The hallway had already swallowed Damian's footsteps when Bruce finally allowed his shoulders to sag. He let out a long, shaky breath .
A soft voice broke the silence.
"Master Bruce."
Bruce didn't turn. He didn't need to , the quiet compassion in Alfred's voice was unmistakable.
"He's slipping away," Bruce muttered. "I can feel it."
Alfred stepped closer, laying a steady hand on Bruce's shoulder.
"Master Damian is going through a difficult time," Alfred said. "He believes you are caging him ,preventing him from seeing the world. And given his upbringing with the League, that is… not a comforting combination."
"I'm doing everything to protect him," Bruce insisted, jaw tightening.
"And that you are," Alfred agreed. "But have you considered his feelings? You fear what he might become if the League ever regains influence over him… and in truth, that fear is justified."
Bruce said nothing , because denial would have been a lie.
"Children need room to discover themselves," Alfred continued gently. "Room to stumble, to make mistakes, to grow. Here, Master Damian has none of that. All he can think about is the League."
"You think he needs to be around those his age?."
"Precisely," Alfred replied. "Friends. Teammates. A chance to learn who Damian Wayne is ,not who Ra's al Ghul tried to shape him to be."
"You mean the Titans?" Bruce asked.
"Yes," Alfred nodded. "If he were to stay with them for a while… I believe it would help immensely. It would distract him from the League's shadows, give him purpose beyond blades and battles. And it would allow you to address this new threat without fearing your son is caught in the crossfire."
Alfred adjusted his gloves, that familiar blend of dignity and warmth in his posture.
"But of course, it is only a suggestion. The final decision, as always, is yours." He offered a faint, knowing smile. "Offering the occasional bit of wisdom is merely part of my job."
With that, Alfred turned and began making his way down the hall ever the loyal butler,.
Bruce remained still, thoughts racing, guilt and determination twisting inside him.
Sending Damian away felt like losing him.
But keeping him here… might be what will truly push him into darkness.
---------------
Max woke with a sharp inhale, eyes snapping open. His muscles protested as he pushed himself upright. A single hand seal,a poof and a shadow clone appeared instantly, grabbing Max by the waist and bending him backward in a smooth, practiced stretch.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
"Ahh" Max exhaled in relief as the clone dispersed into smoke.
He rolled his shoulders, stretched his arms overhead, and stepped out into the hallway. Something was… off. Quiet. Too quiet.
"Thena?" he called.
No answer.
He checked her room,empty. Terra's,also empty.
A flicker of concern sharpened his senses as he entered the living room. A note rested on the table.
He unfolded it.
---
Max,
I took the kids for some training at the usual place.
You looked exhausted after yesterday's ordeal.
So we left you to get some sleep.
Don't worry,we'll be back before school time.
You can join us if you want!
- Nina
Max snorted, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. Of course she did.
A quick shower. A simple breakfast. Then.
Whoosh.
He arrived at their training grounds, landing silently atop a tree branch before stepping down to observe.
Nina was stood, hands pressed together in a focused seal. Sweat dripped down her brow as she slowly pulled her palms apart — a flickering white cone forming between them. Max recognized the unique energy at once.
Dust Release.
But the cone sputtered, destabilizing before dissolving into harmless motes of chakra.
"Damn it, so close," she muttered, frustrated.
"You never told me you were trying to recreate something that dangerous," Max said, stepping closer. "What happened to learning Scorch Release?"
"Scorch Release is good," Nina replied without looking up, "but against really durable opponents? It doesn't cut it. Dust Release is more attainable for me than, you know, Six Paths powers and Truth-Seeking Orbs."
Max crossed his arms. "Fair point. So what's the issue?"
"Something always goes wrong," she sighed. "At least it doesn't explode when it fails,or I'd be dead already. Any ideas on what I'm screwing up?"
Max hummed thoughtfully.
"I think it's the ratios."
"I've tried everything," she groaned. "1:1:1, 2:1:1, 1:2:1,a lot of combos. Still no success."
"There must be more to it," Max said. "Even if the ratios are correct, the process might not be. It's like forming a Tailed Beast Bomb split Yin and Yang chakra properly, then compress it with exact timing."
"So I just… watch have to keep in mind how it behaves when combining the ratios?" Nina deadpanned.
"Pretty much. You'll get it eventually.i believe in you ." Max smirked.
Nina dusted off her hands, exhaling. "Thanks for the advice, Dad."
"Yeah, no problem," Max responded, scanning the clearing. "So… where are Thena and Terra?"
Nina smirked. "You're looking at Thena."
Max's stare was deadpan. "…Still not funny."
She nudged him with an elbow. "You really need to relax. I'm just trying to-"
He sighed through his nose, eyes drifting toward the trees. "Yeah. I know what you're trying to do."
Nina blinked, confused for a moment,then her expression softened with a knowing look. "Oh… that."
Max rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I get it. In your world… things were different. And maybe you just want this family to feel the same."
"But pushing doesn't help. It just… messes with me"
Nina's teasing demeanor melted instantly. She stepped closer
"I'm not trying to play with your feelings," she said quietly. "I'm just trying to give you something I know meant a lot to you and will mean a lot to you."
Max met her eyes.
"I appreciate the thought," he admitted, "but I need to figure… me out first. Without anyone steering things for me."
A small nod from Nina.
"Alright," she said gently. "No matchmaking. Promise."
Max gave a grateful smile. "Thanks."
He glanced toward the treeline again, eager for escape from the heaviness he'd just unpacked.
"I'm gonna go check on the girls," he said, already stepping away.
"Okay," Nina replied. "And Dad?"
He paused.
"You deserve to choose your own happiness," she said. "Whenever you're ready for it."
He didn't turn around,but his shoulders eased just slightly
Nina watched as Max vanished into the tree line, then plopped onto the ground on her back, staring at the morning sky. I'm not trying to manipulate him. I just didn't want him to be alone or at least, I wanted to try my best to make things feel like they were. Or was I being selfish?
But she hadn't said that out loud.
She could see things straying from their original path,things that would eventually lead him and her mother to get together and that made her wary. Maybe she had pushed too hard. But since he has told her to stop, she will respect his wishes.Her actions might end up having the opposite effect instead of the intended one of she is to press the matter. Still, she will make sure he lived long enough to find whatever happiness he desires.
---
The sound of steel against steel rang through the clearing as Thena's sword clashed against Terra's staff. They glared at each other, locked in a test of strength, Terra gritting her teeth as Thena pushed her back inch by inch.
The ground beneath Thena suddenly shifted turning into quicksand.
Thena's feet began to sink, but she reacted instantly, kicking off the dissolving earth into a backward leap. Her hands blurred through familiar hand seals, her cheeks puffing with heat.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
She unleashed a scattering volley of small, burning fireballs. Terra charged forward anyway, weaving through the fiery barrage with agile footwork. At the last second, she slammed her staff into the ground with a grunt.
The earth erupted.
Jagged pillars of stone shot upward like an ascending staircase, all aimed straight for Thena.
Thena frowned, cheeks swelling again,not with fire this time, but wind.
Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!
She swung her head sharply to the right and released a slicing beam of compressed air. The advancing rock pillars split cleanly in half, crashing apart in shattered chunks.
Her senses screamed a warning.
Terra burst from the ground beneath her, staff whistling toward Thena's ribs. Thena dropped under the strike and countered with a punch only for the ground to give way under Terra's repositioning, causing the blow to miss as Terra stumbled.
Terra swung her staff low in a sweeping arc. Thena's sword met it with a ringing deflection. She twisted, lashing out with a swift kick that connected solidly to Terra's stomach. Terra skidded backward, gasping and clutching her abdomen.
Thena lowered her foot with a teasing, almost mocking smirk.
Terra glared, ready to charge again.
but froze as cold steel pressed lightly against the nape of her neck.
"And with that," Thena's voice chimed behind her, "I win. Again."
The Thena who stood before Terra flickered out of existence in a puff of white smoke. A clone.
Terra let out a long-suffering sigh. "Let me guess… you made that clone the moment I lost sight of you?"
"Yes," Thena said proudly, stepping into view, "and after that, it was only a matter of time. Still,good spar."
Terra groaned as she got up. "Sure it was. But those clones of yours are cheating."
"I know, right?" Thena beamed. "Though I wanted to learn that jutsu for more than just training."
"Count me out if this turns into one of your 'skip school and go shopping' ideas," Terra warned, retrieving her backpack from the base of a tree. Kunai, shuriken, scrolls, towels, and water bottles lay neatly arranged on a blanket.
"Oh come on," Thena groaned, dragging her feet behind her friend. "Aren't you tired of school? Six hours of sitting on a desk every single day,one minute feels like ten! I can't take it anymore!"
"Look, Thena," Terra said, taking a quick sip of water, "I don't want to get in trouble. I have never seen Dad angry. And I'd like to keep it that way."
"You are so not fun," Thena pouted.
Silence settled between them as they packed up. Leaves rustled gently in the morning breeze.
"Hey… can I ask you something?" Thena finally said.
Terra didn't look up. "Sure."
"What's your opinion on heroes?"
Terra paused mid-movement, bottle still in hand. The question lingering in the air.
End of chapter