The Abandoned Gotham City Church

"Behold for i am the hand of God and you blasphemers will face his wraith!" the bandaged up priest screamed as he waved the gold platted knife in the air, the bound children whimpered behind there gags, half of them still rendered unconscious via the cocktails of drugs they had been fed in preparation for there 'Holy Duty'

The Lone Priest smiled as he began to fill the golden chalice, the people of Gotham had simply lost fate, they didn't believe in god, and they must be punished, he knew the death of the first born of Gotham would show them and even earn Gotham's favor for God, the police thought him mad, but he had never been saner

"I'll give you one chance to let them go" the figure in the shadows said, his piercing red eyes the only thing the Lone Priest could see

"I...i thought you were dead!" he said throwing his dagger, the man vanished in the shadows as smoke filled the room

"you can't kill me, i am Justice" a punch sent the Lone Priest flying back, "I am the Night!" another punch sent him to the ground "I AM Batman!" the smoke faded and the priest was brought face to face with the Dark Knight, he was not as old as he thought, he had met Batman years prior, when the people of Gotham still had faith, when God had still watched over the streets of Gotham, before the heathens forced him to leave.

"please...you don't understand!" Batman's grip got tighter

"i understand perfectly" Batman said slamming him to the ground and placing the cuff on him, he looked to the children they were terrified "don't worry i'll get you home safely" he said pulling out his knife and beginning to cut the children free

"i...i promised god a sacrifice" The Lone Priest said as he reached into his robe "he'll heal Gotham, all he needs is a tribute" his shaky hands pulled the detonator out

"stop!" Batman yelled as the priest pulled the trigger

"are we live?" the dark haired reporter asked as she saw the countdown "This is Lucy Kent reporting at the scene of a horrific tragedy, as just an hour ago the deranged zealot Lucius Masters aka The Lone Priest set off a bomb that killed himself and his 20 victims" she paused for a moment "and while it's not clear yet, reports have indicated the Batman was also a victim of the explosion, now while he had broken his partnership with the GCPD years ago the city will mourn the loss of it's dark knight"

"and cut" her cameraman said lowering his camera "good riddance if ya ask me" he said returning to the van, Lucy smiled and looked at the fire being extinguished

BEEP

"hello? yes Jon...seems like it...look i know you two were...y'know but i say it's better for everyone that he stays gone, i don't think Gotham needs Batman anymore"

The Crimson Room

All Damian remembered was the burning, he shook awake to a place unfamiliar, the walls were an obsidian black and the floor was a carpet of crimson red, he found his suit gone, and only a pair of pants.

"where the hell am i?" he needed to leave, to find a way out of wherever he was trapped, he heard footsteps approaching and took his stance, there was nothing he could use as a weapon, so he would need to become the weapon.

CLICK

one of the walls glowed for a moment before fading away creating a doorway, as a large demonic figure in a suit appeared before Damian, he possessed 3 orange eyes and a sideways mouth "Good you are awake, your are expected for dinner" he snapped his clawed fingers and a suit appeared on Damian. "Right this way my lord"

Damian was confused but decided he needed more information, so he merely followed, he had his fair share of experiences with magic, he knew a few counter spells he had gotten from John Constantine, if need be he could use them to escape...if he was still in his own dimension that is

"we have arrived sir" the demon said as he brought Damian into a large dinning room, at the very end of the table was a handsome blond man in a dark suit

"ahh right on time Damian, here have a seat my boy" Damian obeyed and sat across from the man "Do you remember me Damian?"

"no, should i?" this caused the man to smirk and offer his hand to Damian

"Lucifer Morningstar, formerly retired king of hell" Damian shook his hand

"i'm dead?"

"yes i'm afraid you are, but don't worry you won't be staying here long"

"your bringing me back to life?" Damian was confused and began repeating spells in his head

"hear me out, you see in 3 months from now a very special child will be born, my child" a small image of a demonic infant appeared over the two "and because of the doing of your father and his annoying friends Armageddon was canceled, but you see i really need for it to happen."

"i don't follow?"

"i will bring you back, in return you will be protect this child from all those who would do it harm"

"wait your telling me you want me to protect the Antichrist?"

Lucifer smiled a warm but very disturbing smile "yes i do for the greater good of the entire multiverse"

"I don't understand"

"of course you don't and that's okay, all i need you to do is play protector, hell you can raise him anyway you want, wouldn't that be nice, you could make him your little Robin" this caused Lucifer to laugh then hold out his hand again "do we have a deal ?"

Damian hesitated for a moment, but perhaps he could help the boy like his father had helped him all those years ago

he took Lucifer's hand and for the first time saw the man's true visage, of a bloody and burned man with searing red eyes

"Pleasure doing business with you "

Then before Damian could react everything had gone black