Dark claws tearing at my body. I try to scream, but no words leave my lips— they never have.

I hear a cold, cruel laugh. The claws leave me alone at its sound, but I keep my eyes closed.

A softer, more comforting hand places itself on my shoulder. Still, my eyes remain close. I knew better.

"Please, child, release your fears," a voice speaks, as soft as the hand that remained on my shoulder. "I am here now; there is no need for tears."

I wanted to tear her hand from my body. I wanted to scream at her and tell her to shut-up with the rhyming, shut-up with the lying.

But I could do neither.

"You know your mother knows best. I have taken away all those bad children that hurt you. I have laid their bodies to rest."

The grip tightened on my shoulder and I could only lay there, face in the ground, hands twisted in my hair.

"Just give it time, you will see. I shall take away all the pains. I will make you free."

It was a lie, all a lie, everything she spoke. As her nails dug in my flesh, I began to choke.

"I have given you a home. I have shown you the light. Now, come and embrace your mother—everything will be alright."

No no no I can only see the dark. Forever beneath your shadow, forever tainted by your mark.

"Silly child, one day you will learn. For every one that has hurt you, I shall make the world burn."

...

I awoke as the strange dream spoke those words, sweat dripping beneath my costume. I tried to take in calming breaths, but found I was unable to—I couldn't take in any breath at all!

I jumped up from my bed in a panic and gripped my neck. As soon as I did, however, the fear left me, as did the lump in my throat.

It was just that stupid metal collar that managed to get in a good enough angle as I slept to press into my neck and cut off air flow. Stupid, stupid collar.

After adjusting it to a more comfortable position, I looked over to the hovering orb that had so generously given me said collar. It still remained in the air, but it did not move, not even when I took a step towards it.

Was it asleep? I could imagine Blackfire would not want to miss the chance at saying something cruel and mocking at my display. She reminded me a lot of my friends.

I took another step towards it and the contraption still did not move. Its big, red eye that normally had its gaze trained on me seemed to now be staring at nothing in particular. Blackfire must be sleeping.

An idea quickly came to me. I could try and it shut down or simply destroy the orb while its master slept. But as quickly as that idea came, I disregarded it. I was no tech wiz like Gizmo. And even if I could dismantle it, the fact that my friends were frozen solid was still an issue. And the greater fact that I would be eternally alone if they remained that way was still an even greater issue.

I stared at the dozing robot for a few more seconds before turning around and walking out of my room. I needed a shower.

...

Malchior, Warp, and See-More flew quietly through the strange dimension.

The Dread Dragon held the mortals in each of his fore claws, and although it wasn't as bad as carrying them on his back, the ancient beast still felt sick that he was aiding humans at all. The very same vermin that shunned him and imprisoned him so very long ago.

"That Titan couldn't have gotten far," one of the insects said. The one clad in the broken golden suit. "Blast it all, where is he?"

The dragon felt a growl build in his throat. He hated when that particular human spoke, and it spoke quite a lot. The sound of its voice made the dragon's skin crawl.

The smaller human in the other claw simply looked down with his one massive eye. The dragon noticed that it was colored differently than before. Not that it really mattered, if it aided them in their search, then the faster they could find the devices...and the faster the Dread Dragon could eat these pathetic mortals and escape back into his own dimension...or, rather, the dimension of the one human that bested him...

Raven...

"You, dragon, have you spotted anything? You are being unusually quiet..."

"You shall address me as the Dread Dragon, Malchior and nothing more, worm," Malchior hissed in reply, his red eyes glaring down at the tiny thing in his claw. "Do I make myself clear?"

"You fail to answer my question, oh Dread Dragon of the long forgotten past."

Malchior stared down at the human, and the vermin dared to stare back. The dragon felt his hatred bubble up in his belly. His anger was the source of his fire, the source of his strength. It made up everything that he was. And, right now, all he wanted to do was crush the tiny thing in his claw.

That very claw began to respond to Malchior's wish.

Warp gasped at first as the weight of the dragon's claw began to squeeze him. That surprise soon turned into a great pain and the time traveling man began to scream in agony.

See-More took quick notice. "Guys, guys, chill out!" the teen cried out as the dragon continued to squeeze Warp. "We're never gonna get outta here if you guys keep tryin' to waste each other!"

At the sound of his voice, the dragon loosened his grip on the man. Warp groaned softly, his breathing coming in quick gasps.

Yet, even though Malchior halted the process of killing him, the Dread Dragon still glared down at both humans. "I grow tired of carrying mortals around like I am some mindless pet!" the dragon growled, and this time See-More felt the claw around him begin to tighten, though it wasn't crushing him. "I believe I will benefit more from just eating the both of you and finding this device on my own."

"Don't be...foolish..." Warp moaned between breaths as he stared up equally enraged at the dragon. "Even if you...did find...my device...you would have...no idea...how to work it."

Malchior shifted his bright eyes to the weak man, a wide, toothy grin soon spreading across his large mouth. "You underestimate the depth of my powers, mortal, as do all your kind." The dragon spoke, releasing the two humans.

Though instead of falling, they remained floating in the air. Ehether it was of the dragon's doing, or because of the properties of this dimension, neither one was sure.

See-More wanted to say something, anything to talk Malchior out of what he was about to do. But, as the boy looked into the face of the colossal beast, he saw, for the first time, just how much anger and hatred were in those eyes.

See-More may have not been the smartest guy at his Academy, not by a long shot, but he could read anyone by simply looking into their eyes. Their motivations, their hopes, their dreams. And, as he looked into the dragon's bright red orbs, he could see the malice and the fury, the pain and suffering. He could see deep rooted prejudices that Malchior had been holding against humans for thousands of years.

And he could see that there was no point in trying to make him think otherwise.

Warp silently looked over at the brown skinned teen as See-More suddenly knelt into a fighting position, his hand on the dial that was attached to his large eye. He looked ready to fight for his life, even though it was painfully obvious that they were both, more than likely, about to die.

A ghost of a smile appeared on the middle-aged man's face. The young child reminded him a lot of his daughter.

"You, the pesky insect in the golden suit, if you know history so well, than tell me..." Malchior said slowly as he rose to his full height. His mouth opened slightly, revealing a pool of red hot fire. "What happens to humans when the Dread Dragon Malchior has had ENOUGH OF THEM!?"

Yet, before that question was answered, before Malchior could release his fire and burn the two humans to ashes, they were all attacked.

They came as if from nowhere. Strange, white, creatures made up of only a body and tentacles. They pulled themselves out of the stones that floated around them— out of the very air around them and, in an instant, fell upon the trio.

Malchior was attacked first. Six or seven of the strange beings attached themselves directly to his body, several wrapping their tentacles around his neck. The fire that was once fixing to spew from the dragon's mouth died instantly.

With a great roar, Malchior shook his great body frantically, though none of the things even budged. More even began to pile on to the Dread Dragon while the ones already attached to him began pinning his wings.

See-More and Warp didn't have to wait long for the creatures to notice them as well, three of the creatures flying at a rapid speed towards the two floating villains.

See-More quickly turned from the struggling dragon to face their attackers."Ah, man, here they come!" he shouted, his hand now twisting the dial. His eyes changed form and color at each turn.

Warp, however, pushed him aside, ready to face the assault head on. "I may be broken, but I am not useless!" the old man exclaimed. He then raised a fist towards the white creatures.

A device that looked like an hour glass was attached parallel to his wrist, one of the only things that wasn't damaged by the Herald's attack. After taking a second to take aim, Warp unleashed his attack. Jets of laser beams shot out from the device, hitting one of the creatures dead on and sending it sailing into one of the floating rocks.

The remaining two creatures were quick to act, however, each shooting out one of their tentacles at impossible lengths, grabbing both of Warp's arms.

"Let...me...go!" the villain cried out desperately as the creatures now tugged at his arms, no longer advancing, their simple wish to bring their victim to them.

Another small group advancing towards their location as Warp continued to struggle fruitlessly. "Child, if you're going to do something, I suggest the present being the best time to do it!"

"I'm on it!" See-More declared, finally reaching the eye form he desired.

In his vision, everything he saw was in a shade of red. After a moment of taking careful aim, the young thief let loose his attack, a bright red laser shooting from his socket and tearing through the creatures tentacles, searing them in half.

With a wild shriek, the entities retreated, the remains of their limbs falling from Warp's arms.

"I will admit, that was quite...lethal," the time based villain remarked as he dusted himself off.

See-More rubbed the back of his head, giving his companion a sheepish grin. "I mean, whatever these things are, they aren't exactly human, and if they don't hold back...why should I, ya know?"

"Indeed..." Warp muttered to himself, before fixing his gaze on the group of five that were now nearly upon them. Then, after quickly pressing a small button on his wrist, he brought his fist up to the group and, without a second's warning, he released another blast from the hour glass, only this one was at least three times larger, and a lot more deadly.

The blast hit the dead center of the approaching group, tearing limbs and body parts and causing them to halt in their tracks. Some fell down from the sky, presumably dead, but a couple retreated, though not without mortal wounds slowing them down. Warp quickly took aim of the survivors and sent out another blast of energy, turning their remaining bodies to dust.

"That...That was awesome!" See-More exclaimed after staring in awe for a few moments. "If you had done that with the Titans you would have taken that clock thingie with ease!"

Warp scoffed at the teen's praise. Static then began to pulsate from the hour glass device and the villain immediately tore it from his wrist before it shattered and it fell through the dimension.

"I take pride in handling a situation with as little effort as possible," Warp spoke evenly, staring down after the device. "To have to go to such lengths to be rid of these cretins is an embarrassment."

See-More stared at his companion until a great roar broke through their silence. The two villains looked towards the noise to see Malchior in the air above them with about twelve or so of the strange creatures attached to him, with many more quickly advancing.

The Dread Dragon twisted violently to try and free himself. He clawed at those that clung to his body and breathed fire at any in the air that he could catch. But for every one that he tore from his body, and for every one that burned and fell from his fire, two more would appear from the air itself and join in the assault.

In all of the action, it seemed as though the two, small, humans were forgotten.

"Let's go," Warp said tonelessly after staring at the dragon's peril for a few moments. "As long as we are considered alive in this realm, I believe we have the ability to just 'fly' on our own."

"But what about Malchior?" See-More mumbled, turning from the dragon to Warp and back without moving. "Are we really just going to leave him?"

Warp slowly turned to face the boy. "Of course we are, you foolish child!" the older villain scolded, as if the answer was obvious. "That blasted lizard has only been a threat to us since the moment he was freed. At least now he can finally be of some use to us."

With that, Warp turned away and began floating to who knows where. See-More looked one last time at the struggling dragon, remembering the pain and rage he saw in those red eyes. But, now, as he watched the Dread Dragon fight against more and more of those creatures, he could see more than just hate, he could see surprise...and fear and...doubt.

With a groan, See-More tore his gaze away from the sight. As a villain and a thief, he tried so hard to remain cold and feeling-less. His own mother once told him that emotions were for the weak, they only hold you back, they only bring you grief. For anyone else born and raised this way, it would be easy to live a life emotion free.

But See-More was more than just some kid with a fancy eye gadget. He had a birth gift. One solely composed of feelings and emotions...and one that would not let him go so easily.

"Child...where do you think you're going?" Warp questioned. For he had turned when he realized See-More was not following him, and what he saw was the child fully turned in the direction of the dragon, "...what do you think you are doing?"

"I'm just doin' what you suggested..." See-More said, not turning to face his companion.

Warp gave him a hard stare; his words came out even more slowly. "And what, exactly, did I suggest?"

At that question, the young teen turned his head towards him, a cocky smile now placed upon his lips. "If I'm going to do something, the present is the best time to do it." He then quirked his head. "That is what you said, isn't it?"

Warp gave the child a stern glare, his arms folding across his chest. "Well, yes, but I obviously didn't mean—"

"Well, I am going to free Malchior now, before I regret it later," See-More interrupted, turning his attention back to the dragon.

His body than began to rise, floating through the strange dimension towards Malchior and his assailants. "And unless you want your past to mean nothing and your future to be nothing, then maybe you should help...now!"

And with that, See-More flew off towards the dragon, towards his almost certain death.

Warp looked up after the child without a word. As he stared, his hands dug sharply into his folded arms.

"Stupid child," Warp muttered before turning around and floating in the opposite direction.