A little message from me here guys. I apologize for the lack of updates, but real life does make priority!

I am looking to start another fanfic area. I'm leaning towards Naruto for some odd reason, but any recommendations for you guys would be ideal. Let me know in a review or a PM! Your pick!

Enjoy as always!

- The Fallen Sun

"Beware The Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadow perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send The Talon for your head." Batman murmured to himself.

It had been a constant thought lately, and a dreading realization that the Court was real and if they were then these supposed Talons would show their face. They were the Court's personal assassins, from the documents he scrounged up they were immortal and there was always ever one Talon at a time. He knew there had to be multiple though, he wasn't foolish. He was one man and he had allies he could trust should he have to fade into the shadows again. To put it simply Black Mask couldn't be trusted. He felt sorry for Officer Williams and already he sent Nightwing to free the Officer. Dick was capable, smart, took all of his best qualities and none of the anger that turned him into the Batman to begin with.

He was about call the Batplane home when he heard a familiar chirping in his ear. A tap opened the link. "Go ahead Alfred."

"Master Bruce there seems to be several attacks going in Gotham at the same time. It seems to be gang related but a report has come in seems to be an owl-"

"Send me the closest coordinates. Now." He didn't want to snap at Alfred, but a cold knife of fear stabbed into his gut. Fear for his city, fear for his friends, fear for his Barbara.

She was busy back at the Cave helping Alfred with maintenance. During their time away when Gregory took the mantle she came up with a solution that would repress the animal genes in her. She'd be human, at least for a time. The thought made him smile, for a moment but the Gotham skyline blurring to either side of him brought his attention back to the hear and now. He hoped he wasn't too late. Criminal or not people needed to be reformed, not executed.

When he arrived the scene of the crime could be described as grizzly at best, messy at worst. Commissioner Gordon met him on the scene. He swore he could see more grey hairs in his red hair whenever they talked. He took a pull of his cigarette and blew a thin trail of smoke away from him respectfully. Bullock had a cigar in his mouth, chewing at it more then smoking it. His hand flexed and uncurled at his hat in a nervous fit while Gordon led him further into the building. It seemed to be one of the smaller branches of Gotham National but it did not take away the brutality contained within it.

The security team there was, in one word, dismembered. Parts of them were pinned to the walls and ceiling and even though some of the men there were green at the gills they still stood straighter in his presence. He still wasn't used to that effect he had but gave them curt nods. They took that as a dismissal though, leaving and his enhanced sensors caught the wet splats of them puking out of his view. He did not hold their reactions against them. If he wasn't what he was he would be doing the same thing.

"Any evidence at all? Blood from the assailant? Weapons?"

"Plenty of weapons, mostly daggers but nothing we haven't seen before. They finely sharpened, golden."

He held up a bag containing one of them and a frown tugged at Batman's lip. They were the same as the ones that Black Mask showed him.

"There's something else. We had a few officers tracking down one of our own. Williams, you know him? He went missing about twelve hours ago."

"I'll find him. No doubt Nightwing is already on his way."

The rain pelting down on him hid his movements, couple that with his skill in the old art of assassination and the knife slid into the sentry's throat easily enough. The flesh gave way under steel and the mask blocked out the worst of the scents especially the sound of the bowels. No one mentioned that in books, in movies. He could only imagine the horror that someone went through at their first kill. He lost count centuries ago. The corpse dropped and a tired sigh slipped from him.

The Court woke him from his slumber. The Gotham he knew, the Gotham he was raised in was no more. It was replaced by this noisy, metallic monstrosity that people called a city. He remembered back then when he had a farm, a couple acres of land and plenty of food for him and his family. The loss of them made him ache but it was the Court that stepped in saved the farm, sold them to good folk. He gave his oath to the Court when just turned nineteen. Now his old farm was a steel mill. The Court had to evolve to survive, he accepted that, but it didn't please him at all that they chose not to inform him. He knew loyalty but even centuries later it can be shaken.

That wasn't the point now though. He was sent to upset the balance of power and he was tasked with targeting a crime lord named Black Mask and any associates he had near by. They were all to be killed. He wiped the blood off of his knife, one of a dozen in his personal set. His modified hood shifted and whirred to night vision. The technology of today still baffled him. He preferred simple things before but now. His gaze turned to the knife in his grip, flipping it about in his knuckles. Now it was killing.

"Come on. We need to find Max, damned rain he probably wandered off."

So the sentry had a name? He peered down at Max's body, still pumping blood from the wound in his neck. The dark red was being washed away down the gutters by the rain. He heard the footsteps of thee individuals approaching and slunk back into the shadows, waiting for them.

"Max!" one called. "Max you damned idiot wh—Oh God, over here!"

He and the other two approached the body, all armed with automatic weapons. He didn't know the make and model, but he didn't care. They won't be able to fire a shot off by the time he was done with them. One of them wandered forward, hair slicked back from the rain looking more like a wet dog then a thug. He put him down like one, stabbing into his stomach from the shadows and covering his mouth as he dragged the blade along his throat, bleeding him and letting the corpse drop with a wet smack. The other two were already turning when he charged them, a knife in each hand. He leapt forward planting both of them into the top of their heads and hearing the satisfying pop as he removed them. He dug the blades into their throats, twisted, and pulled them free again. Three dead with the span of several breathes. The Court would be pleased if they could see him.

Gunshots near by caused him to turn his head, peering up at a second floor rooftop. He could see the muzzle flashes and hear the staccato of sounds following each. They were fighting someone but he couldn't see whom. It wasn't long until he clambered up and flipped onto the rooftop joining the fray. The sight there was strange to say the least. First there was an officer on the ground, holding his neck and coughing violently. Second there were three men surrounding him and the third they were all pointing their weapons at.

The masked man had a pair of Escrima sticks that seemed to be sparking with electricity near the tips of them. He wore a combination of tight blue and black spandex with light padding along it. He seemed to not have a scratch on him despite there being several unconscious men around him all with various bruises along the exposed parts of their body. He stayed silent for now, letting the two parties stare themselves down.

"Officer Williams will be coming with me I think. Just put the guns down fellas."

"Like hell Nightwing." One of them growled. "Black Mask told us to hold him until this Court business is all over then Williams is free to go."

The sticks were flipped about in his grip. "Then you're going to end up like them I think."

He heard enough to know that these five needed to die. A shame about the boy. In another time he would have made a good member of the Court. One of the knives flashed through the air, embedding itself into Williams' eye. The young officer fell over dead with a wet gurgle and his eye drifted lazily into his head. As they all looked to the sight of his body three more knives were thrown. Two of them were aimed at the thugs, and one at the vigilante. He leapt forward as he did watching one of them dive to the ground as the other two left deep gouges along their limbs making them drop their weapons. He would collect the knives later. Nightwing was quicker then he anticipated actually smacking the knife aimed at him aside. He turned to swing at him but his forearm reached up. The point touched his form and it flickered in electricity. It didn't hurt him but he saw Nightwing's reaction to his lack of feeling from it.

"Surprised?" he asked him.

Nightwing swung both sticks around as his retort. He brought up his leg to block, gritting his teeth from the impacting crunch while his left elbow swung over and down. When the vigilante stepped back and the raised foot snapped out catching him beneath the chin. He stumbled back, flipping the sticks around again.

"What are you?"

He allowed his taloned gauntlets tap along each other and the knives he threw flickered back within their grip. He strapped them all within their holsters. His claws tapped along each knife hilt again. His head cocked to one side taking in the crouched, fighting form of Batman's supposed apprentice.

"I am Talon and you are alone."

"But I can still beat you."

He bowed his head to him. He will give him credit for his courage, but nothing else. "You may try."

Nightwing leapt forward, spinning about and letting his foot lead in a falling axe kick. He veered to the side letting his elbow meet his hip and his other hand to reach up grabbing the boy by the hair. His gauntlets bit into the fabric and flesh and without a sound emitting from him slammed the boy into the ground. To his credit, Nightwing already swung a leg up to try and keep him back. Talon brought his own hand down, hammering into his gut and then striking his elbow along his face.

The hero rolled away swinging both of his sticks. He leaned back, the sparks of electricity dashing before his eyes. He leapt forward, swinging left and right with his gauntlets. Nightwing veered left and right using the sticks to bat away the attacks. When he tried to swing forward with one of the sticks he veered under holding his hand tight before jabbing beneath his armpit. Nightwing scowled and swung out with the opposite stick. He ducked slammed his foot into his knee. The vigilante stumbled and his stick swung out. He couldn't move his head in time and took the blow across his brow.

He leapt back, already feeling an angry bruise coming on. His head tilted to the side, cracking and popping his neck.

"That tickled, kid. Are you sure you're a hero?"

Nightwing scowled at him and he fought back the smirk tugging at his lip. Now that he was angry it may be easier to kill him now. Nightwing may be a hero but he'll bleed. They all do in the end, all in the name of the Court.