Chapter 20: Broken

"He is infected."
"He shall learn."
"He will be punished."
"He will suffer."
"He will burn."
"He will die."

James smashed through the windows of an office building still clutching his head in pain.
"You cannot ignore me!" A voice yelled out.
The young warrior opened his eyes. His vision refocused, but standing there was Nero.
"Why hello again." He said sarcastically. "Didn't think you were rid of me that easily huh?"
"You're…dead…" James mustered weakly.
Nero chuckled. "As long as you're alive, I'm alive. Remember I was created from you; essentially, I am you."
James jumped up and slashed the dark warrior's chest, but sliced only air as his attack phased through him.
"Yeah…that's the toxin for you." Nero sat down on a desk. "Seeing things that aren't there. Kinda like how you thought you could live a happy, normal life but instead can't see the reality in front of him."

Enraged, James fired a Solarium blast that went through Nero's face.

"Still denying it?" The dark warrior chuckled. "Like it matters. The toxin is slowly driving you insane anyway. It won't be long before you're pretty much like me again. Although to be fair, you've gotten much more powerful since that day. So you'll probably become something even more terrifying. Exciting for me though! I get to see it up close!"
James gritted his teeth in pain. His head was still exploding with pain, and he could see his own veins on his wrists pressing against his skin.
"I'm impressed though." Nero muttered. "Apparently most people lose their grip on reality a lot faster."
"I gotta…find…them…"
"Oh you mean NOS?" Nero asked. "Yeah they are sort of scary huh? Blowing through the American Political red tape like it was tissue. If they weren't so 'nuts' I guess it'd be awesome. I mean a new political movement that has all that massive support? We're looking at a new era in national politics. God I wish I were a part of it you know? I would've liked to feel important and accomplished that I succeeded in making the world a better place. But fuck it. At least those crazy shitheads down in the South aren't the ones making the changes anymore."

"S-shut up…" James wheezed. "It's not like…that."

"Are you serious!? It's COMPLETELY like that!" Nero knelt down and locked eyes with his adversary. "And don't try to argue with me, you know you agree. Aren't you sick of some dumbass from another part of the country dictating shit they haven't got a clue on? That's why you came to Gotham City, to study with the intellectuals that actually know how to govern. Not like those hicks that fuck their sister and shoot any fucker that doesn't look like them."
"I-I'm NOT like that!"
"Admit it! Yes you are!" Nero yelled. "I am YOU remember? All of this is in YOUR head! You've known all this time that those powers you received were begging to be abused. You wanted to use your powers to punish the idiots in Washington. You WANTED to fly into the Senate or House building, hide in someone's shadow and change his or her votes. Imagine the possibilities! You manipulate a vote here or there, get a bill passed, modify someone's campaign money, cause a scandal, you can do ALL of that! You know you want to."
James slowly stood up. "Never."

"Oh stop trying to be the Boy Scout!" Nero shook his head. "You were NEVER the boy scout! You fought on the streets, you got into fights at school granted it mostly wasn't your doing, but you enjoyed the conflict. You loved it when you won. Despite you seemingly lacking confidence and high self-esteem before, you loved winning, AND you loved it when people listened to you like a leader. You still do."
"Enough of this shit." James coughed. "I need to—"
Suddenly, the office building shook violently, forcing him to the ground.

"James! James!" Alcor called in his head. "Are you alright?"
"Oh hello there Alcor." Nero's voice suddenly filled his head.
"W-what!? YOU!"
"ENOUGH!" James yelled out, struggling to stand. "A-Alcor what's happening…?"
"The Cloudburst has activated."

"NO!"

James as Nightshroud flew high into the city and saw it. The brown toxin that he breathed in had now spread across the city. All the stores and attractions at street level had completely disappeared under the thick cloud of toxin.
"Holy fuck that is big."
"Get out of James's head!" Alcor demanded.
"Not happening buddy. It's cozy in here."
"Will you both cut it out!?" James cut in, frustrated. "I need to plan out my next move."

"James…"

Suddenly, Pamela Isley's voice flooded the COM link.
"PAM!" James yelled out. "What are you doing? You should be out of the city!"
"Max…has been captured."
Gasping, James was speechless.
"H-how!?" He exclaimed. "I thought he was back at Wayne Manor!"
"I received word from Batman that it might've been Cadmus." She said weakly. "NOS has found him James."
"No…NO!"
"I'm going…to go rescue him…"
"Pam no!" James cried out. "You're still weak from giving birth! You need to take care of Jaime!"
"George and Georgina are here with me." Pam continued. "They're going to watch over her for now."
"W-what!? They're with you!?"
"Don't worry James." She said. "I'll save Max, and the city."
"Wait Pam just listen to me-!"

The line went dead. Swearing, he tracked the signal to the main Gotham shopping area. Flying there as fast as he can, he felt confusion.
"I just saw Max!" James exclaimed. "How could NOS have captured him!? He was in our base!"
"Maybe they sent him to you to get infected."
"Or Max just felt like a visit. You never know."
"Will you shut up!?" Alcor asked. "You aren't real!"
"You seem to be talking to me like I am." Nero quipped. "Besides, both of you and I are both suspicious right? Maybe Max is evil."
"Bullshit." Alcor spat. "Max was created to defeat James as Nightshroud but he found his own way. It's not like they'd want him to escape the lab and find his way to him without precautions."
"Kids these days you know?" Nero joked. "No respect for their peers."
Rolling his eyes, James continued to fly until he saw the shopping area completely covered in toxin. But positioned just over the cloud of toxin on Wayne tower was Max all tied up.

"MAX!" James as Nightshroud quickly flew towards him, only for a laser blast to fly past him.
He looked. Hundreds of drones had locked onto him and he was now frozen.
"Shit…"
He then saw something moving underneath the toxic cloud. The street suddenly burst open and a large tree started to push up through the gravel and over the toxic cloud. He watched it rise high above him as it knocked over some of the drones on the ground. The branches stretched through multiple buildings as windows were shattered to accommodate the massive plant. Soon it had stopped growing, and James marveled at its size.

"That's gotta be the biggest tree I've ever seen…"

Just then the Batmobile crashed through a building behind him and settled on top of the roof. The militia tanks opened fire, but they were blocked by the toxin cloud and could not see him.
James took that momentary pause to fly at full speed behind the Batmobile. He saw the cockpit open and Batman with Pam emerged.
"Pam what are you doing!?" James took her hands.
"I'm fine James." She nodded, hugging him. "I stopped by my greenhouse and cured myself of my morning sickness. I'm back to full strength now."
"That's good, but where did you find that tree!?" James looked over the square.
"It's an ancient tree that's existed before the city was built." Batman answered. "There's no time to explain. You know what to do."

Pam nodded and the ancient tree stretched out its roots over the building, creating a bridge to cross. She slowly started to walk across when James grabbed her arm.
"Pam what are you planning to do!?"
"I'm going to release the pollen inside this tree and remove the toxin." She said. "Don't worry I'll be fine."
"I call bullshit!"
"Shut up!"
"Wish me luck." Pam kissed James before traversing into the tree.
"Batman! She'll be fine right?" He turned to him.
The Dark Knight looked at him and did not answer.
Horror took over his features. "No…NO PAM WAIT!"
Too late, the tree trunk had closed behind her.

"Told ya."
"I said shut up!"

Pamela Isley stood inside Aiyana, the name of the ancient tree. She pressed her hands against the vines and they penetrated her skin. She groaned in pain but shook it off as the tree burst to life. Pam yelled out in pain as she forcefully injected more power into the roots as the toxin began to invade her body.
She could see memories of Dr. Woodrue and his mistreatment of her, the first time she fought Batman, to being tortured by Hugo Strange…
"NO!" Pam yelled out. "That isn't my life anymore!
Suddenly images of James started to flood her mind. She yelled out in pain but kept the images coming. She remembered the first time they met fighting Batgirl, the night they spend in Arkham Asylum, their fight against Nero, their first real night together after defeating him, to fighting together on the streets of Gotham, to raising Max and finally giving birth to Jaime.

"I love you…James Davis."
James opened his eyes. He clenched his fists in fear.
"Pam…I hear you…I hear you!"
"Take care of Jaime and Max for me. And tell Abigail I'm sorry for hurting her."
"No Pam! Please don't go!"
"Goodbye…"

Just then the ancient tree released a powerful shockwave of pollen. Looking around, he could see the toxin dissipating around the city as small bright balls of pollen floated around him and every other object in the city. Soon he could see the ground as the toxin became clearer. Breathing in, he could feel his headache dulling before finally stopping.
The tree then opened up and Pam stood there, skin blackened by the toxin and the power she forcibly drew on. James flew at full speed and caught her before she fell.
He looked around and saw the toxin dissolving from the streets. White flakes floated around him as tears formed in his eyes.
"Nature…always…wins." Pam smiled at him one last time.
"No…" James saw her body began to break up into pollen pieces. Soon her body had disappeared entirely, leaving nothing but his hands.

He fell to his knees. "S-she's gone…for good…"
The young warrior's eyes spilled hot tears into the roots of Aiyana.
"Pamela Lillian Isley. A woman like no other."
He slowly looked across the street to the building where Batman stood. He stayed there and stared at him, and then jumped into his Batmobile and drove off. A flurry of emotions flooded his body.

"Damn man that's harsh." Nero spoke. "The guy mentors you and then sends your precious one to die that's—"
"Shut the fuck up." James growled.
"Hey I won't be here for much longer." Nero muttered. "The toxin is being removed from your body thanks to your girlfriend. So be happy."
James looked down at the street, where the militia tanks had disappeared. He then looked up at Max, who was unmoving in the ropes.
He slowly stretched his hand out, and yanked backwards. Max flew out of the ropes right at him.

"She never knew…" Alcor said sadly. "I realize what he is now…"
"As do I…"

Just as Max was about to land in front of him, James fired a Solarium blast into the child's chest and sent him flying into the wall. The child cried out in pain and slid to the floor.
James as Nightshroud slammed to the ground in front of him.
"You…lied to me." He gritted his teeth, eyes turning red. "You aren't a child. You aren't innocent. You CAN talk. You're the one who caused all of this. ISN'T IT!?"
He shouted the last part at the boy. Max shook in fear for a few moments, and then stood up.
"All this time you've been spying on us." James growled. "How convenient is it that the boy who escaped from Cadmus could not speak? An experiment to create a super soldier from scratch for war? Please. That's far too obvious to go unnoticed by the League or anyone else for that matter. They may not trust the Justice League, but I do know that they have conducted experiments from living samples first before starting anew. Also, while it's true they have done plenty of experiments, injecting the blood of Nora Fries AND Harley Quinn into this boy? It made no sense! Their blood is different! If you were to mix two blood types like that they would reject each other and the person would die! So why then? Was it a trap to lure me in for my curiosity? Or something else?

"Well done James Davis." Max spoke.

Just then Max slammed the wall with his hands and James flew back, crashing into the wall opposite him.
"So you figured it out." The child walked towards him slowly. "What gave it awa—?"
Suddenly a red Solarium blast struck Max in the chest. Sending him flying back into the wall.
"You didn't escape Cadmus all those months ago." James stood up. "NOS let you leave. Project Cadmus had no idea of what they were doing, so they panicked. But it explains why Cadmus never came after me. They never tried to get him back, and Lex Luthor does not count."
Max groaned and slowly stood up. He had transformed. The child was no longer little; he had changed into an older man.
"So you suspected from back then." Max said. "Congrats. Too bad Pamela Isley didn't know."

As he was talking, a fist slammed hard into his face breaking his cheekbone and knocking him down.

Just then, hundreds of militia tanks surrounded him.
"That won't work anymore…"
James unleashed a fury of shockwaves that leveled every building nearby. All the militia tanks were swept up by the shockwave and blown up.
He then grabbed Max from under the wreckage and pinned him to the wall.
"What…is…your…real…name!?" James demanded.
"Ma—"
James's right hand suddenly tore through Max's spleen, emitting a scream of pain from the older man.
"A NAME!"
"Kevin...Johnson...Astaroth..."
"Johnson!?" Alcor exclaimed. "Howard Johnson's son!?"

"Astaroth?" James asked. "This is bad. I'm sensing insane amounts of energy from him. He's a powerful metahuman AND he's playing with me. He knows he's more powerful than me and yet he's acting weak."

James slowly released him. He started to shuffle backwards as a psychotic grin came to Astaroth's face.
"Do you see it now?" He spoke as a red mist began to envelop him. "You cannot do anything. You think we control just the U.S.? WRONG! We control the world! And it's all thanks to my father and me! They love him like a God, and I can influence them all. That is my power. The power of control!"
Soon the mist had vanished, and standing in front of him was a black and red suited man whose eyes were black and pupils red. His face was covered in sacrilegious symbols with fangs for teeth.
"I thought so." James spoke. "Then I should end this now!"
He suddenly flew forward at full speed and phased into the Demon's shadow.
"W-what are you doing!?" He yelled.
"ARRGHH! AH!"
James was then knocked out of the shadow and sprawled on the ground.
Red Demon burst out laughing. "Ha! You need to do better than that!"
"The main head honchos of NOS…" He muttered. "The President, the Vice-President, and the Majority leaders all elected this term…"
"Ah so are smarter than you look. Congrats!" Red Demon chuckled. "But it doesn't matter now. The new term begins January 1, 2017!"

James took off as fast as he could into the air towards city hall as he heard Kevin Johnson's psychotic laughs behind him.
"I'm sorry Alcor. You know what my plan is now."
"Do what you need to do." Alcor answered.
"James!" Abigail radioed in. "Are you alright!?"
"Abby!" James answered. "Where have you and Joe been?"
"It's Max!" Joe cut in. "He subdued us with some kind of lightening! James, Max is—"
"I know." James said. "Max is actually Kevin Johnson, the President's son."
He relayed everything he learned including the truth about Max, Pam's death, and his plan.

"James…" Abby said. "Are…you sure?"
"Yes." He nodded. "The toxin is out of my body, so I am thinking clearly. But I have to do this."
He heard both of them gulp.
"Do it." They said.
He could see City Hall in the distance loom large over him.

"Both the new Executive and Legislative Branches are on the top floor." Alcor reported. "All 502 accounted for. No innocents."
"Good."

"The Son will end it."
"The New World Order has come."
"The Batman will fall."
"The warrior will follow."
"The world is ours."
"We will bring—"

Suddenly, the 66th floor windows crashed open. The NOS members looked and saw Nightshroud standing there. They could see his suit was ripped and torn in many places. Bloodstains were all over him.

"It is him!"
"He must be stopped!"
Gritting his teeth, Nightshroud raised his arms and red barriers closed off the windows and the doors, locking them inside.
"Hello Mr. President." He spoke, looking up at the man behind podium in front of the room.
Howard Johnson stood staring him down.
"Well, well, well." He replied. "You finally figured it out. A token of congratulations should be in—"
Just then a fist slammed into his face, knocking him into the back wall.

All the NOS members quickly converged on him. Bullets whizzed through the air as Nightshroud punched and kicked everyone he saw.

"YOU DESTROYED MY FAMILY!"

He fired a red beam into a crowd of NOS members, blasting them into the walls.

"YOU TOOK MY SISTER!"

He slammed down on the ground with his fist, rattling the room and blowing up the large screen TV.

"YOU HURT MY FRIENDS!"

Nightshroud grabbed the large conference table and hurled it at the President, who jumped away. The table slammed into another group of NOS members and killed them instantly.

"YOU KILLED PAM!"

He blasted the lights, setting the room on fire.

"This is incorrect!"
"He lives!"
"He cannot be stopped!"

"YOU RUINED MY LIFE!"

Nightshroud, bloody and battered raised his hands into the air and released a powerful shockwave of red Solarium. The room exploded, but with the Solarium holding everything together, the energy released from the explosion doubled back and wiped out the remaining NOS members that were still alive.
City hall continued to burn when he finally stopped. Hearing shuffling behind him, he turned to see the President still standing, but battered.

He paused for a moment before locking eyes with him. The new leader of the free world surveyed the college kid in front of him.
Blood was dripping down his hands and onto his knees, which also had deep wounds in them. His chest area had a large gash in the middle, and his face was battered and bruised with blood dripping from his mouth and off of his fangs. He looked like Dracula after a large feeding.
"I never thought you had it in you." Johnson said without emotion, standing up and walking to the podium.
"Why not? You did ruin my life." Nightshroud responded.

"True enough." President Johnson stepped away from the podium and walked in front of him.

"So what do you want? Money? Power? Sex? I can give you all of that and more." He spoke, stepping over the blood of his NOS brethren.
Just then the Solarium barriers went down.
"Ah so now we're getting somewhere AH!"
Nightshroud grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up. He turned and walked toward the windows.
"I only want one thing." He whispered. Then he chuckled.
Suddenly, Hanna as Lana burst into the office. Looking at the scene in front of her, she stared down into the eyes of her little brother.
"Stop this now." Lana demanded.
"That's ironic coming from you." Nightshroud shot back.
"Please…let me do it. I can't let you-"
"ENOUGH!" Nightshroud shouted. "Stop protecting me! This man ruined my life. He knew all about me and destroyed it. Mom and Dad will stop protecting me and so will you!"

"Do you want this man's life on your conscience James?"

He stopped and stared deep into President Johnson's eyes. The fearful man stared back, but he suddenly saw a glint flash across his eyes for just a moment. He then knew what he had to do.

"Yes."

Suddenly, the roof of the council room exploded upwards. Hanna looked around surprised as James blasted Hanna in the face with Solarium, knocking her out.

"This is Vicki Vale reporting live from City Hall!" The blond haired journalist spoke. "We've just received word that President-elect Howard Johnson is being threatened by an unknown assailant. According to our sources, the assailant had broken into the 66th floor building—Oh my god!"
Johnson supporters spilled out onto the street. Some of them screamed while others pointed at what they were witnessing.
Nightshroud stood at the edge of the large opening to where he had blasted to the outside.
He held the President-elect over the gap and in view of the screaming supporters.
Finally, he opened his mouth and spoke:

"Nightshroud no more."

He raised his right hand and plunged it through the President's heart. People screamed in terror as Howard Johnson sputtered out blood and finally hung lifeless in his hands.
James Davis held the President's body and let go. The body fell 66 stories and slammed into the ground, spewing blood everywhere.
James then picked up the unconscious Lana and flew off to a nearby building where he settled her hidden in the shadows. He then turned and watched City Hall get engulfed by the flames.
"I'm done being the hero." James thought. "I'm done with these people. I'm done with trying to save them. It's over."

Adam and Linda Davis watched the events unfolding with equal horror.

"No James…stop…" He pleaded in his mind.
"My little boy…" Linda thought sadly as a tear ran down her face.
Just then, a note slid under the door. Adam quickly ran over to it and opened the letter.

"Dear Mom and Dad,"

"I'm sorry that you had to see what had transpired at city hall. But I had no choice. This organization has been ruining our lives for many years and I could not stand by and watch them destroy our family. I didn't want anyone else I loved to be hurt not while I have the power to save them. I don't expect you to look at me the same way ever again, but I was expecting that; but there is one thing that I never told you. For the past two years I have been seeing someone; she is or rather was the most special person in my life for a long time. You may have guessed it by now but her name is Pamela Isley, I hid our relationship from you because I did not think you would approve. But after all I've learned about you two and about my long lost sister, I realized that you probably wouldn't of minded as much as I thought. I don't know if this will be the last time that we are in contact with each other, but I do know or least I think I know that it'll be a long time before I'll be able to face you too again. I could not just let Hanna keep killing to protect me. It was the wrong way to do things and I am still furious that you planned things out this way. Although to be fair you're probably angrier with me then I am with you. And that's OK, because you have every right to be angry with me. Hopefully when you read this, NOS will be dead and gone. But I took all of the necessary precautions, and I will abandon my Nightshroud persona forever. I don't know what is going to happen next, but I do know that I've caused a lot of damage and will need to lay low for a while. I hope you understand, because right now I can barely think of a worse time like now. Goodbye."

-James Davis

P.S. once you read this letter destroy it. If anyone were to find this letter it would spell the end for all of us.

Adam and Linda Davis looked at each other, and then threw the letter into the fireplace. They watched silently as the letter curled up in the flames and turned to ash.

James Davis as Nightshroud looked up at the full moon for a few moments, and then spoke.

"Alcor, put the team on the line, we're leaving."

To be continued…

And that's that! Legacy of The Dark Knight: Arkham Chronicles is finished! Well to start off, this isn't where the story ends. There is one final story left to tell! Obviously there are several loose ends left to tie up, but there are still mysteries surrounding these characters as well as Batman. I have been focusing on this OC character and his friends for sometime. But the final story is going to shift focus to Batman and the Justice League from here on out. James Davis will still be a prominent player in this series, but I believe I've spent enough time with him as it is and have left other characters by the wayside. Regardless, this is a Batman story, and Batman will become the focal point of this whole series. You may not realize it yet, but all of the events that have transpired among these three stories revolve around the Dark Knight in some manner. Anyway I've spoken enough as it is. Coming up next: Legacy of the Dark Knight: Public Enemy

Stay tuned!