Damian stood perfectly still, his crimson eyes locked on the empty space where the Hooded One had vanished.
The seal had taken him, erased his presence from the dreamscape completely.
But his final words remained, echoing through Damian's mind with poison that refused to fade.
"Are you certain they were ever truly your loved ones to begin with? Or were they simply pieces positioned around you by players who knew exactly which strings to pull?"
His jaw worked slightly, the only outward sign of internal processing.
'What did he mean by that?'
The question formed cold and sharp, cutting deeper than any blade could.
'Is he talking about Mom and Dad? About… Luna?'
His hands remained at his sides, but his fingers spread fractionally, an unconscious gesture.
'Were they all just... positioned? Pieces on a board I never knew existed?'
The implications spiraled outward, each one darker than the last, refusing to settle cleanly.
