Work Text:
Damian was a fierce warrior, born of Bruce Wayne, the leader of the League. Damian trained for years and years so he could take his father's place when it was time.
But he still didn't feel whole.
One day, Damian met a beautiful woman who sat atop a white horse. It was love at first sight.
He learned her name was Marinette and from there, they met every day at the same place.
Curiously, Marinette never got off her horse, but Damian never asked why.
He learnt that she was from a magical land called 'Tír na nÓg' where everyone was happy and never grew weary. Where the magical water kept you young. She was a princess there, her father the king.
She lived in a magnificent castle that could be seen from the farthest beaches and the tallest mountains in the land.
Soon, after a week of knowing each other, Damian proposed. Marinette agreed on the condition that he lived with her in Tír na nÓg and could never step foot in Gotham, ever again.
The invitation he was given was not to be taken lightly, only the most honourable and hard working people were allowed to be invited to the kingdom of 'Tír na nÓg'.
Damian bade goodbye to his father and got on the back of Marinette's horse.
The horse ran straight for the waves in the ocean. For a minute, Damian thought that they'd crash and closed his eyes.
When he opened them he saw that they did not, in fact, crash into the waves, but rather their horse was running on top of them, using them as stepping stones.
After hours of riding, Damian could see an island covered in beautiful landscapes and architecture. As soon as they set foot on the island, Damian felt a bliss wash over him.
Marinette took him to her father and the man was so overjoyed that he insisted on hosting the wedding as soon as possible.
Days passed and Damian and Marinette were married.
They spent every morning watching the sunrise on the beach and every evening dancing under the stars. Life was perfect.
However, three years passed in Tír na nÓg and Damian was starting to miss his home and family. He told his wife and she brought him to the stable.
The horse that originally brought him to Tír na nÓg stood in front of him. Marinette sighed, "This horse is the only one that can bring anyone to and from the island, use her to go back to Gotham. You can only stay one day and you must never touch the ground. If you do, you can't come back."
Damian nodded and agreed to her terms and bade her farewell.
He ran into the waves.
When he arrived back in Gotham, he noticed so many changes it was almost unrecognisable. He supposed three years must have been enough for change.
Damian approached an old man, "Sir, would you happen to know where Bruce Wayne is?"
The man looked at him in confusion, "I don't know a 'Bruce Wayne'."
"Surely you do! The Leader of the League."
A grin broke out on the old man's face, "The league disbanded almost 300 years ago, fool. You must be getting a good laugh out of this."
Damian was shocked, 300 years? He was only gone for three!
He rode around the town asking everyone he could see about the League. They all had the same answer.
Somehow, three years in Tír na nÓg, translates to three hundred on the mainland. Everyone he knew was dead.
He rode his horse out of the town hoping to be alone so he could think.
He passed two middle aged men carrying a boulder. They saw him and started taunting, "Why is a strong young man like you, not helping us old men! You could probably carry this boulder yourself. Get over here!"
The jeering continued and Damian's patience was wearing thin. He jumped off of his horse, intending to give the men a piece of his mind, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, he crumpled into a puddle.
His legs suddenly grew weak under him and he couldn't support his own weight.
A grey hair flew into Damian's face. His own.
Horrified, he looked into his reflection in the puddle.
His youthful glow and strength had been replaced by deep wrinkles and weakness. In the second he touched the ground, he aged 300 years.
The middle aged men, took pity on him and brought him back to town. There he met Jim Gordon, an honourable man, who'd listen to his stories while the doctor checked him out.
Unfortunately, the doctor predicted he wouldn't last a week and wasn't fit for travel.
Damian was devastated that he couldn't go back to his wife and drink from the magical water again.
He told Jim Gordon all he could about his life and the League. By the time he was finished, Damian was just on his deathbed.
"Promise me Jim, tell my stories. Tell them to children and adults alike, so they may be inspired to be as honourable and hardworking as possible, so they too can be invited to Tír na nÓg. I truly don't remember a time where I was sad there."
Jim smiled, "Of course, Damian."
"Out of everyone in Gotham, Jim, you'd be invited to Tír na nÓg. Please tell my wife that I'm sorry."
Jim nodded, flattered that the old man thought so highly of him.
Damian closed his eyes for the final time.
