Starfire, Blackfire, Cyborg and the Five Tamaranian warriors stared at the four savage looking, taller and bulkier Tamaranian gladiators known as the Scornstar goliaths.

Cyborg: Star... any chance you could reason with them?

Violetstar: I'm afraid not, cousin Star. The Scornstar Goliaths are Tamaranians of pure bloodlust, they were banished from our planet long before Fearfire took over.

Flairscar: Then he brought them back, made gladiators out of them. These four have sent many warriors, including fellow Tamaranians to their graves...

Blackfire glanced at the four monstrous looking Tamaranians, not scared in the slightest.

Blackfire: Hmph. I've been through and battled worse. They'll be a piece of cake.

Blackfire ran towards them.

Lunarstar: Blackfire, don't!

Blackfire didn't listen as she went up to fly and start out with a barrage of starbolts... but then something went wrong. Blackfire's flight power was way off and could barely make a spark of her starbolts, her momentum going off as one of the female Scornstar Goliaths caught her with a monstrous lariat, sending Blackfire across the arena, getting a cheerful roar from the crowd.

Cyborg: Damn... She just sent her flying like she was nothing....

Starfire: ......

Fearfire: By the way, new challengers. Those spherical plates on your armor not only allow me to deliver punishment of shocks upon you for any insubordination... it also suppresses your flight & energy attacks. You must rely on your strength, skill and wits alone to survive in my Tournament of Tamaranian Might!

Starfire glares at Fearfire before turning to the Scornstar Goliaths, who roared savagely at their next victims. Blackfire recovered from the attack, growling angrily as she was about to teach some monstrous brutes a painful lesson. What was a foolish mistake as she knows that her strength is cut in half.... a mistake she's going to correct as painfully as possible.

Violetstar, Flairscar, Shadowfire, Sunshock and Lunarstar got into their own fighting stance while Cyborg and Starfire joined the fray, the Scornstar Goliaths let out a savage battle roar while they charged at the group.

******

Meanwhile in the dungeon level....

Beast Dude: HellOOOOOOOOOO! Is anyone out there?! Seriously dudes, let me out of this jail cell! I'm already going crazy and there's a savage Tamaranian woman trying to either kill or eat me!

Beast Dude was interupted by a menacing grunt as he slowly turns around to face his "cell mate".... It was a 7 ft tall, Tamaranian woman with skin like Starfire’s, dark green eyes, long & wild dark red hair in downward, fauxhawk mohawk with the sides of her head shaved, has a curvaceous and slight muscular physique. She was wearing a two piece black & purple crop top & trunks with additional armor, silver gorget with a red gem, silver belt, gauntlets and thigh length high boots.

Beast Dude: (sheepish smile) Hehehe.... when I said you were a savage, I meant it as a compliment!

Female Tamaranian: (narrows her eyes) *speaking in Tamaranian*

Beast Dude: (raised an eyebrow in confusion) What's That?

Female Tamaranian: (Raised her voice ) *speaking in Tamaranian!!!*

Beast Dude: Okay, okay! You don't have to yell, dudette! I can't speak or understand your language!

The female Tamaranian growls in annoyance and anger, wrapping her chained arms around the green shape shifter's neck, who screamed.

Beast Dude: W-Wait! Not the face or the ears, chicks dig the ears, Noooo-

He was cut off when he felt the female Tamaranian's lips on his in a kiss, the green shape shifter eyes were as big as dinner plates with a huge blush on his eyes, slowly giving in. The kiss lasted a few minutes before the female Tamaranian released Beast Dude.

Female Tamaranian: (bold female voice in english) At least you stopped your blasted screaming.

Beast Dude was still shocked from the kiss.

Female Tamaranian: Green one? You awake in there?

She bonked him on the head with her fist, causing him to snap out of it.

Beast Dude: Ouch! Hey!

Female Tamaranian: Are you done?

Beast Dude: Yeah... why did you kiss me?

Female Tamaranian: Tamaranians can learn other language through lip contact.

Beast Dude: Oh right (in his mind; blushing) But wow... she's a good kisser....

Female Tamaranian: I'm Novafire, I take it you're an alien as well.

Beast Dude: Well... no. I'm human and a shape shifter of many animals.

Novafire: I see...

Beast Dude: Hehehe. Sorry if I annoyed you, you're not gonna eat or kill me, are ya?

Novafire: If I wanted to eat or kill you, you would've been dead the moment you were thrown in here.

Beast Dude gulps from the intimidating glare of the tamaranian warrior.

Novafire: But you're not the enemy I seek.

Beast Dude: Is it that Fearfire guy?

Novafire: (low snarl) That blasted man has murdered my parents and younger brother, I've been bidding my time to strike & even the score with him.

Beast Dude: Yeah... I'm not a fan of killing since I'm a hero. And how are you gonna even get to the king from in here? We're trapped and these cuffs are keeping our powers sealed.

Novafire smirked as her cuffed hands reached into her silver belt and pulls out a special silver key.

Beast Dude: A silver key.

Novafire: Yep. Stole it when one of the guards came in to bring me dinner. I've been careful to keep it hidden.

Biting down on the key, Novafire carefully uses it to unhook the cuffs on her arms, dropping them with a thud & deactivating the spherical negation/shock plate on her armor.

Novafire: (cracks her neck) Finally.

Beast Dude: You're quite a sneaky one, aren't you?

Novafire: I may look and fight like a brute but I'm smarter than Fearfire gives me credit for.

She then unlocks Beast Dude's cuffs & spherical plate, freeing the shape shifter.

Beast Dude: Sweet. Now to get Star and Cy.

Novafire: Hold it. We're not just gonna barge in the main arena unprepared, doing so with result in us getting outnumbered and killed.

Novafire then moves to a pile of dead gladiator bodies & moves them aside, revealing a secret passageway which looks like it had been dug for weeks.

Novafire: Let's go.

Beast Dude: But I can't leave my friends!

Novafire: Not for good, I have some warriors to help tip the scales in our favor.

Beast Dude: Fine. But don't try anything funny, I got my eye on you (does an "I'm watching you" gesture with his fingers)

Novafire rolls her eyes.

Novafire: Same goes for you, green one.

The two snuck through the passageway with Novafire covering the entrance with the dead bodies.

******

Back at the arena....

Cyborg was dodging the first male tamaranian berserker's lethal hits while delivering some of his own hits to the savage alien warrior.

Cyborg was about to go for another shot but the tamaranian male savage caught the fist, squeezing his metal arm before landing a monstrous uppercut to the half human/half machine, sending him into the walls. Flairscar and Violetstar ran in and started delivering an assortment of combo attacks to his body while trying not to get struck, Violetstar lands backflip to the savage alien warrior's jaw while executing repeated spin kicks to stun him while Flairscar hits a couple of midsection punches and a big right hand to his skull, causing the first Scornstar Goliath to tumble down and fall to the ground with a large thud.

The crowd cheered and booed.

Flairscar and Violetstar went to help Shadowfire, who was fighting the second male tamaranian savage warrior. Shadowfire was relying on his quickness and agility to try to wear the monster down, he aims for the midsection with his strikes as well as hitting low kicks to bring the monster to his knees, Shadowfire goes for another kick but the male tamaranian savage warrior grabbed him by the waist and begins to pummel & toss him around like a rag doll.

Violetstar comes in with a knee to the face, causing the monster to stumble a bit, dropping Shadowfire. The male tamaranian savage warrior turns to Violetstar in anger as he tries to smash her but Violetstar quickly moves out of the way of the savage warrior's giant fist, creating craters and missing his target, Violetstar fought back with a couple of strong and quick hits to him and flip dodged an incoming left swing over his head but before Violetstar could do anything else, the savage warrior turned and delivered a large thunderclap, sending Violetstar to the walls.

Flairscar then hits a straight kick to the back of the savage tamaranian warrior's neck, followed by more with the monster falling to one knee but grabs Flairscar and was about to break his back only for Cyborg comes in and tackle him, causing Flairscar to be released, Cyborg would deliver shot after shot after shot while the savage warrior was fighting back, both entering a grappling stalemate to outpower the other, Cyborg was struggling as the monster grinned viciously, aiming to break the half human/half machine.

Cyborg had a worried look but remembered his past battles with opponents bigger and stronger than him as he wasn't about to give into his limits or his opponent. He slowly but surely begins to overwhelmed the male tamaranian warrior's strength, much to the monster's shock as Cyborg lifts him up with a battle cry and throws him across the arena, knocking him out cold.

Cyborg: Huff.... Huff... That'll teach ya.

Cyborg helps Flairscar up.

Flairscar: Thanks, metal one.

Cyborg: No problem and the name's Cyborg.

Flairscar goes & helps Violetstar and Shadowfire up.

Violetstar: I'm fine.

Shadowfire: Ugh, I'll live.

******

Fearfire was watching the tournament from his throne, while he wasn't happy about two of the four Scornstar Goliaths defeated, the alternate grand ruler was quite intrigued by their attributes & battle strategies against the savage warriors.

Fearfire: Superb at best. Let's see what you can do, Blackfire and Starfire.

******

Meanwhile, Blackfire and Sunshock were dealing with the female tamaranian warrior of the Scornstar Goliaths. Sunshock was countering the she beast's massive grappling and hits with his own while Blackfire was dealing with her own offense against the savage warrior.

The female tamaranian savage roared and pushed the two back with a double punch, pounding her huge chest with her fists like a crazed gorilla as she lunged forward with bizarre speed and tackled them both to the ground, aiming to pummel them into paste but Blackfire hits a strong boot to her face, making her roar in pain as Sunshock lands 4 shots to the midsection and an uppercut to the face, making her stumble back while growling in rage.

Sunshock and Blackfire got ready as the she beast was about to attack again, Blackfire smirked as she grabs Sunshock from behind much to his confusion as she punt kicked him towards the Female tamaranian warrior, who sends him flying with a vicious right hook, a couple of cracked sounds were heard as Sunshock was spiraling across the arena, motionless.

Blackfire saw the opening and took it, delivering a solid knee to head, followed by a couple of kicks and with closed fists, slammed it into the she beast's head, causing a couple of cracks to be heard within the skull as the female tamaranian warrior fell to the ground with a thud, not moving.

Blackfire: Heh. Too easy.

******

While fighting the second female tamaranian warrior with Lunarstar, Starfire saw the cruel tactic her... Ex sister pulled and was extremely angry but had to focus on the task at hand.

The She beast caught Starfire in her hands and attempt to squeeze her but Starfire delivers a solid boot to her chin to make her release her. Lunarstar comes in to match the female tamaranian warrior in power and strength, the she beast fought back as the two were hitting a fierce gatling of punches to one another, the she beast caught the next punch, grabbed Lunarstar and slams her down to continue her offense, Starfire got her in a chokehold from behind, making the she beast stumble back & trying to get Starfire off of her. The Tamaranian titan held on tight to apply more pressure to the sleeper hold until the female tamaranian savage warrior fell to her knees and hit the ground with a thud.

Starfire released her and went over to check on Lunarstar.

Starfire: Are you okay?

Lunarstar: I'll be fine. I've had worse done to me.

While Star was helping Lunarstar up, the second female tamaranian savage warrior slowly got up, face full of rage as she flexed her right arm with three blades popping out of her gauntlet. Cyborg and the other noticed it.

Cyborg: Star look out!

Lunarstar and Starfire heard him as the she beast ran at them, aiming to pierce Star in the back with everything in slow motion. Starfire had little time to react as she was about to be gutted... until she was pushed out of the way.

Starfire: Gasp!

She saw that it was Lunarstar that pushed her out of the way but was the one who was stabbed instead through the quarter left of her chest and midsection.

Starfire: NOOOOO!!!!

Violetstar: SISTER!!!!

The Tamaranian she beast sends Lunarstar across the arena, roaring in victory as the crowd cheered. Starfire races over to Lunarstar to check on her, She had three stab wounds with a lot of blood oozing out while shaking a bit as if she was having a seizure.

Starfire: Cousin Lunarstar, Cousin! Speak to me, please?!?!

Lunarstar wasn't responding as she was coughing and choking on her own blood. Star begins to have tears slowly running down her face unaware that the female tamaranian savage warrior was aiming to pierce her from behind & to gut her this time... but she was stopped by a knee to the face, courtesy of Blackfire.

The banished tamaranian kept up her assault to the she beast with a swift left kick to the face, a right swing and a backflip kick to make her stumble back as the deal was sealed when a tearful and enraged Starfire lunged at the female tamaranian savage warrior with a thunderous left punch to the face, a few crack sounds were heard from the head as the she beast was sent spiraling at Fearfire. Luckily, the two guards protected their king by using their weapons to slice the warrior in half, the body fell with some of the blood staining them while only a quarter of blood stained Fearfire's left cheek.

The Grand Ruler of New Tamaran used his thumb to wipe the blood clean off his face while the crowd was shocked for a moment before erupting in cheers and boos. Fearfire glared down at Starfire, who was glaring back at him.

Fearfire: Congratulations on a well fought victory. Guards, take them to the dining level. They'll need their strength for the next challenges. (Sees Violetstar and flairscar near a fallen Lunarstar while Shadowfire & Cyborg were helping up an unconscious Sunshock) Take the two fallen warriors to the medical facility, they may have failed but... they're still of use to me....

The guards took Starfire, Blackfire, Cyborg, Violetstar, Shadowfire & Flairscar away, separating them from Sunshock and Lunarstar, who were taken to be tended to.

Fearfire: (frowns) You may have survived the Scornstar Goliaths but they're just the start of what's to come....

******

Later....

We cut to the dining level which was similar to the dungeon level but minus the cages, various prisoners were at their own tables, eating alien like food which looked grotesque. At another table, we see Cyborg gazing at a strange alien form of steak but suddenly it was staring back at him, startling the half human/half machine.

Cyborg: I suddenly lost my appetite....

Shadowfire, who was devouring his food, turns to cyborg.

Shadowfire: I'll partake of it. (takes the eye steak and eats it)

Cyborg turned a sick green as he tries not to vomit. Flairscar wasn't eating at all because he was comforting his sister Violetstar, who was silently crying after what happened to Lunarstar, Flairscar hugs her while wishing their big sister as well as his friend Sunshock would recover soon.

Starfire was silent, simply staring at her food. Normally, she would wolf it down with no hesitation but she wasn't feeling it. One of her alternate cousins she met not too long ago was horribly gutted and she took the hit for her. Star was devastated, sad and angry, this Grand Ruler said that this was a warrior's battle tournament, sneaking in weapons was cowardice. She knew that this place isn't the Tamaran of her world but Star grew more enraged of the events, slamming her fist on the table so hard that her food went flying to splat on the ceiling, startling everyone.

Cyborg: Star...?

Starfire turns to Cyborg with a cold stare. But before she could utter a word, she felt a hand on her shoulder & turned to Blackfire. Starfire simply huffed and turns away from her.

Blackfire: Ya know, we both have a common enemy in Fearfire. If we're going to take him out, we need to have each other's backs.

Starfire: Hmph.

Blackfire: (rolls her eyes) Star, sister I get that you're mad-

Starfire: Don't call me that. As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a sister anymore.

Blackfire was silent with a frown.

Starfire: I'm aware of Fearfire & his actions needing to be stopped but one of my cousins is fighting for her life from the cowardly blade to the back while you used Sunshock as some kind of sacrificial lamb to one of those Goliath so you could take them out, how desperate or cruel can you be to get in my head again?

Blackfire: ....

Starfire: I said this once and I'll say it again, Blackfire. You're a royal Zarbnarf (jerk) and you'll do whatever you can to make me suffer physically and emotionally, your reason why you're doing it is unknown to me as I've been nothing but nice to you. I'm done falling for your tricks, I'm done trying to be nice to you when you take advantage of that and I'm done being your sister. Fearfire will pay for his crimes but you are far from being off the hook.

Starfire gets up to get more lunch, leaving Blackfire and the others... None were aware that a signal tear fell from Blackfire's eye.

To be continued... 

(Chapter 4 is finished! Please let me know what you think of it! The battle with the Scornstar Goliaths is the first of many Fearfire has in store for the heroes, Beast Dude and Novafire (an Oc I made up) have escaped the dungeon & is planning on bringing back help, two tamaranians are down for the count & the tension is rising between Starfire and Blackfire. Why did Blackfire save Star from a second attempt stab through the back? Is it another one of her manipulative tricks or is there something else dwelling in Blackfire's mind, waiting to surface? Find out on part 3 of a sister's redemption on Teen Titans: heroes of the future. This is omegacrow-nexus fading to black.)