The moment Raven's crystal flared violently, Liam knew this fight had turned into something far worse than he had anticipated. Shadows pulsed around her, growing and twisting unnaturally, as if the very fabric of reality recoiled from her presence.
Her breathing was ragged, her eyes distant—staring at something beyond the physical world. When she finally spoke, her voice was layered with something deeper, something that didn't belong to this plane.
"The Sparda Sword... it should not exist."
Liam barely had time to react. The shadows surged toward him like whips, lashing through the air. He threw up Orabos' gauntlets, channeling their power to disperse the attack, but Raven's magic had grown stronger. The force slammed into him, sending him skidding backward. His boots carved trenches into the pavement.
BOOM!
A blast of dark energy exploded across the street, shattering nearby windows and flipping cars onto their sides. Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire struggled to stay on their feet amid the chaos.
"RAVEN!" Robin shouted, dodging flying debris. "You need to stop!"
But she didn't answer. Her eyes flickered with dark energy as the crystal embedded in her forehead pulsed erratically.
Liam gritted his teeth. He had seen possession before—this wasn't just Raven's rage. Something else was clawing its way to the surface.
Something demonic.
He had to stop her before she completely lost control.
Drawing Satanus and Blaze, he fired in a flash of infernal light. Raven casually flicked her wrist, deflecting the bullets into the sky. A wave of dark tendrils countered, forcing Liam to roll aside.
He wasn't holding back anymore.
"Alright, then," he muttered, spinning Chantinelle into his grip.
BOOM!
The shotgun's demonic blast roared across the battlefield, infernal energy slamming into Raven's form. Smoke billowed from the impact.
For a moment—it looked like it had worked.
Then she stepped through the smoke, untouched, wreathed in deeper shadows.
"Damn it..." Liam exhaled.
She hadn't even started trying.
Starfire shot forward, her fists glowing with stellar fire. Raven caught her mid-air with a snare of dark energy and slammed her into the ground with terrifying force.
Starfire let out a pained gasp.
"Enough!" Cyborg shouted, firing his sonic cannon. The blast rattled the air, but Raven merely raised a hand, absorbed it—and hurled the energy back.
The explosion sent Cyborg crashing through the wreckage of a nearby car.
Liam ducked as debris flew past.
"Sparda! I could use a little more than sarcasm right now!" he growled.
"You're already in deep shit. Might as well go all in!" Sparda snapped back.
With a grimace, Liam reached for the chain at his neck and yanked. Sparda's sword materialized in his grip with a deep hum of power. Raven's eyes twitched at the sight. Her crystal flared wildly.
Then—she screamed.
The air twisted violently. Raw demonic energy exploded outward in a shockwave, sending everyone flying.
And then—it hit Robin.
He froze. His eyes dilated. His body spasmed.
A guttural, inhuman growl escaped his throat as his limbs twisted unnaturally.
"RAVEN, STOP!" Cyborg shouted in horror.
Too late.
Robin turned slowly—his eyes now black voids. Then, without warning, he lunged at Starfire.
"ROBIN!" she gasped, barely raising her arms in time to block the first punch. It still knocked her back.
"What the hell—?!" Liam began, but Robin was already in motion, moving with supernatural speed. His fists blurred, his strikes wild and unrelenting.
Starfire hesitated—just for a moment.
And that was all it took.
Robin's hand pierced her stomach.
The world stopped.
Starfire gasped, looking down at Robin's trembling, clawed hand buried in her abdomen. His fingers had torn through her armor and flesh like paper.
Blood spilled from her lips.
"Robin..." she whispered, her voice full of pain and confusion.
Then—he twisted.
Her scream tore through the night.
"NO!" Cyborg bellowed, charging forward in a fury.
Liam froze.
This was spiraling beyond anything he had expected.
Robin turned toward him, wearing a smile that wasn't his own.
A wicked grin.
Liam didn't hesitate.
"Sorry, kid," he muttered.
Sparda swung.
The blade sliced through the air—clean and swift.
Robin froze. His face flickered—recognition, maybe even relief.
Then the blade tore through him.
Silence.
His body split in two.
The corrupted energy dissipated. His eyes fluttered back to normal.
His lips parted—he tried to speak.
But no words came.
He collapsed.
Starfire fell to her knees beside him, hands trembling over his lifeless body.
"No... Robin..."
Cyborg stood in shock, barely able to move. His fingers twitched, his systems overloaded with grief.
Liam slowly lowered Sparda, blood dripping from the blade. His hands shook.
He hadn't wanted this.
A sound broke the stillness.
Laughter.
Low. Broken.
Liam turned sharply—Raven was laughing.
Her body hung above the ground, crystal pulsing violently, her form shaking with unrestrained power.
Then her laughter broke into a sob.
Her eyes widened.
The crystal flickered. The overwhelming force began to fade.
She collapsed to her knees with a gasp.
Her eyes locked onto Robin's broken form.
Tears filled them.
"What... have I done?"
The darkness that once consumed her unraveled.
And she wept.
Liam looked down at his hands, stained with blood. He had killed before—too many times to count.
But this?
This felt different.
Sparda's voice echoed in his head—quieter than ever before.
"You just killed a Titan."
Liam didn't answer.
He already knew.
The wind howled through the shattered street, carrying the weight of what had just happened.
The battle was over.
But the war?
The war was just beginning.