SON OF BATMAN

Raven's fingers tightened slightly as they rested on her thighs, her gaze darting around the empty, black expanse before settling back on him. "What... What just…." she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, still laced with confusion and a hint of awe.

She turned her face to Damian as she searched his face for answers, but Damian simply looked back at her, his expression unreadable beneath the quiet strength that seemed to radiate from him.

Raven's breath was shallow, and she looked at Damian as if seeing him for the first time, as if the person before her was both achingly familiar and mysteriously unknown. A thousand questions surged inside her, but she couldn't articulate a single one. Her lips parted, and she stammered, "What… How…?"

Damian's eyes softened at her confusion, a gentle, knowing smile curving his lips. He reached out, cupping her pale, gaunt cheeks in his hands with a tenderness that felt almost surreal in the oppressive darkness.

"I know you have many questions," he said softly, his tone gentle and reassuring, his touch warm against her cold, exhausted skin. "And they will all be answered in due time. But for now…" His thumb brushed her cheek lightly, leaving a trail of warmth against her cold skin, the smallest of smiles tugging at the corner of his lips. "You need to rest."

Raven's eyes widened slightly as his words settled in. Her mind still struggled to make sense of the events that had just unfolded, of the darkness that had swept through and swallowed everything.

She opened her mouth to protest, to ask him for the answers she desperately needed, but the words seemed to die in her throat. She was exhausted, utterly, completely drained, and though she didn't want to admit it, she could feel the weight of fatigue tugging at her like a relentless tide.

Damian's gaze never wavered. In the absolute darkness, his darker eyes seemed to hold their own light, he could see the fear and the uncertainty still flickering in her eyes. "You're safe now," he continued, his voice firm yet soothing.

"As I've mentioned earlier, You don't have to worry about him ever again." He paused, pointing to the crystal on her forehead before he continued, "He's still in there, But this time… he's sealed away, completely."

Raven instinctively touched the crystal, her fingers brushing over its now pitch-black surface. It had once been a deep red, but now it was a void of pure blackness, mirroring the darkness that surrounded them.

Her brow furrowed, confusion and relief battling for dominance in her gaze. The absence of Trigon's presence felt like a missing tooth - strange and foreign, yet somehow right. The familiar presence that had haunted her for years was gone, replaced by a profound silence. Trigon's voice, the whispers that had tormented her mind, were utterly, completely silent.

"He won't be able to influence you anymore," Damian said. "He's trapped. Truly trapped, in a seal that he can never break." His voice was calm, assured, the weight of his words leaving no room for doubt. "You're free of him."

The truth of his words seemed to hit her all at once, and she looked down, her shoulders slumping as if the weight she had borne for so long had finally been lifted. "Is that really true?" The question escaped her lips like a prayer.

Raven's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she absorbed his words. Each tear threatened to fall but held fast, like stars suspended in the darkness. The years of relentless struggle, of constant fear, of feeling the darkness inside her trying to consume her, all of it was gone. The heavy chains that had been wrapped around her heart were suddenly and inexplicably severed. Her breath shuddered, and for the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt something close to relief.

Her body swayed slightly, her exhaustion overtaking her all at once. Like waves against a crumbling shore, the overwhelming exhaustion threatened to drag her down, but Raven forced herself to stay upright. Even though the weight of Trigon's presence was finally gone, a new fear kept her from giving in to the darkness tugging at her consciousness.

What if she closed her eyes and woke up to find that everything that just happened was a dream? The thought pierced her heart like an icy blade. What if she was still trapped, still tormented by Trigon, and this brief moment of peace was just another cruel illusion? Worse yet, what if it was all real, but she woke up to discover that Damian was gone again, leaving her behind once more?

Her eyes flickered with uncertainty as she gazed at Damian, the last remnants of her strength holding her in place. She didn't dare close her eyes, didn't dare give in to the fatigue that clawed at her, not until she was certain he wouldn't disappear. But her body, weary and frail after years of struggle, began to tremble under the strain.

She bit her lips, her hands on her thighs tightening, holding on against exhaustion. The fear in her eyes danced like shadows in candlelight, the same fear that had tormented her for years. The thought that he might disappear again, slipping away like a fleeting dream, gnawed at her. Her voice was barely above a whisper, hesitant and fragile. "What if you vanish?" she asked, her gaze never wavering from his. "What if I wake up and you're gone?"

Damian chuckled softly, as he brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "You worry too much," he said, his tone light, almost teasing. But the concern in her gaze didn't fade. She wasn't satisfied. She needed more reassurance, something solid to hold onto.

"When I wake up," she asked, her voice cracking with uncertainty, "Will I find you next to me?"

He hesitated for a split second before shaking his head. "No," he said, his voice firm and clear. The simple word hit her like a blow, and she froze.