trigons_child | New York, Saturday Fandom Time (Reply)

[Follows this.]

Raven teleported herself atop a building that overlooked her former friends, watching over them as they laid upon the ground, bodies thrashing as they fought against their darkest fears. She smiled and drank it all in, savoring their suffering. Soon they would be hers. Soon they would serve her father. Just as she did, they would have no choice.

Tara	"Do you feel it, Arella?" Tara asked, as she wandered over to inspect the frozen remains of what had once been a young man as if it were no more than a squashed bug. "I -- I sense their turmoil. It's all pain and hate and fear. Mostly fear. Somehow it makes me want to cry." But she wasn't.
Raven	Arella was staring up at Raven, numb with shock and horror. "How can you be so calm?" she said to Tara. "Don't you know what she's doing to your friends? How can we stop her?"
Tara	"We can't, Arella," Tara answered. "Not yet. She'll stop when it's time. I'm dreading it, but somehow I'm not upset."
Arella	"We have to do something!" Arella insisted. "There must be something we can do."
Tara	Tara turned away from one of the frozen figures, face wistfully sad. "What should we try?" she asked. "If we wake the others suddenly, they could lash out."
Raven	Raven took note of their presence and teleported back down to the street. She'd deliberately spared her mother -- for now at least -- so she could witness Trigon's triumph. But she didn't understand why Tara hadn't been drawn in like the rest. "Keep away from them, human!" she demanded. "They belong to us now. Leave them be! Do you hear me, woman? Begone before I destroy you! Do not make me use my powers against you."
Tara	"It wouldn't work," Tara said. "You can't destroy me, and if you think about it, you'll sense why." She stretched a hand up to touch a frozen face, fingers almost caressing. "I'm not going anywhere."
Raven	"I can! I will!" Raven snarled. She moved closer, holding her hand up in threat. "Nothing and no one can stop me! No one is impervious to my power!"
Tara	"I am." Tara's voice was much softer than Raven's, but defiant. She tried to catch Arella's eye, to see how the woman was reacting.
Raven	"Raven, please, listen to me," Arella said desperately, reaching out a hand toward Raven. "Somewhere inside you there has to be part of my daughter. You were taught to love and to care...to cherish and promote life. You're an empath! You know how suffering destroys."
Raven	Raven was unmoved by her mother's words. "Woman, I grew in your womb and suckled your milk," she said. "I was born of your flesh, but I am not of your mind. I am the daughter of Trigon!" She unleashed a blast of red energy at Arella, surprised when a shield sprang up around her to deflect the blast.
Tara	"You can't hurt her either, Raven," Tara said, from her spot to the side. "Stop trying it."
Raven	"What you are, human, will not prevent me from destroying you or the woman you wish to save!" Raven said. "Trigon's daughter does as she wishes!" Red energy arced from her eyes, lashing out toward Tara this time, but a similar shield protected her from the blast. "What?" she said incredulously. "I cannot reach you? What have you done, human?"
Tara	Tara's hands reached for the column of human souls, and she felt their energy pass through her. "They won't let you destroy me. I can still reach you."