The Mirror of Erised, Part 2

As Charley, Lily and Dottie attempted to explain matters to their trans-dimensional guests, Raven listened silently with an unwavering expression of calm on her face. Beast Boy, however, listened in obvious awe, as he demolished a large salad that Lily had bought for him.
  “Wow, this is way cool,” Beast Boy enthused when all was told. “Reminds me of that time Cyborg went to another dimension and helped this hot black chick to… well, I don’t actually know what they did because I wasn’t really paying attention when he showed us the whole thing on his video playback system, but I do remember that the chick was hot! Raven, do you remember what…”
  “No, I don’t,” Raven interrupted scathingly. “And I also don’t consider this situation to be way cool, as you put it. We’re trapped in an alternate dimension, with no obvious way of getting home.”
  “Oh, don’t worry about that,” said Charley. “We’ll find a way to get you home.”
  “There’s always the Dream Caverns to try,” Dottie suggested. “And if they don’t work, there’s bound to be some sort of spell.”
  “You see, Raven, I knew they’d be able to help us,” Beast Boy said triumphantly. “This isn’t a bad alternate dimension to get stuck in, anyway.”
  “Yes, you’ve obviously been making yourselves at home,” Lily remarked. “I get the impression that that vampire wasn’t the first monster you’ve busted in our town. Is that right?”
  “We’ve had no choice,” Raven droned emotionlessly. “So many demons and monsters have attacked us since we arrived here, we’ve been forced to deal with them.”
  “Hmm, I guess Mona was right about there being more supernatural activity than usual to look out for,” Dottie remarked. “We haven’t found anything, though, have we, apart from that vampire?”
  “Well, if these two have been killing everything, that’s hardly surprising, is it?” Lily reasoned. “You both did a good job with that vampire – I guess turning into a velociraptor must be a very useful superpower. I imagine that it takes a lot out of you, though, shape-shifting all the time.”
  “Velociraptors are easy,” Beast Boy replied casually. “It’s the really big beasts that are hard, and obviously the bigger the animal is, the more of my energy it saps.”
  “Can you really turn into any animal in the world?” Dottie asked in awe.
  “Sure,” Beast Boy smiled endearingly. “Y’know, the only problem with turning into animals is that I do sometimes let their instincts take over and then do things I wouldn’t normally do, like biting off that vampire’s head. And sometimes, when I’m a dog…”
  “I don’t think they need to hear about that,” Raven cut in sharply.
  “Well, I still think turning into animals is a really cool superpower,” Dottie maintained. “I mean, I’m sure telekinesis is useful too, but…”
  “It’s not just telekinesis I can do,” Raven assured Dottie quietly. “You have no idea of the extent of the dark powers that are forever churning and bubbling inside me. You cannot possibly know the lengths to which I have to go in order to control them, so that they do not control me!”
  “I think your powers are really cool,” Charley said to Raven. “I’d like to be able to fly, like you.”
  “She can’t fly,” Beast Boy laughed. “She levitates – that’s not flying, not really. If you want flying, I can show you flying!”
  “You can fly?” asked Charley in surprise.
  “Of course,” Beast Boy grinned. “Watch!”
He transformed into a majestic eagle, and soared around above their heads. Raven looked up at him with disdain.
  “Look, as fun as this little chat is, I really think we should try to get home,” she remarked to Lily. “Perhaps you could show us these Dream Caverns of yours?”
  “Yeah, sure,” said Lily. “We’ll take you there straightaway.”

Sir Galahot was overjoyed to see his wife alive and well. Once the group had returned to Camelhot, Mona explained to the dragons about Merle’s untimely reappearance, and her apparent inability to enter Camelhot.
  “At least that goes some way towards setting my mind to rest, but if Merle’s back then there’s no telling what lengths she’ll go to in order to achieve her despicable goal,” said Flame. “You must help us, Mona – help us to protect our baby.”
  “Of course I will,” Mona vowed. “I will not rest until Merle’s evil has been permanently put to bed, I promise you that. The first thing for me to do is to brief Treguard and Merlin on what’s been going on. They might be able to discover more about Merle’s mysterious reappearance, and even find a way to get rid of her once again.”
  “Please return to us soon, Mona, and keep us informed of any developments,” Flicker added. “I know that the fate of Camelhot is safe in your hands.”
  “It seems that the fate of the world is in my hands,” Mona sighed. “But then that’s nothing new. Don’t worry, Flicker – your baby won’t come to any harm as long as I’m around.”
Mona then used the Dream Caverns to return to Knightmare. In the Great Hall, she found Treguard waiting for her, although there was no sign of Merlin.
  “He said he was going back to his lab to do some more meditation,” Treguard explained to Mona. “I think he’s attempting to find out who’s rocking the boat at Camelhot.”
  “Well, I can tell him that,” said Mona. “It’s…”
  “Merle the Wizard!” Merlin exclaimed, as he burst in through the Dungeon door. “I have seen her carrying out her evil works. You did well to rescue Lady Tantrel from her clutches, Mona.”
  “I just don’t understand how she’s contrived to throw herself back into this whole thing,” Mona puzzled. “Wasn’t she trapped inside you, Merlin, after the battle with the Army of the Dead?”
  “Perhaps she has escaped, just as Mogdred did when you were standing before the Green Eye, Merlin,” Treguard suggested. “If this is the case, we must find a way to return her as soon as possible.”
  “Yes, that thought had occurred to me, but I’m not so sure that’s what’s happened,” Merlin mused. “As you may remember, when Mogdred escaped from inside me I felt as though part of me was missing, which it was, of course. If Merle had escaped in the same way, I would surely experience a similar feeling, but I don’t.”
  “Are you saying that, in this time and place, Merle is still inside you?” Mona asked for clarity.
  “I think so,” Merlin replied. “But I can’t be absolutely sure.”
  “Then perhaps Merle has been able to access Camelhot from another time and place entirely,” Treguard ruminated. “Without further information, we’re entirely in the dark about this.”
  “Then it’s time we found some further information,” Merlin determined. “Mona, you and I will now travel to the world of Camelhot. We shall enter the caves near the Lake, where we shall find Merle and force some answers out of her!”
  “Is that where she’s been hiding?” Mona asked in surprise.
  “Certainly it is,” Merlin said with conviction.
  “How do you know?” queried Mona.
  “I discovered this information during my meditations,” Merlin returned shortly. “But that doesn’t really matter, does it? Seeing as we do know where the witch is, we can go and confront her.”
  “Okay,” Mona agreed. “I’m sure Lily and the others can hold the fort at home for a little longer, assuming there’s actually anything for them to deal with. I’m with you, Merlin.”
  “I would dearly love to come, but I must stay here in case Fay needs my help at any point,” Treguard sighed. “I know that the only physical danger to these babies is supposed to be at Flame’s end, but I’m not prepared to take any chances.”
  “That is wise,” Merlin nodded. “But I am free to carry out this investigation, and I intend to get some answers!”

Lily, Charley, Dottie, Beast Boy and Raven stood before Mrs Bryerson’s back gate. Lily nodded at it triumphantly.
  “There you are, then,” she said. “These magic paths will take you anywhere you want to go. Just step boldly forwards, think of home, and you’ll be there before you know it.”
  “Hey, that’s fantastic,” Beast Boy grinned. “Thanks a lot.”
  “Anything else we should know?” Raven asked flatly.
  “Oh, you need to have a naked flame,” Charley remembered. “I’m sure Mona wouldn’t mind if we borrowed one of her…”
Charley trailed off as he noticed a glowing orange flame flickering in the upturned palm of Raven’s right hand.
  “I’ve got it covered,” she remarked. “Come on then, Beast Boy – let’s get out of here.”
Beast Boy threw Charley, Lily and Dottie a mischievous grin before transforming into a small dog and trotting along at Raven’s heals, which made them all laugh quietly to themselves, as Raven and Beast Boy dematerialised through the gate.
  “Well, that’s that then,” Dottie said with finality. “We’ve sent them home, and nipped this particular supernatural problem in the bud. I think Mona will be proud of us.”
  “Yes, we’ve done a good job,” Charley agreed. “When Mona gets back, she’ll never even know that anything was even slightly amiss.”
  “Hmm, well, I don’t think we should relax just yet,” Lily mused. “Let’s go back to the Mirror of Erised first, and see if we can’t find some way to stop it spitting out any more surprises.”
The three turned tail and began to walk back down Mrs Bryerson’s driveway, but they stopped dead in their tracks as a familiar voice entered their ears from behind.
  “It’s not working.”
Charley, Lily and Dottie turned around to see Raven and Beast Boy standing in front of the back gate. Raven looked ever so slightly perturbed, but Beast Boy was smiling broadly.
  “But that doesn’t make any sense,” Lily objected. “Are you sure you…”
  “We did everything you said,” Raven interrupted. “We ended up back here.”
  “Then the Dream Caverns aren’t working this time,” Charley deduced.
  “Perhaps it’s the influence of the Mirror of Erised,” suggested Dottie. “Maybe, as you were brought here by its magic, you can’t leave by another route.”
  “Then the key to getting you back must lie in the mirror itself,” Lily ruminated. “This needs much closer investigation, but we can’t do much about it now - it’s getting dark, and I’m sure you could both do with a breather after all your recent supernatural skirmishes.”
  “Could we ever!” Beast Boy exclaimed. “I really need to freshen up, y’know?”
  “Why don’t you both spend the night at my house?” Lily suggested. “My folks are out of town, so there’s plenty of room. You can use any of the facilities you need to.”
  “Meaning what exactly?” Raven demanded, cocking one eyebrow slightly.
  “Well, you know,” Lily shrugged. “The bath, the beds, all that kind of thing. You won’t get a better offer than that. What do you say?”
  “Yes please!” Beast Boy accepted eagerly.
  “Very well,” Raven shrugged nonchalantly. “But I want to investigate that mirror at first light.”

Merlin and Mona entered the dark, damp environment of the lakeside cave system. Merlin conjured a ball of light in his hand, throwing spindly, eerie shadows against the rocky walls.
  “We’d better split up,” Merlin decided. “That way we can flush her out more easily. If you find her, call my name, and I’ll do the same for you.”
  “Okay,” Mona agreed. “Do you mind if I go right and you go left?”
  “Sure,” Merlin smiled, with that familiar twinkle in his eye. “Stay alert, Mona, and do call me if you find anything.”
  “I will,” Mona promised. “Don’t worry, Merlin – I won’t attempt to take Merle on by myself when I know that you’re close by to help.”
Mona wandered through the caves, finding it necessary to conjure up her own ball of light in order to see the way. She searched for ten or fifteen minutes, but there was no sign of anyone, let alone Merle. Mona began to worry that she would lose her way. Then, all of a sudden, Merle’s mocking voice cut in to her thoughts.
  “Are you lost, my dear?” it asked in syrupy tones. “That’s what you get for blundering in here unprepared.”
Mona swung round and saw Merle’s squat form standing behind her.
  “Merlin!” she called as loudly as she could. “Merlin, I’ve found her!”
  “He can’t hear you,” Merle taunted. “We are alone here, you and I. Why have you come back to look for me, Mona? You know I’ve had to put my plans for Camelhot on hold for a while. My presence is now required elsewhere, and I wasn’t planning to come back here for quite some time.”
  “Yeah, whatever,” Mona returned disbelievingly. “You can’t confuse me with your treacherous words, witch! I’m going to make sure you go right back inside Merlin, and I’ll show you how I’m going to do it!”
In a sudden burst of inspiration, Mona whipped out her Dracula amulet and held it up before her. Merle frowned slightly at this.
  “This is what sent you back last time, and I see no reason why it shouldn’t work again,” Mona continued. “You’ll never stop that egg hatching as long as I’m around – you’re history, Merle!”
Merle attempted to dart past Mona, but Mona grabbed her firmly by the arm and then pressed the Dracula amulet to the witch’s forehead. Surprisingly, nothing happened.
  “Foolish child!” Merle cackled. “Your amulet cannot return me this time! Now I must be going, and attending to that other business I mentioned, but we will meet again, and then I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget!”
A flash of lighting appeared from nowhere and whisked Merle away. Mona cursed quietly to herself as she hung her amulet around her neck once again. A shout then reached her ears from further down the corridor behind her, as Merlin stumbled into view.
  “Mona, I thought I heard you calling!” he exclaimed. “Did you find her?”
  “Yes, but she’s gone now,” Mona reported with a sigh. “She says she has urgent business to attend to elsewhere – I can’t imagine what that might be. And get this, Merlin – I tried to return her to you using my amulet like I did last time, but it didn’t work!”
  “This is most worrying,” Merlin remarked. “I must discover exactly how Merle has contrived to appear here and, more to the point, how she is managing to stay. This will require further meditation.”
  “Well, I must get back to my town and check on things,” said Mona. “I’ve told my friends to report all suspicious supernatural activity to me, but they can’t do it while I’m not there.”
  “Very well,” Merlin agreed. “We shall return to the Dream Caverns together, and then go our separate ways. But as soon as I discover anything important, Mona, you’ll be the first to know.”

In Lily’s parents’ bedroom, Raven was hovering a few inches above the surface of the double bed, attempting to complete her nightly meditation. However, her concentration was broken as Beast Boy clattered into the room from the en-suite bathroom.
  “Man, that Jacuzzi-bath is so cool!” he gabbled enthusiastically. “You really should try it.”
  “Don’t get too comfortable,” Raven droned, obstinately keeping her eyes shut. “We don’t belong here, Beast Boy, and we need to get home as soon as we can.”
  “I don’t see what the big rush is,” Beast Boy shrugged, as he started to climb into the bed. “At least we can get a good night’s sleep first.”
  “Er, what are you doing?” Raven asked suspiciously, opening her eyes and fixing them firmly on Beast Boy.
  “I’m getting into bed,” Beast Boy explained. “It’s nighttime.”
  “Yes, but I’m sleeping in this bed,” Raven pointed out.
  “There’s plenty of room for two,” Beast Boy dismissed the objection. “Besides, Lily said this was the only bed in the house, apart from hers.”
  “Why don’t you turn into a cat and sleep on the couch downstairs, then?”
  “What’s the matter, Raven? You’re not one of these people who thinks you can’t sleep in a double bed with someone unless you’re getting jiggy, are you? You know I wouldn’t… You must at least have that much respect for me.”
Beast Boy sounded hurt and aggrieved. As Raven took in his innocently pleading features, a sharp pang of guilt attacked her, which she immediately tried to quell. Her evening meditation was supposed to help her keep her powers under control, and this was not helping.
  “Of course I have respect for you,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry. Please, carry on with what you were doing.”
Beast Boy buried himself in the covers and attempted to find a comfortable position. Raven sighed resignedly, before floating gently back down onto the bed.
  “Aren’t you coming under the duvet?” Beast Boy asked in surprise. “You’ll get cold if you don’t.”
  “Here will be fine,” Raven assured him flatly.
  “Why are you so keen to get out of here anyway?” Beast Boy asked suddenly. “This isn’t such a bad place, and Lily and her friends have been really good to us.”
  “Yes, but we still don’t belong here,” Raven insisted. “We need to get home as soon as possible.”
  “What’s the big rush?” Beast Boy pressed.
  “Being here is making me feel… anxious,” Raven confessed. “I can’t let myself continue to feel this way. If I lose control of my emotions, I could lose control of my powers, and you know how badly that could turn out.”
  “You shouldn’t be so afraid of your emotions,” Beast Boy advised. “Having emotions is what makes you human.”
  “I’m only half human,” Raven reminded him. “The other half is the one that I have to keep at bay, and I’m finding it hard to do that while we’re stuck here.”
  “Well, at least half of you is human,” Beast Boy sighed. “If you could discover the exact number of animal species there are or ever have been in the world and then divide it by one, that’s how human I am.”
  “I didn’t realise you thought that way,” Raven confessed. “But at least you’re free to vent your emotions whenever you want to – at least you can control your powers. I can never afford to let myself feel too much! If I do, the raging beast inside me could be unleashed at any moment.”
  “You haven’t forgotten about the raging beast inside me, have you?”
  “I owe my life to that beast of yours. You may not have been able to control it, but it went all-out to rescue me from Adonis, even without your influence.”
  “That’s because it was acting on my basic instincts. I knew you were in danger, and saving you was the only thing in the world I cared about.”
Raven rolled over and looked into Beast Boy’s wide, earnest eyes. She felt a smile playing on her lips. She moved her right hand over to his face and brushed his cheek. He smiled back at her, and Raven felt her all too human emotions stirring inside her.
  “We can’t stay here any longer,” she stated, as the smile disappeared from her face and her hand snapped back to her side. “We need to get home right now. Those guys said the mirror was the key to getting home, didn’t they?”
  “Er, yeah, they did,” Beast Boy confirmed. “But we can’t…”
  “We have to get back there right now!” Raven insisted, rising to her feet and grabbing her companion by the wrist. “Come on, let’s go!”
  “Well, okay then,” Beast Boy was forced to agree. “But how will we know what to do?”
  “We’ll work it out when we get there – I can remember the way,” Raven was certain. “We can’t afford to hang around here any longer; I can’t afford to let myself feel…”
  “Raven, is this because we were having a moment just now?” Beast Boy asked quietly.
  “I’ve explained to you why it is!” Raven barked. “Now stop yakking and get moving!”

In the royal bedchamber at Camelhot that night, Flicker and Flame were finding it hard to sleep. Flame was holding onto her egg tightly, while Flicker was holding onto her with the same intensity.
  “I really hate this, Flicker,” Flame confessed. “All this uncertainty is driving me crazy. How has Merle managed to come back, and what is she planning to do to our baby?”
  “We could try to guess the answers to those questions all night, but it wouldn’t do us any good,” Flicker sighed. “We must try not to worry too much, though, Flame. With Mona and Merlin concentrating all their efforts on keeping us protected, we couldn’t be in safer hands. Remember, it was entirely thanks to Mona’s redoubtable astuteness and incredible skill that Lady Tantrel was rescued so swiftly, and unharmed.”
  “Poor Tantrel,” sighed Flame. “This should be such a happy time for her, celebrating her pregnancy, but it’s been completely ruined thanks to the dark forces that are trying to destroy Camelhot. Oh, Flicker, will we ever defeat them completely?”
  “Of course we will!” Flicker determined. “We know that the hatching of our baby will ensure Camelhot’s future forever, and I will not relax my guard until our baby has entered this world safely. Then the good times will roll, Flame. Camelhot will be free from conflict, and our child can grow up knowing only peace and contentment. Tales of the adventures of the Knights of the Square Table have already begun to permeate throughout England, and will continue to do so for many centuries to come, but for us those adventures will be over. Camelhot will once again become the beacon for truth and justice it was designed to be, and we will live happily ever after.”
  “You make it sound so simple,” Flame sighed. “But I do hope your vision comes true, Flicker – the two of us having a family and living in peace is all I’ve ever wanted.”

After Mona had emerged from the Dream Caverns into the nighttime streets of her own town, she decided to do a quick sweep for any supernatural goings-on that may have transpired whilst she had been away. Her search was fruitless for some time, until she came to the street where Lawrence lived. There she saw two mysterious figures emerging from the darkness, running down the road towards her.
  “What’s that?” asked a warbling voice.
  “Looks like a vampire,” replied a smooth, calm voice.
  “Oh no, not again!”
  “It’s just another one of those pesky supernatural creatures that’ve been getting in our way all day. We’ll kill it quickly, then we can get out of here at last!”
Mona was amazed to see one of the figures leap into the air and then launch itself straight at her. Mona saw that her attacker was wearing a blue hooded cloak and a black close-fitting leotard. Streams of black energy shot from the stranger’s hands, which Mona deflected with her own magic lightning. She then darted out of the way as her attacker landed awkwardly on the road where Mona had been standing a second before.
  “You’re no ordinary vampire,” Raven remarked.
  “And you’re no ordinary… whatever you are,” Mona returned, unable to place the exact nature of this mysterious girl.
  “Doesn’t mean you can stop us getting home,” Raven droned.
Mona sensed something approaching from behind her. She ducked out of the way as a large metal dustbin flew over her head. Raven began to scour the vicinity for more objects to use as weapons, while Mona suddenly found herself under attack from a large green leopard. As the great cat clawed and bit at her, she thrust it away with all her strength. The animal careered into the abandoned dustbin, where it promptly resumed Beast Boy’s true shape.
  “Ow, dude,” Beast Boy complained, rubbing his head. “Raven, this vampire is different from the other creatures we’ve faced – I don’t think we can defeat her.”
Raven scooped Beast Boy into her arms and levitated over Mona’s head. The two of them disappeared from sight in the darkness of the night sky. Mona tried to find them with her keen vampire eyes but, just as suddenly as they had appeared, the mysterious pair was gone.
  “This is weird,” Mona mused. “There’s obviously something going on around here. I’d better check in with Lily and see what she knows about it.”
Heedless of the late hour, Mona set off for Lily’s house with the intention of finding some answers.

Lily yawned widely as she opened the front door, and blinked blearily at the expectant fanged face that was waiting for her on the other side.
  “Oh, hi Mona,” Lily managed to say through the fug of sleepiness. “You’re back, then.”
  “Obviously, since I’m standing here talking to you,” Mona replied shortly. “And I need to know what the hell’s been going on while I’ve been away. On my way here, I was unceremoniously attacked by a strange Goth girl in a blue cloak and a green boy with pointed ears who can turn himself into a leopard!”
  “Hmm, that sounds like Raven and Beast Boy,” Lily remarked. “But I thought they were tucked up safe and sound in my parents’ bed.”
  “You thought what?” Mona boggled uncomprehendingly.
  “We’d better take a look,” Lily decided. “Come with me.”
Lily led Mona upstairs to her parents’ bedroom, but there was no sign of her houseguests. As Lily began to search vaguely under the bed, Mona attempted to make some progress towards understanding what was going on.
  “Now, who exactly are you looking for, Lily?” Mona asked calmly.
  “Raven and Beast Boy,” Lily replied, as she peered behind the curtains. “They’re in that Teen Titans thing on Cartoon Network, you know the one?”
  “Oh yes, that one that looks like anime,” Mona nodded. “But how did two of the characters get into our world?”
  “Through the Mirror of Erised.”
  “What? That thing from Harry Potter?”
  “That’s right.”
  “All right then, how did that get here?”
  “Someone or something brought it out of Lawrence’s book,” Lily explained. “I expect it was some evil sorcerer trying to make life more difficult for us as usual. Lawrence looked into the mirror, saw Raven and Beast Boy, and it brought them into our world.”
  “I was right by Lawrence’s house when I fought them,” Mona mused. “Do you think they were trying to get back to the Mirror of Erised?”
  “Hmm, they could well have been,” Lily agreed. “They tried to get home through the Dream Caverns, but it didn’t work. I suggested that the Mirror of Erised might be the key to finding the way home, so perhaps they’ve gone to check it out. We were going to do that in the morning anyway.”
  “But what if their hearts’ desire isn’t to get home, as they obviously suspect?” Mona ruminated. “What if they see a… a bloody great dragon or something? Would it be released into our world?”
  “I don’t think anyone’s heart’s desire is a bloody great dragon.”
  “Well, perhaps not, but it could be something equally as bad! We’ve got to get over to Lawrence’s at once, Lily, and stop them!”

Mona and Lily skidded into the dark alleyway, where Raven and Beast Boy were deep in conversation. They looked up sharply as their privacy was interrupted. Lily noticed that Beast Boy looked very subdued.
  “The vampire!” Raven exclaimed. “And it’s got Lily!”
  “No, no, this is Mona!” Lily hastened to explain. “You must remember, I told you all about her. You needn’t be afraid of her.”
  “Who said I was afraid?” Raven intoned darkly.
  “Lily, you’ve got to help us!” Beast Boy warbled unhappily. “Something very… unexpected has happened.”
  “Can we take it, then, that looking into the Mirror of Erised did not transport you two home, as was your plan?” Mona asked.
  “No kidding,” Raven droned. “It seems that our hearts’ desires were not, in fact, to leave this place, more’s the pity.”
  “So what did you see?” asked Lily. “Have you released anything else into our world?”
  “I have released nothing that will affect your world in any way,” Raven replied mysteriously. “But Lover Boy here…”
  “I saw Terra!” Beast Boy sniffed morosely. “She leapt out of the mirror and ran off. I was just trying to convince Raven that we need to find her before… well, before anything happens.”
  “Who’s Terra?” Mona could not help but ask.
  “Terra is a one-time Teen Titan who betrayed us,” Raven related. “Beast Boy was in love with her, and she broke his heart by turning against us. He managed to convince her to come back from the Dark Side, and she sacrificed herself to save our city. The last time we saw her, she was a stone statue underneath a volcano. Now, she’s flesh and blood once again, and she’s loose in this town.”
  “I think I remember seeing some episodes with Terra in them,” Lily recalled. “Doesn’t she have the power to create earthquakes and stuff?”
  “Terra has incredibly strong powers of geokinesis,” Raven admitted. “She can manipulate the earth in practically any way she wants. She could have been very useful to us, if she hadn’t decided to use her powers for evil.”
  “Terra’s not evil!” Beast Boy exclaimed heatedly. “She’s a lost soul, mistreated and misunderstood. I thought I could save her, but…”
  “But you couldn’t,” Raven finished for him. “And now she’s out there somewhere, possibly using her powers to cause a great deal of harm to this town.”
  “Then we must find her at once!” Mona exclaimed. “Before we even think about finding out how to send you home, we must get the three of you back together!”
  “Agreed,” Beast Boy nodded fervently. “But you needn’t worry about Terra causing trouble. She’s really not evil, you know.”
  “She is lost and confused,” Raven opined. “We can’t possibly guess what state of mind she’s in, or what she might use her powers for.”
  “Beast Boy, do you think you can lead us to her?” Lily suggested. “Can you sniff her out, or something?”
  “He probably can if he stops snivelling,” Raven remarked snidely.
  “I’ll give it a go,” Beast Boy said to Lily, pointedly ignoring Raven. “I really want to see her again, but I just hope…”
Beast Boy seemed unable to finish this sentence. Lily put her arm around him and led him out of the alleyway. Mona and Raven followed behind them, the latter with an uncharacteristically heartfelt scowl etched into her features.

Beast Boy had turned into a bloodhound, and was leading Lily, Mona and Raven through the darkened streets of the town. Lily was walking alongside Beast Boy, while Mona and Raven were bringing up the rear.
  “So,” Mona ventured, “Beast Boy’s heart’s desire was to be reunited with Terra. What was yours, Raven?”
  “I’ve told you, it’s nothing you need to worry about,” Raven replied shortly.
  “I think you should let me be the judge of that,” Mona insisted.
  “All right then, I’ll tell you,” Raven relented. “I don’t know if you know already, but my father is a demon. Throughout my life, I’ve had to keep my emotions under control in order to hold his influence at bay. All I’ve ever wanted is to be able to allow myself to feel… something, anything. Now, at last, I can.”
  “I see,” Mona accepted. “And what emotion are you feeling now?”
  “I’m feeling that I don’t like you bugging me with these questions,” Raven snapped. “How could you possibly hope to understand me, Mona the Vampire? How could you possibly know what it feels like to have a raging, evil beast inside you all the time; to feel it clawing and clamouring to escape, and to have to work nonstop to keep it at bay, or else risk losing yourself forever?”
  “Believe me, Raven, I know exactly how that feels!” Mona exclaimed forcefully. “If you think it’s been easy for me to get my vampire side under control, then you’re dead wrong!”
  “Then perhaps we two are more similar than I thought,” Raven admitted with a small smile. “Very well, then, Mona. I’ll tell you what emotion I’ve been feeling since we looked into that mirror – jealousy!”
  “Of whom?”
  “Terra, of course! That little bimbo betrayed us, and still Beast Boy wants her! I mean, he must do, mustn’t he? That’s why he saw her in the Mirror of Erised.”
  “You’re not exactly a Terra fan, then?”
  “Would you be? You do know, don’t you, that the very worst and the very deepest layer of Hell is reserved especially for traitors and mutineers? There’s nothing worse than betraying your friends, and that’s what Terra did. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no way back from that.”
  “Are you sure that’s all there is to it?” Mona queried perceptively. “I mean, if you’re jealous of Terra because Beast Boy still likes her, perhaps that means you… y’know, like him.”
  “But… but… I can’t!” Raven cried. “He’s so silly and immature, and he bugs me so much.”
  “Oh, come on,” Mona laughed. “Is that really how you feel? You don’t have to temper your emotions now, remember.”
  “Well, I do think he’s silly and immature,” Raven sighed. “But he’s also sweet, and kind, and caring, and compassionate. I’ve never met anyone in my life who’s been so kind and gentle with me, or who’s understood me like he does. When we first formed the Teen Titans, he was the one who encouraged me to let down some of my emotional barriers, and let myself fit in to the team.”
  “But then Terra turned up, right?” said Mona. “And that diverted his attention somewhat, huh?”
  “Yes, it did,” Raven confirmed in bitter tones. “But since Terra’s been gone, Beast Boy’s really been reaching out to me again – I mean, really reaching out. I’ve never felt close to anyone like this in my life. There is… something between us.”
  “Then why don’t you just walk up to him right now and tell him how you feel?” Mona suggested. “There’s nothing to stop you now that you don’t have to worry about controlling your emotions, is there?”
  “There is something to stop me,” Raven sighed. “He’s looking for Terra, remember? She’s the one he wants, not me. The Mirror of Erised has made that startlingly apparent.”
At that moment, Beast Boy suddenly morphed back into his human form. Raven was unsure whether he had heard anything of the conversation between her and Mona, and she suddenly started to feel very nervous about that possibility. Beast Boy’s mind, however, was on other things.
  “I can smell her clearly now,” he announced. “She’s nearby.”
  “Where?” asked Mona. “You must lead us to her, Beast Boy.”
  “Down this alleyway,” Beast Boy said with certainty, pointing down a dark fissure between two warehouses. “This is where we’ll find her!”

Terra was feeling lost, frightened and alone. She had no idea where she was, or how she had got there. She knelt in the enshrouding darkness of the alleyway, hoping desperately that she would wake up in the comfort of the Titans’ Tower, and learn that all of her recent memories had been nothing but a terrible dream. The curtain of her long blond hair hid her tear-filled eyes, as she stared down at the ground, desperately willing it to open up and swallow her. Just as the yellow tentacles of her geokinetic power were about to grant this wish, an even brighter light than that of Terra’s powers flooded the alleyway, and a tall figure stepped into view just in front of her. Terra looked up fearfully at the dark, imposing man who was standing before her. He wore long robes of black, which were decorated with intricate green patterns, and a brown skullcap covered the top of his deathly white head. His features were menacing; his smile was malicious.
  “Greetings, Terra,” he boomed in a deep, echoing voice. “You have come to me at last.”
  “You… you know me?” Terra queried fearfully.
  “Of course I know you, child,” the stranger said in tones of ominous calm. “I brought you here, and now you will do my bidding.”
  “But where am I?” Terra wept. “I don’t understand any of this! What happened to Slade? Is Beast Boy okay? Am I still a Teen Titan?”
  “Your former friends have forsaken you,” the ominous voice echoed. “Beast Boy has forgotten you.”
  “No,” Terra wailed. “He can’t have done!”
  “Of course he has,” chuckled the mysterious man. “Otherwise he would have released you from your prison of stone, wouldn’t he? But he didn’t! I did, Terra, and now you belong to me!”
  “But who are you?” Terra sniffed morosely. “And what do you want?”
  “Who I am; what I am, is far beyond your understanding, child,” echoed the reply. “As to what I want, that is simple. I want to bring this town to its knees, by causing as much trouble for Mona the Vampire as I can. Correction, Terra – as much as we can! With my magic and your geokinetic powers, we shall reduce this town to rubble!”
  “But I don’t want to do that!” Terra objected. “I may not understand anything that’s going on here, but I do know that I don’t want to do that!”
  “Foolish child, you have no choice!” the stranger boomed. “You are in my power now! Where are your precious Titan friends? Not here, that’s for certain! They have abandoned you, Terra, and they won’t be coming back for you, not after what you did to them!”
Terra quailed at the stranger’s powerful words. What he said seemed to ring true, and it made her cry piteously into her hands. However, she was jerked out of her fit of depression as she heard a familiar voice calling to her from further down the alleyway.
  “Terra!” it quavered adolescently. “Terra, get away from that guy!”
  “Beast Boy?” Terra queried incredulously, as she rose slowly to her feet. “Is that really you?”
Terra watched in awe as Beast Boy, Raven, Mona and Lily came into view. As Mona and Lily caught sight of Terra’s mysterious companion, they both let out audible gasps of surprise and alarm.
  “Jesus Christ!” Lily exclaimed. “It can’t be! It’s…”
  “Mogdred!” Mona cried. “Now how on Earth have you managed to get yourself mixed up in all this?”
  “I haven’t got myself mixed up in anything, Mona!” Mogdred cackled evilly. “I contrived this whole situation, and you’re the one who’s got yourself mixed up in my plan, and ensnared in my web!”

Mona and Mogdred stared intently at one another, while Lily was still gaping in astonishment. Terra was quivering against the wall, sobbing quietly to herself, while Beast Boy was hovering nearby, desperately wanting to go and comfort her, yet wary of her at the same time. Raven, meanwhile, stood silently at the rear of the group, regarding everything with a cool, unruffled detachment.
  “I guess we shouldn’t be so surprised to see you here,” Mona said to Mogdred. “After all, if Merle’s managed to escape from Merlin, it only stands to reason that you could too.”
  “You think you know it all, don’t you?” Mogdred sneered. “You haven’t even begun to understand what’s really going on here, Mona. Good cannot exist without evil, you know. The ultimate good from that egg has called forth the ultimate evil from within Merlin, and so we have been allowed to break free.”
  “How ironic,” Mona remarked dryly. “And I suppose, whilst you and Merle are at large, and Flame’s egg remains unhatched, the balance between good and evil in the universe is maintained, right?”
  “That’s right,” Mogdred agreed. “And yet there is still much you do not understand. However, I have no intention of letting you get close enough to understand it! That is why I have been working my will in this town, and that is why I shall continue to do so until you are defeated!”
  “So you were the one who brought the Mirror of Erised out of Lawrence’s book, and made it bring Beast Boy, Raven and Terra here,” Mona deduced. “I suppose you were also the one who sent us to Eternia, were you? The dark sorcerer which the Sorceress of Grayskull mentioned to us is you, isn’t it?”
  “Of course it is!” Mogdred cackled in glee. “I couldn’t resist causing that blackout and sending you lot on a little adventure. I was hoping that you would have found it more difficult to escape, but never mind. I am here now, and I will not rest until you and your friends are no more, Mona the Vampire!”
Mona unleashed some magic lightning at Mogdred. He returned fire, and the two of them continued for some minutes to fight for supremacy in this magical exchange.
  “Who is this guy?” Raven whispered to Lily.
  “A very evil sorcerer,” Lily replied gravely. “He’s caused us problems before, and now he seems to be back with a vengeance.”
  “Then perhaps I should use my powers to help Mona,” Raven considered. “We seem to be allies now, and… hey, Beast Boy, what are you doing?”
Raven’s attention was diverted completely as she saw Beast Boy standing over the cowering Terra, and holding out his hand to her.
  “Terra, you have to come with me now,” he was saying pleadingly. “We need to get you away from this guy – we need to get you home.”
  “Let her be,” Raven advised. “She’s a traitor! If she wants to turn against us yet again by joining forces with this Mogdred guy, there’s nothing you can say to change her mind.”
  “It’s not like that!” Beast Boy cried desperately. “Terra, I know there’s good in you – come with us now, please!”
  “Yes, perhaps you should come with us, Terra,” Raven said darkly. “There’s just so much I’ve been dying to… discuss with you.”
Terra screamed in fear and ran from the alleyway, pushing her way past Beast Boy, Raven and Lily. If he had thought of it, Beast Boy could easily have turned into a cheetah, or some other similarly swift animal, and caught up with Terra, but instead he rounded angrily on Raven.
  “What did you do that for?” he demanded hotly. “You scared her off!”
  “How can you still trust her after everything she’s done?” Raven countered, just as emotively as Beast Boy. “Don’t you remember how terrible you felt when you discovered that she had betrayed us? I do! She’s no good for you – she’s a traitor, and she’ll never change!”
  “You didn’t even give her a chance!” Beast Boy yelled. “I know I can save her, Raven! Why do you hate her so much?”
Instead of replying, Raven screamed in anguish and rage. She threw up her right hand and delivered a powerful stream of black magic at Mogdred, which threw the fiend off his feet.
  “Hey, I had it in hand!” Mona objected, as she cut off her lightning stream.
  “Ooh, that was a powerful burst of negative energy,” Mogdred remarked, as he floated back up onto his feet. “I felt the rage and jealousy inside you, Raven. I could help you use those emotions to your advantage – I could help you to be free.”
  “Jeez, now you’re starting on her as well!” Mona exclaimed. “Your beef’s with me, Mogdred – leave Raven out of it, and Terra too, for that matter.”
  “I can feel the dark energy just waiting to be released from within you,” Mogdred said to Raven, ignoring Mona completely. “Come to me, Raven.”
  “You leave Raven alone!” Beast Boy yelled with incredible force, as he morphed into a large rhinoceros and charged at Mogdred. The fiend laughed and swatted Beast Boy aside with a powerful spell, sending the young changeling’s human form crashing heavily into some dustbins. Upon seeing this, Raven glared hatefully at Mogdred and held out her hands towards him.
  “Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!” she yelled, and Mogdred was completely enveloped in a black forcefield. When this subsided a few seconds later, no sign remained of the evil fiend.
  “Whoa, that was cool,” Lily enthused. “Maybe you killed him, Raven.”
  “Unlikely,” Mona disagreed. “Still, it does seem to have got rid of him for now.”
Raven went over to the bins, and helped Beast Boy to stand up. As she felt him lean on her shoulders and press his body close to hers, she found that her extreme anguish and rage began to subside.
  “Whoa, that was gnarly, dude,” Beast Boy complained, as he rubbed his aching head. “That guy needs a serious butt-kicking. We have to track him down. We have to find Terra. We have to…”
  “The first thing we need to do is rest,” Lily insisted. “We won’t achieve any more tonight, the state we’re all in, so I suggest we go back to my house and you two finish off that good night’s sleep you started in my parents’ bed.”
  “That sounds like a good idea,” Raven said gratefully. “Thanks.”
  “We’ll find Terra tomorrow,” Lily assured Beast Boy. “Then we’ll work out how to get you all back home.”
  “In the meantime, I’m going to tell Treguard that Mogdred’s back,” said Mona. “He needs to know, and so does Merlin, assuming he can drag himself away from his meditation for long enough to talk to me.”
  “Perhaps Treguard and Merlin will be able to help our friends get home,” Lily suggested hopefully.
  “Only after we’ve found Terra!” Beast Boy added anxiously.
  “We will find her,” Mona determined. “And we’ll get you all back home, and we’ll defeat Mogdred, and we’ll defeat Merle, and we’ll make sure that that egg is hatched safely!”