In “The End” fourth season finale of Teen Titans, Robin fights with a sword instead of his usual staff.

So I wanted to know: Where did he get that sword?

So is this whole story based on a question? Pretty much.

Did “The Demon’s Quest” from B:TAS inspire this too? Yup

If Remix is reading this, Kudos to her for all of the support. And for making me laugh so much on the caption threads.

Title: Prodigy

Description: He has the power of the world in his hand, but Batman has one thing he has not: a worthy son. Ra’s Al Ghul, who seeks personal benefits and the alliance of the Dark Knight, abducts Robin. Though the Boy Wonder is stronger than he thinks.

Robin’s age: Give and take that he’s supposed to be just starting out crime fighting and still a sidekick, twelve or barely thirteen. And this is Dick Grayson, Robin #1, just so everyone should know.

A-A-A-A

They just came out one night. Robin had been heading home from his nightly patrol when the men in the black hoods leapt from the shadows. He had been over the defense routine with Batman a hundred times, but on this occasion it was useless. Robin had barely gotten his fists together and taken a fighting stance when they came onto him like a swarm of hungry vultures.

Hands grabbed him and pinned his arms behind his back. Usually Robin was good enough in hand-to-hand combat to take down a few of Gotham’s thugs. But these men weren’t from his town, he suspected. They were much faster and far more serious. Why send six men out at him?

Without using guns or weapons they had swiftly gotten the Boy Wonder to be disarmed and tied up. He opened his mouth to scream but a cloth was shoved into his mouth, gagging him silent. He felt something blunt hit the side of his head, plunging him into the beginning of the darkness.

When Robin woke up, he was still in bondage and still being moved around in dark places. At one point he felt the ground under him bob up and down, followed by the vague sound of water lapping. The floorboards creaked eerily under his feet.

So they’re taking me out of Gotham. But how far away?

Somehow, the gag was removed and he was fed with some kind of cooled rice and a little water, just enough to sustain him. But the men kept their turbaned heads down and never talked to him. These were not the gleeful gangsters that prowled around Gotham City at night. The men doing this were all sober and serious about their task.

Batman will come rescue me. He always does. They kidnap me for a reason, because they want him. And he’ll come and thwart them all in the end.

Robin’s usual optimistic nature kicked in for the first day or two. But after two days, he started to get worried. The knots remained tight on the ropes binding his knees and wrists together. The men still watched over him cautiously like a tiny precious bird in a cage, hovering about Robin lest he get loose.

He heard them talking in a strange tongue, one that was thick with a Far East accent. He tried to jog his memory but so far, the Boy Wonder was stumped. He did know the basics of some European languages that included French, Italian, German, and Portuguese. Not bad for a boy who just became thirteen. But it didn’t help him at all, nor did the long hours stowed away in the bottom of some boat help.

I don’t like being the bait of these traps.

“What’s going on?” his voice cracked out after what seemed like an infinity of silence.

“Be quiet,” one of the men barked to him. The butt of a gun struck Robin’s rib cage. He gasped from the throbbing ache in his bones and curled up into a ball, clutching his abdomen.

“What do you want with me?” he asked feebly.

“I said silence!” the man ordered him. Rather than risk another stomachache, Robin sealed his lips together. The boat rocked back and forth, continuing to jostle his upset nerves.

A-A-A-A

“No sign of him for four days, sir,” Alfred said to Bruce. The butler watched the wealthy young man pace the interior of the monstrous Bat Cave with tremendous concern. Ever since young master Richard had disappeared, Bruce had been becoming more and more wary.

By day, Bruce Wayne had made constant trips to the Gotham Police Department seeking any signs of Richard Grayson.

By night, Batman prowled along the streets of the city in search of a certain red-breasted costumed person.

Nothing.

Commissioner Gordon had been exceedingly benevolent in helping Bruce. Even with his heavy workload, the commissioner had put the disappearing boy on the top of his priorities and had his men combing Gotham City with the most thorough investigation possible.

In the Bat Cave, the Dark Knight had been pouring over the analysis tests on his ward’s latest activities and searched for any possible escape routes in case he had decided to run away. But Haley’s Circus claimed that the surviving Grayson had not returned to them. Metropolis and Star City turned up blank too, according to Bruce’s colleagues Clark and Oliver.

He seemed to have vanished off the face of the planet without a single fingerprint or clue to find him.

“Not a trace of Robin or Dick Grayson,” Bruce said aloud. His hair was completely messed up until it sat like a wild black mop on his head. His blue eyes were now weary and bloodshot from a lack of sleep.

It was becoming a perilous threat to him. Taking down the corrupt police and mafia men of Gotham City was a challenge he could handle. But having to risk everything just to save his new partner was sometimes an obstacle that Bruce feared.

What if Robin was gone for good?

What if he lost Dick Grayson the same way he lost his parents?

“I should never have let him do it, Alfred,” Bruce said bitterly. He slammed a hard fist on the computer keyboard in frustration. “I should never have let Dick in on this insane crusade to clean up the city.”

“Sir, you must not blame yourself for this,” Alfred said to him. “You saved Master Richard from a life that you once lived, a life of anger and depression. You taught him honor and respect by allowing him to learn under you.”

“And now he could be dead for all I know!” Bruce shouted out. Alfred was startled by the sudden outburst of anger that came from his master.

Bruce’s shoulders’ slumped and he lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Alfred. I didn’t mean to. .”

“I understand, sir,” he said softly.

Bruce wearily took his seat in the massive chair and rested his head in his hands. The bats twittered noisily around the cave as if to cry out for the absence of the Boy Wonder

“Dick, where are you?” he asked between clenched teeth, grabbing clumps of his hair in his fists.

A-A-A-A

The first part of the journey had ended.

He had no idea where they were exactly because he had been kept blindfolded in the dark cellar for nearly the entire voyage. But Robin knew something was different when he smelled the wonderful fresh air peeping through the cracks. The boat rocked again sending a few drops of salt water onto his parched face and lips. There was the nasal cry of a gull from outside. They must be in a harbor.

Now he heard footsteps coming down to the bottom of the boat. Robin found himself rolling back and forth in place, attempting to unshackle his bonds somehow.

He heard the soft chuckling of a man.

“You are brave for one so small,” the man said in a polished accent. Robin felt himself begin to shiver from that cool steel voice that hung in the air around him.

“Get him onto the truck,” the man ordered the guards. Robin heard the sound of fabric rustling and booted feet marching off. Strong arms come under his knees and arms, lifting him up as if he weighed no more than a doll. The booted feet clumped noisily as they carried him up the stairs. The sun felt warm and serene on his face. He even smiled a little behind the blindfold, feeling the few rays of the sun and hearing the cries of a marketplace far off the distance. His nose could detect the trace of delectable foods cooking: spiced nuts, sweet fruits, meat being grilled . .all of this and the shouts of people hackling for prices and goods.

It dawned on Robin that they must be in some exotic far off country, perhaps near Asia of Africa. The thought of being so far away from Gotham City scared him. Even in the circus they had stayed in America, but now he could be halfway around the world. He was all the way out there and without so much as a single tracking device for his partner to find him.

I’m getting scared, Bruce. Where are you? I want to go home.

The quick relief ended when Robin was handed to another pair of arms and he was set down into a truck. Blankets were draped over his body, which blocked out the fleeting sun’s warmth. He heard the tires creak when more men climbed upon the truck.

Somehow, he dozed off. He dreamed of Wayne Manor with its massive smooth green grounds and tall oak trees. He dreamed of Alfred bringing in hot toast for himself and coffee for Bruce while they poured over the morning papers that carried various comments about the mysterious Batman and his youthful partner.

He dreamed of the excitement that lay in the Bat Cave where he had spent the past three years of his life training for crime fighting. It was not the serene bliss that he had enjoyed in the circus, but it was something stronger that he had been able to forge together after the loss of his parents. All thanks to Bruce, who saw something in the little aerialist and wanted to help him.

The jeep stopped with a sudden BANG and everyone jolted. Robin’s head smashed into a heavy box making stars wink inside of his head. The men were shouting again and moving all over the place. The blankets were pulled back from his face. Robin coughed upon getting a breath full of dry hot air. A bit of gritty sand whistled into the wind and blew through his hair.

He felt something round and hard press into his back: the barrel of a gun. Robin was ordered to stand on his feet and start walking. One man was pulling on his wrists while the other kept guard from behind. They walked and walked up and down the sand dunes for hours on end. Several times Robin staggered clumsily, tripped, and fell flat on his face. He was answered with a mouthful of burning hot sand and an order to get up. He did as he was told though his legs begged for a rest and his throat stung for a few drops of cool water.

Robin realized how desperately he ached for his old life again.

If he ever got back alive, Robin vowed he’d never disobey a direct order of Batman’s again. He wouldn’t slide down the banister to annoy Alfred or run head first into battle without thinking.

He’d be more patient. . . if he ever got back.

The air around him was gradually becoming cooler and his feet landed on firm stones instead of sand. The voices began to echo inside a vast interior. Robin concluded that they must be inside of a cave once his captors halted him in his tracks. The thundering sound of a gong was heard and its echo caused trembles to run down his spine. The shaking vibrations slowly evaporated into silence before one of them spoke.

“Master, we have the boy,” a guard said in a muffled tone.

“Set him down there,” the smooth voice commanded, the same one from the boat. Robin heard the snap of fingers and he landed with a soft thump on a pile of cushions. He started to struggle with his shackled wrists, even attempt to rub the blindfold off with them.

The voice ordered, “Give the boy a sedative. We want no disturbance for the rest of our plans.”

Robin felt the bite of a needle nip at his arm immediately. He sank back into a deep-drugged sleep. While he slept, little thoughts and pieces of his life continued to drift through his head. He had just turned thirteen last month and celebrated with Bruce, Alfred, and Leslie. It was a small but special party complete with a large chocolate cake and bright red candles. Alfred had gotten him some new books and Leslie purchased a skateboard for him.

The best present of all was a shiny new motorcycle called the R-Cycle that was dubbed specially for Robin. Bruce had been building the vehicle in the late hours of the night after sending his partner off to bed. Now it was Robin’s special set of wheels to be used exclusively for crime fighting.

The second present given to him was a new privilege: extended curfew. Batman was now permitting the Boy Wonder to go on patrol until midnight.

He remembered the rush of wind blowing in his face. He remembered speeding up alongside the Batmobile up and down the streets of Gotham City. He remembered the vibration of the tires on the ground as he soared through the city as free as a bird.

Until . .

Until he couldn’t take any more of it.

Robin broke up out of his sleep, unable to control himself anymore. He didn’t care what time it was or where on earth they had taken him. All he wanted were some answers.

Robin jerked his head up and yelled out, “Where am I? Tell me who you are!”

His voice echoed all over the massive room. He heard the shuffling of the men again.

“Be quiet, child. You are in no manner to speak,” one of the guards ordered him.

“I want to know. Who’s your boss?” he continued to shout. “Tell me what’s going on or I’ll have you charged for kidnapping!”

“Quiet!”

“No!”

Robin continued to shout and holler, rolling around on the ground as much as he could muster. They kicked him with their boots but he continued to make noise, at least enough to be heard.

The gong was heard again and a large hand grabbed Robin by his scalp, pressing his forehead to the ground. “You will pay for this insolence, brat,” a hoarse voice breathed into his ear. Robin nearly gagged on his foul breath that reeked from whiskey.

When the vibrating sound finally left Robin’s ears, he heard the man from boat talking to his men. “What is this confounding racket?” the same calm controlled voice said.

“Master, he will not be silent,” the guard rasped.

“So you’re the leader of this team?” Robin spoke up, turning his head in the direction of where the unruffled voice came out.

“Apparently, so it would seem,” he drawled out.

“I can’t see, thanks to your henchmen,” Robin said thinly. “And you haven’t told me what you want with me anyway.”

“I want nothing of you, little boy,” the man’s voice said with disdain. “What I want is your teacher.” The sound of his words made Robin’s heart begun to thump much faster.

Batman? They want Batman!

“Father, let me take the blindfold off.” A woman’s voice, deep and rich and affectionate, reached Robin’s ears. It penetrated the malevolent atmosphere like a brook of water streaming into a parched desert. It was music to Robin’s mind and ears. He heard the rustling of fabric and the musical sound of something tinkling, perhaps earrings or bangles.

“He is a wild one, this bird. My men have been watching him closely,” warned the first one, the one she called “Father”.

“He cannot hurt us. After all, you have said that we want the man,” she said distinctly.

“Fine, take it off. He shall see the rest of our plans anyway.”

Robin felt someone approach him and an aroma of sweet perfume drifted by, making him want to drink it in. Smooth hands, delicate ones that were unlike the guards, touched his young tender face. They came to his temples, then behind his head and carefully untied the knot of the blindfold.

He felt soft manicured hands mingle into his scalp causing all the hairs on his neck to prickle up. Most women hadn’t touched him like this since his mother died.

At last, the limp bandage fell from his face. Robin blinked his azure orbs behind his mask to clear his vision. Indeed, it was an immense cavern where they had come to rest. His eyes scanned the room that was full of glowing torches and men all dressed in black. But what caught his attention was the person kneeling in front of him.

He had never seen a more beautiful woman in his life. She was swathed in yards and yards of fine golden silk, both concealing and revealing her attractive figure. Her face was a flawless work of art, oval shaped and smooth as milk. Silky black hair drifted down her face, concealing one of her eyes in a flirting gesture. The other eye was as bright as an emerald and adorned with long black eyelashes.

Robin wanted to speak but found himself captivated by this elusive lady. His mouth was slightly open, his tongue frozen to the roof of his mouth.

“So you have made it in one piece,” the man said behind her. Robin broke out of his stare of the woman only to be transfixed by the man, presumably her father. He was tall and thin, his posture regal like a warrior or a man of royal blood. His eyes were painted dark and fierce, his beard short and perfectly trimmed. The man was wrapped in a tunic of pale green while a darker green cape drifted past his shoulders and fell to the ground.

The man walked forward and all the guards immediately shrank back from him like a messiah parting through the masses. He came to the captive Robin and looked down upon him with a stern expression.

“Do you know who I am?” he demanded.

Robin hesitated. He had seen this face before but could not put his finger on it. His mind began to wrack itself to remember. There! In the Gotham Historical Gallery that Bruce had taken him to during a social party last year. Robin hated going to these events because they were boring.

But he had seen a captivating painting of this man in the exhibit and asked Bruce about it. He was sitting on top of a horse and leading a wild band of man across some desert, probably the Sahara. He had the same sharp features and severe mouth.

He had the same light blue eyes full of cold ice.

The eyes were gazing at Robin now and he could feel their power burning into his own sockets. The eyes did not only see him, but seemed to see through him, to the very thoughts in his head.

“I see you are trembling,” the man said. His teeth pulled back into a cruel smile of triumph. “Most men fear me.”

Robin discovered that indeed, he was shaking all over, presumably not just from the chill of the cave. He tried to swallow the bile in his throat and muster up enough courage. “I’m not scared of you.”

“Bruce, who’s the man in the picture?”

“A legend, Dick. A legend of a man who’s life spanned six centuries and powers are rumored to be deadly.”

“Woah,” Dick whistled, astonished by the imposing painting.

“I know. They say his vast armies banded together to bring the earth to perfection, through the cost of mankind. In our language he was called ‘The Demon’s Head.”

“What’s his real name?” Dick wanted to know.

“They call him Ra’s Al Ghul.”

“Ra’s . Al . . Ghul . .” Robin whispered softly. His lips barely moved but they said the dreadful man’s name. “What do you want with me?”

He turned his back to Robin and strode across the room, his boots clicking sharply on the stone floor.

“Bait,” he said calmly. “You are merely the bait in a much larger trap.”

Robin shuddered inwardly. He watched the woman follow Ra’s where he sat down into a massive stone chair carved into a throne, his cape flowing out behind him. The woman seemed to glide, rather than walk, across the floor as if she was merely skating across crystal clear ice. The gown she wore rustled and clinked along with the beads and jewels that dangled from her ears.

“Father, what if he does not come?” she asked, taking a seat at his feet.

“He will, daughter. This scrap of a child is the world to him. Just as he is the world to us.”

A scrap? A scrap! Is that all I am?

“He’s not coming,” Robin blurted out. “Batman’s not stupid. He’s not falling for your pathetic trap.”

Ra’s stood up from his seat and stretched out a hand to Robin’s face. He wanted to run, yell, cry, or do anything, but his entire body had suddenly gotten rigidly stiff. His limbs refused to move in any direction.

“Kneel,” Ra’s Al Ghul commanded.

The penetrating eyes stared into Robin, refusing to lift their power from him. A wave of dizziness spread over Robin causing him to stagger in his place. He could feel his strength beginning to vanish while his knees weakened under his body.

Robin did not want to submit to the man. He tried to shake the heaviness from his mind but Ra’s chilling eyes continued to pour their power into Robin. At last, the boy sank to his knees in defeat. The weight on his eyelids continued to grow, his mind spinning in a blinding storm of colors. He could still hear Ra’s calling out to his army and the voice continued to ring into his ears.

“All mortal men will tremble and fear at the power of the Demon’s Head. We will take back the earth for its rejuvenation. We will lower the men into their graves, and victory shall be ours!”

A-A-A-A

With expertise in practice, the batterang flew from his hand towards the entrance of the cave. In an explosion of rocks, Batman charged forward, coughing and fanning away the clouds of dust. His journey had taken him through the underworld of ancient cities, across a desert, and through the leagues of various assassins and obstacles.

His body was now a sore collogue of bruises, cuts, and injured bones. Batman would have rested a long time ago to tend to himself, but not when the life of a very valuable child was in his hands. He flew down the stone tunnel with the tiny yet powerful beam of light from his signal darting up and down.

At last, he came to the end of the tunnel. The interior stretched out into a massive cavern that was dark and cool compared to the blinding hot light of the desert he had just passed through. Adjusting his eyes, Batman stepped forward cautiously. Not a soul was to be seen nor did any light penetrate the darkness. He began to see vague shapes taking form in the pitch-black area. Then he saw something no more than ten steps ahead of him. His instincts immediately snapped into focus.

“Robin!” he shouted.

He rushed forward towards the unconscious boy. He was lying flat on his back on the freezing marble table. The young man was fully clad in his uniform but his body was stiff as a board and cool to the touch. Batman checked the boy for a pulse: stable. That was good, but this was no place for them to stay. This entire place stank of corruption and treachery.

Gently, Batman started to shake the boy’s shoulders. “Robin, wake up,” he said gently.

The boy’s eyes flew open from behind his mask. He gave a loud shudder and bolted up madly like waking from a nightmare. “Augh!” he gasped. Robin clutched his chest and continued to gasp for breath. Then he saw the familiar black clad hero in front of him, in the flesh. “B-Bruce?” he asked. The man nodded to him. Unable to control himself, Robin threw himself into his guardian’s arms.

He burst into tears and grabbed onto the Dark Knight’s cape like a man drowning at sea.

“It’s all right,” Batman reassured him. He cupped the back of the boy’s head carefully. “It’s all right, Robin. I’m here.”

“N-no! You shouldn’t have come!” Robin said in a voice that was high and fearful. He looked up at his guardian with wild terror in his eyes. “He’s here, he knew you’d come here. It’s a trap!”

“I know, Robin. I know,” Batman said calmly.

“You knew?” Robin asked weakly.

“Yes. I thought there was something off from the start. But now we’ve reached the end and that’s all that matters.”

Batman turned around and called out to the cave, “Wouldn’t you agree, Ra’s Al Ghul?”

There was a rumbling sound that came like thunder at once. The cave was flooded with the light of torches that almost blinded Robin’s eyes. Slowly, the minions drew out of their hiding places and came forward as they surrounded the two people.

“So it would seem,” Ra’s said, slowly descending from the stone steps of his throne. The serpent was trying to get his coils around the bat, just as he had easily caught the tiny bird. But the bat was far more resistant and prepared for his adversary than expected. Ra’s eyes flickered eerily when he came up to Batman, looking up and down at the Dark Knight with great fascination. Batman was busy in taking a protective stance in front of the trauma-shocked Robin.

“Congratulations, Detective.” Ra’s gave him a thin smile of pleasure. “You have found your precious ward despite my traps and false trails. You are a man of courage with an iron will beyond that of any warrior.”

Batman didn’t seem flattered by the compliments. Nor did he react when Ra’s extended his hand to the Dark Knight and said, “Accept my alliance as a true gesture of trust and loyalty.”

Robin felt his blood turn to water. This madman wanted Batman to work for him? Robin tried to stand up straight but his knees were knocking against each other loudly. His teeth were chattering as well.

“You kidnapped my partner, dragged him halfway around the world, and sent me on a wild goose chase,” Batman said in a voice that was slowly getting angry. “This is hardly a good gesture.”

“A test,” Ra’s said. He looked quite pleased with himself. “And you have passed, Detective. You are worthy to fight by my side.”

Robin saw Batman’s features tighten up. At once his own stomach felt the same way. He didn’t like the way this conversation was going.

“Why?” he said with an iron-like temper.

Ra’s did not seem to take Batman’s wrath as a serious threat. He swept past the man and the boy towards a thick curtain on a side of the cave. “You and I share a common link, Detective. We wish to rid the world of the evil ways of men, the foul air of crime that pollutes this very planet. But my time is short and I need others to carry on my work.” He lifted a hand to a golden cord on the side of the wall.

“And seeing that I have no male heir, I offer you my daughter Talia as your bride.”

“What!” Dark Knight and Boy Wonder blurted out at the same time.

The curtain pulled up and the same beautiful woman came out. Only to Robin, she didn’t seem so beautiful now; more like a pretty and dangerous witch. She still looked enchanting as ever in a new silvery tunic and with emeralds glittering on her neck and arms.

Talia had glided over to them with the grace of a swan. She slid one of her arms through Batman’s, pulling him protectively towards her chest. He starred at her in numbed shock, perhaps also awed by the beauty of the woman drawing towards him like a moth to a candle.

“She loves you enough to serve you for life,” Ra’s confessed. “Accept her hand and we will purge the world of its evil ways.”

“Beloved,” she said in a trembling voice, gazing at Batman. “I implore you, take me as your wife.”

Robin felt like he was going to puke.

For a minute, it looked like Batman was going to consent. He gazed at Talia who was starring longingly at him, then back to her father. He finally shook his head to clear the cobwebs.

“That’s enough,” Batman snapped. He pulled back from Talia and put a firm arm on the boy’s shoulder. “We’re going home, Robin.”

“You refuse my offer?” Ra’s demanded.

“I cannot see your vision, Ra’s,” Batman answered him. They started to back away towards the entrance of the cave. “What you want is genocide, the ending of all humanity. It’s barbaric.”

“It is justice!” the man shouted. “Your parents were offered on a sacrifice of blood and stone, weren’t they? Do you not seek retribution for your loss?”

Batman answered with lines that he had memorized time and time again. “I cannot bring back my mother and father nor can I turn back time. My duty is to protect the future as a vigilante, not an executioner.”

“You are above those fragile so-called ‘social laws’, Detective.” Ra’s wrath was beginning to kindle into a roaring flame. “Gotham will perish one day, and so will the rest of mankind. Do you want to die along with them, weak and insignificant?”

“Restraint is not a weakness, Ra’s,” Batman said in his own rising voice. “To kill another is to become like my own enemies.”

“You are getting soft! Your inner mercy will be your own downfall, Detective!”

“Shut up, you crazy madman!” Robin suddenly screamed at Ra’s. He was tired of all the talking and arguing between the men. He wanted to go home right now. “Just shut up and let us go!”

Ra’s eyes flashed blue lightning at Robin. He felt the air around him begin to roar like a hurricane. Batman only pulled the boy towards his body even closer. Ra’s merely flicked his right hand out with a simple gesture.

“No one disobeys the Demon’s Head,” he commanded.

A wave of azure power rose from the ground, slithering in motion. It swung forward quickly, knocking Robin harshly out of Batman’s hands. He struck hard on the stone floor and landed all sprawled out like a wounded kitten.

“Robin!” Batman was dumbstruck. He ran towards the boy but the demon lord was faster. He materialized in front of Batman at once.

“If you will not fight by my side, you will fight as my enemy,” he said. He threw back his cape and drew out a long shining sword that glittered in the torches’ light.

“Give the Dark Knight a weapon,” he commanded one of his servants. A sword of equal might was thrown towards him and he caught it in one hand. But then he shook his head and lowered his arm, all anger directed towards the exit instead of the fight.

“I need to get Robin out of here,” he hissed.

Ra’s brought the sword to his forehead. “Defeat me, Detective, and you and your ward go free.”

“And if I don’t?”

He lowered his head slightly. “Then heaven help you both.”

Robin managed to prop himself up on his elbows to see what was going on. The two fighters were escorted into a circle of men. The swords clashed with each other sending sparks into the air. The struggle was indefinite. Batman seemed stronger than the slim man, but Ra’s was able to dart and dodge maneuvers as if he predicted them. It continued on and on for an eternity to him.

In one final maneuver, Ra’s leapt into the air and brought his sword down, expecting to slice through Batman’s head. The man drew his weapon out to defend himself but the blade itself shattered. Robin watched with horror as the metal pieces fell to the floor in tiny shards.

Ra’s face now showed a smirk of triumph. “Strength, stamina, and skills, Detective. But none can save you from death.” He slammed a hand into Batman’s chest, glowing with thick bright power. Robin watched with alarm as his guardian’s face twisted from the pain, but he did not scream or beg for mercy. At last, the body arched backwards and was thrust to the ground.

“NO!” he screamed. The Boy Wonder found his throbbing legs rising and carrying him to Batman’s body. He knelt down beside him and began to shake him harshly by the shoulders.

“Bruce, get up! Please, try to get up! We have to go home!” he begged. His chest had become extremely tight as if someone had stuck a hand into him and ruthlessly squeezed Robin’s heart. Tears were brimming at the edges of his eyes, threatening to spill over any second.

The bed was huge and full of soft white pillows. I nearly sank into it the first time I lay down on it. He said we’d go shopping tomorrow and I could get whatever new clothes and toys I wanted. He treated me like a brother, a son, and a friend.

He brought me into his house, into his life. I learned his aspirations, his goals, and his most treasured values. He taught me his maneuvers and ethics. Then he bestowed onto me his greatest secret:

His identity.

He put his head to the man’s chest, wondering if he could feel for a heartbeat through the torn armor. “You can’t be dead, you can’t leave now,” he pleaded. A thick choking sob escaped Robin’s throat. “Can’t . .leave . . now.”

He saw a long shadow stretch over the body. The Demon’s Head glared down at Robin. The cobra had broken the bat’s wings and was now prepared to swallow the bird alive. He waited for the child to beg, plead, cry, or do anything to succumb to his enemy and turn into a weeping pathetic mess.

But Robin refused to give in. His small hands balled into shaking fists of anger. Needles of white-hot pain pierced his guts, causing him to become tight with rage. His small mouth was clenched madly in resolve. This man had probably killed the only person in the whole world that he could trust. He was not going to live with it.

“Get away,” Robin growled at him. “Get away!” He saw the broken sword lying near Batman’s body and seized it at once. The boy brandished the sword in front of the warrior.

“If you even try to touch him, I’ll kill you!” he snarled at the man.

“You? You’re nothing but a mere child, a baby,” the Demon’s Head scorned.

“And you’re a sniveling coward that can’t finish his job so you’d get Bruce to do it for you-you, monster, you snake.” Robin knew he had hurled one too many insults at the demon lord, judging by Ra’s disgusted face. But Robin swore that he’d go to hell and back before giving up on Batman.

The man’s blade flickered twice across Robin’s face as swift as lightning. He felt no pain at first but then a trickle of something salty slowly began to fill the inside of his mouth. He swallowed the coppery taste and realized that his lips were bleeding.

“Now then, would you like me to cut out your tongue while I am at it?” Ra’s asked.

“Not while I have anything to say first,” Robin said. A flow of words began to pour out of his mouth along with the blood, just as hot and angry.

“Just because Bruce won’t be your son, you’ve got to take my friend? What do you get out of his death? He respected you, trusted you, and now you’re trying to annihilate him.”

“Ungrateful,” Ra’s said unemotionally.

“You’re the ungrateful one! He came all the way out here to save me, and that means nothing to you, but you’re a father!”

“And you! You call yourself a worthy daughter to the ‘Demon’s Head’,” Robin continued to vent, now looking at Talia. “If your father’s life was in danger, you’d risk everything to save him, right? Why shouldn’t I do the same for him?”

The woman brought a hand to her own chest, perhaps moved by his words. Her flawless expression and hardened features softened the slightest bit.

“Batman’s not like you,” Robin spit out. He was wheezing by now and his words were getting hoarse and cracked. But he refused to stop arguing, no matter what the costs were.

“You want this entire planet rid of people. Bruce is different. He cares about life, he puts life back into people .. .” Robin gulped down some breath quickly. “Just as he put life back into me.” A memory flickered in the back of his mind like a candle’s flame. Robin felt that soft feeling nudge him inside.

“You don’t know what he did for me. My parents . . I saw them die too . .I was alone . .but he cared for me, taught me everything he knew. I won’t let you take him from me, just like you took me from him.”

He had run out of words. Robin spit to the side and a small spot of crimson blood landed on the ground. He sighed weakly and the broken weapon fell limp in his hands. There was nothing more he could do now but face the terrible fate that lay ahead for him and his partner.

“Father,” Talia said softly. She reached out an arm and touched his shoulder. “Let them go.”

Ra’s shook off his daughter’s touch. “No daughter. We will not compromise with this immature brat,” he said coldly.

“But Father, he is right,” she insisted. “Why does the boy not have the right to protect him?” She lowered her head and added, “I would do the same for my father.”

At first, the Demon’s Head did not betray the least bit of emotion. The torches flickered their reflection in his bottomless azure eyes. But then he starred hard at Talia, something crawling through his eyes. A strange emotion was tugging at his features. The man turned his attention from Talia down to the injured Dark Knight, and finally to Robin.

“Do you really follow the Detective’s orders and beliefs?” he asked Robin.

Robin nodded willingly. “Crime fighting. Its what I do best.”

“You wish to lead others like you like lambs to the slaughter?” he retorted. “And teach them the same codes and ethics that you were taught?”

“I, I don’t get it,” Robin stuttered.

“Others like you. Youths. Adolescents. Teenagers,” he spit out the last word in contempt. “You would lead them in a children’s crusade against criminals?”

Robin hesitated. He had barely become acquainted with Speedy since Batman teamed up with Green Arrow. Kid Flash was also new on the block. But there was something great about getting together with them, something strong and wonderful inside swelled up with energy. They had hit it off well with each other, those three sidekicks. He wanted to see them again.

“You would do this?” Ra’s repeated the question.

“I would,” Robin said bravely.

“Even if they fell like flies, you would still fight?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because its what we’re born to do. To keep trying,” Robin said stubbornly. “To protect our friends.”

There was now silence in the cave. The flames flickered sending shadows dancing along the walls.

After what an eternity, the man’s fierce mouth turned calm. He dropped his weapon, which clattered to the ground noisily. When he finally spoke, his voice was emotionless.

“Go. Return to Gotham and continue the rest of your futile chase. I have nothing more to say.”

With those words, Ra’s drew backwards into the shadows until he was gone. All of the mysterious men had retreated as well. The cave was silent once again. The only sounds were the crackling of the torches and Robin’s breathing.

He noticed that Talia had not left. She remained frozen in place like a pure work of art, a statue that had become immobilized by her father’s words. She starred straight ahead of her like a woman in a trance, her chest rising and falling with every breath.

A deep grunt was heard. Robin and Talia saw the injured man starting to move.

“Batman!”

“Beloved!”

The woman and the boy rushed over and knelt beside the Dark Knight who had a hand pressed against his chest. His cowl had come off in the attack so now his disheveled black hair fell down into a tangled mess. Robin looked at the face, seeking for some sign of life. Sure enough, the familiar sapphire eyes shined with animation from the Dark Knight’s exhausted face.

“I’ll be fine,” he reassured them. Immediately Batman hissed between his teeth when he tried to force himself to his knees. Robin grabbed one of his arms and pulled it around his back for support. He was surprised when Talia took the other hand to assist Batman to his feet.

“Why are you helping him?” Robin asked her.

“Do you think there is only one kind of love in this world?” she said fiercely. “I respect my father but not his methods. I covet your father but not at the cost of his freedom.”

“He’s not my . .” Robin started to say. Then his voice trailed off when he caught a glimpse of Batman’s face. He looked at the floor, somewhat ashamed of himself as they assisted him in getting towards the entrance of the cave.

“You risked your life for him, as if he was a son and not a mere student.” Talia was speaking into Batman’s ear in a low voice, as if she feared being overheard.

“I made Robin swear his alliance to me. I’m only keeping my part of our pact,” the man justified. He was leaned back until he could rest himself on a stone pillar. A light bulb went off in Robin’s head. He tore off a large piece of his cape and proceeded to bandage the largest wound he could find.

The two young men had enraptured Talia. There was the darkly clad warrior and the brightly dressed boy beside him. The solemn sapphire eyes and the sky-blue eyes that stirred with youthfulness. Teacher and student. Father and son. Partners. Friends.

When Robin was done, he felt two female hands take him by the shoulders. “You are a very brave young man,” Talia said to him.

“T-thank you,” he breathed out, startled by her comment.

Talia withdrew something from the fabric of her gown. “Are these yours?” she questioned. She held up to him two of his birdarangs that must have been confiscated from him. One of the blades was broken and the other was badly rusted.

“Yes, they are,” Robin said.

Talia crossed over toward a bubbling hot pool of green liquid: the Lazarus Pit. The sacred but deadly waters were sworn secrets that her father used for replenishing himself throughout the centuries. The thick steaming liquid had the power to revive the dying but could kill an ordinary man with its supernatural powers and maddening effects.

Robin was startled when she unexpectedly threw his birdarangs into the pit. A puff of purple smoke exploded from the pit, followed by a thread of blue steam. He coughed and covered his mouth with a hand. She stood stiffly to wait for the results.

The waters retracted slightly and the smoke vanished. Something new now lay at the edge of the pit. Talia carefully stretched out her hand to claim the object that was long and thin. She walked back to Batman and Robin holding the weapon in her scarf. He now saw a shining sword had been forged from his birdarangs. The brilliant weapon gleamed with the brightness of fresh gold and glinted from the red enamel handle. Red, his trademark color.

“This blade now bears the power of a demon extortionist,” she said gravely. “If you are in peril, the sword will cut through forces of black magic. It cannot save your life by its power alone, but you will be able to withstand demonic forces that threaten you.”

He thought she’d give it to Bruce but Talia handed the sword to Robin.

“Take it or she’ll cut your heart out,” Batman whispered to him over his shoulder. Robin brought both of his cupped hands upwards to accept the sword from her. His fingers slowly closed around the weapon and he bowed deeply.

“And to you,” Talia said facing Batman once again. “Is there nothing I can do or say to change your mind?”

“We come from different worlds, Talia. I am sorry,” Batman said.

Her head went down in defeat while her black hair started to dance in the wind.

As if this night could not get any more bewildering, Robin saw Batman bring a gloved hand to Talia’s cheek. He tilted her face up to his own and gazed into her eyes.

“But don’t think it means that I don’t care,” he whispered fervently. His arms swiftly swept around her slender waist and he kissed her trembling mouth.

Robin knew he should have modestly dropped his gaze but he kept starring at them with his ears and face glowing crimson.

It was Talia who finally broke the kiss. She gazed down at her sandaled feet while she brushed a lock of hair out of her face. “You must go, the both of you,” she implored them. She waited until the man and the boy had left the cave and were walking out on the thick golden waves of sands to allow herself to weep. A single tear glistened on the corner of her eye before rolling down her cheek like a delicate pearl.

“Goodbye, Beloved,” she whispered, blowing a kiss towards the gusting winds.

A-A-A

Their faithful mode of transportation had been waiting on a sand dune with a fully loaded tank of gas and ready to bring them home.

Now seated in the Bat Plane, Robin looked down at the wisps of white clouds that darted under their vehicle. He starred with his small face pressed against the chilly glass until frosty breath clouded the window. The immaculate sword lay across his lap, safeguarded in his hands.

“How long until we reach the east harbor?” he asked.

“About two more hours,” Batman said from the front. His hands guided the wheel with careful expertise. The Bat Plane leaned slightly over to the left from his maneuver.

“You sure you don’t want me to take over?” he continued.

“I want you to be still until we get home and into hot baths. And then you are going straight to bed, young man.”

Robin’s face broke out into a grin from the familiar stern sound of discipline in Batman’s voice. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. The humming sound of the engine felt soothing to his ears.

A few minutes passed before a thought stole through Robin’s mind. What if Bruce had really truly done what he had wanted?

“Bruce, don’t ever marry that woman,” he begged.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to, Dick,” he said from the pilot’s seat. “Imagine having Ra’s Al Ghul for a father-in-law.”

He saw Robin’s face scrunch up in the reflection and couldn’t resist smiling himself.

Robin wanted to change the topic badly. “You know, Selina Kyle likes you, Bruce.”

“Does she?” he asked lightly.

“Sure she does. I heard all those bratty woman at the last Social Club saying you were a spoiled playboy who was dull as a doorknob and she let ‘em have it,” Robin said as-a-matter-of-fact.

“How so?”

“Oh, Selina just starting venting how Wayne Enterprise won’t be in projects that level the rainforest and how defensive a stance you take to the environment and stuff like that..”

“I thought you didn’t like Selina,” Bruce reminded him.

Robin rocked back in his seat and thought about a particular stealthy woman with wavy dark hair and a liking for mysterious men. He shrugged.

“I guess she’s ok. I mean she’s better than Catwoman.”

A-A-A-A

The Bat Plane finally landed on the concrete strip that protruded from the side of the cave just below Wayne Manor. Robin opened up the top window and jumped out even as the propellers were still spinning madly. Batman took his time getting out of his seat while the boy dashed up the steps breathlessly and tore open the door.

“Alfred! Alfred!” he cried, running through the mansion. His youthful voice echoed throughout the giant elegant house.

“We’re home! We’re home!”

“Welcome back, young masters,” the tuxedoed butler said as he came out of the lounge. Robin ran into the elderly man’s arms and hugged him tightly. Alfred returned the gesture, gently rubbing the boy’s back with one hand as he embraced him.

“Dr. Thompkins and myself have been just beside ourselves with worry these past few days. Where on earth have you two been?”

“Long story,” Bruce said from the doorway. He watched Alfred released Robin and held the boy at arm’s length. His kind face became stern with disapproval.

“Good heavens, Master Richard! Your uniform is in tatters and it looks like you’ve been beaten with clubs,” Alfred chastised him. “And when was the last time you had a good scrubbing?”

“Last week,” Bruce said from the doorway. “Neither of us has had a decent night’s rest or food for several days.” He opened his mouth and yawned deeply while he stretched his long limbs.

“Shall I prepare supper, Master Bruce?” Alfred inquired.

“Please do, Alfred. And thank you.”

The butler nodded and turned his attention to the boy. “What would you like, Master Richard?”

“Ham and cheese,” the boy said promptly. “And scrambled eggs, please. Can I have that, Bruce?”

“Whatever you want,” Bruce shrugged. He started up the stairs to his room. “But the bath comes first.”

“Aw, but I’m starving,” Robin begged him. “I’d rather be dirty than hungry.”

Alfred turned the boy around and began to march him up to his room. “And I’m sure that everything will taste far better once you are clean again, Master Richard. Don’t forget behind your ears this time.” Alfred handed the boy a pile of thick fluffy towels and a fresh bar of shiny white soap. With a wave of his hand and a twinkle in his eye, the trusty butler ushered the boy up the stairs.

A-A-A

That evening:

Dick actually enjoyed a good long soak in the tub before changing into his pajamas and a robe. Alfred carried dinner on a tray for them so he and Bruce could eat near the fireplace in the library, a luxury that was allowed only on special occasions.

“Bruce, look,” Dick insisted. His guardian looked up from reading the paper to see Dick holding two birdarangs in his palms.

“What is it?”

“Talia said they were some kind of magic. I guess it only happens when I do this.”

Dick took the two pieces of metal and brought them together. There was a flicker of light and the sword was now in his hands, replacing the birdarangs. Dick tapped the ground lightly with the sword. There was another quick flash and the weapon was replaced with his birdarangs.

“Imagine that,” Bruce mused aloud.

A few quiet minutes passed while Dick chewed on his sandwiches and Bruce caught up on the local paper. The fire crackled merrily at their feet. Two owls hooted outside. Dick listened to the sounds surrounding him and cupped his mug of piping hot chocolate.

He heard a restless sigh come from Bruce. “He’s right, you know,” Bruce said as he folded up the newspaper.

“Who?”

“Ra’s Al Ghul,” Bruce said.

“About what?”

“He said to me, ‘Strength, stamina, and skills. But none can save you from death’”. Bruce threw the paper aside carelessly and rose from his seat. Dick watched him put his hands into his pockets just before taking slow steps towards the fireplace. His guardian stood there with one hand on the mantel and with a steady gaze that looked into the fire.

“I can’t protect you forever, Dick,” Bruce said at last. “Someday you’ll have to test your own skills out there in the world and I won’t be able to save you.”

Dick was astonished by the sullen tone in Bruce’s voice. He frowned and shook his head, punching a hand into his own fist.

“You won’t have to, Bruce,” Dick said firmly. “I’ll train as hard as I can, I promise, until I can take care of myself. You won’t have to worry about losing me.”

His optimistic words were heartfelt by Bruce, who looked up from the fire towards the boy. “That was very brave of you to stand up for me,” he said. “I’m proud of you, Dick.”

The boy’s azure eyes shined from the rare compliment of his guardian. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

A-A-A-A

Some time later:

From the doorway, Alfred watched his master cross the room and bend over the sleeping boy. Bruce took out a blanket and draped it Dick, making sure he was warm and safe. He pulled out a heavy leather-bound book that the boy was holding tightly in his right hand.

“Your father would be very proud of you,” Alfred said from the doorway.

“Would he? I don’t even know why I do it some days,” Bruce said, looking back over his shoulder. “Sometimes I wish I had never brought him here. He could live a safe life. One free of all nightmares.”

“Even if you were not the one, someone else would have unlocked Master Richard’s potential,” Alfred told him wisely. “He has a vibrant spirit, that boy. He will continue to do great things whether under your wings or not.”

“Alfred, do you think Dick will be able to help others, the same way you helped me?”

Alfred clamped a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “Of course, Master Bruce. The very same way you helped him.” The butler’s gaze drifted from the young man to something he was holding.

“What is that?” Alfred asked him.

“This? Dick fell asleep reading it,” Bruce said. “He’s gotten himself back into Greek and Roman mythology, I suppose.” He turned the book over and studied the gold-printed title on the cover:

The Legends of the Titans

END