The Anti-Villain | Robin Love Story

The Prophecy

The sound of me turning the pages of my (magazine/book/sketchbook) is drowned out by the security video from our last encounter with Slade.

"It has begun," the masked man says.

"Freeze," Robin commands. I glance up from my (magazine/book/sketchbook) and stare at the paused frame on the window screen. Slade floats in the air, surrounded by gears and pistons as he stares down Raven, who's trying to run.

"Dude, we've been looking at this thing all day," Beast Boy grumbles as he sets the TV remote beside him on the couch. "I'm telling you there's nothing else there."

"Play it again." the changeling groans, but still picks the remote back up.

"Slade kicks butt, take three hundred and ninety four."

"Robin," I say as I set down my (magazine/book/sketchbook). "He's right. The only thing we see in this video is the mark on Slade and we're already looking into it." Before the Boy Wonder can respond, the door to the common room slides open behind us.

"Cyborg. Anything?" Robin asks as he turns to face the door.

"I crossmatched that symbol with every database on the planet," the mechanical male states.

"And?"

"Nothing, right?" I ask as I turn to face the metal teen.

"Whatever it is, it's not from earth," Cyborg says.

"New powers, cryptic threats, targeting Raven. Slade's playing a whole new game now and this symbol is the key. We will find out what it means."

"I'll go see if Raven's found anything," I state, earning a nod from the three males.

My footsteps break the still silence of the hall as I exit the common room. Outside the window the sun begins its journey below the tall buildings of Jump City. I stop outside of Raven's room and knock on the door.

"Hey, Raven. Find anything on that symbol yet?"

The door slides open to reveal the half-demon. "No, it's not in any of my books." The tired look on her face catches my attention and a feeling of concern weighs on me.

"You okay?"

"It's nothing. I just haven't been able to meditate lately. That's all."

"Why can't you meditate?"

"It's nothing, Hypno." I go to try and pry, but I hold my tongue.

"Well, if you need to talk, you know where to find me."

"With your tongue down Robin's throat? No thanks." I snort and a small smile creeps onto the cloaked female's face. "I'll keep your offer in mind. Thanks."

"It's no problem. I know you where pretty freaked out when Slade showed up."

"Slade doesn't concern me." Before I can ask any questions, the hallway flashes red and the alarm goes off.

"Friends. Come quickly," Starfire says over the alarm. The sound of her voice causes my skin to heat up and anger to boil in my chest. I do my best to shake off the sudden rage and take off down the hallway, Raven on my tail. The door to the common room slides open to show everyone standing around the dining table with a large sheet of paper spread over it.

Raven and I join everyone else and I look down at the red symbol-the one Slade has on his forehead-drawn onto the paper.

"Cyborg was correct," Starfire announces. "This symbol is not of the earth and what I've discovered is most disturbing. Please, give your attention to this quadrant." The redhead points down at one of the nobs coming off the upper middle of the symbol.