Damian: Shadow of the Bat #6

A Date with Destiny Part II

My eyes are open once and he is still standing over me.

"So it looks like you survived that round Dark Knight, care for round two?"

He's mocking me, I'm going to enjoy the moment I end his life.

"Just so you know, I am going to kill you. I'm going to break your face but not before I make you scream for your mother"

Dr. Destiny doesn't reply, he once again places the lab bottle to Batman's nose. The fumes travel up his nose and once more causing him to black out again.

My eyes open and I find myself on the deserted streets of Gotham. The buildings around me are burning and falling down by their foundations. I continue to walk down the centre of the road as rubble falls all around me and lava bubbles from cracks on the floor.

"Showtime is upon us!"

That damned voice again. I am going to rip that bastard's throat out. I look up at a huge burning banner that hangs from two buildings across the street. It reads 'Halys Circus! One Night Only!' No, don't do this to me. Not him.

"Time to reunite will an old pal"

Will he ever shut up! I continue to walk and I am greeted by a larger circus tent. Dead, skinned alive bodies hang from the outside. I slowly make my way down the path and into the tent. The place is completely empty apart from a single gravestone at the centre. I walk over to it and read the stone inscription. Here lies Richard John Grayson, A loyal soldier and a great man. R.I.P 'Dick' I gasp and take two steps backwards. Don't make me do this. Suddenly a shovel appears in my hand.

"Dig"

YOU BASTARD! I scream, the sound echoes around the empty circus tent. I plunge the shovel head into the dirt and begin to dig. I'm going to torture this sick bastard for making me do this! I keep digging as the rage inside my heart grows. After what seems like an eternity my shovel head clangs against a hard surface. I continue to shovel until I completely uncover the surface of a wooden coffin. The lid of the casket slowly opens up and inside I see the skeleton remains inside of my old friend inside his Batman suit.

"Shocking isn't it"

"SHUT UP!" I howl at the top of my lungs.

"Let's breathe some life into him shall we"

Blood began to seep out of the bones and puddle all around it, then pieces of pink flesh began to grow from the skeletal remains. Soon muscle began to grow, then eyes, then brains, then intestines, then skin. Until the body appeared to be human again, with a sickening crackling noise the jaw opened and the body began to speak.

"HeLLo DaMIan"

"Don't" I answer him

"YoU LeT ThEm MuRDeR Me!"

"No! That's not true! And you know it's not!"

"DoN'T LiE BoY!"

"Shut up!"

Suddenly Dick's hand rises up clasping Damian's ankle in a vice like grip. Damian swung his gauntlet down across Dick's wrist, slicing his hand off in one swift move. Maggots poured from Dick's mouth as he screamed. Damian turns and sprints away but is soon stopped by a searing pain in his left thigh. The Dark Knight turns his head and to see Dick's own gauntlet lodged into his upper leg.

Damian swivels his body around and lands a solid boot onto Dick's jaw, cracking it instantly. Damian notices that Dick is stunned so he launches his large frame upon him; he end begins to plunge hard fist strikes into Dick's face. Blood squirts up into the air and paints the floor a nice shade of crimson. Dick blocks a fist strike and cracks Damian on the throat with a strong open palm strike. The Dark Knight stumbles backwards giving Dick time to rise to his feet. The two Batmen stand opposite each other, blood dripping from both men.

"We don't have to do this!" Damian screams through tearful eyes.

"YeS! ThIS HaS To HaPPeN!"

"Listen to me Dick! You're my partner-"

"I WaS!"

And with that Dick strikes Damian's open wound on his thigh, causing an explosion of blood to spurt from the nasty gash. The Dick delivers a low spin kick but Damian hops into the air. The Dark Knight with all his weight lands back down on Dick's ankle, crushing it with ease. Dick howls in pain but reaches for his grapple gun which he fires through Damian's wrist. Dick then pulls his former partner closer to him and lands a hard punch to Damian's face, shattering his cheek bone.

"Enough!" Damian grunts as blood pours from his mouth like a waterfall.

Damian pulls the grapple hook from his wrist and in the process almost ripping his whole hand off. He then stamped on Dick's shoulder, shattering the bones. Dick tried to fight his way off the floor but his shattered ankle and shoulder kept him cemented to the dirt.

The Dark Knight proceeded to rain down punches with his one good arm onto Dick's face. He kept punching and punching until he was striking broken bone and the hard ground. Damian rolled onto his back and tears streamed from his eyes.

"Well that was rather brutal?"

I don't reply. I won't give him the satisfaction. Soon the world around me becomes a distant memory as I leave my dream state. Once more I find myself strapped to the table with Dr. Destiny peering over me. His stench fills my nostrils.

"I have to say I'm rather impressed Dark Knight. You punched your friends face into the dirt, hideous yes but I liked it"

"Oh I'm going to do much worse to you" I reply.

"I doubt that, you seem to be becoming a chore to dispose of. You survived round two but trust me; you won't be getting past round three"

"Try your worst"

"Oh I intend to Dark Knight. Your mind will be in pieces like a shattered mirror. Your body left in a comatose state, ready for me to take control of this city"

"Or your drugs wear off. I break this holds then I feed you your own fucking heart"

"Was that supposed to scare me?"

"Oh I'm going to enjoy this; I'll make you squeal like a pig when I slowly peel the skin from your body"

"You're all talk!"

"We'll see"

"Ready for round three?"

"Kiss my ass"

"I'll take that as a yes then"

To Be Continued in 'A Date with Destiny Part III'