. He dropped it once Devil was done and looked ready to fight.

“No, Ghost.” Thorn said. “Do not let them bother you. I shall handle this.”

The Sentinels stood ready for anything before Thorn’s eyes glowed brighter. Suddenly the ground began to shake underneath them and, to their surprise, roots sprouted from the ground in groups of up to 8 per cluster. They coiled and contorted together to eventually from into the shapes of large brutish man-like creatures. Their skin was bark and it became sharp like claws or thick like fists around their hands. When their eyes opened they were almost the same as Thorns.

“Sentinels, NOW!” Fate declared, making himself and the others rush in and attack.

Blue Devil leapt into the air and smashed down on one of the root monsters, just as it was about to attack. He turned and swung his trident into two others who tried to attack from behind. Three more came in and tackled him to the ground before, using his strength, Devil was able to push them off.

Madame Xanadu recited a few magic words before a circle of fire appeared around her, burning some of the monsters near her while others stood back from the flames. One had managed to jump over it and into the circle with her, making Xanadu back up before, to her relief, Raven flew in front of her and fired a spell to send it back into the fire.

“Excellent save.” She commented before both of them stood back-to-back to fight off more monsters.

Doctor Fate recited spells that turned the monsters near him into ice. Another spell created arrows of light around him that shot in all directions, shattering them. He turned his attention towards Ghost with Thorn’s staff and flew over. Seeing him coming Ghost raised his own staff and fired a green flame. Fate created a portal that swallowed the flame in front of him before closing it and firing his own spell at Ghost. Tow beams of shot out from his hands towards Ghost who, using his staff, created a barrier before raising Thorn’s staff. He used it to fire a beam of black magic at Fate which attacked with his own. The two power struggled for a moment before the root monsters jumped on Fate, forcing him to fight them.

Seeing this Ghost replied “I supposed their bark is just as bad as their bite.”

“Do not waste any more time, Ghost.” Thorn said. “Give me the staff. Now!”

Gentleman Ghost turned and began to walk up the steps towards Thorn. Raven had seen this and tried to stop him but was cut off by more monsters. As Ghost came closer Thorn’s body cracked from the bark, one of his hands reaching out to take the staff. Just as Ghost was about to hand it over something grabbed his arm and stopped him. It was Solomon Grundy.

“Grundy? What are you doing you undead oaf?” Ghost asked.

Within a second, just after he’d asked, something had emerged from Gundry that shocked him: it was Deadman. He flew out and socked Gentleman Ghost right in his non-existent face, sending him off his feet and on his back.

“Didn’t see that coming, did you?’ Deadman smirked as he floated in front of him.

“You survived by hiding inside Grundy?” Ghost said, getting to his feet. “Clever, Deadman. Very clever.”

“That’s not even the best part.” DM replied before looking back to Gundry.

Both of them, as well as some of the Sentinels, watched as Grundy’s body began to change. Soon enough it was revealed that it was not Grundy but Black Orchid who’s taken his shape. The sight made both Raven and Blue Devil smile with such amazement.

“How!?!” Ghost shouted.

Deadman answered with “Let’s just say, when you have a powerful fortune teller on your team, it pays to have a lot of insight.”

Hearing this Raven looked back to Xanadu, who smirked at the sight of seeing Black Orchid and Deadman’s guise having worked.

“Now where were we?” Deadman asked himself. “Oh yeah.” He punched Ghost again, making him drop the staff before saying “Not talking so smart now, are you?”

Monsters had come towards the two, making Black Orchid leap into the air before landing in the middle of a few. Using her strength she managed to break some with one good kick or punch while others she was able to rip a limb off and use it as a club against others.

Deadman flew into one creature and used it to strike others down. From behind another creature attacked from behind, making him jump out as the body was destroyed. He floated over near Raven just as she’d finished off more monsters.

“Miss me?” he asked coyly.

Raven smirked and looked at him, saying “Maybe Black Orchid a little more.” Deadman chuckled at this before she asked “If you’re both here where’s Grundy?”

“Well after that whole big magic shockwave you made, me and Orchid took the chance and stuffed Grundy in one of the tomb’s while he was still out. After that Orchid did her little face-lifting trick and I hide inside. We were just waiting for you all to show up. Took you long enough by the way.”

She smirked before looking over and realizing “The Staff!”, seeing it on the ground.

She flew over and was about to grab it before roots sprouted out and wrapped around it. Raven increased her speed and managed to grab it, starting to pull it away from the roots. Suddenly a large branch from the tree reached down and swatted her away. The Sentinels stopped, just as the root monsters did, to see the roots lift the staff up into Thorn’s waiting hand.

With his staff back in his hands, Thorn began to absorb the magic power from it and the Mortis Orb. It began to fill his body like blood through veins, its energy glowing through his body. It also began to spread through the tree before sinking back into him. With that his body finally began to form and break from the tree, the bark that was his skin slowly forming into more human-like yet still plant-like. His bread on his face was like that of moss.  He stood before all, his eyes and mouth fully opened, and raised his staff in the air.

“I AM FREE!” Blackbriar Thorn declared. Looking down at everyone else he said “You fools could not stop me. Now no one can!”

The Sentinels grouped together and charged at him only for Thorn to blast all of them back with a powerful blast of magic. They all fell back as the root monsters grouped around their master, bowing before him.

“Now that I have returned to power, I shall spread my greatness throughout the world! All will bow before Blackbriar Thorn on this night of All Hallows Eve!”

As the Sentinels got to their feet Fate said “It would appear we’re doomed.”

“Great.” Devil said. “And just when things were starting to look up.”

“We can’t give up now.” Raven turned to say to them. “There’s got to be something we can do.”

Deadman, floating next to her, said “Don’t know if it’s not obvious enough, kid, but Thorn’s got all the power he needs now. Not like we can just hit the off button on it.”
Raven suddenly perked up and said “That’s it!”

“That’s what?” Devil asked.

Raven looked among the Sentinels and said “I need you all to give me a clear path to Thorn. I need to get to the Staff.”

As they all looked unsure of what she was saying Madame Xanadu began to say “Raven, please. Whatever you’re thinking it’s-”

“You brought me here for a reason.” She cut her off. “You said I was the one to help stop Thorn, right? You saw it in the cards. And you trust those cards, don’t you? Well trust me. Please. I need all of you to help.”

The Sentinels all looked among each other before everyone looked to Black Orchid as she nodded. Afte and Xanadu, in turn, nodded as well. Deadman smirked his approval.

“You know you’ve been a pain for me ever since you showed up, girl.” Blue Devil said, making everyone look to him. “Maybe you can be a bigger one for Thorn.” He smirked, making her and the other smirk or smile as well.

Blackbriar Thorn, looking over his subjects, turned his attention to the moon and raised his staff. Clouds began to form in front of it, blocking it’s light from the area.

“The elements bend to my will.” He said. “Just as everything else soon will!”

The sound of a magical blast made him turn in time to deflect it with a sing from his staff. He looked and narrowed his eyes as he saw the Sentinels of Magic standing ready to fight.

Raven gave a resounding “Sentinels, GO!” making them charge.

“Destroy them!” Thorn ordered his monsters.

As the two groups came closer the Sentinels fell back for Madame Xanadu and Raven to fire two beams of magic that cut through some of the monsters. Raven flew ahead as  Deadman, using a monster’s body, tackled through more for her. She was stopped by some but Black Orchid flipped over in front of Raven and kicked one back hard enough that it knocked others down. As she dealt with the others Raven flew onward, Dr. Fate now giving her cover by firing from above and taking down more. Stopped by more Raven fired more magic but others stood in her way. Suddenly Blue Devil dropped down and told her to get down, she doing so. He raised his trident and charged it before slamming it to the ground. Streams of magic shot out all over, taking down more of the monsters. Devil looked back and gave a thumbs up, indicating for Raven to go before more monsters attacked.

With a clear path for her towards Thorn, Raven fired her magic at him. Thorn held one hand out and blocked it before Raven came close enough and grabbed the staff. Both of them began struggling with both hands on the staff.

“There is no stopping me now, girl!” Thorn spat. “I have the staff. I have the power! You have and are nothing!”

“Big talk coming from a walking bush!” she retorted as they both still struggled.

“Trying to take my staff are you?” he said. “Well here! Have it!”

He focused the energy of the staff and sent it through, shocking Raven with its power in the process. Seeing this Blue Devil tried to run and helped but, with Black Orchid grabbing his shoulder, he stopped and looked back to see her shaking her head.

“You can’t control this power, Raven.” Thorn said as she was still being hurt by the staff’s energy. “You refuse it’s true nature, just as you do yours. But I can help you control it. Join me, and you can rule with your true powers in hand.”

Raven, fighting against the pain, looked up and said “I.... don’t need that power.... to beat you!”

“Look at you!” he spat again. “You could not even control the Mortis Orb. What makes you think you could control the Staff?”

“I’m not trying....to control it.” She said. “I’m....trying to overload it!” she finally smirked.

Raven began to stand to her feet and, still fighting the pain, closed her eyes. Thorn looked oddly at this before, opening her eyes again, Raven looked right into his eyes. Hers began to glow the same color as the staff’s black energy making Thorn look down to see that it was being drained from the staff itself. Thorn began to protest in horror, the monsters he created slowly stopping before falling over with no life in them, making the others look to see as Raven pushed the magic within her back into the staff. It shot up into the Mortis Orb and, to everyone’s shock, made it glow to bright to the point where it finally exploded, sending Raven and Thorn back into the air.

While Thorn smacked against the tree behind him Raven was caught by Blue Devil in his arms. When he landed the others grouped around to see as Raven was knocked out by the exertion of power. They all looked worried as she didn’t move but then, to their relief, Raven’s eyes flicked open as she looked up to see them.

“Not bad, kid. Not bad at all.” Deadman gave a thumbs up.

Dropping to her feet Raven looked and asked “Did it work?”

“To perfection.” Fate said, pointing to where Thorn lied.

Thron, getting to his feet, looked at his broken staff, lying in pieces on the ground, and said “No....no! This can’t be happening. The Orb...” he looked to Raven and shouted “You destroyed the Mortis Orb! You, a mere child, have destroyed my chance at true power!”

“Funny thing about ‘true power’.” Raven smirked. “It tends to have a way of coming back around on you. That’s if you don’t know how to use it right.”

He growled and ran towards her saying “I’ll KILL YOU, GIRL!” only to be smacked back against the tree he’d been trapped in by Blue Devil.

“Not today, Thorn.” He said.

“And never again.” Xanadu added as she and Fate stood next to Raven.

As Thorn got to his feet he saw all three of them standing in front of the others, saying “W-What? What are you doing?”

“Putting you back where you belong.” Fate said as he and the others held their hands up. Suddenly he began to chant “Azarath...”

Madame Xanadu added with “....metrion...”

And finally, with Raven, all of them finished with “ZINTHOS!”

The combined might of all three magic users sent Blackbrair Thorn screaming as he was forced back into the hovel of the tree where he was trapped. Once he was pushed back into it, the three stopping, Blue Devil aimed his trident and used it’s magic to seal the crack, Thorn screaming to get out before it fully closed with him still inside.

With the day saved and the Sentinels of Magic looking over their victory, Raven simple stated “Best Halloween ever.”

********************

Raven returned with the Sentinels of Magic to their base at the Tower of Fate to both celebrate and review their success in the meeting room of the Tower itself.

“Gentleman Ghost managed to escape,” Doctor Fate stated “but he and Solomon Grundy will likely return. Only this time they won’t have some dark master pulling their strings.”

“Guess that means they won’t have any big schemes like Thorn’s then.” Blue Devil shrugged while leaning back in his chair at the table he and Madame Xanadu sat at.

“True. But they’ll still be a threat once they do.” Fate pointed out. “In the meantime, however, I think we have a greater issues to discuss. And that is finally inducting our newest arrival into the Sentinels.” He indicated Raven.

Perking up at this Raven, her hood down to reveal her face, blushed a bit and said “Uh, thanks. But, I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I’m ready to leave the Titans just yet for this group.”

“There’s no need to worry about that, Raven.” Xanadu said. “We only ever meet like this when there’s some great catastrophe we need to handle.”

“Yeah. You think I want to hang around with these guys all the time?” Deadman floated over and said. “I’ve got my own town to watch over.”

Blue Devil leaned forward and said “Just know this, Raven, when you’re part of this group you known to come when we call. Got it?”

Raven nodded before smirking and saying “So it’s ‘Raven’ now? Not kid or girl?”

“Well, since you’ve helped kick Blackbriar Thorn in his big green butt tonight, I guess you kind of proved yourself. And trust me when I say it takes a lot to actually make it onto the team.”

“As opposed to you complaining to us that you really weren’t a demon in real life?” Madame Xanadu coyly asked.

Black Orchid, in turn changed her appearance to look like Blue Devil as she mimicked him saying “Come on, guys. I’m actually a really nice guy. Please, don’t be angry that I look like this and use a demonic trident to fight people.”

As she changed back and both Orchid and Xanadu had a little chuckle, Devil slumping in his chair, before Raven turned to Fate when he aid “Raven, tonight you’ve proven yourself as a Sentinel of Magic. You’ve helped saved the world from a terrible threat and for that we thank you and are honored to consider you a sister-in-arms.”

With that Doctor Fate gave a low bow to her. Raven surprised, looked back to see that Black Orchid and Madame Xanadu had already done the same. Them looking to Blue Devil and Deadman nearby, the both of them smirked or nodded before bowing as well.

When they finished Raven blushed a little and aid “Wow.....thanks.”  Just then she gasped as she realized “It’s late. I need to get back before the others do.”

“Understood.” Fate said. He held his hand out and shook Raven’s before saying “Until we meet again, Raven.”

She nodded to him before walking over towards Black Orchid who also shook hands with her, Raven saying “For all I know I might see you and not even realize it.” Orchid merely smiling and winking before she moved on.

“Take care, kid.” Deadman said, floating in front of her. “If your ever in my neck of the woods don’t be afraid to stop by.”

“Same to you.” She said. “Just don’t go possessing any of my friends. I really don’t want to have to explain a ghost has been using their body the whole time.”

He simply shrugged and said “What can I say? I just have a hard time growing on people. Mainly why I just possess ‘em for a bit.”

Raven moved to Madame Xanadu who smiled and said “Farewell Raven. Here. Take this with you.” She handed her the tarot card of the Raven she’d used before. “A little souvenir to take back.”

“Sure you won’t need it for more readings?” she asked.

“I think I’ve read enough into your future to know you’ll do fine.” She said. “Though I think you’ll be a bit surprised to know I wasn’t just you I saw but a certain friend of yours. One you should start to pay more attention to in days to come.”

Raven was about to question this before Xanadu showed her a card that simple said “The Beast” and had a picture of a green man on it. Raven looked both shocked and embarrassed before smiling at Xanadu and finally coming to Blue Devil.

“Hey...sorry for what I said before.” Devil began. “I know. I was acting like a total jerk.”

Raven shrugged and said “Yeah. But at least you’re admitting it.”

Devil chuckled before shaking her hand and said “Nox ad salvandas die praesidio.”

“What’s that?” Raven asked. “It’s Latin but what’s it mean?”

“A little motto we have for the team.” He explained before translating it as “Guard the night to save the day.”

********************

The Titans, all still in their costumes, had returned with their largest haul of candy they could bring.

“Woo, man.” Cyborg said as he carried two large sacks over both shoulders. “Best Halloween night ever, baby!”

Starfire floated in while eating a bar of chocolate and saying “I did not know you earthlings could find so many things to mix into candy bars. Such a wonderful invention.” Silkie was on her shoulder stuffing his mouth full of candy balls straight from the box, Star saying “Enjoying, my little bumgorf?” to which he gave a happy squeak.

Finally both Robin and Beast Boy came in pushing and pulling one the larger sack of candy, BB saying “Okay. Next year we’re not putting our bags together just to save time. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Robin said as they’d finally managed to push it into the living room.

When they entered the Titans looked around, Cyborg asking “Hey, where’s Raven?”

“Over here.” she called out, showing she was making tea over by the kitchen area.

“You have missed a wonderful night, Raven.” Starfire said, floating over. “So many earth children in costumes. Decorations. And such delightful candy-snacks.”

Looking at some of the candy Star was now eating Raven noted “Uh, Star, a lot of that stuff looks stale.”

“Oh yes. And it makes it all the more crunchy.” She said, still scarfing down on them, making Raven sigh at her.

“I’m just glad everything was quiet for tonight.” Robin added. “I was half expecting something or other to go bad.”

“Not tonight, baby.” Cyborg said, dropping both of his sacks of candy on the table. “Nothing but candy apples, candy corn and anything else with the word candy in it.”

Raven, hearing him mention how nothing had bad had happened, smirked and shook her head before sipping her tea. She turned before seeing Beast Boy standing nearby with a small bag of candy and holding it up for her.

“I brought you back some if you want it.” He said. “But if you don’t that’s cool. I can just...”

Raven reached out and took the bag, saying “Thanks, Beast Boy. It was.....nice of you.”

He smiled, both feeling a small warm feeling off each other, before he asked “So, we know how are night was. What about you? Did you do anything except read and drink tea?”

“What? That’s not a good for someone to do alone?” she asked.

“Come on, Raven. Didn’t you do anything? Anything happen at least?”

Before Raven answered she noticed something from the corner of her eye. Looking up she could see, of all things, Deadman, sticking his ghostly body halfway through the nearby wall. Both see each other they smirked, Deadman winking just to see she was still alright, before Raven winked as well.

Looking back to Beast Boy she shrugged and said “Nope. Everything was pretty quiet.”

BB shrugged before Cyborg called him over to help sort his candy. Raven watched as Deadman gave her a thumbs up before fully disappearing into the wall.

Feeling better knowing the Sentinels of Magic would keep an eye on her, Raven simply said to herself, and any other unseen friends watching her, “Happy Halloween.”