Chapter 2
Dick's POV
I was alone. I was standing in a spacious room. The room was almost completely empty. There were no windows or doors. An enormous fountain adorned by a giant owl stood in the center of the room. An owl?
"Welcome, Richard Grayson." Greeted an unknown voice.
My blood ran cold and I slowly turned to find an old woman leaning against a cane. She had snowy white hair, a beaklike nose, and bulging eyes. She was dressed completely in black, except for a golden pendent, encrusted with an owl, hanging loosely around her neck.
I only stared at her.
"Tsk, Tsk. We'll have to work on your manners. You've been a naughty boy ignoring us like that."
I suddenly found my voice. "Where am I? Who are you? How did you get in here? What do you want from me?"
She merely smiled and hobbled over to the fountain.
"Come." She ordered.
I walked over towards her and the fountain.
She raised her bony finger and pointed at the owl's beak. The statue's beak slowly opened. Mist flowed freely, from the beak, engulfing the entire room.
Jason? Tim? Damian? Barbara? Wally? Roy? Kori? Alfred? Clark? Helena? Many others stood before me. Why were they here? Where is here? It seemed as if everyone I ever cared about was standing in this room.
Simultaneously, a sword entered the heart of everyone I cared about. They all dropped to the floor dead. I screamed in horror at the sight of their crimson stained bodies. Their eyes were all opened staring right through me.
"Dickie, where are you? Answer me!" A panicked voice called.
Bruce. He was suddenly standing before me. He looked scared. Before I could answer him; the creature that had been haunting my dreams for seventeen years appeared.
The creature answered him, "Here I am."
No, it sounded exactly like me. That's not possible. It can't be.
The creature then drew its blade and drove it through my surrogate father's heart.
I fell to the floor shaking and sobbing. I crawled over to his lifeless form and plugged my hands into his wound, as if I could bring him back or save him. His eyes were lifeless and they were staring right through me. "Daddy?" I received no response.
I looked up at the creature. "Why?" I whispered.
He reached up and removed his mask. No, no, no!
Me. I was looking at myself? What? That's impossible. I'd never hurt Bruce. I can't be. I… I … this can't be real! Can it?
He… me… it dropped down to my level and looked me in the eye.
"He didn't need to die." He gestured towards the other bodies lying on the floor. "They didn't need to die. But they will. Only you can change their fate by accepting yours."
"What do you want from me!" I screamed.
"Richard Grayson, the court of owls has chosen you to become the next Talon." It then reached for me.
*******Break********
"Dick, wake up! Wake up! Get your ass up!"
I opened my eyes. Jason.
He was shaking my shoulder, with concern written on his face.
"You okay?"
I nodded.
His expression hardened. "Stop lying to me! You were screaming!"
I stayed silent.
He sighed. "Come on. We're here." He got out of my car.
Bruce.
