Special || Batfamily

CHAPTER IX

"He's awake! Seal the castle! NOW!"

Ra's al Ghul's temple fortress was in chaos. Ninjas and assassins were running wild through the place, sealing doors and exits while scouring the halls searching for their target. Talia was leading the charge, looking particularly worried and shaken by whatever was going on.

Elsewhere, in the main foyer of the castle, a pair of ninjas were searching the room when they saw movement at the top of the steps. A small shadow, scampering by and down a nearby hall.

"Hault!"

The ninjas immediately jumped up along the steps in pursuit of the figure, but as they disappeared down the hall, there was a both terrified and angry shriek, high-pitched and almost child-like, followed by a flash of blue light. The two ninjas screamed as they were propelled backwards by the light, their clothes and skin burning with blue fire as they landed flat on their backs, groaning and writhing.

As if alerted to the noise, three more ninja suddenly appeared in the room, and looked over their fallen comrades. Before they could register what had happened, the same small figure jumped out from the shadows and clung to the ninja's back. Snarling, the little figure wrapped their tiny legs around the man's throat, and then reached their hand forward. The nails were long, curved, and sharp like a bird's talons, and cut the man's throat with ease. Blood sprayed from the wound and the ninja fell over dead as the little figure leapt off of him, lunging at the nearest ninja and knocking him to the ground. The figure swiped their hand out, repeating the same attack on this ninja.

The third ninja had quickly unsheathed his sword and rushed toward the mysterious creature, but the figure expertly dodged the attack, grabbing the blade and yanking it out of the ninja's grasp. There was a swishing noise, and blood flew from the man's neck as his head was lopped off his shoulders. The blood sprayed onto a nearby medieval armored suit put up on display. As the ninja's body fell, the little figure was breathing heavily, almost feral, before shakily dropping the sword.

Staring at their hands, the little creature looked over to the blood-coated armor, and quickly ran over. They wiped the blood off of the silver metal, and in the dim light of the foyer, were able to make out their reflection in the metal.

The figure gasped, backing up in horror as tears filled their eyes.

"... No..."

Suddenly, the sound of a window shattering and glass spilling all over the floor caused the little figure to jump. Looking up, they saw a shadow fall in from the glass skylight on the ceiling. Clad in cape and shrouded in darkness, the Batman landed in the center of the floor. His intense glare made its way up the stares, settling on the small figure.

Quickly, the creature slipped away down the hall and out of sight. Batman watched them retreat as Robin and Bluejay dropped down as well, joining him on both sides.

"Search the castle. Find Tim and take down anyone who gets in your way."

💫💫💫

Tim was scared. Curled up in the bed with his knees held against his chest, Tim had been here for nearly a week. At least he thought it had been a week. He wasn't entirely sure what day it was anymore. No one came to see him. Damian mysteriously disappeared only a day after they first met. Tim could tell there had been two ninjas guarding his door, but that was it. He couldn't even use his powers to break free. Every time he tried, that horrible pain coursed through him. He couldn't even try to touch the collar without it shocking him. He didn't like feeling restrained in such a way. Every night he silently begged for his family to come for him. He didn't like this place, he wanted to go home.