Chapter 24: Dumbledore’s Farewell

The Titans Tower med bay thrummed with a fragile calm as monitors beeped a steady rhythm. Kai lay on a cot, fresh bandages wrapping his chest and arm where stitches held from the docks escape. Blood crusted his skin, his shoulder ached from Slade's graze, and the morpher flickered a dim green on his wrist. Its cracked crystal pulsed weakly, humming a faint note: "Host stable, Grid active." Raven sat beside him, hands folded in her lap. Her own cuts were bandaged, cloak draped over a chair to reveal a torn purple shirt underneath. Her pale face bore shadowed eyes, but she leaned close as he stirred, voice soft and firm. "You're awake. Don't push too hard, you're still healing."

"Barely," Kai rasped, throat dry as he sat up slowly. Pain jolted his side, forcing him to grip the cot's edge, breath coming shallow. "Nightwing, where is he?" His mind churned with flashes of Eclipso's shard, a red pulse, and Kaelric's void. Dread settled heavy in his gut.

Raven's jaw tightened, her gaze dropping to the floor. "He's hurt, Kai. Took a hit for you at the docks, Eclipso's energy caught him. He's stable, but it's bad." Her voice wavered slightly, she swallowed hard. Kai swung his legs off the cot, pain searing through him, but he grabbed her arm. "Show me."

She nodded, rising to steady him as they shuffled out. Her touch grounded him, a quiet anchor against the storm in his chest. Donna met them in the hall, ankle brace creaking as she leaned on her staff. Her braid hung loose, eyes red and weary. "He's awake," she said, voice rough with strain. "Next room, Carter's there. Go easy."

The adjacent med bay glowed with soft light. Nightwing lay on a cot, chest wrapped in thick bandages, oxygen mask fogging with shallow breaths. His suit was gone, replaced by a gray tank top clinging to bruised skin. His arm rested in a sling, jaw purpled with fresh marks. Dr. Carter adjusted a monitor, hands steady despite wide eyes. "Pulse is weak, internal damage, he needs more than we can give here." Gar hovered nearby, green skin mottled with bruises, pacing tightly. "He's too stubborn, won't quit."

Kai stumbled to the cot. Nightwing's eyes cracked open, blue slicing through the haze, a faint grin tugging his lips. "Kai," he croaked, voice muffled by the mask. Carter lifted it gently. "You're good?" Warmth lingered in his tone, strained by pain.

"Good enough," Kai said, sinking onto a stool. Guilt clawed at his chest, sharp and unrelenting. "You didn't have to take that hit. It was meant for me." His throat tightened—Eclipso's red surge replayed, Nightwing diving to shield him—he gripped the morpher, cracks glowing faintly.

"Had to," Nightwing replied, breath hitching as he winced, hand pressing his side. "You're the anchor, Kai. Grid's tied to you, we can't lose that. I'd do it again." He coughed, blood flecking his lips. Carter rushed forward. "Lie still!" Nightwing waved her off weakly. "Listen, kid."

Kai leaned closer. Raven stood behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder. Donna edged nearer, Gar stopped pacing—all eyes locked on Nightwing. "Eclipso's close," he rasped. "That red pulse, the tap, it's waking the heart wrong. You've got to lead, Kai, when I can't." His voice faded, eyes fluttering. "Promise me."

"Lead?" Kai's stomach sank, his hand trembling as the morpher buzzed. "I'm falling apart, barely holding this together." He lifted it—cracks gleamed, a shard missing—Kaelric's echo whispered "You rise" but doubt choked him raw.

"You've held," Nightwing said, his tone firm despite the strain. "Eadric, Aeloria, every hit, you're the core. Titans, League, they'll follow you." His breath caught. "Promise me." He slumped, pulse slowing. Carter gasped. "He's crashing!" Raven's hands glowed as she pressed his chest. "Stay with us!" Kai gripped his hand. "Don't go!"

A rumble shook the Tower, lights dimming as the morpher flared. "Grid spike, proximity alert!" Kai jolted. "Not now!" Green pulsed, but Nightwing's grip slackened—monitors screeched—Carter grabbed paddles. "Clear!" Shock whined, no beat returned. Gar choked out "No, dude!" Donna froze, whispering "Dick." Raven pressed harder. "Come back!" The flatline held, silence cutting deep.

Kai staggered to his feet, pain blurring his vision as green flooded his mind—the Grid void slammed in. "Kaelric!" He stood there, armor pristine. "He falls, you rise." Nightwing's face flickered briefly. "He gave it, take it!" Red pulsed as Eclipso's shard loomed—Kai roared "Not him!" He snapped back—Carter shocked again, no pulse—Raven's tears fell. "Please." Kai's morpher buzzed "Shift viable!" Green surged, tiger form roared—he stumbled forward. "Wake up!"

The door slammed open, Wonder Woman striding in with lasso glowing, John Stewart following, ring blazing. "Rift, outside!" Diana's gaze landed on Nightwing. "Grayson!" She knelt beside him. "Hold on!" John scanned the room. "Grid's spiking, Eclipso's here!" Kai spun, pain flaring through him. "He's mine!" Raven grabbed his arm. "Stay, Kai!" He shook free. "He did this!"

Outside, the bay churned under a stormy sky—a rift tore open, green light flooding as Eclipso emerged, shard blazing red and black. Seekers swarmed behind him. "The heart bends!" Dark energy blasted, shaking the Tower—Kai charged, tiger claws slashing—Seekers fell, blood spraying—Eclipso laughed. "Too late!" The shard pulsed, red surging as the rift widened—ten green knights stepped through, Kaelric's face twisted on each—Kai roared "Not him!"

Diana's lasso snared Eclipso. "Yield!" Dark energy blasted her back—she braced herself—John's ring flared, a construct crushing Seekers—they dropped—Raven blasted shadows, lashing out—Donna swung her staff, smashing through—Gar tackled, claws raking—Slade burst in. "Flank!" His sword cleaved—Eclipso parried. "Fools!" Red pulsed, the rift growing—Kai slashed, knights falling as ichor pooled—morpher dimmed "Host critical!"

Eclipso's blast sent Kai flying—armor cracked, blood gushed—he hit concrete. "Nightwing…" Raven shielded him. "Stay down!" Dark energy cracked her shield—she fell—Diana charged, lasso snapping—John's cage shattered—Slade slashed—Eclipso roared "The heart wakes!" Red flooded the scene—Kai staggered "No…"—morpher pulsed "Sync failing!" Green flared—Kaelric appeared "Take it!"—red bled through—he snapped back "He's gone…"

Back inside, Carter shocked Nightwing—flatline held—Raven crawled to Kai "No…"—he stumbled, blood dripping "I'll lead…"—rift pulsed—Eclipso vanished "Next time…"—red lingered—Tower trembled—Kai fell—Raven caught him "We're not done…"—darkness crept—red pulsed—Grid's heart cracked—silence fell.