Chapter Text
The portal was a strange experience, It felt different than when Max used it; but she had been using a miraculous longer than he ever had. The gateway opened into a spacious courtyard closed by a large wooden gate with an iron portcullis. Along the stone-brick walls were gardens filled with vegetables and herbs. A little weedy… how odd, they don't appear to require any trimming. Even the grass isn't overgrown. Despite being built centuries ago, the temple appeared to be newly built. Maybe some of the Guardians were restored with the temple. On the other wall were racks and racks of weapons of all difficulty levels. Not even rusted! At her feet, the dirt was magically stained into an intricate symbol. The Order symbol? Maybe.
Finally preceding to the main doors she had to pause, the doors were ornately carved wood inlaid with gold. The carvings depicted the story of the founding of the order. Detailing the many wars and summits necessary to protect the miraculous and the world. Taking hold of the equally intricate, brass door-rings, Marinette pulled open the doors with surprisingly little difficulty.
The doors opened to a square-shaped pathway with arch-like pillars lining the right side opening to a lawn. A pool of clear water with a blossoming cherry tree on it’s bank, despite it being fall. Does it bloom year long? In the pool was the same symbol found in the courtyard. Along the left side of the stone path were plain wooden doors with a single, unique symbol carved where there would be a peephole on more modern doors. Upon closer examination, she could read the symbols. Must be the Guardian Language. The symbols each represented a miracle box. Opening the first door, Marinette found a queen sized bed covered by luxurious bedding. Through another archway was a small area to prepare food with a cabinet containing only fifteen tiny dishes and one set of larger dishes. Passing through the final archway, she saw a miracle box set on a table with a guardian staff leaned against it.
Marinette made her way back to the pathway to look around some more. Spying a door without a marking, she decided to head that way. Through the door she beheld an oriental style dining hall with all the places set with delicate pottery. This has to seat over a hundred! At the end of the hall was a dais that sat thirteen, the middle chair being the most elaborate. Maybe for the main guardians? Were there thirteen of them?
“Tikki, who were those chairs for?” she asked.
“I don’t know, we were never allowed out of the miracle boxes.”
Moving on through an arch at the left of the dais, she came across the kitchen. There were iron kettles and fire pits large enough to cook animals the size of a horse. By the window in the sun, several flowers and herbs hung to dry. Only half of them are dry! It’s like this place was frozen in time! Picking one of three doors leads her to another hallway lined with hundreds of doors; each one an individual living space. The rooms contained a simple bed, a washbasin, and chamberpot. The lucky ones got a window.
Going back to the kitchen and exited through the only door she hadn't gone through. There were three doors, one on the left, one on the right, and one at the end of the hall. Opting for the left door, the teen found herself in a large training room. Along the walls were five of each weapon, all dull.
The door across the hall lead to a treasury. Precious metals, gems and tapestries lined the room all painstakingly organized by size, value, and intracity. Separate from the other rooms, Marinette found what she suspected to be the “Grand Guardian’s” quarters. The rooms were even more luxurious and spacious than any others she had seen, (minus the treasury). That would be her room, judging by the marking of her miracle box on the doorway. Exhausted from the day, The new guardian fell onto the bed, not even bothering to get changed or tuck herself in, and fell sound asleep.
–––––––––––––––––Damian–––––––––––––––––
Sticking to the shadows, Damian leapt through Gotham skillfully avoiding cameras and using none of his usual equipment. Relying on his techniques that he learned in the League of Assassins, the vigilante had a distinct advantage against the members of his family. True to his training, he would disappear. Mother would be proud, no… Thalia wouldn’t, he clearly wasn’t her son anymore. At least until he was useful again.
It was simple to make his way to the run-down apartment that looked like it was abandoned. Entering through the window, Damian called off the security system and turned on the lights. He would need several things. Heading to a cabinet, the heir took out several debit cards, each in a different name with a substantial fortune he deposited personally from banks around the world. His closet was filled with clothes of all kinds. Some were for Damian while others accompanied disguises of various complexity. He filled his suitcase with the disguises.
He left the safehouse the same way he came and donned a simple and elegant disguise, Fredric Destero, a twenty-year-old businessman. Frederic promptly walked to a paid car garage to collect a car attached to Fredric’s alias. Despite sitting in a garage for four years the car had a full gas tank and charged battery. It wasn’t an expensive car, it was bought for the purpose of escape. And escape he would.
It was a short drive to the train station, filled with silence. Damian could only think of two reasons to not disappear from the modern world, and one of them would be able to find him easily and know that he didn’t want to return. The other reason was his pets. He would miss them. Maybe I could find a way to come back for them., He thought about turning back however, when he caught a glimpse of Batman starting his patrol as if nothing were out of ordinary, Damian finalized his decision to leave. A ticket to New York was cheap and the train ride would be short,(only an hour or two).
Upon arriving at the New York station Damian promptly boarded the subway that headed to the airport. JFK Airport was huge and if he hadn’t been there before, the teen would have easily been lost. However, Damian –er Freidric headed to the ticket counter to purchase a plane ride to some remote area. Opting for the soonest flight, the teen would be headed to Tibet in… twenty minutes! I probably should have given myself a larger time window.
Running through the airport is a good warm-up after sitting on a train for a few hours. He just barely made his flight. Good thing I have to be quick, almost thought I Wouldn't make it. He was sitting next to an older woman. She was talkative. Tt.
“Have you ever been to Tibet, young man?” The woman said, “ It’s my first time. For a family vacation.”
“Yes, I have visited some of the ruins and sanctuaries there.” Can I have a peaceful flight? Maybe? Turns out the answer was yes and no. She stopped talking when she fell asleep; but, she fell asleep on him. All and all, it was the most uncomfortable flight he had been on, even with his brothers.
Getting off the plane was a long and tedious process, and crowded. I am never flying again. If I can help it. Now where to go. In hindsight, he should’ve had a better plan. Instead Damian decided to hike into the mountains to live off the land? That was his half made plan until he came upon a large temple with it’s gates wide open. Against his better judgement he entered.
The place didn’t look like it was abandoned but, no one was in sight! Not a noise was made that didn’t come from some animal or nature. Until there were footsteps. The ex-assassin quietly followed the footsteps to a dining hall of some sort before he could see the person. She was elegantly dressed in what appeared to be the traditional clothes for the temple and her raven hair was tied up into a bun using red ribbons. When she turned to look in his direction, she only appeared to be sixteen years old. When the girl caught sight of him, she stood alarmed.
“Who are you and how did you get in? I thought the gates were closed.” Was that French?