mayhem - damirae

five - the warehouse

pls dont hate me pls dont hate me i know i said i'd update more but gosh everything has been so busy. i've decided this book will most likely be the shortest one, as it doesn't necessarily pertain to the full story i'm writing. this is more of a side quest in the main scheme of things if you know what i mean. i hope you enjoy this chapter! i kinda rushed to this part because im so stuck on what to write. anyhow just know that i will update when i can! my life is very busy right now and i only have time to write every now and then before bed, i hope you all can understand. i'm trying to get this out to yall because i know you've been waiting for it but i don't want to give you guys crap, so i hope you will appreciate quality over quantity <3

March 25th, 2018

"Raven, as fast as you can, find him. Without a doubt, Heretic is here, careful to engage."

"Batman, that boat." Tim pressed a pair of goggles into Bruce's hand, and Bruce lifted them, bringing them down after. I looked to where he had pointed, squinting. There was a multitude of assassins crowded onto a boat, surrounding a too-familiar casket. I looked back down, forcing myself back to reality.

"Hood, stay with Raven, get her to the boat. Red Robin, call for reinforcements, there's got to be more than a hundred down there."

I swallowed down what could've been sickness, but I still put a hand on Jason's arm, ready to go. Once Bruce jumped, Jason and I disappeared, reappearing  within an empty warehouse closer to the boat.

Tim came in over the mic. "It'll take a couple of minutes, Batman, they have to get boom-tubed."

"Do not engage unless absolut-" Bruce was cut off, and Jason winced as the sound of a grenade went off

"Shit." Jason muttered, panicked eyes locking with mine. The sounds of the battle became louder and more intense as the seconds trickled by. A few men ran off the boat, most likely to help their comrades.

"I'm good, Jason, go down there." He turned, and I gave him a reassuring glance before he took off, guns in his hands.

I watched the rest of the guards at the front of the boat draw their swords preparing themselves, but they didn't dare move. If I could shadow-travel, and then get back here with his body, all I'd have to do would wait for Bruce to get the stone.

I maneuvered my way from the inside of the warehouse to the outside easily and unnoticed. My mind was a flurry of thoughts and emotions. Could I do this? Should I do this?

I stepped out of the way as I sensed a blade flying towards me. My fingertips sparked as I spun around.

"I know you." I growled, staring at her.

I knew of her. Hadn't ever seen her in the flesh, but here she was. Her beauty was startling, almost scary. Her green eyes, naturally almond shaped, were narrowed more in anger. Her leather suit clung to her curves, slit in some areas due to battle. She had a cut on her cheek and her hair billowed out from her hood, brown, like chocolate.

Talia drew her sword.

"Come and get it, devil." She held her sword out towards me.

I grit my teeth. No magic. I wouldn't do this with it.

I ran at her, and her sword came down. I clapped my hands, stopping it inches from my face, ignoring the pain as the blade cut into my palms.

"Your own son!" I jolted the sword forwards, the handle jabbing her in the breastbone. "You cloned him." I aimed a quick kick to her thigh. Her leg buckled.

"And you killed him!" With the force of her fall, she sliced her sword into my shoulder. White dots danced in my vision as the blade hit bone, yet it only made me angrier. The sword began to melt, and she threw it away behind her as I fell to my knees, trying to regain my balance.

"He was worthless. A bad batch." She pulled a pistol, aiming into my face with her finger on the trigger. Before either of us could do anything, I heard a fluttering noise. She must've heard it too, for she looked up.

Bruce.

His feet slammed into the ground between us. Talia's lip trembled as a wave of fear came towards me, before it was gone, replaced with anger and envy.

"He was better than you could ever be." Bruce was facing her, and indiscreetly pressed the crystal into my hand, signaling for my leave. I got up, watching Talia warily.

"He was weak, Bruce. He gets it from you." I knew now her words were coming from a place of insecurity. Damian was anything but weak.

"Maybe so." He turned to look at me, and I hurried away, noticing what guards were left were unconscious, and my feet eventually hit the polished wood floor of the boat. Before I knew it, I had thrown the lid off and was looking into the casket.

I dropped to my knees, pressing the burning stone into Damian's chest, my eyes closed as tightly as they could. I heard the sounds of battle all around me now, but I decided to block it all out. I needed to concentrate.

I put my hands out on either side of me, releasing the breath that had stayed in my throat for way too long. I felt a burning sensation in my good arm, and I snapped out of my trance, touching it and coming away with blood. A bullet had lodged itself into my muscle. I turned, seeing the gleam of a blade as it came down.

A blur of green barreled the assassin out of the way, and I watch it turn back into Garfield. He gave me a nod, then mouthed something I couldn't make out. He turned into a tiger, and pounced on another.

I turned back to Damian, starting the spell. I felt electricity crackle at my fingertips, reaching throughout the space around me and eventually lying itself over his body. I felt the usual pull at the back of my mind, my father trying to influence me. I ignored it like usual and continued, feeling the power seep away.

It seemed like hours before the crystal began to glow, began to work, and more were unconscious around me. I had gotten more injuries, now throbbing due to my not being able to heal myself. My entire body felt like it was on fire, burning from within. All my power was concentrated into the crystal, into Damian. Black spots entered my line of vision.

I felt muscles release, and the power coursing through me had lessened considerably. I was about to black out. I couldn't. I needed this, I needed him. I hunched over, the feeling of nausea beginning to creep over me.

The pain was excruciating, and just became worse and worse by the second, minute, however much time was passing. I didn't know, I was in some sort of limbo. The stone and it's power felt like a dimension in itself. A dimension filled with fire and pain. And then it was gone.

I heard a couple voices around me, and realized the battle had stopped? Did it? I could close my eyes now and it would be fine. I just, I just needed a nap.

My eyes closed, and I felt hands on me as I fell into unconsciousness.