章 29: Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bruce blinked rapidly as he regained consciousness. Had he just been fighting the Joker?! No, that couldn't be right. Napier had been dead for years. Slowly, Bruce's memories began to trickle back into his mind and something that enraged him and made him worry all at once appeared in front of him. He was evidently saved while he was unconscious. It had been many years since he had seen Dick, the guilt and regret rushed through him seemingly wanting to overtake his thoughts.
With herculean effort, he pushed those raging emotions aside to focus on what was happening in front of him. Obviously, Dick had come to his rescue and then started fighting. He couldn't help to feel a little concerned at the sight, Bruce didn't know if Dick was a match for Ra's, he hadn't been in the past, but that had been over twenty years ago. Regarding his own declining body, he knew that he wouldn't be able to help much either. If he was in his prime... they might have been an even match for the demon but that wasn't an option now.
Here in this time, he was an old man... Bruce looked down at his hand expecting to see his withered appearance reflected back to him on his aged skin. Only to realize there was something different. Over the last... he didn't know how many hours, he had gone into the Lazarus pit twice, but he knew it hadn't restored him to this degree. He might have been de-aged to his late fifties or so but he was looking at now as a hand… his hand in its prime?!
What was possibly more of a shock was the fact Dick was wearing his new Nightwing suit that he had in storage. Bruce started to deduce the events that must have transpired since the last time he had been in contact with his allies and what had happened to him. There were still a few holes in his knowledge, but if what he guessed was correct... They were pressed for time.
Noticing that Bruce had gotten to his feet and the fact that he had de-aged to be around his mid-thirties, Dick's eyes widened in response. Quickly retreating to Bruce's side, he gave a slight nod to his reclusive father. Before either of them could talk, Ra's began to clap his hands like he had seen something amusing.
Turning a disparaging glare on the body stealing virus, Bruce waited for the inevitable dialog to begin. "I must say, I didn't believe you would come out of that alive. Using the Lotus Manchurian tome, which has the unique ability to restrain the souls of the living. In addition, it also has been enhanced to an even further extent by Apokolips tech… It honestly should be a complete impossibility for you to be still standing right now."
The stolen body of Damian Wayne stood in front of them, confusion clearly marring his heroic features. After a few seconds, whichever problem that he had been struggling with must have suddenly cleared up. "I see now. Your luck is... unprecedented." Shaking his head, a wistful smile began to appear on his face. Then his body language changed, he had become more determined and he shifted his focus back towards these pawns that had truly ruined his plans this time around.
Letting out a pent-up breath, he stated, "This isn't over. This situation just means I'll have to deal with some unpleasantness for a while longer. But we could help each other…"
"You're crazier than ever Ra's. Turn yourself in, or we are going to take you down... hard." Dick said interrupting the megalomaniac with frustration seeping into his voice.
"You do not understand, this is all an illusion..."
Bruce, however, was done with the 'talking' portion of their whole banter charade. This man had killed his son and Bruce wanted a piece of him.
Ra's didn't expect to be attacked immediately. In fact, he didn't even know he was being attacked until the first blow was landed and he was toppling backward for several feet. The punch sent the demon stumbling, and he only managed to stay upright by somersaulting at the last moment.
But Bruce didn't let him regain his footing easily, dashing forward once more the elder Batman used his now youthful body to its full extent. Landing several strikes on his enemy before Ra's was able to stall Bruce's rampage.
Bruce expected an underhanded move from the 'body stealer' at any moment and just as he predicted Ra's called for backup. Soon they were being surrounded by thousands of assassins with no means of escape. Bruce wanted to curse, he had let his hatred for Ra's overrule his rational thoughts and got both him and Dick into a mess.
He could probably blame some of his brashness on the Lazarus pit's ill effects on his mind, but he didn't like making excuses for bad decisions. Cutting his eyes at the man he still called his son, he spoke for the first time, "It's been a long time."
Dick snorted. Bruce had never really been one for social graces. He was a socialite by day, sure. But that just meant he knew how the average person talks to the other. Yes, Bruce understood the dynamics of a conversation but at the same time… didn't really see the point. And apparently, he will never change. Therefore, Dick understood that these five words were all he was going to get from the man. In most situations, he may have just gotten a 'nod of his head' as a way of welcoming him back. The fact Bruce used actual words to express himself was a boon in and of itself.
Years ago, Dick would probably let this fact frustrate him. But he was long past that. He had completely accepted Bruce as human. He wasn't a god, to be put on a pedestal and worshiped. Nor an idol to model his life after. He was a man that did extraordinary things, but a man no less. And if he had understood this fact, all those years ago… He might have been a different man today.
"It's good to see you too, Dad," Grayson said, bringing a slight curve to Bruce's lips.
---
A man wearing damaged armor, showing mostly red circuitry swiftly crossed the floor in a blur of movement. While another man with nearly completely white hair billowed out around him as he rushed towards the other with a katana in hand. The sharpened edge noisily scraped against the stone floor, creating sparks scattering from the contact as he went. A constant ringing noise could be heard as the metallic object marred the otherwise flawless floor.
Mere seconds passed before the two met… yet in those few seconds, something happened that would change Terry's life forever. There was no explanation for how a bolt of lightning managed to strike inside of the tomb that was also underground but there was no doubt in either of these men's minds that this event did in fact happen.
---
In another realm separated by a thin veil, stood three strikingly beautiful goddesses. These three goddesses were hard at work completing a task they rarely ever got to do. Though they have been known by many names, most would recognize them by;
Moirai - The weaver - Her purpose has always been the one to assign destinies for mortals at birth.
The next, Clotho – The Spinner - She assigns the tribulations of mortals, demigods, and even gods.
Finally, there was Atopos – The Inflexible. Her primary job was to maintain the tapestry of life and to make sure each article loops back into the primary masterpiece.
On this day, the goddesses known as the Fates assigned new lifelines to three simi-mortal beings. Diana who until recently was a Demi-god on the cusp of becoming a god joined with a life partner ensuring her ascent into godhood. Bruce Wayne, a hero now married to the new goddess of War was now granted immortality. And their offspring take her place as Demi-god with near godhood.
If these weavers had an opinion on this matter, they did not show it as they continued their important work of weaving reality itself.
---
Terry felt different. He didn't want to describe this new feeling as good, although, that would be one description of how he felt. If Terry was to assign a name to this feeling… He'd just refuse and give them the same one he had assigned earlier.
Different.
Terry didn't like and didn't trust different. It meant there was something about himself he wasn't fully aware of and he had enough new things sprung on him today to ever appreciate anything new about him. But just because he didn't like it… didn't mean it wasn't now a fact.
Terry spent a few moments examining his body in an attempt to locate the 'differentness'. He knew it wasn't the same. Although, he still couldn't locate anything that could have possibly changed about him.
Without warning, Dusan's Katana swept towards him, not making Terry abandon his fruitless search. Responding on instinct, Terry ducked the razor-sharp sword strike and managed to catch the assassin's arm before it fully got out of his reach.
Blinking his eyes in disbelief, Terry realized that the super-assassin that he had been having a very hard time handling only moments before, was much slower now. In fact, everything was much slower than it was prior to the lightning strike. Realizing he was still holding onto Dusan's elbow and the albino still hadn't reacted, Terry sent a hard kick to his side and watched as he was flung down the corridor like a rag doll.
"What the frack is going on?!" Terry said, still stunned by the unbelievable events that just occurred. He couldn't help asking himself, was that superspeed? Did his abilities that until recently worked basically when they wanted… Just jump into overdrive?'
Unexpectedly a dark shadow appeared above him on the ceiling. Then it rapidly slipped across the walls and settled on the floor beside him. Jumping back, Terry began to get into a fighting stance when… Angela slipped out of the floor completely encased in darkness she began to float fully formed beside him.
"Angela?!" Terry exclaimed as she landed as the shadows receded away from her body. At once he noticed that there was a strange script running across her arms and legs. It seemed to be appearing from the diamond on her forehead. Along with the ancient-looking script, there were also four additional eyes that seemed to radiate power staring back at him.
Terry wasn't afraid, she didn't have the aura of someone that wanted to do harm to him. Slowly he approached her placing a hand to her arm out of concern.
"Are you alright?" He asked attentively.
"No need to worry, Batman. We need to get a move on." Angela said as she eyed the fallen crumpled form of White ghost down the hallway. Deciding that the man seemed to be down for the moment, she turned swiftly towards the end of the hallway in an 'all business' fashion.
Terry didn't believe her words, though it might have something to do with the fact that when she spoke… he heard three different voices slightly overlapping being projected from her lips. But who was he to judge? He just gained new superpowers in an instant and had a seriously odd parentage. If she said she was fine… Well, he'd wait and ask when lives weren't on the line.
"I can feel my father's life force being projected beyond that doorway. There seems to be a battle… Hurry!" Like a specter, Angela levitated above the ground and swept towards the doorway. Without pausing to open the door a shadow appeared in front of her and she glided directly through.
Attempting to shake off the goosebumps that popped up on his arm at the sight, Terry used his new speed to cover the distance in a swift motion.
Stumbling to a stop on the other side of the doorway. Terry watched in awe as he spotted two men fighting several waves of assassins. He could recognize masters at work when he saw them. These two men were spectacular. Even with his newfound abilities, he would be hard-pressed to win a fight with these men. There were just too many trained killers. Terry understood immediately that one of these men was Dick Grayson, Angela's father, but even Dick could barely compare to the other man tossing the assassins aside like they were average street thugs.
The words must have slipped out of his mouth unbidden from his conscious thoughts because he wasn't aware that he even spoke until Angela answered him.
"Who is that guy with your dad?!"
Turning a skeptical eye on the new Batman, Angela answered, "Grampa Bruce, who else?"
"No, that can't be possible. The old man is way shorter." Terry denied immediately being unable to merge the man he knows with the man in front of him.
クリエイターの想い 
Lonefrog
Lonefrog I’m not overly satisfied with this chapter. But it has been too long since I posted. It does, at least, progress the story further. I feel that once I get past this arc then writing will be easier. So bear with me until then.
P.S.
Just so everyone is aware, I'm not abandoning this story. It may be delayed due to the fact that I have a job and family... Life has a tendency to get in the way. So, stay tuned I am not going anywhere.
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