[Jason Todd's POV]
The sun hung low in the sky, its golden rays bleeding into the horizon as the day surrendered to the encroaching twilight. The river before me shimmered like molten bronze, its surface rippling with the occasional leap of a fish or the gentle caress of the evening breeze.
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and wildflowers, a stark contrast to the metallic tang of blood and sweat I was now accustomed to. Out here, in the middle of nowhere, the world felt both vast and suffocating—a paradox I couldn't quite reconcile.
I sat cross-legged on the riverbank, my back stiff from hours of forced meditation. Ra's al Ghul, had insisted on it. "Meditation is the foundation of control," he'd said, his voice as smooth as the river's current but with an undercurrent of steel. "Without it, you are but a leaf in the wind, tossed about by your emotions."
I hated it. Every second of it. My mind doesn't seem to be built for stillness. It felt more like a battlefield, a cacophony of anger, regret, and the ever-present itch for carnage.
But here I was, playing the obedient student, because if there was one thing I hated more than meditation, it was feeling like I had no control over myself.
Ra's had set up camp a few yards away—a modest tent that looked more like a relic from a bygone era than something fit for a man of his stature. I doubted he'd be sharing it. The old man had a flair for the dramatic, and his idea of "roughing it" probably involved silk sheets and a butler.
As the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the river, Ra's called out to me. "Jason, join me."
I stood, brushing the dirt from my pants, and made my way over. He stood at the water's edge, his silhouette framed by the dying light. In his hands, he held a dagger, its blade glinting ominously. A length of rope was tied to its handle, the other end coiled neatly in his palm.
"Let us catch ourselves some dinner before your final lesson for the day," he said, his voice calm but commanding. He tossed a handful of bait into the water, and almost immediately, the surface erupted with activity as fish swarmed the spot, their silvery bodies darting to and fro.
I raised an eyebrow. "Is it just me, or did you skip the part about eating dinner before we call it a night? Because I'm starving."
He didn't respond. Instead, he twirled the rope with practiced ease, the dagger spinning in a deadly arc. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it into the water. The blade struck true, impaling a fish mid-swim. He yanked it back, the fish flopping helplessly as he placed it on a bed of leaves behind him.
He repeated the process, catching another fish with the same effortless precision. Then, without a word, he handed the rope and dagger to me.
"Your turn," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I took the makeshift fishing tool, feeling the weight of the dagger in my hand. "Okay…" I muttered, more to myself than to him. I mimicked his movements, twirling the rope until the dagger gained momentum. My eyes locked onto a fish—a plump one, lazily drifting near the surface. It looked like it would taste amazing roasted over a fire, especially after the grueling day I'd had.
I halted the rotation and hurled the dagger, aiming for the fish's body. The blade hit the water with a splash, missing its mark entirely. The fish darted away, disappearing into the murky depths.
"Shit!" I growled, frustration bubbling up. I tried again, this time aiming for a smaller fish. Same result. The damn thing was faster than it looked.
The geezer watched silently, his expression unreadable. "There are a few more around," he said finally. "You only need to catch one."
"Just one?" I shot him an incredulous look. "Three fish won't be enough for both of us. I'm starving. Four would be ideal."
He folded his arms, his gaze steady. "We will be incorporating fasting into our training for the next few days."
"Fasting?" I echoed, my voice rising. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Fasting is a key practice," he explained, his tone infuriatingly calm. "It will help you attune to your body and mind during meditation. Now, focus. Catch a fish before we lose the light."
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to push down the irritation. I locked onto another fish, this one smaller but quicker. Ra's voice cut through my thoughts. "Anticipate its movement. Strike where it will be, not where it swims."
It was simple advice, but it clicked. I spun the rope again, the dagger whirling in a tight circle. This time, I aimed for the fish's head, calculating its trajectory. With a grunt, I let the dagger fly.
It struck true, the blade embedding itself in the fish's body. I yanked it back, a triumphant grin spreading across my face. "Yes!"
"Good," Ra's said, his approval as understated as ever. He nodded slightly, the closest I'd get to a pat on the back.
By the time I pulled the fish ashore, the sun had fully set, leaving the world bathed in the soft glow of the moon. The old man lit a campfire, the flames casting flickering shadows across his face as he prepared the fish. He skewered them on sticks and set them over the fire, the smell of the roast making my stomach growl.
When the fish were done, he handed me two, keeping only one for himself. "Here," he said. "You earned it."
I hesitated, eyeing the second fish. "Are you sure?"
"You will need your strength for tomorrow's training," he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I took the fishes, the warmth of the fire seeping into my bones as I ate. The silence between us was heavy but not uncomfortable. The old man had a way of making even the simplest moments feel like a test.
As he stood to retire to his tent, he paused, turning to me. "Yes? Ask your questions. I will answer two, so choose wisely."
I blinked, caught off guard. Damn, is he psychic too?
The first question came easily. "How long is this training going to take?"
"Until you achieve a level of self-mastery that allows you to conceal your presence from even the most alert individuals," he said, his voice as steady as the river's flow. "This training should help you gain control over your emotions and impulses."
I nodded, the answer both satisfying and daunting. The second question was more of a jab. "Why do you get a tent, and I'm stuck out here with a sleeping bag?"
He didn't miss a beat. "Because I say so."
"That's not an answer," I called after him as he disappeared into his tent.
He didn't respond.
I added more wood to the fire, the flames crackling as I settled into my sleeping bag. The exhaustion of the day weighed heavily on me, and despite the hard ground and the chill in the air, sleep came quickly.
As I drifted off, the last thing I saw was the fire's glow, a small beacon in the vast, dark wilderness. And for the first time in a while, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this would work.
- - -
The first light of dawn crept over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pale pink and gold. The forest was alive with the sounds of waking creatures—birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the distant gurgle of the river. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew and pine. Jason Todd stirred in his sleeping bag, the chill of the morning seeping into his bones.
He groaned, pulling the thin fabric tighter around himself. He didn't have a nightmare last night and was having the best sleep he has had since the past week, but the peace was short-lived.
"Jason," Ra's al Ghul's voice cut through the stillness, sharp and commanding. "Rise. The day does not wait for those who linger in comfort."
Jason cracked an eye open, squinting at the silhouette of Ra's standing over him. The man was already dressed, his robes immaculate despite the wilderness setting.
Jason muttered a curse under his breath but forced himself to sit up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "You know, most people start the day with coffee, not a wake-up call from the Demon's Head."
Ra's ignored the quip, his expression as unreadable as ever. "Today, we begin your training in earnest. Follow me."
Jason dragged himself to his feet, shivering as the cold morning air bit through his clothes. He grabbed his jacket and followed Ra's, who moved with the grace of a predator through the dense forest.
The ground was soft beneath their feet, covered in a thick layer of moss and fallen leaves. The trees towered above them, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that filtered the sunlight into dappled patterns on the forest floor.
After a short hike, they reached a clearing where a waterfall cascaded down a rocky cliff, its waters crashing into a crystal-clear pool below. The sound was deafening, a constant roar that drowned out all other noise. Mist rose from the pool, catching the sunlight and creating a shimmering veil around the waterfall. It was a scene of raw, untamed beauty, but Jason had a feeling he wasn't here to admire the view.
Ra's turned to him, his gaze piercing. "You will sit beneath the waterfall. The cold and the pressure will test your endurance, but more importantly, they will force you to focus inward. You must let go of the outside world and confront the darkness within."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "You want me to sit under that? In this weather? Are you trying to kill me?"
Ra's didn't flinch. "If I wanted you dead, Jason, you would be. This is not about comfort. It is about control. The chaos in your mind is your greatest enemy. To master it, you must first face it."
Jason hesitated, staring at the waterfall. The idea of sitting under that freezing torrent was about as appealing as a root canal, but he knew better than to argue. With a resigned sigh, he stripped off his jacket and shirt, leaving him in just his pants. The cold air bit at his skin, raising goosebumps as he stepped into the shallow stream. The water was icy, sending a shock through his system as he waded deeper.
He reached the base of the waterfall, the force of the falling water pounding against his shoulders as he tried to find a stable position. The rocks beneath his feet were slippery, and the pressure of the water threatened to knock him off balance. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to sit cross-legged beneath the cascade. The cold was unbearable, and the pressure felt like a thousand tiny needles stabbing into his skin.
"Close your eyes," Ra's instructed, his voice carrying over the roar of the waterfall. "Focus on the darkness you see within. Let go of the outside world. Listen only to the pulse of your heartbeat."
Jason clenched his jaw, trying to block out the discomfort. He shut his eyes, but all he could see was a swirling mass of anger, and pain.
The blurred memories of his past, familiar but unidentifiable, voices of a deranged clown, his death, his resurrection, flooded his mind, threatening to overwhelm him as he was almost sent into shock.
He struggled to push them aside, to focus on the pulse of his heartbeat, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave with his bare hands.
"I can't—" he started to say, but Ra's cut him off.
"You can. And you will. This is not about physical strength, Jason. It is about mental fortitude. The chaos in your mind is a reflection of your lack of control. Confront it. Master it."
Jason took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. He focused on the rhythmic pounding of his heart, using it as an anchor to ground himself. Slowly, the chaos in his mind began to recede, replaced by a sense of calm.
The cold and the pressure of the water faded into the background, becoming distant sensations rather than overwhelming forces.
As he sat there, the faint flashes of memories blurred even further, slipping away like sand through his fingers.
- - -
The training continued for three days, each one more grueling than the last. Ra's pushed Jason to his limits, forcing him to confront his weaknesses and overcome them.
They hunted for food, tracking wild animals through the dense forest and catching fish from the river. Ra's taught Jason how to move silently, to blend into his surroundings, and to strike with precision. But the most challenging part of the training was the meditation beneath the waterfall.
Each morning, Jason would sit beneath the cascade, the cold and pressure testing his endurance. At first, he struggled, his mind a whirlwind of chaos and emotion. But with each passing day, he grew stronger, more focused.
Due to this training Ra's had put him unto, the resurfacing memories of his past were chugged down to the deepest corners of his mind, replaced by a sense of calm and control. By the third day, he could sit beneath the waterfall for hours, his mind clear and his body still.
On the final day, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Ra's called an end to the training. "You have made progress," he said, his tone as neutral as ever. "But this is only the beginning. True mastery takes years, even decades. Are you prepared to continue?"
Jason nodded, his expression determined. "I'm ready." He replied, feeling like some weight has been lifted off his shoulders.
Ra's studied him for a moment, then turned and began walking back toward the camp. "Then let us return to the base. There is much work to be done."
As they made their way through the forest, Jason couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. The anger and pain that had once consumed him were still there, but they felt distant, like echoes of a past life.
He didn't realize it, but the training had done more than just teach him control—it had reshaped him, solidifying his current personality and burying the memories of his old self deep within his subconscious.
When they finally emerged from the forest and returned to the base of the League of Assassins, Jason felt a sense of accomplishment.
He had faced his demons and come out stronger. But as he looked at Ra's, he couldn't help but wonder what the future held. The path to self-mastery was long and arduous, but for the first time in a long time, Jason felt like he was on the right track.