Gone to the Place of Foggy Dreams

Sanctuary for Troubled Secrets

After what had seemed like the longest journey of his life, Beast Boy finally sighted what had to be the most important building within the city, judging by its massive size. What looked like a temple loomed high in the distance, towering over the other skyscrapers.

Beast Boy gazed up at it in awe. The structure dwarfed the Titans' Tower by several stories. He saw the staircase leading up to the main entrance, and groaned at the sheer length of the steps.

"Yeah, that's so not happening."

In an instant, he transformed into a falcon, and flew up to the top of the steps in merely a fraction of the time it would've taken him to walk. When he re-shifted, he wore a smug smirk, satisfied at his successful endeavor to avoid an unnecessary amount of walking.

In front of him stood the massive golden doors of Azarath's temple, gleaming in the grey light. Beast Boy looked up at the doors, and let his thoughts drift to Raven once more.

"I failed her. I blew it. I swore that I would never let her be harmed again after I let out that monster within me. And...she was kidnapped right under my very nose. I failed to protect Raven, just like I failed to protect..."

He shook his head violently, in a desperate attempt to avoid remembering the painful memories of the past.

As he stood enraptured in thought, the darkness began to fall over the city once more, and Beast Boy was left without any source of light besides the pitiful gleam given by his communications watch. He pushed earnestly against the doors, and they slowly swung open into a massive hall, shadowed and beckoning to him. Beast Boy walked in without any second thoughts, aching to do his part to find his best friend.

Just inside the hall was a single flaming torch, hung on a brazier within reach. Beast Boy took it, and slowly swung it around as he took in his surroundings. He was in the first level of the temple, which contained a church-like sanctuary, with rows of seats lining the interior of the chamber. Massive white pillars dotted the hall, and at the farthest end was the altar, with a wondrous symbol glimmering on top.

Beast Boy looked up at the massive twelve-pointed star, made of the purest gold that he had seen in Azarath since he had first arrived. He walked up to the altar before it, and saw that propped on it was a massive book written solely in the Azarathian language, blue runes filling the pages. Next to the book was a small piece of paper, this one written in English.

The Faith of Azarath

"When our forbearers and the first Azar arrived here, they shaped the foundations of our faith and beliefs.

Naturally, one of our greatest desires is to do our part to erase the hatred and violence still consuming the Earth. But most of all, our ultimate wish is to journey beyond even this sanctuary of ours, into the realm beyond, the true paradise that has been sought for so long.

As visitors to this holy temple can observe, our people's sign is the twelve-pointed star that represents the Divine that we dearly adore. Many of us have wondered if there is any specific significance to the number of points on the star. The common theory that has been produced is that the twelve points might be a reference to the original twelve tribes and twelve disciples mentioned in the Holy Word of our ancestors. There is also a lesser discussed notion that the number twelve somehow represents supreme Divine authority and completion. Only the first Azar knew the true story behind this sign, and she has long passed into the paradise beyond this one."

Beast Boy felt a small smile on his lips as he finished reading the text.

"That's cool. So these people actually gave a damn about ending suffering. Good. And I gotta say, the idea of a real paradise...if that's where my Mom and Dad are...then, yeah, I'd wanna go there too."