"There's a limit to every power." Damian had heard those words countless times in his previous life. They were meant to serve as a limiter, a reminder that no matter how hard he tried, there was a ceiling to what hard work could achieve. But today, the true meaning of those words struck him with full force.
Power, in its purest form, was something Damian had always believed to be boundless, an unstoppable force. Yet, as he stood there, the weight of those words pressed down on him like never before. Deep down, he didn't want to accept this truth, but the nagging doubt that had been lurking in the back of his mind was now impossible to ignore.
As he looked into Alfred's eyes, he saw a condescending smile that sent a shiver down his spine. Alfred's gaze was piercing, almost as if he could see right through Damian's facade. It was in that moment, with Alfred's smirk lingering, that Damian realized he had to believe it.
"So what? Are you going to mock me now?" Damian said, his voice freezing as he threw an icy glare.
There was no need to keep up the facade anymore since he assumed they already knew about his past.
"Hahaha," Alfred burst into laughter upon hearing Damian's words and seeing the icy glare. He couldn't believe that despite everything he had told Damian, the young man still had no clue what he was getting at.
"You still don't get it, kid," Alfred started. "The reason I'm telling you this, the reason I wasted a part of my valuable time on someone like you," he continued.
"You know, you really have a foul mouth, don't you?" Damian said, his voice filled with irritation. "Sometimes you call me sir, sometimes kid, and now you indirectly call me a waste. Even when you were telling your story about Ashford, you didn't even put the word 'lord' into it. Not once!" Damian shouted. "I don't get your character at all; you're too confusing," he added.
"Well..." Alfred began, "I call him that because my relationship with Ashford is kind of special. He saved me, and I decided to serve him with my entire being. I would gladly lay down my life to save his. In public, I am to call him Lord Ashford, but in private, I have the right to call him Ashford," Alfred said with a familiar expression on his face.
"Also, I can't say I understand myself that much either. I guess it's just one of the flaws I was made with. We all have flaws one way or another, and there's nothing we can do about it. It all lies in our creator, the one who created us and gave us life. There was once a time when I felt that Ashford was a flawless soul who defied all worldly laws and desires. But I was wrong. There was one flaw that was so concealed that I didn't even notice it at first."
"What was it?" Damian asked. "What was the flaw?" he continued.
"The flaw was that he was too kind. Ashford had a kind heart that was beyond this world," Alfred concluded
"Too kind?" Damian echoed, his curiosity piqued.
"Yes, too kind," Alfred confirmed. "Ashford's kindness was his greatest strength, but also his greatest weakness. He believed in the goodness of people, sometimes to a fault. It made him vulnerable to those who would take advantage of his generosity."
"Like I said, kindness is Ashford's greatest strength and weakness. He even had the capacity to forgive his parents who neglected and abandoned him when he was young."
"I don't know if there's anyone in this world capable of such forgiveness anymore," Alfred continued, shaking his head in disbelief.
Damian's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Those same parents are now supporting the very people who are against Lord Ashford," Alfred revealed, his voice tinged with bitterness.
Damian's eyes widened. "How could they do that?"
"Remember when I told you that Ashford was discriminated against for being a commoner and for taking a position that was traditionally held by nobles?" Alfred asked.
"Yeah," Damian replied, nodding.
"Well, Lord Ashford's parents are currently part of an organization formed by nobles. Their sole purpose is to bring Ashford down and force him to step down from his title," Alfred explained, his expression darkening.
Damian was stunned. "That's unbelievable. After everything he's done, they still want to see him fall?"
"Yes," Alfred said grimly. "Their prejudice and love for money and status blind them. They see him as a threat to success, and they will stop at nothing to undermine him."
"That's where you come into play, Damian," Alfred said, his tone serious. "If they manage to take down Lord Ashford, he will need someone to take over his position as successor. And who better to fill that role than someone who knows what it feels like to be betrayed?"
""Is that supposed to be a joke?" Damian's voice trembled with fury, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Do you think this is all a game?"
He stepped closer to Alfred, his heart pounding in his chest. "Let me tell you this, Alfred. I don't care who you are or how powerful you might be. I'll say this once and only once: betrayal is not a game. It is not something one can easily get over and let go."
Damian's voice cracked with emotion as he continued, "Do you know how it feels to be betrayed by the one you love? I'm sure you don't, and that's why you will never understand what I'm going through." Tears streamed down his face, glistening in the dim light, as he clenched his fists. With a roar of anguish, he swung at Alfred's face, his fist cutting through the air with raw, unfiltered rage.
Alfred barely flinched. With a sigh, he watched the fist coming towards him. In an instant, he released his aura, and a torrent of pressure slammed Damian and his fist flat onto the floor. The impact reverberated through the room, leaving Damian gasping for breath.
"You know what, Damian? You're right," Alfred said, his voice calm but laced with an edge of menace. "I don't know how it feels to be betrayed, and I may never know. But you do. Isn't this what you wanted? To gain enough strength to have your revenge?" Alfred's lips curled into a dark, sinister smile. "Well, this is the fastest way to do it."
Damian struggled to push himself up, his body trembling under the weight of Alfred's aura. "You think this is about revenge?" he spat, his voice hoarse. "It's about justice. It's about making sure no one else has to suffer like I did."
Alfred's smile widened. "Justice, revenge... call it what you will. The path is the same. Embrace your pain, Damian. Let it fuel you. Only then will you have the power to change anything."
"After all, in this world that we live in, strength Is everything"