PART 1 - Chapter 25 - The Dark Matters of Faith - Messengers

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

Revelation 22:14

The Last Chapter of the Dark Matters of Faith is upon us.

WORD OF WARNING: This author has STILL NOT played the new PS5 Spider-Man 2 game nor watched any "let's play", trying to keep the surprises still surprising, and probably that could be the same for many other readers, so, be considerate and avoid spoilers in the reviews, please!

Due to Blue Beetle's security clearance, the Bug's arrival at the Bat-cave had been quiet and warm.

"Master Bruce! My God!" Alfred had been the only one there at the moment, the one who always waited for his return. The butler quickly stepped up on the ramp, ready to help his surrogate son to climb down, and the fact that Bruce had not tried to ward him off or ease his worries made the older man even more tense.

Bluebird took a step back from her former boss/mentor, relinquishing the large man to his father-figure. She held in one hand her large reinforced mask, on the other, a card that spelled a huge job opportunity. The last vestiges of the freezing water were finally leaving her body, but she could still feel the chill of something else, something much more worrisome in her mind. She stared back at Blue Beetle, and she knew what he was thinking. "Don't", she told the man, but he shook his head.

"He needs to see it."

"He needs to rest", but she knew better, and she knew Blue Beetle - 'Ted' - understood the situation. Batman would not forgive them if they tried to shield him. "... just let me leave first, he would not want me here when it happens", she pleaded, and the older hero acquiesced.

One hour to the end of his patrol, the inner alarm inside his HUD reminded Peter of the incoming sunrise.

Spider-Man stopped at the nearest antenna tower, the one atop March Venture's, City Hall's district, where he took a chance to sit down and watch over the older parts of the City.

At the horizon, in the next island over, the vigilante could see the large green area known as The Gotham Park. Its proper name was Robinson Park, but practically no one cared to call it like that, especially after the events of 'No Man's Land' and 'The War-Games', as the press liked to refer to two of the darkest moments in the recent history of the City.

Robinson Park had been the most tourist-heavy location in the whole city, then an earthquake ruined most of the attractions - along with most of Gotham City, and, barely two years later, the largest gang-war in the History of the country was sparked precisely at this Park. 'Weeks of gunfighting, bombings and riots and barely any infrastructure had been left intact', Peter read from an online article, 'including Finger Castle, The Forum of the Twelve Caesars, the Robinson Park Reservoir and even the Wayne Botanical Garden'.

('And check for another location in Gotham named after the Wayne Family!')

Peace had returned and restoration projects were planned, designed, started and finally abandoned. Nothing was done to fully repair all the damages, and only the areas around the Reservoir were considered to be restored enough for day time activities and safe crossing between districts. The rest remained as ruins, scars of the past and resting stops for the poor and desperate.

'Were you sleeping there before you were taken away, Barney?', Spider-Man jumped and started swinging, but instead of the Park, he aimed towards Fashion District, the shortest way to reach the Upper East Side and The Chrysalis.

'My main problem about Gotham Park, besides the lack of buildings, is that it is practically as large or larger than Central Park back in New York', Peter wondered, as he swung under Clayton Pass, the shortest of the bridges connecting Midtown and Downtown Islands. 'Saying that Poison Ivy has an apartment around Gotham Park is not much of a help, but I can get more info tonight.'

There was a note from Oracle, marked as low priority, so Peter decided to check it out when he was back home- back at his lab. 'When did I start thinking of it as home?', he wondered, making consecutively short swings, until he was near ground level, passing above cars and getting purposely seen by the early morning/late shift crowd.

A short hop and a twist and he crouch-landed on top of the 2502, the bus line that he knew best, as it crossed in front of his workplace while circling all around Midtown.

'Maybe I shouldn't focus on this world's problems that much, they have their own heroes, and they've been doing a swell job so far keeping the world spinning. I should have been looking for clues about dimensional travel, and I could leave all this Father Joe's case in the hands of the Bats…'

'Stop! Thief! STOP HIM!'

'-all you hadda do was trip him-'

'From now on I just look out for Number One - - that means - - me!'

The words echoed in the back of his head, and he shook the thoughts away. 'I must be more tired than I imagined, maybe I should sleep this guilt-free conscience off.'

One web-zip towards the skyline and Spider-Man was gone, the thoughts of abandoning innocents quickly disappearing from his mind.

The Bat-Family had been warned by Bluebird's alert, but Oracle instructed them to keep to their patrols, to give Batman a chance to recover first and then, after that, they could all meet up and 'aggravate' their boss.

Said instruction had been almost completely ignored, until Alfred's request for compliance doused all rebel spirits, even Robin's.

"I understand, young Sirs and Ma'ams, but allow Batman to recuperate. I'll keep him safe." And, after a chorus of acceptances (including a grunt from Red Hood's channel), that had been it.

And true to his word, Blue Beetle had waited for Harper's departure before he revealed his other 'surprise'. Or at least, he had tried. "Bruce", he spoke calmly, trying to avoid stressing the other man.

"What… are you… hiding?", said the tired man, in a low threatening tone.

'I have to give it to the man, barely back from a heart attack and he can still give chilling glares', Ted Kord wondered in amazement, as he pressed a button on the tiny remote control in his belt. There was a waft of cold, misty gas behind himself, as a separate compartment of his trusty vehicle opened up, revealing its secret cargo.

"While Bluebird was… reviving you, I found some... thing else inside the freezing water. I reeled it in and… and I recognized it as soon as I saw it, from your own reports. It matched the description, so I kept it inside The Bug's cold storage. For you." The misty white plumes of cryo-gas started to disperse. "Because I knew you'd want to see it."

The black body armor. The tall frame. The imposing build. The copper rimmed goggles, jagged on the extremities, an imitation of a beak between the lenses, the right one being cracked, exactly as Batman remembered, for it was him who broke it with a haymaker followed by a flying knee, not that long ago.

It was the Talon, the same man who had tried to kill him in the Tower, then had kidnapped him, then stabbed him, then offered him as a trophy for the White Masks.

Batman stepped back, in evident shock.

"I'm sorry, I just - you are better at being a detective, so I thought-"

"We are glad for your forethought, Mr. Kord", Alfred offered, trying to keep the slightly shivering man ('It's just the cold', the butler reminded himself) in his arms steady. "You can place… the body… in the cryostorage laboratory while I'll take Master Bruce to the medical station-"

"No." Batman's voice came cold and much more resolute. "Get… him… on the table." It was the Batman who spoke. "I want answers."

Peter Parker woke up confused, as there was an alarm ringing. The scientist stared at the nearest screen, digitally displaying the time as 10:58 in red color.

'I don't remember setting anything up?', he wondered, when he finally realized that, in fact, somebody was calling in his Kord-Pad. One swipe and several key touches and the device had been unlocked in its 'normal' profile, its true jailbroken vigilante-tool status hidden by Peter's own programming.

"Hi, Peter, hope I didn't catch you at a bad time?", Peter yawned as he recognized Dr. Marconi's face.

"No worries, Anna Maria, I just had an-", he cracked his back, loudly, "-all-nighter."

"Anything interesting?", she asked, in amusement.

"Err…", Peter stared at the writings on his wall. "Possibly an organic insecticide? All natural ingredients", he improvised.

"Hm, it's not something that Kord Industries focused on in the past", the small woman pondered. "Effective?"

"Terrific, especially against spiders", he answered in earnest.

"Well, could you show it to me tonight? I have some free time and you said you could help me with my work, remember?"

'I did?', Peter wondered, then he almost cursed, as he recalled his last conversation with Anna Maria Marconi and her use of the 'D-word'. He gulped, and, unfortunately, the smaller woman could plainly watch his reaction in the video-call. "I can see you forgot. Or are you not… interested in… helping me?."

'Darn it!' "No! I mean, I didn't, I'm just still half-asleep!", he apologized, forcing a small laugh. "I'd love to, it's just, I, err, I… don't you think it's a little… too soon?"

"Too soon?", Anna Maria gave him a look. "Peter, if you are busy or… or not interested anymore, I won't be offended."

"I have been busy but I am interested in you, I mean, your research, neogenics is, like, my fourth favorite subject." 'Please, God, kill me now.'

There was a small, sincere laugh. "You're really a bundle of awkwardness, aren't you, Peter?", she asked, in good humor. "Is that why you never leave your lab?"

"... people have been talking about me, haven't they?"

"What, about Peter 'The recluse genius hermit who acts rudely in social events' Parker?", she asked in return. "Nothing at all. No fame nor funny stories at all." Peter deflated. "Especially not about you not taking showers."

"Darn it, Jurgen!", Peter cursed out loud, which made Anna Maria laugh again.

"Peter", she consoled. "I'm a grown girl, I can take a hint and go slower with you."

"... we are still talking about your neogenic research?", Peter risked.

"If that's what you want to be talking about", she replied, almost confirming Peter's suspicions.

Peter sighed, sitting down on his office chair and spinning on it, KordPad firmly in his hands. "Truth be told, Anna, it's been a while since I last… 'partnered up' in projects." She hummed in understanding. "Actually, just before my arrival in Gotham, I had just come out of a long term… 'partnership'."

"And was it… a good project?", she risked it.

"It was. And things were developing, but then…", Peter mentally debated his next words. "then she felt like my occupation was complicating things, which it was, so we parted ways in mutual agreement… up until recently, when we were talking about 'partnering' up once more."

"Oh", was the woman's simple reply.

"I think, right now, I can only focus on… my career… I can help you out, if you still want me to, Anna Maria, I'd love to! I just… can't go further than being a good collaborator, not until I can be certain if my last partnership can still happen again."

They were both quiet for enough time to really make Peter worry.

"Peter", Anna Maria replied. "I… appreciate your honesty. I can see how much something like this means to you. I still want you to be my partner", she eye-rolled, "as in partner-partner, the work partnership, you get what I am saying."

"Yeah, I get it, and I do want it, as well", he smiled. "Rain-check for tomorrow night?"

"Deal."

The call had ended, Peter's mood much worse than before.

'Sorry, Anna Maria, but until I am sure I have no way home, I can't stop looking for one.' The scientist gave a longing look through his window, watching the cold cloudy sky. 'And as long as I'm Spider-Man, I can't stop running towards cries for help.'

He sighed, dispirited. 'Just wait for me a bit longer, MJ.'

The process of removal of the Bat-suit was not the most complicated, if one knew where to touch and if all the booby traps had been previously disabled. However, even after it had been worn for a week and being subjected to all kinds of abuse, Bruce Wayne felt no relief in being stripped of his colors.

Alfred diligently helped with the separation of the upper torso's latches, pulling the undershirt part of Batman's suit, when the other man spoke up, uttering only three words - "'With great power…'" - and that made the butler go still, in worry.

Ever since Bruce's return, his revival by Miss Row's intervention, the autopsy of the assassin's body, the discovery of his - its connection to Master Dick, and the horrifying fate that had been averted, specifically in Mr. Grayson's case, Alfred Pennyworth had been troubled by the hero's quietude.

"Sir?"

"When I was…", a small twitch in Bruce's jaw, "... losing my conscience, beneath the ice, I heard an old man's voice, clearly speaking the words, 'with great power'". Bruce stared at his father figure. "I think I was remembering my parents' funeral."

"Ah", Alfred nodded, in understanding. "Book of Acts, chapter 4, verse 33. 'And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus…'"

"'... and great grace was upon them all'", Bruce finished. "One of my father's favorites."

"With all due respect, I hope you are not taking any inspiration from such words. I mean, the resurrection of the Messiah and blessing upon His disciples, just after your own brush with mortality and return to your very own group of young vigilantes? A tad presumptuous, I'd think."

The billionaire did not smile back, face grim ever since his return to the Manor. "I do agree that I may have suffered a small slip of sanity while roaming the Court's Labyrinth, but nothing that extreme, Alfred. Merely… it's the matter of my own faith that has been tested these last few days."

"Now, now, this is not the time to-"

"Alfred", one word and the butler gave pause. "I was captured, drugged, confined to a labyrinth made of marble in order to unhinge my mind. I saw my… I had visions, psychotropic induced waking nightmares. I was humiliated, toyed with, then finally stabbed and had my imminent execution interrupted because the Talon was ordered to beat me up first. A beating ordered by a child."

"My God."

"And all that without removing my cowl. Because they did not care about who I was. They wanted to break the Bat, the symbol of my fight against crime. They wanted me to stop believing in myself and in the Mission. To lose hope in ever getting out. To lose myself in doubt and hopelessness against those who own Gotham."

"But, Sir", Alfred pointed out, "you did manage to get out. You had faith in yourself and found the way out of their clutches."

The hero extended his arm and touched the symbol on the middle of his discarded shirt.

"Did I, Alfred? While they kept me buried, my family kept their faith. They kept on fighting, even against all the evil and tragedies that happened in this city", Bruce wondered, dark thoughts clouding his mind. "They kept their faith in me, a man who thought he knew this City, knew it completely, when in fact I barely scratched its surface. I feel almost... as if I'm still there, Alfred. Still inside a labyrinth, with no idea of where the exit is."

Hours after Talon's autopsy, the discussion with Dick, the realization that the man behind the Talon had been William Cobb, Dick Grayson's ancestor, that the Court not only had such vast resources, but that it had been training assassins for literal centuries and - if all those coffins meant what Bruce was sure about, it had never lost a single one to the sands of time.

'Resurrection', Bruce mentally mocked. William Cobb, currently frozen in the Bat-Cave, was neither living nor dead, just stayed from the natural state of decay. Infused with the Electrum Compound, his body was stronger, faster and tougher than any normal human, plus a healing factor and an almost perpetual state of 'immortality'. That solved the mystery of his death at the Old Wayne Tower, when Talon had failed killing his target, Bruce Wayne, who had to be saved by Spider-Man, of all people.

'Ever-lasting life as a slave, no freedom or purpose, except as a tool of killing', Bruce derided. 'An assassin that I could not stop at our first meeting, then almost died to defeat him at our second encounter. And not only had the Court disposed of him, as trash, they had a whole collection of coffins inside their labyrinthic mausoleum, meaning dozens of assassins just as fanatical and powerful as Cobb, just waiting to be revived.'

"Alfred, I will retire to my father's office", Bruce spoke, his abdomen finally bandaged by his oldest friend. As he stood up and put on a blue robe, the vigilante could feel every one of his years of activity weighing on his scarred body. "I will rest for the remainder of the day there, but I would prefer to be left alone. I need to think."

"Some ancients believed that the moment of Death brought with it Visions. Not just Visions of one's past, but one's true purpose in life. These truths could either be comforting or heart-shattering, but always a closure. The complete vision of one's self, reflected back before they left this world.

But then… legend has it… those who received these visions, and avoided the pull towards death, would return greatly changed! And you, you who once served us and voluntarily chose to stand at the edge of death, will see yourselves truly changed!

Now, open your eyes. Open your eyes, for your Court!

Yes, return to us, return to your duty, return to your city, Gotham!

You, who drank from the cup of Immortality, cannot be killed! True warriors of the Court, we granted you speed, strength, bodies that heal wounds! We are stronger together! Your Court calls upon you, to strike our enemies!

Look upon The Bat! He, who like you, crossed Styx and Lethe, but while he has returned broken and weak, you returned stronger and more powerful! It is our honor to arm you, arm you for battle, for the hunt. Hunt our enemies, strike them down, and tear them apart, limb by limb. For our enemy, truly, is all that lies in the shadow of the Bat! His Family. His Allies. Those he swore to protect.

And the Court of Owls has sentenced them to die!

Tonight, from our shadowed perch, we will not only kill our enemy, but we'll take back our kingdom! NOW FLY!

AND TAKE GOTHAM CITY!"

To be Continued!

Author's Notes:

Sorry, this is going to be a bit longer than usual!

And thus ends "The Dark Matters of The Faith". The name of this arc is just a small nod to another, far more famous fic in AO3. There will be future nods to the other great fics, don't worry.

I wanted to explore, in this arc, the aspect of belief in Gotham, yes, religious (I'm a practicing Catholic, so pardon the Bible quote here and there), but also faith in one self, their family, their own goals and in the world. Father Joe tricking the needy and desperate, Batman and his Family in themselves and in the Mission, Gordon in the vigilantes, Spider-Man in his actions and his potential allies, Ivy in her own Teacher - which will be explored later on. It's something I felt I wanted to read in this kind of fics, that is why I wrote it.

This is why I consider this to be a darker arc, though I feel like I held myself back from going too dark, at least it was a darker arc than what I'm used to write. Don't worry, things will get hopefully better from then on.

As many of you might have noticed can deduce, this whole arc and the next one have been heavily inspired by the Bat-Family Comics, specially Batman Volume 1 and 2, by Scott Snyder, while I also tried to put my own words and ideas where I could.

Part 1 has been the introduction of characters and plotlines. Part 2 onwards will be mostly original material I have created for this story, apart from the characters and plots I do not own.

Next Chapter, the beginning of the Last Arc of Part 1:

"Night of the Owls"!