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Danny Fenton, Phantom, Danyal Al Ghul, Cursed Al Ghul Heir, Crowned High Prince, Ghost King, Boy King, The Balance.
So many titles, so little meaning, yet so many consequences.
Danyal will endor, he always has.
Danyal has always excelled under pressure, whether it was the weight of his grandfather's expectations or the burden of his own choices. From an early age, he understood, twins were never truly desired. Danyal was attuned to the whispers that surrounded them: that one twin was destined to perish, that one would be deemed lesser, that one would carry a curse. Danyal was acutely aware that they were being tested, that their lessons were being monitored, that only the strongest would survive. And so, Danyal made his choice. He failed the test. Not out of weakness, but out of love. He loved his brother more than he could ever comprehend, and that love meant his brother needed to survive. Their mother, he believed, would protect his brother from here on.
Danyal was dispatched on what he knew would be his final mission. He was aware that those accompanying him had orders to kill him. He understood that his grandfather had betrayed him, forsaking the so-called "cursed" heir. Yet, Danyal resolved not to meet his end without a fight. It was his right as an Al Ghul to resist, to defy his fate with every ounce of strength he possessed. The assassins sent to eliminate him would not return and neither would he. As he prepared for what lay ahead, Danyal clung to one final hope: that his brother would not hate him for abandoning him. He prayed that Damian would understand. However Danyal knew he wouldn't, not if their grandfather could help it.
Danny was to be adopted by the Fentons, who, under the misguided belief that he was possessed by a ghost, sought to "help" him. Ironically, this worked to his advantage, as Danny learned to adapt and perform from them—more so from their daughter. It was a pleasant arrangement, a family without the weight of expectations. He often wondered if Damian would ever experience such a life.
Of course, this was until his death. Death was no stranger to Danyal; he had died many times before. Yet, this time, he did not anticipate returning. Fate, however, proved cruel. Instead of the liberation of death, Danyal was burdened with further chains. He became a hero, then a king. Perhaps he was the cursed twin after all. Danyal could only hope that Damian, at the very least, had found freedom.
