The Soul Between Pages

Spring has come to Jump City, and the rest of the Teen Titans are more than happy to welcome it.

Robin pushes outdoor training harder under the clearer skies. Starfire delights in every flower and sunbeam she finds. Cyborg opens the tower to fresh air and “good vibes.” Beast Boy, of course, makes sure everyone hears about it.

Raven wants none of it.

As always, she retreats to the calm of her room—away from the noise, the sunlight, and the relentless cheer of the season—to spend her time reading in peace. But while studying a worn, tattered tome on the lost history of Azarath, she senses something buried within its pages:

A soul.

Not a spell. Not residue. Something alive in the spiritual sense, hidden and trapped for who knows how long.

And worse—or perhaps more strangely—it feels familiar.

Azarathian.

This is no ordinary magical discovery, and Raven knows better than to approach it carelessly. She has already been deceived once by a being sealed inside a book, and she has no intention of repeating that mistake. Before attempting communication, she seals her room in layers of barriers, wards, and protective magic, preparing herself for whatever answers from within the ancient pages.

Because if the soul inside truly comes from Azarath, then it may be someone lost when Trigon destroyed her home.

Or something far more dangerous wearing that familiarity like a mask.