The Court Attacks the Bat-Family
The words "let them come" barely left Damian's mouth when—
SCRATCH— SCRATCH— SCRATCH
Hundreds of tiny metal claws scraped against brick and steel.
Nightwing's face dropped.
"Oh no.
I know that sound."
Batgirl's eyes widened.
"They're already here—"
Batman didn't even turn his head.
"Positions."
And then—
The Rooftops Split Open
THUNK
A Talon dropped from above, landing behind Nightwing.
THUNK
THUNK
THUNK
Three more emerged from the shadows.
Eight more crawled over the rooftop like skeletal insects.
Damian counted instantly.
"Fourteen."
Batman corrected him.
"Fifteen."
A massive, hulking figure stepped out of the smoke, wearing ancient Court armor made of dark brass.
Nightwing groaned.
"Well.
That's new."
Damian's eyes narrowed.
"A Retired Talon.
Modified."
Batman nodded grimly.
"Yes.
The Court wants you alive…
so they brought something that can survive being burned."
The giant Talon roared, steam hissing from metal plates grafted to its chest.
The Battle Erupts
Nightwing vs. Three Talons
Nightwing vaulted into the air, escrima sticks cracking down on claws and bone.
He fought like a dancer — fast, fluid, unpredictable.
"HEY!"
He yelled mid-flip.
"Next time one of you wants to resurrect a zombie army, at least bring variety!"
Batgirl vs. Four Talons
Batgirl activated an EMP burst, frying the Talons' goggles and forcing them to rely on pure instinct.
She spun her staff, sparks flying.
"You're not touching the kid," she growled.
Batman vs. Five Talons
Batman fought silently.
Efficient.
Precise.
Every move meant to disable or permanently incapacitate.
A Talon lunged.
Batman broke its wrist.
Another swung.
He shattered its knee.
He was holding back —
saving the lethal blows for the ones who needed it.
Damian vs. the Retired Talon
The hulking beast stomped forward, the ground trembling.
Damian stepped up without hesitation.
"You want me," he said softly.
He drew in a single breath.
His eyes glowed ember-red.
"I'll give you a taste."
The beast lunged.
Damian vanished in a burst of speed—
fire igniting at his heels like a comet launching.
He appeared above the Talon, sword drawn.
"火影—"
(Fire Shadow—)
His blade ignited completely.
"—月牙天衝!!"
(Flame Crescent Slash!!)
A massive arc of fire slammed into the hulking Talon's chest, sending it crashing into a concrete wall hard enough to crack it in half.
Nightwing, mid-fight, yelled:
"ARE WE JUST IGNORING THE FACT BRUCE'S KID CAN USE ANIME MOVES?!"
Batman did not answer.
But he looked…
proud.
The Giant Talon Rises
Steam poured from the huge Talon's armor.
It wasn't dead.
Not even close.
It roared, louder this time —
a sound that shook windows.
Damian grinned.
"Good."
He slid his feet apart, stance lowering.
"I wanted to try something stronger anyway."
Batman snapped:
"Damian!
Control your output—"
But it was too late.
The flames were already surging.
The ground beneath Damian's feet began to melt.
Nightwing muttered:
"Oh this is fine.
This is normal.
This child is a literal war crime."
Raven Arrives — Drawn by Damian's Fire
The giant Talon lunged again—
and Damian's flames surged so violently that the rooftop lit up like a second sun.
The air warped.
Heat shimmered.
Shadows twisted.
Batman shielded his cape over Batgirl, the blast radius growing.
Nightwing shouted:
"HE'S GONNA COOK THE WHOLE BUILDING—"
And then—
WHOOOM
A sudden pulse of dark-purple energy descended from the sky, collapsing the flames inward like a vacuum.
Black feathers of shadow drifted through the air.
A boot touched the ground.
Then another.
And emerging from swirling darkness—
Raven.
Her hood was up, eyes glowing a soft violet.
"Damian,"
she said quietly, voice echoing with layered tones,
"you're leaking magic again."
Nightwing blinked.
"Magic?
This is magic??"
Raven didn't look at him.
She walked straight toward Damian — through the waves of heat — untouched.
Her aura wrapped around his fire like a cool hand calming a fever.
Damian lowered his stance.
"You felt that from Titan Tower?"
Raven's eyes flickered to his, sharp and annoyed.
"You nearly set half the coast on fire. Of course I felt it."
Nightwing whispered:
"Oh… they're dating. They're definitely dating."
Batgirl elbowed him.
"Focus."
The Retired Talon Charges
The hulking Talon sprang from behind, claws extended—
Raven didn't even turn around.
She raised a hand, fingers curling.
"Azarath…"
A black tendril of shadow erupted from the ground, slamming into the Talon's chest.
"…Metrion…"
More tendrils wrapped the creature, crushing metal, bone, and undead fury.
"…ZINTHOS."
BOOM—!!
The Talon was hurled across the rooftop, embedding into a water tower so deeply the entire structure shook.
Nightwing staggered.
"Okay. So she's terrifying."
Raven lowered her hand.
"I'm aware."
Raven Faces the Bat
Batman stepped forward.
"Raven.
Why are you here?"
She turned her head slowly toward him.
Her eyes were calm… cold… ancient.
"To protect someone important."
Batman's jaw tightened.
"From the Court?"
"From everything."
The dark aura pulsed faintly around her—
not violent, but possessive.
Batman noticed.
Nightwing noticed.
Batgirl definitely noticed.
Batman's tone sharpened.
"Raven.
Are you implying my son is—"
Raven cut him off.
"He is not yours to command right now."
Damian raised a brow.
"Raven."
She looked at him.
"I am not your possession either," he said, calm but gentle.
Raven blinked.
A faint blush touched her cheeks.
She looked away.
"…That's not what I meant."
Batman watched this entire exchange like a detective piecing together a new crime scene.
Nightwing leaned toward Batgirl.
"Bruce is going to have an aneurysm."
The Court Responds
A voice echoed from a rooftop speaker nearby—
distorted, mechanical, and cold.
"Fire Shadow."
Everyone froze.
Batman stepped in front of his son.
Damian ignored him.
"You have interfered with our Talons."
"You have burned what you should not burn."
"You have taken a fruit not meant for men."
Raven's aura flared, shadows curling around her fingers.
The voice continued—
"Return the child."
Batgirl whispered:
"What child…?"
Raven and Damian both stiffened.
Batman realized something instantly.
"Not a child," he said grimly.
"They mean him."
The speaker crackled—
"Return the child before he burns Gotham."
A final message hissed through the air—
"Or we will take him."
Then silence.
Smoke.
And the rooftop lights flickered out.