The last thing Tabitha remembered was a knife to her back and the feeling of betrayal as Barbara tried to cross Penguin. Then she was in the icy water and sinking after that all there was for her was darkness.
Tabitha thought about all the pain in her life her brother and how he influenced her. Her brother made her the person she was and lead her down this path. She gave her heart to Barbara and Barbara broke it more than once. In the icy water Tabitha shed tears she'd never show anyone. Then there was darkness.
Deep Beneath Gotham (Present Day)…
There were many gathered in the sewers all of them dressed in military gear. The cultists gathered in an underground theater that was once buried in an Earth Quake. The cultists all had a green emblem of a strange S it was known as the mark of Skath. The emblem was on the left sleeve of their military uniforms.
It was after a long wait a man called Brother Blood walked on stage he dressed in a suit and wore a demon like mask over his face. He spoke to his followers revealing a distorted voice "My brothers, and sisters. My friends." Brother Blood greeted them with his arms outstretched in a welcoming voice "For too long we have been slaves to the antics of mad men and criminal scum like the Penguin and misandrists like Barbara Kean for too long we have languished in the dark!" He slammed his fist on the podium. "How many of you before joining this church, before joining our family found themselves victims of this city? How many mothers and fathers buried their children when it should have been the other way around? How many couples lost their future together?" His tone became unusually quiet and he stopped as if thinking about some dear to him "I know what it is to lose what matters most like all of you I have suffered and lost. I have grieved. Now I seek to unleash retribution upon the corrupt I seek to bring justice!" He shouted "We will all have justice. Courts will be convened. The criminals and corrupt alike will be face judgement for their many sins. The repentant will survive as they are rehabilitated and the unrepentant will be put to death. Above all else this great city it will be reborn. Gotham will be saved. Whose city is this?"
The crowd of soldiers raised their fists shouting "Ours!"
"Whose?"
"Ours!" The crowd shouted.
"Tonight, we take back our city! Tonight, we will have blood for blood! Tonight, in Trigon's name we will pass judgement!"
Sirens' Territory…
Barbara sat at the bar racked with guilt she had lost Tabitha at the hands of Penguin months ago. Tabitha was captured and used as a bargaining chip Barbara was told to surrender her territory in exchange for Tabitha's life. Barbara refused and tried to cross Penguin. Oswald responded by stabbing Tabitha in the back and throwing her in the water.
Tabitha's body was never found. Barbara was not optimistic on her chances though. She thought about her choices how selfish she had been throughout her life. Barbara lost Jim and once again Tabitha. She knew she had no one to blame but herself and now with Gotham fully returned to a civilized state she knew it was only a matter of time before the sharks came circling.
She finished sipping her drink when the cultists burst in like a swat team they swarmed in from multiple vantage points "I don't know who you are, but I could have saved you the trouble." She spoke casually "I even gave my girls the night off just kill me and get it over with already-" Barbara was then hit by one of the occultists.
"You'll get your chance to speak Ms. Kean. The Church of Blood has judged you and found you guilty of sin." The squad leader announced as his fellow cultists picked her up and carried her out.
Iceberg Lounge (same time)…
Oswald felt the hard fist hit his face "Is all this really necessary? I just opened my new clu-" He took another hit to his face.
"You will get your chance to speak!" The Squad leader yelled "Your crimes have gone on for far too long now we the people are bringing to before a higher power. Brother Blood will decide if you are worthy of life."
Wayne Manor (same time)…
Alfred had just gotten done cleaning up Wayne Manor the place was a mess due to it being unused. Bruce and he had been active solely in the city because of that the manor collected dust.
Bruce was out driving with Ms. Kyle. He was making sure Selina was coping with Tabitha's passing. Alfred had just finished the dishes when he heard the door bell ring. "I wonder who that could be." He muttered to himself walking out of the kitchen and to the front door.
He opened the door and was hit in the face "Alfred Pennyworth." The Squad Leader said as two men grabbed him "You have been judged and found guilty."
"Guilty of what?"
"Murder."
Road to Wayne Manor (same time)…
Bruce was driving with Selina after the city fully returned to normal Bruce received word of Tabitha's reported death "Are you okay Selina?"
After a long and eerie silence Selina answered, "Never should have trusted her."
"Who?"
"Barbara. She was supposed to give Oswald her territory in exchange for Tabitha's life. She tried to cross him and ambush Penguin. Penguin stabbed Tabitha and she went into the water. They never found Tabitha's body. I know Penguin can't be trusted but I partly blame Barbara to. I never should have let Tabitha get so obsessed with revenge. I never should have gotten involved with Barbara either." Selina kept staring out Bruce's car window "Now the city is almost back to normal we're what going to start this craziness again? I'm tired of it Bruce. Tabitha's dead and is never coming back."
Two Months Ago…
Tabitha slowly opened her eyes at the sound of a distorted voice her heart was still broken with the knowledge of how sad and lonely her life was "You poor thing. Such a strong and indominable will yet everyone takes you for granted don't they? No matter how much you give and give the undeserving continue to abandon you. Don't they?"
"Yes." Tabitha answered shedding tears she didn't care anymore about hiding her emotions or vulnerability she'd lost everything and was to broken to care "Everyone I give my heart to breaks it and I don't know why. My brother, Barbara, only Butch truly cared about me and he's dead because of what I did. Why did my life turn out like this? I didn't ask to be this way."
"I understand your pain Tabitha. I know the pain of being forsaken very well." Brother Blood leaned in close as the crying Tabitha lay on the stone slab "There is a place for you my dear. There is a family that you can be a part of. The Church of Blood will welcome you and care for you. We will love you and there is more so much more." Brother Blood crept closer leaning in his masked face whispering in her ear "You are destined to be the bride of Brother Blood. You will be by my side as a new era is etched in history. Millions will worship your memory as the stuff of theology. The Church of Blood will place you on the level of saint hood. Our children will be like royalty and our enemies will be cast into the wind forgotten by history. You never have to be alone again with me at your side."