Blackbird

The assassins aprentice

For the first three years of my life, I was an unwitting member of the League of Assassins. You might wonder why such a ruthless organization would have a baby in its ranks—believe me, I've asked myself the same question. But when I was just two years old, a man named Bruce Wayne entered the League's shadowed halls. From the moment our eyes met, there was an undeniable bond. It seems he grew too fond of me, and so, he chose to take me under his wing. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Bryce Cooper, and I am Robin.
Alfaris signing off

2004

Nanda parbat

The mountain fortress loomed in the distance a dark silhouette against the twilight sky. Bryce cooper stood on the precipice, his breath visible in the cold air, eyes scanning the horizon. He was just a boy, but the league of assassins had no use for children-they forged warriors, sharpened blades for a purpose Bryce was still trying to understand.

Tonight, however, something was different. There was a newcomer in the fortress, a man who didn't quite belong. He was young maybe 20 years old, yet there was an intensity in his eyes that was hard to ignore. The mans name was Bruce Wayne, a stranger who had come seeking the same power and purpose the league promised its acolytes.

Bryce watched as Bruce approached, their paths converging in the dim light. There was something about this man-a sense that he was on the cusp of becoming something more. Neither knew it then but this meeting would set them on a collision course with fate.

Bryce could see the determination in his eyes-a hunger that mirrored his own. The older recruits had whispered about Bruce, speculating why he was here. Some said he was just another rich guy chasing shadows like Malcolm Merlyn, but Bryce sensed there was more to him.

"Are you lost?" Bryce asked, his voice stead, betraying none of the curiosity he felt

Bruce stopped a few feet away, his gaze sweeping over the two year old. Marveled by how well he talked. "No," he replied simply, the word carrying a weight that told Bryce this was no ordinary man.

"Then why are you here?" Bryce pressed, folding his arms. He had seen many come and go most broken by the leagues trials. He wondered if Bruce would be any different.

"Im here to learn," Bruce answered, his voice calm but in yielding. "To find the strength i need."

Bryce tilted his head lightly, studying him. "Strength? The league offers more than just strength. They'll teach you how to kill without hesitation, how to disappear into the shadows. But it'll cost you-everything."

"I've already lost everything," Bruce said, a flicker of pain crossing his features before he made it again. "Now, I'm ready to take back what's mine."

The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken understanding they were both on paths that demanded sacrifice, though neither knew where those paths would ultimately lead.

"Then you'd better keep up," Bryce said, turning to lead the way into the heart of the fortress. "The league doesn't go easy on outsiders."

As they walk deeper into the fortress, the stone walls closing in around them, Bryce couldn't shake the feeling that this moment was the beginning of something-something that would change him, and perhaps even Bruce, forever.