Dante's Ride Chapter 10

Beastboy’s room lay in ruins as the battle ensued.  Well it had already been in ruins, however it was far more severe now.  Fragments of plastic, cloth, and glass lay scattered about the room.  Small dents and blood spots sponged the walls.  Beastboy’s computer began to erupt in a small fury of sparks, as the monitor lay cracked against the ground within the crater of broken desk wood.  Ironically the only thing untouched was his bed and sheets.

Beastboy himself was cradled into the corner of the room on the far side of his door as he arched his back against the wall.  A few blood riddled back wounds smeared against the cold steal-based green wall.  Several huffs of breath resonated from his breath.  His eyes shut for a moment as he squeezed them tightly, his mind tracing the image of his parents, which quickly dissolved into the sole image of Terra.  His eyes snapped open as he let out one last breath of air, glaring darkly into the eyes of his foe, preparing to launch for another attack.

A small ball of white smoke billowed around Beastboy’s face as his breath slowly dissipated into the air.  His eyes adjusted for a brief moment as he glanced at the rising vapor cloud.  His mind froze for but a brief moment as he felt a searing chill run down his back, lighting his wounds on fire.  Each wound on his back suddenly began to feel like someone had driven an old rusted blade deep into the base of his spine and was now beginning to twist the blade brutally.

A roar of pain throbbed from his lips as his arms flailed behind his back, reaching out to cater the wounds.  The creature at this point appeared perfectly motionless as it continued to leer at the writhing ball of green skin.  Beastboy’s onslaught of attacks had been completely ineffective against the creature.  Still in the figure of Raven, the colorless being approached Beastboy.  

Lashing its arms out, the being attached them to Beastboy slamming the shape shifter square into the corner bedpost.  Beastboy attempted to morph into a snake, hoping to slip out of the creature’s grip however as his arms began to lengthen and condense he felt a second surge of pain rip through his body.  He was paralyzed.  His body didn’t respond to his mind.  Beastboy’s eyes continued to stare into the heart of the beast, as his mind frantically raced for a solution to his dilemma.

The creature’s eyes began to glow deep crimson once more as it held its grip against the struggling boy.  A low rumbling cackle began to resonate from its body as the figure of Raven began to melt into a shapeless squirming mass of nothing.  Beastboy gave out one last attempt to break free as he watched the creature dissolve, failing miserably.  Beastboy felt a cold wave like liquid metal ripple and spread out from his hands to his wrists.  The shapeless creatures “arms” began to melt onto Beastboy as it folded its pale clammy figure against the boy.

Beastboy could feel his breath shortening as his heart began to quicken in pace, leaping up to his throat.  He was choking.  His body felt numb as tiny needles began to prick at it.  The shapeless mass had engulfed the bulk of his body and was working around his neck, tightening its grip as it forced the changeling to lose blood flow to his head.  Within a few moments the green shape-shifting teenager was unconscious.  His body had given in to the abyss-like void that now lay wrapped around him.

The body quickly fell to the floor letting out a light groan as air began to circulate back into the changeling’s lungs.  The shapeless blob began to seemingly dissipate into the air as soft blue like wisps of air began to waft around Beastboy’s body.

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A long drawn silence seemed to take hold of the darkened room as several minutes stretched out to what seemed like an hour.  A soft knock rapped against the door.

Silence followed.

A second set of knocks tapped on the door, a slight tinge of urgency began to radiate from the beating.

“Beastboy?”

It was Robin’s voice, which echoed through the war torn room as the green changeling picked his head up slowly, bringing his hand against his temple as he looked up at the door.

“Yeah?” Beastboy's voice finally called out, quivering slightly from pain.

“Are you okay in there?  I heard a loud crash.  It sounded like you broke something.”

The green changeling stared at the door, examining the glowing white light that radiated from the crevice between the floor and the door as the outside hall light reflected into his room.  His eyes peeled away from the light as he examined the room, noting the blood and shredded clothing.

“Nothing…” He lied, ”I just fell out of my bed.”