"A future."
Talia frowned softly.
"A heavy burden for a child."
Ra's corrected:
"He is not a child."
And the way he looked at me…
…like I was already a general, not a boy…
…told me he meant it.
Assassins Testing Me in Secret
Elevation comes with danger.
Some assassins respected me.
Some feared me.
Some hated me for rising too fast.
But none dared challenge me openly.
So they tested me in quiet ways:
slipping fake poisons into my tea
"accidentally" dropping blades near me
sending masked trainees to ambush me in the corridors
forcing me to dodge thrown knives during meditation
Every time they tried something…
I dodged instinctively.
Caught the blade.
Avoided the trap.
Predicted the movement.
They whispered:
"He sees us."
"He hears everything."
"He is unnatural."
But they never saw the truth.
They only saw the results.
And that was enough to terrify them.
Talia's Warning
One night, after a particularly aggressive ambush, Talia grabbed my wrist and pulled me aside.
Her eyes were sharp—
not with anger…
…but with worry.
"Damian," she whispered, "they fear you."
"I know."
"You must be careful.
A future Demon's Head is not just admired—he is targeted."
I stared up at her.
"They'll try harder next time."
She shook her head.
"No.
They'll try smarter."
She cupped my cheek gently.
"You are extraordinary… but you are still my son.
And I will not lose you."
I leaned into her touch.
"I won't die, Mother."
She exhaled, relieved but anxious.
"Promise me."
I nodded.
"I promise."
Walking Through the Fortress as the Young Lord
By the end of the week, something subtle but unmistakable had shifted.
When I walked through the halls:
conversations stopped
assassins lowered their heads
trainees stared with a mix of envy and awe
elite warriors bowed
Not dramatically.
Not like servants.
But like soldiers saluting a commander.
A commander who hadn't even reached his sixth birthday.
And Ra's?
He watched it all with satisfaction.
"Remember this feeling, Damian," he told me.
"Authority must be earned… and you have earned it early."
I hid a small smile.
I didn't seek their worship—
But their obedience…
their silence…
their subtle fear…
It was useful.
And I would use it.
Not for cruelty.
But for my future.
For my goals.
For the path I would carve through this world.
Because deep down, I knew this simple truth:
They aren't elevating me.
I'm rising on my own.
And eventually…
They would all understand why.