"He's been planning this for generations."
Alfred transfers the teacups from his tray to the coffee table situated in the middle of Bruce's formal living room. The room had one couch and two armchairs that were being occupied by every person interested in hearing what Cheshire had to say. Damian found himself situated on the right side of his father's black chic couch. Grayson sits next to him only after Cheshire made the suggestion, through the use of her body language, that she was going to sit straight in the middle. Grayson did not give her the opportunity to take the seat she wanted, so she ends up sitting to the left side of the couch.
His father sat in an arm-chair while Cass sat in the opposite one. Cass musters the harshest of glares for Cheshire. She does not take her eyes off of the half-succubus for even a second.
"He used the call of shadows, something that summons all the assassins of the league, just a few days ago. That is how I came to learn of his intent. He is preparing to seize Gotham."
"How does he intend to do it?" Bruce asks.
"I'm guessing that means you believe me?" Cheshire sounded a bit smug.
Bruce narrows his eyes.
Cheshire holds her hands up in mock-surrender and says, "Yikes! Got it!"
"Stop wasting our time," Cass growls out.
If Cheshire was bothered by Cass' demand, she made no sign of it. Cheshire continued by saying, "Ra's has had a book of forbidden magic for generations that he could not decipher. It is something that only the elves can read-"
Damian's eyes dart up to Bruce.
"Damian's half-elven heritage made him a prime candidate for body-possession. It would it would be a smoother transition to take over Damian's body rather than the body of a full-blooded Elf." Cheshire glances at Damian and says, "Ra's intends to invade Gotham. The distraction that the chaos creates will give him apt opportunity to abduct Damian once more. After completing a ritual created by the late Dopplegangers - he will take over Damian's body - and then he will use the forbidden book to cast the world in eternal darkness."
Cheshire pauses for a moment to regain her breath. "An eternal night will prove to be a field day for all creatures of darkness. One can guess why that would be problematic."
Cheshire stops talking and silence falls upon all those in the room. Grayson has a grave look on his face, but he is the most expressive person in the room. Damian feels the intense worry that travels through their pact and it mixes with his own concerns on the current situation.
Eternal darkness was not a bad thing - for a creature such as he - but that did not make it ideal. His grandfather seemed to have forgotten that shadows cannot exist without light. Where would his food source go after a world cast in darkness? That is, assuming, all workings light fixtures, flashlights, and fire were affected by the spell as well.
What is more concerning is that his grandfather intends to follow him to Gotham just to have his body.
"Damian?"
His father calls out to him. It is then that Damian realizes that everyone is looking at him. They all had good reason to. He would be the first step for Ra's in a world covered in darkness.
Damian stands up from his spot on the couch and ignores the heads that follow him.
"Wait," Cheshire says, "Don't you want to hear where about the whereabouts of your mother?"
Damian pauses in his stride to retreat to a place to think and thinks over Cheshire's words.
His mother.
His mother who had left him here.
He did want to know. Was she okay? Why did she leave?
Damian, instead, walks out. He leaves behind all those who watch his back.
He does not look back.