2 Months Later

"Not bad, Jason! You might actually win."

"Oh, I plan to Essence!"

The two were sparring with each other, out in a hidden spot where Essence showed him. And for the past hour, the two were evenly matched with each other, both landing a hit after the other.

The spot was in the lower sections of the Temple, near a waterfall and a cavern of rock. The two currently sparred on the ground close to both.

Jason smiled as over the course of his time in the Acres of All, the monks and other warriors have grown to respect Jason, and with each training session, he learned more and his skill increased.

And, he has more time to assess his memories, reliving his childhood to his father going to jail and his mother overdosing...to moving in with Bruce and becoming Robin. As well as remembering his relationships with Dick, Alfred, Barbara and the Team.

A part of him wanted to reunite with them, Another wanted him to stay here, with the All-Caste.

But a third part...a growing and major part of him wanted resolution...closure. He wanted revenge against the one who wronged him.

The Joker. He's been on his mind for a few days now and all Jason has done is think about him...and Bruce.

Why did he let Joker live? Why is there another Robin? And why involve more kids in his crusade?

As Jason thought about this, Essence manages to get close enough and presses her sword close to his chest.

"You win. Again." He states and Essence gives him a deadpan look, and lowers her sword.

"No. You had the perfect opening, you didn't take it. Why?" She questions, her tone evident of annoyance and Jason sighs while scratching the back of his head.

"I was thinking...about home." He admits and Essence scoffs.

"Jason. You have ascended beyond the League. You have outgro-" She starts but Jason interrupts her.

"No, No. Not the League. My actual home...and my family." Jason says and Essence was confused and he chuckles at this.

"I guess I never did tell you about my life besides the League." He says and she nods.

"You have a family. You still have relatives to return to?" She questions.

"Eh, kinda. My blood relatives which were my father and mother...they're gone. But I was adopted. By-"

"Batman?" Essence finishes and Jason smirks at her.

"So you do know?" He says and Essence shakes her head.

"I know about your alignment with the League and how you were the partner to the oh so "legendary" Batman. Besides that...nothing more." She explains and Jason sheaths his sword.

"Well, I can tell you about it." He says but then notices Ducra coming towards them.

"Later. Your mom's here." Jason whispers the last part and Essence turns around and the two bow.

"Mother. Is it time for training?" She questions and Ducra shakes her head and has a small smile at both of them.

"No. It is time...for your final trials." Ducra states and both of their eyes widen in shock.

"Yes. The day has come for you two. This will not be a test of strength or skill. But a test...of one's soul." She explains. Both Jason and Essence exchange knowing glances at each other.

"Ducra. Do you mean-?" He starts to ask and Ducra nods in confirmation.

"Yes. You gain your weapons to battle against the Untitled." She answers and Jason was taken back by this. His previous thoughts now being pushed aside.

"I am ready, Lady Ducra." He states and straightens up, a look of determination on his face.

"As am I, Mother." Essence speaks and Ducra examines both, then starts walking away, motioning them to follow.

Center of The Temple

Both Jason and Essence were out of their training attire and in their underwear, standing in front of two separate pools of water.

Jason breathed heavily, he was composed, but nervous, his hand slightly shaking untill it was intertwined with Essence's.

He turns to her, confused and in return she gives him a soft smile.

Jason smiles back then Ducra walks forward and stands in between both pools.

"Step in." She orders and both of them let go and step into the pools of water.

Jason's eyes widen in shock and he sees himself back in his Robin suit, standing on a roof covered in snow.

"What the-" He starts but gets pulled down

"Ignore all distractions. Focus on my voice. Let the waters guide you." She instructs and Jason closes his eyes, and submerges in the water.

Jason's eyes widen in shock and he sees himself back in his Robin suit, standing on a roof covered in snow.

"What the-" He starts but gets pulled down

But Jason also remembers his death, his resurrection and his training, then eventually meeting Damian. His little brother in a way. As both were sons of the Bat. One by blood, one by adoption.

As the memories race through his head, a voice call to him in the back of his mind.

"Hello Boy Wonder..."

Dreamscape

Jason's eyes widen in shock and he sees himself, younger, and back in his Robin suit, standing on a roof covered in snow.

"What the-" He starts but gets pulled down by a hand grabbing his chest, surprising.

"Hey, what's-" Jason tries to say but gets shushed and looks to see Nightwing, along with Batgirl.

"Stay down, Jay. We can't let them know we're here." Nightwing explains and Jason was surprised.

"Dick? Babs?" He whispers to himself and turns to his right, seeing Batman in a kneeling position, looking through binoculars.

"Bruce?" Jason then looks down and sees Joker goons loading up weapons into trucks.

"Bosnia...oh god, not here." He says and a shadow casts over him. Jason turns and looks up, a familiar sinister smile looking down at him.

"Yes. Here. HEHEHEHEHEHAH!" Then Jason was hit across the face with a crowbar, drawing blood from his mouth.

Now, he was back in the warehouse, and looked around seeing his blood stain the floor.

Jason looked back, and started moving away from Joker, who smiled at him, whilst dragging the crowbar against the floor.

"Back to square one, Jason. What will you do?" He taunts and Jason's felt his heart drop to his lowest depth. He was breathing hard and his body trembled as the Clown approached him.

"Not again. Not again. Please, no!" Jason whimpers, raising his hands, to protect himself from the incoming hits.

Joker kept swinging on him, again and again, each hit harder than the last.

Jason cried in pain as the hits connected, he then laid on his side, seeing a pool of his blood, and saw his current self, scarred and bloodied.

In realization, he figured this was the test. To overcome his trauma. To overcome Joker.

With that, Jason smirked then painfully got up, confusing Joker.

"What's this? Boy Wonder has some spine after all?" He questions as Jason chuckles.

"Yeah, I do." Jason retorts and Joker smirks then hits him across the face but to his surprise, it goes through him.

"Would you look that? It tickles." He says and Joker's eyes widen then Jason punches him across the face knocking him to the ground.

Jason was now back in his training attire and grabs Joker by the collar then pulls him in close.

"Just wait when I see you again...You'll beg me to kill you." Jason says, smiling and the Joker chuckles.

"See ya then, kid." He retorts then vanishes into smoke, Jason raises an eyebrow before the environment turns to black.

He stands up and in front of him is a flame, Jason tilts his head and reaches out to to touch it.

It didn't hurt him, surprisingly, and when he touched it, he felt a hilt in the flame. Jason then put his other hand in and grabbed another hilt.

Jason then pulled his hands from the flame, still gripping the hilts as then fire then shoots out of the hilts, only for them to then form into blades, engulfed in the fire.

Reality

Jason shot up out of the water and gasped for air. He is then pulled out the pool by Ducra, and Essence kneels beside him, having passed her trial.

"Jason! You...passed." Essence says in awe as Ducra uses a towel to dry him off.

"No human should have survived this. I don't whether you're special...or too damn stubborn." She states and Jason weakly chuckles.

"Why not...both?" He jokes in between breaths and stands up.

"And still, you jest. You did well man-child. And now you have your weapon to battle against the forces of evil." Ducra explains then Jason lets out a breath as two flaming appear in his hands and the other monks saw, then bowed.

"The All-Blades. A weapon powered by one's soul. Your soul." Ducra explains and Jason was in awe. He smiled then looks at Essence.

"You?" Jason asks and Essence summons a long blade to her hand. It was red and an aura surrounded it one of the same color.

"The Blood Blade. With it, I can slay evil. And carry them forever within it." She says and Jason smirks.

"Nice." He compliments and Essence smiles at him.

Ducra then raises both of their arms in the air, with a small smile creeping onto her lips.

"Brothers and sisters of the All-Caste! Today, new members have joined us. My daughter, Essence! And Jason Todd! Let us rejoice! Prepare the festivities!" She exclaims, and the monks cheer with excitement.

Essence beams brightly, and Jason smiles, but his thoughts distract from his current praise.

3 Hours Later

In spite of being celebrated, Jason was by himself near a balcony, watching the party unfold from inside the Dining Hall.

He had a glass of wine in hand but he barely drunk any of it. Jason then places the glass beside him and looks up in the sky.

"You spent enough time here, Todd..." He mutters to himself, then turns to see Ducra walking towards him.

"Is that so, man-child?" She questions and Jason sighs.

"Yeah. I think I have. Not because I've outgrown you, or your teachings. I still have a lot to learn, that's for sure..." He starts and Ducra raises an eyebrow.

"But?" She says, knowing Jason had more to say.

"But...I feel like my place is not with the All-Caste. Despite my training." He explains.

"Of course not." She says and Jason was confused.

"What?" He questions and Ducra chuckles.

"It is not your destiny to be one of us, Jason. You must forge your own path. One that suits you. And...I know you miss your family." She states and Jason nods.

"Yeah. I do...You're not mad?" He asks and Ducra smiles at him.

"A bit disappointed, but no. I understand. You can leave at first light. I'll have a portal back to the League Monastery ready." She says and Jason smiles, then kneels down and hugs her.

"Thank you Lady Ducra." He says and Ducra pats him on the head.

"You will always be welcomed here, Jason. But word of advice?" Ducra states and Jason nods.

"Speak with my daughter. You know she has feelings for you. As you do for her." She says and Jason stands up, looking at Essence laughing with the other warriors.

"I...will." He says then takes a breath, and walks into the Dining Hall.

Ducra smiles at this and takes Jason's glass and drinks it, then walks away from the party.

Jason walks up to Essence's table, and taps her shoulder, getting her attention.

"Jason! Finally, you decided to join!" She exclaims and Jason could tell she has been drinking a lot of wine.

"You drunk Es?" He asks and Essence stands, slightly off balance as she laughs.

"Nooooo. Okay a little! But that's not important." She retorts and Jason chuckles.

"Well, this is. Es, I-" He starts but is cut off by Essence suddenly kissing him. Jason's eyes widen and the monks were in shock of this.

After a few moments, Essence pulls away, leaving Jason stunned, and she smiles, then grabs his hand and starts pulling him away from the party.

Soon, they arrived at her room and Essence pretty much kicked it open, she and Jason were still making out, despite his pleas for her to stop and listen.

As they entered, Jason had picked Essence up and placed down on the bed, trailing kisses down her as she moans in pleasure.

But remembering what he had to do, Jason reluctantly stopped, earning an annoyed look from Essence.

"Look Es, I need to tell you something." He states and Essence sighs then sits up and caresses the side of his face.

"Can it wait? We've both longed for this moment." She says and Jason lightly smiles at before sighing.

"Es, I...I'm leaving." He admits and her eyes widen in shock.

"What? Why?!" She questions and Jason lets out a breath.

"I...my place isn't with the All-Caste. This was...just another step closer to what I need to do. What I HAVE to do. I know it. Your mother knows-" He starts and Essence scoffs.

"Did she put you up to this? She does not approve of us?" Essence snaps and Jason shakes his head.

"No! The opposite, surprisingly...I just...need to see my family. My...father. And "deal" with the monster responsible for my death." Jason explains and Essence's gaze softens.

"Es. Whatever reason you think I'm leaving for, it's not the case. This is of my own choice and freewill. This is something I have to do. Believe me." He assures and places a hand on her thigh and rubs it.

Jason then flashes his usual cocky smile at her and Essence chuckles and a small smile forms.

"Damn you, Jason Todd." She jokes and Jason lets out a laugh then kisses her on the lips.

"Already been dammned once. Didn't care for it the first time." He retorts and takes off his top half of training attire.

Jason them lays on top of Essence and she once again, caresses his face.

"Jason. For once. No talking. Please?" She asks and Jason smirks.

"Yes ma'am."

Morning

Essence had woken up, a smile on her face as she was bare and covered only by the sheets of her bed.

Her smile faded as she felt nobody next to her. Looking to her side, she saw Jason was gone, but left his League mask in his place. Essence cocked an eyebrow as she notices a note placed by it.

Essence sits up and picks it up, reading it.

"Hey Es. Sorry for vanishing on you. Bad habit, I guess. Look, last night...was special. It meant something to me, make no mistake. And you...mean something to me. I'll be back visit, as your mother said, I'll always have a home with the All-Caste. But first...I gotta handle some things. I'll be thinking about you. Trust me. Also, left the mask behind. I know you'll take care of it.- From yours truly, Jason."

She sighs, but smiles and picks up his mask, and examines it, before letting out a soft laugh.

"Be careful Jason."