The Cave's training room echoed with the sound of fists striking padded dummies. Damien's chest rose and fell in sharp bursts as he finished another rapid-fire combo, his fists blurring, his strikes breaking through the reinforced padding until bits of foam littered the mat. Sweat clung to his jawline, but his eyes were colder than usual.
"Someone's pushing a little hard today," Robin said from the observation deck, his voice casual but edged with concern.
Damien glanced up, not slowing his breathing. "The Light's been three steps ahead of us for months. I don't plan on being four steps behind when they finally decide to deal with me directly."
Before Robin could answer, an alert blared through the Cave. The holographic display flickered on, showing Batman's grim face.
"The Light has activated one of their largest facilities in Blüdhaven. Intelligence indicates they've stockpiled weapons, technology, and metahuman soldiers. They know about you, Damien. They'll be prepared."
Damien wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "Then so will we."
The trip to Blüdhaven was quiet. Each member of the Team sat in silence aboard the Bio-Ship. M'gann piloted, her expression unusually tense. Superboy's arms were crossed, jaw clenched. Artemis sat near Damien, sneaking quick glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking. He caught one and gave her a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"You're not nervous?" she asked softly.
Damien adjusted the strap on his gauntlet. "Nervous means you're thinking about losing. I can't afford that."
Artemis looked away but kept close. Wally muttered something under his breath about "ego issues," but even his tone lacked its usual sharp bite. Everyone knew this mission wasn't just another op — it was a war.
The Bio-Ship landed in the outskirts of Blüdhaven. The facility sprawled across several blocks, floodlights sweeping across steel towers and reinforced hangars. Guards patrolled the perimeter, but there was no doubt the real threats were waiting inside.
"Stealth first," Robin said. "If we can shut them down from the inside—"
He didn't finish. Explosions ripped through the ground in front of them, fire lighting up the night. Figures emerged from the smoke — not soldiers, but villains.
Blockbuster's massive frame loomed, cracking his knuckles. Shimmer's hands glowed as she twisted metal debris into weapons. Black Spider crouched low, blades gleaming. And behind them, Klarion the Witch Boy grinned, floating in midair.
"Did someone order a welcoming committee?" Wally quipped, but his voice cracked at the edges.
"They knew we'd come," Damien said, his voice low. He flexed his hands, the energy around him beginning to hum, faint arcs of light tracing across his skin. "They knew I'd come."
The battlefield erupted in chaos. Superboy launched himself at Blockbuster, the two titans colliding with bone-rattling force. Robin and Wally flanked Black Spider, dodging his razor-edged blades. M'gann clashed with Klarion in a psychic duel, the air distorting as reality itself warped under his magic.
Damien sprinted into the fray, intercepting Shimmer before she could collapse a steel tower onto Artemis. Their blades clashed — her metal constructs against the glowing energy edge of his own weapon. Sparks flew as Damien ducked low, sweeping her legs, then rolled as she sent a jagged spear crashing into the ground where he had stood.
"Cute trick," Shimmer sneered. "But you're just a boy playing at war."
Damien's eyes hardened. "And you're just a distraction." He struck her with a concussive blast from his palm, sending her crashing into a transport crate.
But the real danger came from Klarion. With a laugh that cut like glass, he summoned shadow beasts from the ground, creatures with glowing red eyes swarming the Team.
"Your pet heroes can't protect you forever, Damien!" Klarion sang. "You're ours, body and soul!"
Damien fought savagely, cutting through wave after wave of creatures, but there were too many. Wally zipped past, pulling two off his back before they could claw him.
"You owe me!" Wally shouted, grimacing as more swarmed him.
"Stay alive and I'll pay you back!" Damien barked, blasting three shadows into ash.
The fight stretched into desperation. The Team was battered, cornered against the burning remains of the facility. Klarion's magic tore through steel like paper, and Blockbuster shrugged off blow after blow.
Then Damien saw it — a split second where everything could end. A shadow beast lunged at Artemis from behind, claws aimed at her back. Without thinking, Damien shoved her aside, taking the full hit across his ribs. The beast's claws ripped deep, the impact sending him crashing into a wall.
"Damien!" Artemis cried, firing an arrow straight into the creature's head before it could finish him. She rushed to his side, her hands trembling as she helped him up. Blood streaked his suit, his breath ragged, but he pushed himself upright.
"I'm not… done yet," he growled, eyes blazing with raw energy.
The light around him flared brighter than ever, crackling with power that made even Klarion hesitate. Damien stood tall despite the pain, his voice carrying across the battlefield.
"We fight together. We end this together!"
The Team rallied. Superboy slammed Blockbuster into the ground with renewed fury. Robin and Wally coordinated perfectly, trapping Black Spider in a net of electrified wire. M'gann forced Klarion back with a psychic scream that echoed like thunder. And Damien — wounded but unbroken — cut through the last wave of shadows with a sweeping blast that lit up the night.
When it was over, the facility burned behind them. The villains retreated into smoke and chaos, promising revenge, but for now, the Team stood victorious. Barely.
Damien swayed, gripping his side. Artemis caught him, steadying him with both arms. Her voice cracked, softer than he'd ever heard it.
"You could've died," she whispered.
He met her eyes, his own tired but unwavering. "Better me than you."
She shook her head fiercely. "Don't you dare say that. You're not just another soldier, Damien. You're… you're part of us. You're part of me."
The words hung between them, unspoken feelings threading into the night air. Wally limped over, staring at Damien with something almost like respect.
"You're still a show-off," Wally muttered, but his tone was softer now. "But… you kept us together. Guess that makes you one of us."
Damien allowed himself a small, weary smile. The pain was heavy, but so was the bond that had been forged tonight. For the first time, he wasn't fighting alone.
And deep inside, he knew the Light had been right about one thing — he was dangerous. But not because of his powers. Because now, he had a family worth fighting for.