Draped in an oversized t-shirt and joggers was how Siza unashamedly faced the Justice League, depicting the image of her unclaimed mark. "A destroyer and conquerer of planets, Yeiso was ultimately overthrown in the Ahoiax quadrant and exiled to the barren dwarf planet ten thousand kilometres away, uninhabited. It took three fully fledged armies of millions to topple him.", she pointed to a sandstone coloured sphere on the holographic projection around them. Pinching her fingers and enlarging the image, she zoomed in on the dwarf planet. "A craft intended for the second planet in Ahoiax crashed on the dwarf planet, Yeiso waited until the shuttle's engineers had repaired the damage before pirating it. The craft was tracked to...", she zoomed out and swiped a hand to the right, landing on another collection of planets, "...the planet Creets in sector 4781 where he hijacked a Sithiam transport which I tracked from Paom to Hijido to Imiotsh and all the way to this planet."
Batman (in an eternal state of arm-folded-and-frowny-ness) asked, "Is the Earth his final destination?"
She rand a hand through her metallic hair and huffed, "I'm not sure. But each stop had been for a reason. Yeiso is not just any tyrant, he's psychotic, calculating. According to the Reon intergalactic committee, he's from the farthest known civilised planet-"
"Yan!", Hal burst out, instantly becoming aware of the strange looks and clearing his throat. "I-uh- the Guardians spoke of it. But...Yan was destroyed in a war hundreds of thousands of years ago! They called it the War of Times. A war waged against these godlike creatures -what were they called again?-"
"The time-holders.", J'onn said, his eyes trained on the table, seeing nothing. "That's the general term. Our people had a different name for them. But the stories are all the same, they reached as far as our planet. That's all they were, old stories, tales told to little children, nothing more."
J'onn could see it now, sitting with his daughter, K'hym, watching her reaction to the old tales. Fearful, yet so much wonder in her eyes. The Manhunter stopped before he let the memory drag him in and brought himself back on topic, addressing both Hal and the red-skinned bounty hunter, "Yan was obliterated. That's what the stories told. How could this...Yeiso be alive and from a planet that exists only as legend in most of the cosmos?"
Hal shrugged, "War of Times against time-holders, maybe the conventional rules of time don't apply. He (what did you say his name was?) Yay-so (was it?), must have escaped the war somehow. But I though his people were a warrior race, he wouldn't just run away?"
Siza sighed, "I wouldn't know. Reon sent me after him. Not to boast, but I am the best they've got and I'm lucky to have escaped with my life the last time I encountered him. Luckily enough, you all showed up this time and he left while I was distracted.", she muttered to herself, "Not that it would have mattered if I wasn't, he acted like I was an insect to crush under his boots."
Out of the blue came a shrill screech followed by Shazam clutching his hand while hopping about like a mentally unstable kangaroo, "IT BIT MEEEEEEE! OhJesusohLordohmigod! What do I do? Do I pee on it? No that's for jellyfish- oh sweeet and sour pickles with anchovies on pizza what do I do?"
Siza's serpent was not impressed with the man-child. All she did was take a taste of the air and her tongue happened to touch his hand. There was no need for him to make that ridiculous sound.
The serpent's emotions were echoed by Cyborg's words, "Billy. Grow the fuck up." Knowing that Clark would have a fit, Vic added, "Excuse the profanity. Can we just get on with this,", he looked to Siza with attempted impartiality, "how much of a threat exactly is he?"
That question brought all eyes to the serpentine woman, who didn't falter under the heavy observation. WonderWoman braced her hands on the meeting table, "Well, Siza?"
"Going by the danger evaluation of the Reon intergalactic committee which works on a 1 to 100 scale,", Siza said, "Yeiso (topped only by Darkseid himself) is classed as a 95.
Kill on sight; if not, don't even bother running away."
***
Later that night, back at the Manor, after another hour on their art project, Damian and Raven parted ways: Damian, to see if he could set Titus or Mr Pennyworth on Tim again while Duke kept the other Batkids busy; Raven, to see where Adyn had disappeared to. Raven hadn't spoken to her brother in days, granted Adyn wasn't the loudest of people, but he was no introvert and only took to the solitary life in difficult times.
Raven knocked on his door, in the same corridor as her own, and waited for an answer. "Adyn? Adyn are you in there?"
Nothing.
She pressed her ear to the door, considering that the sound of his response might be muffled.
Nothing.
Seeking out that pool of magic inside of her, Raven let her senses flare, travelling through the solid wood and searching his room.
Nothing.
Not even a trace of emotion or body heat. Not a room that had been lived in...or perhaps a guarded room. Raven intensified her applied powers, sinking in to every particle of the room until she found what she needed. Runes. Adyn didn't want her to know what was going on. Why would he put a blocker like that, aimed directly at halting empathic probing? Not a silencing charm or a protective charm or even one of insulation; one to prohibit her powers of aura-seeking.
That didn't sit well with Raven at all. She travelled downstairs to the main living room, witnessed Titus the dog sink his teeth in to Timothy's calf, and backed away. She wasn't in the mood for people. The kitchen was a good spot for non-people-ish people, so Raven was hardly surprised to find Cassandra sitting at the kitchen island, silently sitting with Alfred, drinking tea, neither of them speaking. Companionable silence is often better than talking.
"Ah, Miss- Raven,", Alfred corrected, remembering her preference, "would you like a cup of tea?" , he stood, gesturing to the fresh pot of tea.
She politely declined, "No thank you. I'm looking for Adyn, have you seen him today?"
Cass shook her head and took a sip of tea.
"Certainly, the young sir said he was going in to town a few hours ago. Just as he did for two days prior. And as the two days prior should indicate, he should return an hour hence.", realising that he might have come off as cold, Mr Pennyworth added with genuine warmth. "You needn't worry, your brother can manage himself Miss Raven, and you can nag his ear off all you like when he comes back."
Raven laughed her small, signature laugh, "I will. Thank you Mr Pennyworth."
"You're welcome my dear.", he replied with a nod. "Now, are you sure you wouldn't like a fresh cuppa?"
She smiled, "Alright. Thank you.", and sat opposite Cassandra.
The dark haired vigilante glanced at the demoness over her cup. Cass raised her eyebrows, "Hi."
***
"He avoided all of my questions and saw fit to lock the door in my face! What in Azar's name is he playing at?" Raven ranted, sitting cross legged, trying and failing to reach a peaceful state. Further irritated by her boyfriend's lack of participation in her anger, Raven gave up on the-meditation-that-never-was and turned to him, "Anything you'd like to add?"
Sitting on his bed, staring at the ceiling, Damian said, "He'll tell you eventually. Adyn isn't the bet at keeping secrets- you know that."
Standing up, Raven went to sit besides him, "What is it?", she asked abruptly, fury quelled in an instant, "Something's off. I can tell, don't deny it. What is it?"
In exasperation, Damian lay down, knotted fingers resting in his chest like a dead pharaoh. He huffed and said, "It's Kyle." When Raven said nothing, he continued, "I don't know what to do about her."
Raven slid down so that she was next to him, staring up, fingers knitted. Her hair splayed itself around her head like a purple paint-splatter halo. She drummed her thumbs on her sternum nonchalantly as Damian explained his situation to her.
"She's a...an ex-criminal. She's in a relationship with father. She seems to be staying...permanently.", he looked at Raven, "So what should I do? You always have the answers. What do I do?"
"First thing's first, do you want them to be together?"
She waited for an answer, and one didn't come for a few minutes.
"I'm not entirely sure."
"Okay, well,", she tried again, "do you think they're happy together?"
He took another moment.
"I suppose. Father's mood is much better lately."
For a third time, she asked, "Do you dislike Selina?
Damian's hands unfolded and he jabbed at the air with a finger, "That's it! That's the problem! I don't know! I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. On one hand, she is in a relationship with my father (!), on the other hand, she makes him happy. On one hand, she is barely out of her criminal days, in the other hand, she likes cats! I can't HATE her, even if she would be the one reason why I can't adopt all the cats in Gotham (intellectual property theft, wouldn't you know -Tt-)."
Raven chuckled at him.
"What?!", Damian propped himself up on his elbows and narrowed his eyes at her, "I'm serious! Tt. It's unfair!"
Raven shook her head, "You're such a child. Why do I put up with you?"
"Tt. My pretty face of course.", Damian embraced the playful mood and poked her side. "You'll abandon me when it fades. Or if you find a prettier one."
Rolling over towards him, Raven whispered, "How long do you think that'll take? I might be getting bored of your pretty face. "
Damian lay down and found the ceiling again. He hummed in faux-contemplation, drawing the conclusion with a laugh, "At least another hundred years. You're stuck with me Miss Demoness.", he turned to her, their noses almost touching.
Raven pressed her lips to his forehead with a smile. Pulling back an inch, she studied the jagged patterns in his jade eyes, "That might not be too bad.", and his warm lips met hers, tender and light, mixing sincerity with juvenile notions of love.
***
His head resting on a pillow of the finest swan feathers and his body swathed in silken sheets like woven clouds, Damian's body was on fire. The softer than soft mattress was a bed of nails against the freshly bandaged skin of his back, ripped apart as if the claws of a legendary beast had dug in to it. Every muscle of his tensed at the slightest moment, their exteriors pockmarked with sore patches bound to discolour within the hour. And yet, and infallible dread was all that could fill his mind, for he knew the same was to come precisely four hours and thirteen minutes later.
Damian gritted his teeth against the pain that would have made lesser people scream. No such folly would take place. Not by Damian Al Ghul. How weak would he be,? To cry out like a freshly hatched child? Unsure and afraid. No, he was not afraid. That feeling of dread, it was not fear. No, no, no. Not fear. Never fear. Only the concern that he wouldn't be able to perform to the highest of standards- for only the highest of standards was permissible. The ancient, sacred blood of the Al Ghuls and strength of the Bat ran through his veins. He was stronger than any mere, superficial pain.
There was a girl in the room, and he wasn't surprised. As if she'd been there all along but he'd only just cared about her appearance. She sat on a chair besides his bed, hands bloodstained, rolling up a reel of fabric- bandages. Her eyes were warm, her hands comforting when she pressed one to his cheek and kissed his forehead. Her voice was like a wave of serenity as she said, "Rest, Damian. For a while at least. She'll have you up before dawn. I'll stay here, just rest."
With her watching over him, Damian was safe. She wouldn't let anything hurt him.
Reluctantly, the child succumbed to sleep's gentle song as another drifted through his ears. Her voice, that warm, warm voice, sung a tale for only his ears to hear. His room was, in those moments, a corner of heaven within and island of hell. As long as she she never stopped her ancient song, the bad would stand still eternally.
"No! Don't do this! Mother!"
Damian ram towards the sound, but the corridor kept extending. Longer and longer and longer. The sound grew quieter as his desperation increased and he ran for all he was worth.
"...don't!...Mother!...don't..."
She was fading, leaving. He had to get to her, she couldn't go!
A light appeared at the end, illuminating the scene in the room. Talia stood before her. She knelt on the ground, held down by two nameless assassins. Behind his mother, a circle of flaming red let of gold ember-like sparks as it spun, setting her face aglow.
From the abyss of red, a booming voice shook the corridor with the night of a thousand soldiers changing in to battle.
"THIS IS BEYOND YOU CHILD."
Damian's feet pounded against the stone corridor, but he moved nowhere, never able to get there in time, never able to reach her. He stopped, stood still, and could only watch in the black corridor as she was thrust on to her feet and towards the red circle. A step from it, yellow spark stinging her cheeks, the girl turned her head, looking directly at him as a single tear dribbled hopelessly down the side of her face. Before she was pushed in to the vortex, she called out his name, "Damian!", with a lifetime of regret in her youthful, green eyes.
She slipped away he cried out, "Sahara!
***
Damian's upper body slammed upright and at once everything faded to the murky depths of his mind, untouchable. Crushing regret held his chest down, rendering him incapable of movement. Breaths heavy, Damian came to his senses, laying back down and trying to shake it all off. That wasn't his first nightmare; it certainly wouldn't be his last. Heart still racing, he shut his eyes. Not sure if he preferred terror-sleep or maddening insomnia.
A.N:
Welp, that was something. Yes my darlings, I do have more in store for Damian's back story (I'm so gassed for it, I've been planning this since I first started writing Demons!!!). Anywho my loves, summer is drawing to an end (quel catastrophe) and i don't know how to deal with that.
Here's a situation for you all. Blazers have been made compulsory for us, and we were supposed to order them early because they take 3 fucking months to arrive. The blazers are DESGOSTANG and expensive. I didn't buy one. You'll get put in alternative provision for incorrect uniform -especially for the blazers- every day until you get one: AP is when you do all your work in a room by yourself for the whole day and don't go out for break or lunch.
I didn't buy a blazer. I'm going to be rocking up in September and get out in AP.
Frankly, I don't give a shit.
I don't like people and I don't like the blazers. AP is a fücking blessing.
But that's my life and my problem that you probably didn't want to hear about. Now that I've mini-ranted to you, I can be done with you all and say:
Farewell biatches
-Bats :|