Chapter 1

It was a quiet evening at Titan Tower. Beast Boy was getting his butt kicked at video games, by Cyborg. Robin was looking through a news paper, and Starfire was rummaging through the refrigerator, trying to find something to feed Silkie.

"Azarath Metrion Zynthos." Raven chanted, as she floated, her legs crossed, up on the roof of the tower. The dark lady found nights like this to be the most relaxing, as she watched the light of the full moon, reflected on the water, between Titan Island, and Jump City. She could feel herself relaxing, even without her mantra, but leaving nothing to chance, she kept it up anyway. "Azarath Metrion Zynth……" she began, but cut off her trance, and her chant, her eyes opening wide, as she felt something was wrong. Pulling her hood up over her head, she used her powers, and phased through the roof of the tower, and materialized in the living room. "What's happened?" she asked the room at large.

Beast Boy, and Cyborg stopped their game, and looked at her, as did Starfire, as she fed an old piece of pizza to Silkie.

"Nothing Raven." Robin replied, setting his paper aside, "Why?"

Raven was confused, but kept it from her face. "Nothing, I just thought. . . ." she began.

Just then the intruder alert went off. "Cyborg, what is it?" Robin asked.

Cyborg checked the terminal next to the TV "Must be a malfunction." he announced. "This shows that someone is standing outside our front door, but that's impossible because they would have set off the perimeter sensors first." he explained.

"Perimeter sensors?" Beast Boy asked.

"After that last time I set up a ring of sensors around the whole island." Cyborg replied. "Nothing can get on without setting them off."

"Heck, Star or I could get by them." Beast Boy said. "We'd just fly over them."

"You might if you changed into a bird, but Star would be picked up for her size. Now let me reset this thing and see what happens." Cyborg admonished. There was silence for a moment, then the alarm when off again.

"I could do it." Raven said.

"That's right." Robin chimed in. "She cold just teleport herself there."

"That would mean. . ." Beast Boy began.

". . . That the intruder might be able to use magic." Starfire finished.

That said, the five Titans ran for the door.

Cyborg stood off to one side, his sonic cannon ready. Beast Boy changed into a gorilla and had Raven and Starfire to either side of him, Star with her power glowing green at her hands, Raven her hands covered in her black aura of power. Seeing his team ready, Robin pulled open the door.

"Dude!. . ." Beast Boy exclaimed quickly shifting back to human form.

". . .Who?. . ." Cyborg asked, powering down his cannon.

". . . Is that" Starfire completed

The five watched as a young man staggered in a few steps. His brown pants and shirt were scorched and torn in several places, as was his cloak, and he had cuts and burns all over.

As he stood there, clinging to the door frame, Robin saw that he was physically exhausted. His eyes had large, dark circles under them, and he seemed to have trouble focusing them. He also saw that he had the light brown stubble of a beard. After he took a few steps, he collapsed to the floor, and the team gathered around him.

"Meekah nomen Mathias Alvor kenarah bene Raven kiran Azar." he panted, looking at Raven. He coughed a few times, seeming to have problems breathing. "Nirah kenarah bene Raven kiran Azar." he wheezed, then lost consciousness.

"Friend Raven what is wrong?" Star asked, seeing her friend gasp, the surprise flashing over her face, as she backed up a couple of steps.

"Do you know him Rae?" Robin asked.

Raven looked at Robin for a moment, and he could tell that she wasn't seeing him. Then she shook herself, and took a steadying breath.

"No" she replied. "It's his language." she went on. "It's an ancient tongue, used when working the most powerful spells. That he speaks it, implies that he is a very powerful Mage, and seeing him in this condition is disturbing."

Cyborg, Star and Beast Boy stared at her in astonishment at Raven's admittance that something disturbed her.

"Well he seems to know you." Robin said. "What was it he said? Raven kiran Azar."

"What he said was, 'I am Mathias Alzor, I must find Raven, student of Azar. Need to find Raven, student of Azar.'" Raven informed them.

"He looks to be in bad shape." Cyborg said, "We better get him up to the med bay."

Just then the man started shaking violently.

"Raven!" Robin called as she quickly floated over to the man, and knelt beside him.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zynthos." she chanted softly, laying her hand on the man's head. A white wash of her power surrounded him for a moment and he was still.

"He's breathing better." Cyborg announced.

"Rave you okay?" Beast Boy asked seeing Raven's shoulders slump and her head hang limply.

"It's just that her healing powers take something out of her." Robin replied, as he helped Cyborg lift Mathias. "Star giver her a hand."

"Come friend, it would be best if you went to the med lab to rest." Starfire said, putting her arm around Ravens shoulders, and helping her toward the elevator.

A few moments later, and Cyborg stepped back from the diagnostic bed, that Mathias had been placed into. "Looks like he's slipped into a healing trance, like Raven does." he announced looking at the readings.

"He was unprepared down stairs." Raven said softly. "And very near death."

"I'll take first watch with him" Robin said. "It's getting kinda late."

Starfire stretched then yawned hugely. "I am going to bed now." she announced then left.

"Same here." Beast Boy said.

"Yeah, time to power down." Cyborg agreed. "Call me for the next watch."

Robin sat there watching the monitor for a few moments then realized that Raven was still in the room. "What's bothering you Raven?" he asked. "You seemed to know he was coming."

Raven turned her back to Robin. If it had been any of the others she would have given some deadpan wisecrack, but she felt that Robin would actually understand what she could tell him. "I was on the roof, meditating, when I felt something touch my mystical aura." she explained. "The last time I felt it was when Trigon was summoning me, to be his portal."

"He's that powerful?" Robin gasped. "And. . ." he began.

"Not evil," Raven finished quickly for the Boy Wonder. "that much I am certain. I touched his mind, however lightly, when I healed him enough, to get him into his healing trance." she explained.

"And you're worried, as to why he was looking for you." Robin stated seeing the concern in her violet eyes.

Raven was silent for a moment, thinking of how to put her thoughts into words. "In defeating Trigon, I redeemed myself for the prophesy, but in so doing I destroyed the core of my power." she finally said.

"You seem as powerful to me, when we fight." Robin said.

Raven pulled her cloak tighter around her as she took a step further away from Robin.

"In most respects they are," she said. "and, to a point, I have tighter control over them."

"But.. . ." Robin supplied.

The dark sorceress turned to Robin, and gave him a small, rueful, smile. "Yeah, but," she agreed. "before, it was a matter of lowering my control over the Trigon inside me, and directing the energy," she explained. "now, there is more of me involved."

"And you're worried, that you might let go completely, go to far, and not be able to come back." Robin finished for her.

Raven stared at her leader for a moment, stunned at his insight, and understanding, then nodded her head.

"Rae, I have complete confidence in you," he told her, putting his hands on her shoulders, and was slightly surprised, when she didn't shrug out from under them. "if that wasn't a worry for you, I wouldn't be quite as sure, but now I know you'll be cautious."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Raven said. "It helps."

Robin wasn't sure what surprised him the most with what happened next. His giving the Goth a hug, or her not resisting it, and hugging him back. He suddenly felt Raven stiffen in his arms, and gently broke the embrace, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Um it's getting late and I really need to get some rest." Raven said, not meeting Robins eyes.

"Right, Yeah." Robin said still blushing. "Night."