Personal Demons (third in Destiny Series)

13) The Beast

"Yo!" Cyborg bellowed. "We're getting our butts kicked!"

"I'm aware of that!" Nightwing growled. Raven was standing beside them. Starfire was flying around pelting Slade with star-bolts.

Bumble Bee was chasing him, whacking him with her sword. Every time she hit him, a jolt of electricity passed from the sword to the villain.

"He is most persistent!" Starfire exclaimed. Slade jumped up and punched her into Bumble Bee. The two girls crashed into Cyborg and Nightwing.

"Now really Titans," Slade scoffed. "You've grown soft while I was in jail."

"We need a plan," Cyborg frowned.

"We've tried everything," Raven's voice was hollow.

"We can't give up!" Bumble Bee frowned. "We're the Titans!"

"What about calling for the back-up?" Starfire suggested. "What about calling Titan's North?"

"Or," the Titans turned to see Pantha punching her hand. "How about calling Titan's South?" Behind her stood Jinx, Kid Flash, Red X, and the Ravager.

"How sweet," Slade crossed his arms. "But your efforts are futile. I am not going back to jail."

"I'm afraid that decision isn't up to you," Red X said.

"How ironic coming from you," Slade narrowed his eye."Titans South go!" Rose roared.

Kid Flash disappeared in a blur of yellow and red. He raced around Slade while the villain tried in vain to hit him. The Ravager pounced, and delivered a powerful hit to Slade's chest. 

Red X threw one of his x's at the villain, tying his arms to his side. Jinx blasted him with one of her hexes. Then, Rose hit him on the head with a her fist.

Slade collapsed in a cloud of dust.

"Booyah!" Cyborg high-fived Rose. "Good job Titans!"

"I have to say," Red X dusted off his hands. "That was more satisfying than any break-in I've ever done."

"I've got to say," Rose wondered. "Slade doesn't seem as difficult to take down as you made him seem."

"Who said you took me down dear child?" everyone froze and turned around slowly. Slade was standing with his arms crossed. Not even a scratch on his costume.

"No way!" Kid Flash blinked.

"Titans together!" Nightwing barked. "Starfire, Jinx, push him back!" The two girls pelted the villain. "Kid Flash, Bumble Bee, distract him!"

Kid Flash was off in an instant, running around Slade in a circle. Bumble Bee struck Slade with her sword, electrocuting him.

"Red X, you and I will blind him!" Nightwing threw an exploding disc, Red X threw a red x onto Slade's mask, covering the eye.

"Cyborg, hit him with everything you have!" The powerhouse hit Slade with every inch of muscle that he had.

"Ravager, smash him!" Rose raised her hands, and metal cuffs emerged from her uniform, and she smashed her wrists down onto Slade.

There was a crash, and another huge cloud of dust.

"Success!" Starfire gushed.

"Nice work team," Nightwing smiled.

"What's up with Raven then?" Ravager asked.

"I can't use my powers right now," Raven grumbled.

"Well no wonder you couldn't take Slade down," Jinx shook her head. "You were down a Titan." Then she frowned. "Make that two Titans. Where's Beast Boy?"

Nightwing frowned. "Beast Boy's not a part of the team anymore," he replied.

"I wouldn't be so sure kid," Red X replied.

"What do you mean?" Nightwing asked.

"Helped someone get to your tower," Red X replied. "He sounded like Beast Boy."

"Why would Beast Boy go to the tower?" Nightwing asked. Before anyone could muster a guess, Slade came flying through the dust, his fists raised.

"Titans, ready!" Nightwing bellowed.

"This guy doesn't know when to take a hint!" Kid Flash exclaimed, jumping backwards out of the way.

"You're going to have to be faster than that," Slade snorted, and he aimed a punch at Kid Flash who zoomed out of the way.

"I'm way faster than you!" Kid Flash smirked.

"I disagree," Slade replied. "Because I never said I was aiming for you." He hit Jinx, sending her sprawling. She didn't get up.

"Jinx!" Kid Flash, darted towards her, but Slade had predicted this, and intercepted the speedy Titan. There was a crash, and Kid Flash went down and didn't get back up.

"You'll pay for that!" Ravager zipped forward, trying to hit Slade with her giant iron clad fists. Slade ducked, and grabbed her ankles. "Huh?"

Slade spun around, throwing her into a wall. She crashed to the ground in a heap.

"Rosie!" Red X ran to her side. Slade intercepted him, and hit him hard in the chest.

"Team!" Ravager roared. She ran forward, ready to pounce on Slade. Slade had anticipated this, and jumped up out of her way. Rose's momentum carried her into the opposite wall, and she crashed into it with a terrifying thud.

"Rose!" Cyborg called out. The dust cleared. Titan's South was down.

"Friends!" Starfire gushed.

"It's just you and me now Titans," Slade coiled, ready to attack.

"What are we going to do?" Cyborg wailed. "We already hit him with everything we had!"

"We need more," Raven replied. "We need Beast Boy." Slade charged towards her, sweeping the other Titans out of the way as if they were rag dolls.

"Hello Raven," he leaned down to look her in the eyes. "Feeling vulnerable now that you're all alone?" Raven tried to duck his attack, but was sent flying.

"Well you should. Because no one is going to save you now!" Slade bellowed. She raised her arms up in fear. She saw Slade stop, and then she heard an unearthly growl from behind her.

A massive green paw wrapped around her, and pulled her gently backwards. Raven watched as another massive green paw slashed at Slade, gouging open his costume.

Then the beast jumped over her, bringing down his claws down on Slade. Slade barely got out of the way in time, the beasts claws dug into his leg. Slade grunted.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that," the creature hissed. Slade ran, seemingly oblivious to his wounded leg.

He was running towards Raven, but the beast let out a howl, and jumped over Slade. He turned in mid-air and hit Slade with his massive paw. Slade went flying.

The beast pounced, sinking his teeth into Slade's shoulder. Slade grunted. Genuine fear ran through his mind. This beast was something primal. This beast could kill him.

And it seemed that killing him was its intention.