After a long walk around the dark back streets of Gotham, the trio approached a tall, Gothic building. A brass plaque on the entrance gate read "Church of Blood".
"Yep. Eddie was right. We are totally dying in this cutty-ass demon church." Gar remarked, taking note of the name. "Hay. Out of curiosity, how fast can you run?"
Vic looked at him. "Faster than you on those scrawny legs."
"Fair. But I feel I must warn you, I can turn into a cheetah."
"Why do you wonna know?"
They stood back and watched Dick walk round the perimeter. Behind the short stone wall that surrounded the church was a taller wooden fence, designed to (hopefully) keep people out. Like everything else in Gotham, it had been generously decorated with scrawled words. Gar looked from the keep out sign to Vic.
"If the movies have told me anything, it's that exploring haunted buildings normally includes running from something..."
Dick came back into view from round the other side. "There's no way in." He told them, crossing his arms.
"So,what do we do? Want me knock a panel down?" Vic asked.
"That wont be necessary."
As Gar smiled, fully aware of what was about to happen, Vic stood in bewilderment. With a running jump, Dick effortlessly hopped onto the wall and bolted the wooden fence.
"I mean. That's cool, and all, but how do we get over?"
Gar smiled, a street light catching his eyes and causing them to shine in a mix of blue and green. It caught Vic off guard, but he quickly remembered that the kid was Beast Boy.
"You're gonna jump it too, aren't you?"
"Oh, yeah."
He was just as experienced and quick at getting over the fence as Dick was. There was a thud as he landed on the other side, accompanied by a "I'm O.K!"
That left Vic. His bulky body was not built for agile movement, and there was no way the fence could support his weight. That left him with one option.
Casually, he walked over the lychgate. The chip board panel that was behind it had less support then the others, so his logic was that it would be the easiest to remove. Sure enough, there were only a dozen or so screwed keeping it in place.
"Hay, green bean. I don't suppose you keep a screw driver in that coat of yours?"
"You know it, chrome dome."
A green hand appeared though the gap between the board and the wall holding multi-bit stubby screwdriver. Vic took it and tried to undo the first screw. It was no use; The small tool didn't have enough strength. As he stared at the barrier, the computer like voice in his spoke again.
Function requirement, pozidriv screwdriver drill.
It caught him off guard, but not as much as what was happening to his hand. The glove struggled to contain the transformation, and when Vic managed to remove it, he saw exactly the tool he need where his hand had once been. A pozidriv screwdriver drill.
Before he could think enough to freak himself out, he got to work on the fence. A dozen zips later and it was cleanly removed. He pocketed the screws, ducked under the support beam, and strode into the cemetery. Dick had already somehow opened the front door of the ornate church, but both he and Gar were waiting before they entered.
Under the full crow moon the three boys entered the Church of Blood.
Craig was up front in the head space, with Gar now restlessly waiting to one side. All too familiar smells were coming from the abandoned church. If things took a turn for the worse, they were ready to morph.
"What is it, Gar?"
"Oh, um. Well, this place smells like blood... Like... not just from one person... it's coming from there..."
He looked at the carved stone baptist font that stood at waist height on a plinth. Four gargoyles stuck out of it, their mouths aimed at the moat around its base. An intricate channel led from the moat, down the centre of the nave to the apse, and ended at another moat containing a pentagram.
The stain glass windows, although hard to make out, seemed to predominately depict hellish landscapes and demonic figures, as did the carvings.
Cutty-ass demon church doesn't even come close to describing this place Garfield thought.
"O.K, so now what?" Vic asked, panic in his voice.
They wandered further into the church, past the seats and up to the alter.
Dick was using his phone for light and Vic's hand was now a torch. Thanks to his animal abilities, Gar could see everything just fine with the moon light that was shining in through the vast windows.
He heard Dick muttering something, but when he turned round he found himself trapped. The font bubbled, red liquid coming out of its gargoyle mouths, working its way towards him at the alter. Beneath his feat the pentagram started glowing.
"Hay, Guys?! Help!" Gar called.
Over in the transept Dick was stood stiff, talking to the air, and Cyborg wasn't moving.
They were alone and acted on instinct, taking off their jacket and readying themselves for battle.
In the head space Craig pushed Gar off the stage into the darkness.
I don't want you to have to experience this!
Craig had control and started to morph. Uttering "Good bye, pants." as he grew and changed into a polar bear. Quick transformations were exhausting and painful, but this was no time for hesitation. Finally, the blood reached him, circling his invisible prison. His breath showed as he let out a slow exhale, his fur stood on end. It was like the freezing energy of a stormy night had encased him, and he was stood waiting for a flash of lighting and the clap of thunder.
It came.
Blinding illumination accompanied by a defining silences filled the Church of Blood. Disorientated, he roared, but it was absorbed into the nothingness. His pulse was beating in his ears and his eyes strained to see. All around was the scent of blood... until something else started mixing in with it. A sickeningly sweet smell he couldn't identify. He breathed it in, relishing its familiarity as it grew stronger. Why wasn't he scared any more? How was the seething pain receding? Everything bad melted away from his body and mind as he found himself morphing back into a human. Gradually, the light dimmed. Through it he saw a silhouette emerging in front of him.
Quietly, it spoke.
"...Hello..."
FINALLY!
