Dick Grayson hastily wiped away his tears as soon as he returned to the small room he had been assigned. He staggered forward and fell with a gasp to his knees, his whole aching body protesting at the movement.
The acrobat was not sure how much time had passed since he could hardly distinguish one day from another, but he estimated about three months since his parents' death, yet for the seven-year-old it seemed much longer, as if an eternity had passed.
And Dick was sure of only one thing.
He was living through hell.
Every day he underwent brutal training with Cobb and the other Talons, but especially with Cobb who had taught him the basics of hand-to-hand combat and was now teaching him to aim his blows at areas to incapacitate others with deadly precision.
Dick's whole body ached and there was no part of his body that did not hurt.
He just wanted the pain to stop.
He just wanted to go home, back to the circus to his parents.
But it was impossible.
So far Dick had disobeyed Cobb only once out of pure defiance, but that one time was enough.
As punishment, Dick was sent to a giant labyrinth and he discovered that the water there... definitely had no positive effects, that is. Not to mention the pure white walls which bounced an intense light that was driving him to madness.
Dick was sure that he had been at the labyrinth for a minimum of three days (without food, real water, human contact) and he was even more sure that he would die there.
Or at least he hoped so. At least he would achieve eternal peace and be able to see his parents again.
Instead, he didn't.
He still had nightmares about that damn labyrinth and that was the first and only time Dick had disobeyed Cobb.
Before Dick could collapse into a spiral of self-desolation, he gasped when, turning around, he found himself staring directly into a pair of golden eyes. He let out a startled cry and stepped back, slamming his back painfully against the wall.
He hissed in pain as Cobb's gaze deepened. "You must be careful of your surroundings, Gray Son." he said, shaking his head in disappointment. "But don't worry, we would make you the most dangerous weapon Earth has ever known."
Dick swallowed at the look his great-grandfather was giving him. "W-What are you doing here, M-Master?" he couldn't keep the panic out of his voice but by now he didn't care.
In what little free time he had, other Masters were teaching him many other things, including the English language.
Cobb stared at him silently before smirking. "The time has come to take your revenge."
Dick's heart lost a beat.
Did Cobb really mean that...?
Cobb turned around. "Follow me if you want to kill your parents' killer, Gray Son." he said as he left the room.
It took Richard a few seconds of registering his words before he got his legs working properly and followed his great-grandfather, though lacking the usual grace of a Grayson.
The child followed in silence as the older man turned several hallways before entering a certain room. Dick followed him and the first thing he saw were the different Masters who were in the room. His eyes moved to the side and a surprised gasp escaped his lips.
On the floor in the center of the room was Tony Zucco bruised but still alive. It was obvious that the mafia boss was completely terrified of the Masters, and this could be guessed both from his eyes that showed pure fear and because he was not bound but was making no move to escape.
The murderer's tormented eyes (Dick briefly enjoyed the thought of whatever the Talons had done to Zucco) shifted to the acrobat. "What the hell is a child doing here?" he shouted almost hysterically.
A flush of anger swept over Dick.
Zucco had not even recognized him.
He had not even recognized the child who had been orphaned and traumatized because of him.
Probably Zucco had also forgotten the faces of his parents, and surely in a few months he would also forget the death of the Flying Graysons.
Well, Dick thought with a grim smile, that is, if Zucco gets to live a few more months.
"Come on, Gray Son." Dick's head snapped toward Cobb, who handed him a knife. The child stared into the golden eyes and, barely restraining a shudder, took it.
His great-grandfather gave him a rough push forward and Dick almost fell to the ground but managed to remain standing.
With a knot in his throat and thousands of doubts gripping him, Dick walked forward causing Zucco to back away like a wild animal cornered. "S-stay the fuck away from me!"
Any doubts of morals and ethics left Dick and he felt only anger coursing through his veins.
That bastard killed his parents.
That bastard took him away from the circus.
That bastard is the only reason Dick ended up in the clutches of the Court of Owls.
That bastard killed his parents just for stupid money and he felt no regrets: in fact, he had certainly bragged about it already that he had killed the best acrobats in the world.
Dick's grip tightened around the knife exactly the way Cobb had taught him. He felt hot tears falling from his eyes but made no attempt to wipe them away.
"Child, put that weapon down! It's not a toy!" growled Zucco but it was clear he was terrified.
A humorless laugh escaped Dick's lips and he did not miss the mafia boss' startled gasp.
There was so much wrong with Zucco's sentence, but the only thing Dick said was:
"I am no longer a child because of you."
Recognition appeared in Zucco's eyes but Dick paid no attention to it and instead threw the knife (as Cobb had taught him two days earlier), which plunged precisely into the killer's heart.
Zucco's mouth formed a surprised "o" and blood began to pour out. He staggered backward and his body sagged against the wall, the light of life slowly disappearing from his eyes.
Dick could do nothing but stare at Zucco's body with a vastness of emotion.
Shock. Incredulity. Satisfaction. Fear. Anger.
Then the gravity of the situation hit hard on Dick who widened his eyes.
What… what had he done?
Had he... had he just killed a person? Going against all of his parents' teachings?
He could practically taste his parents' disappointment, shame and disdain already, and it was sending him into an absolute panic.
NONONONONONONONONO
Richard's eyes rested on Zucco's body and he felt the bile rise.
Amid the excited cheers of the crowd (Dick had also forgotten about Cobb and the other Owls) the little boy staggered to the side before vomiting the little contents in his stomach.
His knees felt like jelly and they gave way. Before sinking into darkness (something that was becoming all too familiar), Dick swore he heard an Owl say something along the lines of:
"The time has come for the Gray Son."
When Dick awoke, he discovered that he was tied with ropes to a chair.
"You're finally awake."
He shuddered at his great-grandfather's voice and met a look of... impatience?
Only then did Dick discover that he had some IVs attached to his body. "W-what are you going to do?" he croaked, his voice full of panic and tears already beginning to fall from his face.
Cobb approached with a slow, menacing step toward him, as a predator approaches cornered prey. His fingers snapped and gripped the child's chin painfully, forcing him to meet the nightmare of his life.
Emotionless golden eyes met broken, frightened blue eyes.
His fingers gently wiped away some of the tears and it would have been an almost fatherly gesture if it were not for the coldness of the touch on his cheek.
"Don't worry, Gray Son. This will only be the first stage in making you the perfect weapon." his golden eyes shone in the darkness, making Dick shiver. "Soon you will be like us."
Dick barely had time to register his words when he felt a pain in his chest. Lowering his gaze, shock filling his features, he saw a knife sticking out of his stomach.
Cobb had stabbed him in the heart.
The boy felt blood pool in his mouth and felt his eyes grow heavier and heavier. Finally, Dick let the darkness surround him with only one thought in his mind.
At least I will be able to see Mami and Tati again.
Cobb returned to the room where he had killed his great-grandson a few hours later. He put his hands behind his back, crossed his fingers, and smiled at the Owls. "I hope everything went as planned and without any problems."
One of them mirrored his smile. "Of course, Cobb." his eyes moved to the side, the smirk expanding. "Kneel before your Master, Gray Son."
A small dark figure emerged from the shadows. With firm, steady step he walked toward William, his posture revealing no emotion.
He knelt before Cobb, who had a huge smile on his face. "Look at me, Gray Son," he ordered.
The figure looked up and Cobb's smile grew more sinister as he met golden eyes and black veins covering his grandson's face.
"Who are you and what is your goal, Gray Son?"
"I am The Talon, The Gray Son of the Court of Owls. I am not a person but the ultimate and most dangerous weapon that will lead the Court of Owls to conquer Gotham. My only purpose is to obey the Court of Owls without question. To do whatever my Masters want. Carry out all their orders. Kill all the targets they will assign me and accomplish all their goals."
That was the day Richard John "Dick" Grayson died and in his place The Talon was born.