Chapter 2
The creature landed somewhere among the hills of Gotham in
the dense woodlands. The fog returned, and as it dissipated, the warrior who
called herself S`lea lay beside the injured warrior. She rolled over on her
side and slowly managed to raise herself to her knees. The masked man to whom
she had sworn allegiance was in a great deal of pain. He seemed to have
sustained no more wounds than before she had changed. She pressed her hand
gently across his eyes, but the mask he wore would not allow her to help him.
So she removed it.
"My eyes, but you are a handsome one! I do not understand
why you hide such beauty," she sighed. "I do not know why you led me here. To
be honest, I do not understand much of your world, but if this is where you
feel safe, then this is where I shall take you." He began to struggle beneath
her hand. She could sense his pain and wished she knew a way to take it from
him, but the best she could do was return him to the darkness that had hidden
him from it instead.
"Forgive me," she whispered as she lifted him in her arms
and began to carry him through the wooded growth. "We must hurry. I sense
trouble." The young woman found herself talking to the unresponsive body as she
stumbled through a wooded vale. "I sense the foolishness of coming here, my
lord, and yet as always, I continue," she mumbled as she looked again at the
unconscious man she cradled in her strong yet dainty arms. His unmasked face
was bruised and ever so slightly swollen. Still, his handsome features were
prominent.
As she came out of the woods, she found her feelings had led
her to the side of a great hill. She sat the body on the damp ground and looked
for a cavern or something to indicate why she still felt like she was to go
straight into the mountain.
"Are you some sort of wizard that you can change yourself
into a tiny creature? There is not even a rabbit hole here. It would be of
great help if you would awaken. Then, even if you could not shrink us both, you
could at least shrink yourself. You are starting to get heavy."
She suddenly felt threatened. Someone was coming. Someone
who did not want her around. She drew her sword from its shoulder harness and
held it with great ease in front her.
"I know you are there, shadow walker. Show yourself or leave
us be. I do not have time for games."
"Leave the boy and go!" a disembodied voice demanded. "And
you won't be harmed."
"I'll not leave this warrior in the company of ghosts." She
laughed. "I can assure you I will not be harmed by a shadow. He is my charge and
is under my protection. This I have sworn as a Royal Knight of Meric when he
called me through the light." She took a stance between the warrior and the one
she called shadow walker. As she did her eyes became black as coal with not a
speck of color left in the orbs. The air seemed to calm so that even the
smallest of creatures seemed to hush as the challenge was made.
She saw a little pebble fall at her feet. Did he think she
could be intimidated by throwing stones? She did not know weather to laugh or
be angered. Then it began to smolder and burn just at her feet.
"So the shadow walker is a sorcerer," she acknowledged and
with a wave a hand the pellet returned to its owner. "I too can play that
game."
This time it exploded began to billow a thick fog. She saw
the shadow jump from its hiding place. As it did, she confronted this all too
human spirit.
"As you can see, I too can play that game as well. Show
yourself, or are you a coward as well as a wizard? Face me as a warrior, or by
Gods' spit, there will be nothing left of you for the Dark One to take back to
Hell with him." She felt two other presences come up behind her as the shadow
emerged from the thicket. She stepped over the body of 'her charge.' With her
back to the proverbial wall, she waited. "You two," she acknowledged the source
of the sensations of worry coming from behind her. "I know you are there. Show
yourselves."
"I thought it was me you wanted to fight," growled the
shadow walker.
"I was not the one who cast the first stone," she returned.
"Twas you. If you insist that I fight the three of you, so be it. I doubt the
old one nor the squire will be much of challenge since they do not have the
element of surprise anymore." Suddenly, the wounded warrior began to struggle
with the pain of his injuries. She knelt to his side placing her hand over his
eyes. The man stopped struggling and returned to the peace that came with
unconsciousness.
"Enough." The eldest man emerged from the shadows
"Alfred!" shouted the squire, clad in a brightly colored
uniform, as he emerged from the bush behind the older man. The shadow walker,
too, moved towards the confusion. She waved her hand outward at the shadow, and
his attempt to use the moment of chaos as a distraction failed, for now he
found himself frozen in place.
"He could die while you two continue to fight," the older
man growled. He stepped as close to the wounded warrior as the stranger would
allow. "I only wish to help. Is that not why you brought him here?" the man
insisted.
"I only took him where he wished to go," the Knight replied,
still holding her blade between the elder and her charge.
"So he asked you to bring him here?"
"No, not in the way you speak. He was injured and has not
spoken since he asked for my help. The Castle Rangers attacked us with their
strange weapons," she informed him, "so I brought him where his heart felt
safe. I followed his true way."
Alfred just raised his eyebrows. Then bending down, he
checked Nightwing's pulse. The stranger's blade stayed just millimeters from
his throat. "He is alive," he said aloud as he stood again. "Young lady, if you
are going to use that, then be done with it. If not, sheath it. We mean you no
harm."
"I was not the . . . "
" . . . the one
who started this fight." He glared over to Batman, whose scowl only
deepened if anything. "So you have said. But you did trespass on private
property, and in doing so, you provoked the situation. The one you call 'shadow
walker' is my master, Batman. He is the knight of this realm, and the boy you
have returned is Nightwing, the master's son. If you can read hearts, then you
know my words are true. So as you see, your quest is done, and you may return
to your own realm."
Almost too quickly to believe, she returned the sword to its
harness, and her eyes began to look normal. "What you say is true." She paused.
"I have returned him to the love of his family and beg forgiveness, your
Lordship." She waved her hand outward releasing Batman from the spell. She
knelt before him. Then collapsed unconscious to the ground.
"My word," Alfred whispered as he reached to her side. "She
was wounded."
"How's Nightwing?" Bruce worried.
"He has some broken ribs and seems to have taken a severe
blow to the head. There is blood in his ears," Alfred answered, still working
on the young "Knight" who had taken Wayne Manor by siege. "And it appears
she has lost a great deal of blood. She should be alright." He quickly returned
to the immediate care of the more pressing injuries of the child he thought of
as a grandson.
"Good, they can treat her at Arkham," Batman growled.
"Robin, cuff her. I'll take Nightwing below and be back to take her in. "
Stunned, Alfred rose quickly. "I don't believe that Arkham
is necessary," he stated protectively.
"Look at her. She's running around Gotham thinking she's
some kind of knight of the realm."
"Excuse me sir, it might have been the cowl, but it sounded
to me as if you said she should be locked away because of the way she's
dressed." Both men ignored the unintended giggle that slipped from Robin.
"You know exactly what I mean," he returned. "What
exactly do you expect me to do with her?"
"I expect you to do nothing with her. I expect you to pick
up Master Richard and bring him in so I can better treat him and I expect . . .
Robin can pick her up."
"You cannot truly believe I am going to let her down there .
. . "
"After all, Alfie, for all we know, she could've been the
one who hurt Nightwing," Robin added. "She sure stopped . . . uh . . . us
in our tracks." He did not dare to look at Batman.
"If that is what
is bothering you both, then may I remind you that she not only released you
from whatever she held you by, but she also asked for your forgiveness. And if
that is not enough to sway you to do the proper thing, may I remind you that
you have allowed others below who have been less noble about their quests. Now
if you do not wish her here, then I will take her to Doctor Thompkin's clinic.
Robin, stay with her until I return with the car."
Alfred excused himself and began to walk back to the Manor.
Bruce stopped him. This next move was insane. It went against every fiber in
his being, every survival instinct he had. Yet what was he supposed to do?
Alfred would never do anything to bring harm to him, and if she was there, at
least he could keep a closer eye on her. So he agreed to take her to the Manor,
for now.
