SON OF BATMAN

Damian stepped forward into the suffocating void, his gaze steady as he pushed onward. The darkness stretched endlessly around him, consuming everything in sight, no walls, no ceiling, no floors, just an endless black expanse. The void seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy, as if recognizing an intruder in its domain. His surroundings were cloaked in an oppressive silence, so absolute that the only sound he could hear was the echo of his own footsteps, each heavy step reverberating around him like a slow, steady drumbeat.

The darkness writhed around him like a living thing, testing his resolve, seeking weaknesses it would never find. But Damian was no stranger to darkness, in fact, he'd embraced it long ago. He pressed forward, undeterred, each footfall a deliberate defiance of the void itself. But soon, the silence began to shift, subtle at first, then unmistakable, a low, haunting wail that echoed through the blackness. It sounded like wind twisting through an empty, desolate place, something that seeped into the bones and clawed at the mind.

The air grew thicker, heavier with each step, as if the very atmosphere sought to push him back. Yet Damian's stride never faltered, his shoulders straight, his chin lifted in silent challenge to whatever awaited him in the depths of this otherworldly darkness.

The wails grew louder with each step, like whispers on the edge of hearing that twisted and morphed into something unsettlingly alive.

Damian's pace didn't waver, his eyes narrowed as he moved deeper into the void, his focus unbroken. But as he continued, the faint sounds evolved, shifting into voices, dark, sinister murmurs that seemed to slither through the darkness like creatures of their own making. The whispers carried fragments of ancient languages, demonic tongues that would have driven lesser minds to madness.

Shadows curled in tendrils around him, whispering words that began as incoherent, distorted fragments, but became clearer the further he ventured. Each tendril of darkness seemed drawn to him, not with hostility, but with a strange sort of recognition—as if the void itself sensed a kindred spirit in the depths of his own darkness.

At first, the words were indistinguishable, an unintelligible jumble that swirled around him. Then, the voice deepened, growing more pronounced, as if clawing its way out of some hellish pit, until Damian could make out the twisted words echoing through the black.

"Release me, daughter," the voice sneered, the words reverberating through the empty expanse. The voice was low and demonic, with a growl that seemed to make the air itself tremble. The very fabric of reality shuddered with each syllable, the void rippling like disturbed water. "You think you can keep me imprisoned forever? Ungrateful child, I will tear through these feeble chains you've made. I will burn your world to ash, destroy every friend, every pathetic mortal you cherish."

The voice grew harsher, more savage, filling the darkness with a venom that cut through the emptiness. Each word dripped with centuries of hatred and malice, carrying the weight of countless worlds destroyed, civilizations crushed beneath Trigon's heel. It clawed at Damian's ears, but it didn't affect him and he remained steadfast, his gaze piercing through the shadows as he moved forward.

"You think you have power over me?" the voice continued, dripping with malice. "You are nothing. A mere vessel. Release me, or I will continue to make you suffer, just as you dared to imprison me. Every soul you care for. I will devour them, one by one."

Damian's expression remained stoic, his steps unwavering as he moved toward the source of the voice. His black eyes reflected nothing, absorbing the darkness around him like twin voids. But then, within the darkness, another voice broke through, weak and distant, like a small flicker of light in the oppressive black.

"Stop… please… enough…" The plea was soft, barely audible, laced with exhaustion and desperation. "Please… stop... don't…"

The demonic voice ignored the feeble protest, its threats growing more vicious. "Your resistance is meaningless, daughter! I will break free, and when I do, I will shatter your will, just as I shatter your bonds. You will kneel before me, watch helplessly as I bring ruin to everything you hold dear."

Damian's jaw tightened imperceptibly at the sound of the weakened voice, the only outward sign of emotion he'd shown since entering the void. He pressed forward, his focus sharp as the voice echoed around him, weaving between the shadows. Then, in the distance, a faint glimmer appeared, a single point of light piercing through the darkness, expanding as he approached it.

The closer he drew to it, the brighter it became, growing larger and larger until it seemed to fill his entire vision. The light didn't burn or blind, instead, it seemed to part before him like a curtain, recognizing his right to pass. The dark expanse around him began to dissolve, swallowed up by the radiance until the shadows completely fell away.

With one final step, Damian crossed the threshold, the darkness lifting as he emerged into a new world.

As Damian emerged from the darkness, he found himself in a vast, otherworldly plane bathed in an eerie, surreal light. The sky stretched above him in a deep, vibrant blue, scattered with wisps of clouds, but there was an unnatural stillness to it, as though the entire world were holding its breath.

Around him stood ancient columns, towering structures with an imposing grace, their surfaces weathered and cracked, reminiscent of temples lost to time. Each column bore intricate runes that pulsed with a faint purple glow. The columns encircled a central area, almost like an open-air prison, a place of power and confinement.

In the heart of this desolate space loomed a monstrous figure, a being of unimaginable size and dark power: Trigon. His massive form was bound in thick chains that glowed with an ominous purple dark light, snaking across his chest, arms, and legs in a crisscross pattern, struggling to contain his raw strength. Some links had already shattered, the broken fragments hanging like jagged symbols of a faltering prison. Others, though still intact, were straining, pulsing with cracks that threatened to give way at any moment. It was clear that the chains, once strong enough to subdue him, were weakening.

Beyond the ancient columns, tall, graceful trees stood in serene silence, their lush green leaves barely moving in the still air. Above the trees, a clear blue sky stretched into the horizon, casting a warm, steady light over the landscape. It was a peaceful-looking realm, a place of calm and life. For a creature born of chaos and destruction, this tranquil world was quite a fitting "hell" for him. The peaceful scenery only seemed to intensify the torment of his confinement.

As Damian took in his surroundings, Trigon's deep, booming voice continued to resonate throughout the strange, boundless realm. His words echoed off the ancient columns and trees, carrying a venomous intensity that seemed to saturate the air itself.

"It's only a matter of time now, little bird," Trigon sneered, his four glowing eyes burned with ancient malice, each one holding centuries of hatred and promises of destruction. "Your pathetic hold weakens with every passing moment." He tilted his head, his blazing eyes narrowing with cruel satisfaction as he motioned to the chains wrapped around his colossal form. "Do you see these? Already they crumble, already they fall."

Damian's gaze flicked to the chains in response, noting the fractures snaking through the once-impenetrable links. Some chains lay shattered across the ground, their broken pieces glowing faintly as though drained of their binding power. The remaining links strained against Trigon's massive muscles, pulsing with cracks that grew wider and more jagged by the second. Each moment, it seemed, brought him closer to freedom.

Trigon's taunts echoed relentlessly, filling the air with dark promises. "You can't hold me forever, daughter," he snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. The very ground trembled beneath his words, ripples of power sending tremors through the peaceful landscape. "I will break free, and when I do, I will rain down death upon all those you cherish, your pitiful companions, everyone. You ungrateful spawn." His words twisted into a sinister laugh, deep and resonant, shaking the very ground.

The demon's booming voice continued to echo through the still air, each word laced with venom as he taunted Raven, delighting in her helplessness. Damian moved forward, his heavy footsteps resounding, their echo reverberating off the towering columns. Each step he took seemed to carry purpose, an unstoppable force moving toward an immovable object.

The sound drew Trigon's attention, and the monstrous demon paused mid-sentence, his burning gaze shifting to the figure approaching him.

Trigon's eyes narrowed in surprise, a flicker of curiosity mingling with suspicion as he regarded the newcomer. "Who are you?" he began, his voice deep with bewilderment as he scanned Damian's familiar face and posture. Recognition dawned slowly, and a twisted grin spread across Trigon's face. "If I'm not mistaken, you are…" He trailed off, realization hitting him fully.