Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 08:26:20 -0700 (PDT) From: Author James <authorjames2002@yahoo.com> Subject: Judgments of a Real Dark Knight 17 Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent chapters, will have celebrities in it. I have no knowledge of their sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality. This is all from my own mind. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox. Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics and Warner Bros. X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox. The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice. Star Wars and all related concepts created by or based on the universe created by George Lucas. Copyright 20th Century Fox, LucasFilms Ltd. and Lucas Books/Ballantine Books. I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered. Other stories set in this universe: "Marvel Knights" "Tales of a Young Mutant" (no new postings in a while) "Tales of a Superhero Band" "Tales of the New Phoenix" I have received many emails from people who have enjoyed it and some from those who do not. I would enjoy hearing from you. Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks. authorjames2002@yahoo.com I also have several online messenger services. If you want to chat with me in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you my screen name. If anyone has artistic talent and/or design capabilities, check out the "Real Dark Knight" Contest. Chapter 17 Taking the Offensive "Thank God," Nightwing said, "the Council came through. Do we have the ingredients?" he called out. Robin came out from a small room bearing an arm load of supplies. "Got it," Robin said. "That room is a veritable magic shop." "Great. The question is, who does the spell?" "Me," Freeze stated. "Why you?" Robin asked. "I'm majoring in chemistry and biology. Doing a spell is pretty much like doing a science experiment. Besides, from what the wizard said, someone will have to go in and help bring them out. I'm thinking you, Nightwing." "Him?" Robin said. "Why not me?" "Because I'm going to need you here in case our vampire friends break in. I won't be able to fight because I will be focusing on the spell." "Very well," Nightwing said. "Let's begin." After a few moments of setting everything up, Freeze stood in front of the tripod and small cauldron resting on top. Nightwing sat in a chair and Robin stood nearby with a wooden stake ready. Freeze took the first two ingredients, the catalyst for the spell, and began the ritual. "Frontier unexamined Vastness of space. We entreat to explore you" Freeze threw in the third ingredient and a purple energy emanated from the mouth. "We implore thee to open Accept the traveler Allow him to enter" Robin looked at the energy. He had never seen magic in operation before. It bothered him. "Open the portal to the vastness Enter the traveler Enter!" Tossing in the last few ingredients and the purple energy flew into the air turning into a purple vapor. It hovered for a moment and then went over to Nightwing. It rested on him and his head fell backwards. Nightwing found himself standing in the doorway of a club. The door was closed, though. There were no windows so he could not see out. Over on a couch lay Kara, Miranda's Watcher. Batgirl stood at a table in the front with Kane. Nightwing reached down and grabbed the cross that hung at his side. The spell gave him some abilities that he would not have had before. Slowly he moved toward the Slayer and the vampire. Batgirl felt so helpless. The words of Kane seemed to have an affect on her she wanted to control, but she did not have the strength. She noticed in the reflection of Kane's flute Nightwing approaching and her immediate response was hope. 'He could be a creation from Kane's mind as well,' Batgirl replied, 'used for a false sense of security. It might be best to wait and see how this plays out, though.' "All we want is to take our rightful place beside humanity and guide them to a better future." "Future of what?" Batgirl asked. "Future of being your servants? Your food? To be treated like cattle until a feast is needed? Humanity won't stand for that." "My dear girl, don't you understand? Humanity has no choice. It is happening all over the world. Dasro is leading the vampires into a glorious day of power and recognition. No longer will we be the creatures hiding in the shadows while humanity rules the earth. We will be seen and heard and take our rightful place among society." "Dude." Both Kane and Batgirl turned to see Nightwing staring at them. "I'm not voting for you in the next elections." Nightwing pulled out the cross and held it to Kane's face. "Stupid boy," Kane said. "Crosses don't hurt me." "Maybe in the real world, but this is in the mind. We can make anything we want hurt." Kane's face sizzled and smoke started pouring from it. "How?" Kane exclaimed. 'How?' Batgirl thought. Nightwing grabbed Batgirl's arm and drug her over to Kara. He took them each in hand and suddenly they disappeared. Kane looked around trying to find them, but he couldn't. He let out a loud scream of frustration. Nightwing, Batgirl and Kara awoke from their trances and looked around. The sound of thumping was heard and Batgirl and Nightwing looked over at the sealed elevator. Kara, weak from blood loss, pulled herself off the table and stumbled to the console. Her fingers played over the keys typing in codes. The doors finally fell and vampires tumbled into the room. Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin and Mr. Freeze readied themselves for a fight. The vampires lined the walls allowing for more of their ranks to enter. Kane stepped inside and smiled. "Hello, children." "We ain't your fucking children," Robin said. "I'd stake myself if that were the case." "My kind doesn't die by staking, brat." "No, just holy water and sunlight, you son of a bitch," Kara said hitting a button. Water pipes opened and water sprayed down on some of the vampires. The water burned their skin and they caught fire. Openings appeared in the ceiling and yellow light came in. "I channeled the morning sunlight down here," Kara replied. "Your ass is fried." Even more vampires caught fire and all watched as some shriveled and died while others turned to dust. Kane retreated into the elevator shaft and levitated up. Kara typed in a few more codes and the water turned off. The sunlight, however, kept pouring in. Kara became weak in the knees. As she collapsed, Freeze caught her from behind. He lifted her up and placed her back on the table. He went back to the computer and turned on the scanning device. "She isn't losing any more blood, but she's weak from the blood loss. We need to get her sugar up." "You should have been a doctor," Robin said. "Nah, I don't like the hours." Freeze went to work looking around the lair for anything that would increase Kara's blood sugar. It would increase blood cell production. Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl all removed their masks and found a place to sit and relax. "What happened back there?" Nightwing asked. "Kane somehow got into my mind," Batgirl replied. "The words he spoke, it was like he knew my heart. He knew what I wanted my life to mean. And both of us knew I couldn't do it." "Of course you can't, Miranda. No one person can save the world. That's why we work as a team. That's why heroes all over are working together on this vampire war and this Apocalypse guy. Because no one can do it alone." "What about Batman?" Robin finally spoke up. "He defeated the Demon in England." "He had help," Batgirl said. "And remember Ra's al Ghul?" Nightwing reminded. "You, Christine, and I helped him take him down. He may be Batman, but he isn't a god. Human beings weren't meant to fight alone." "Still," Batgirl said. "Being a Slayer makes me feel...I don't know...better in some respects. I have increased strength than the average human. I'm swifter, have better agility. It all points to me being better than most people." "Do you feel you are better than us?" Robin asked with an edge to his voice. "Do I doubt your abilities, you mean?" "No," Robin answered. "When it comes to doing this," and he motioned around them, "do you feel you are better than us?" Batgirl looked away ashamed of what she felt in her heart. Robin rolled his eyes and looked away, hurt by the implications of Batgirl's silence. Nightwing, however, was undaunted by what she felt, regardless of whether she had an ego about it or not. "There are other people, born with different powers, too. Look at Batman, he's a mutant. There are thousands, if not millions, of mutants on the face of this earth, each having their own special gifts. Look at Brian and his intelligence. He is the smartest person I know when it comes to chemicals. There is no way I could do what he does, nor do I think either of you could unless you worked at it. Look at Eric and his compassion for the youth as well as his ability to connect with people and make them open up to him. That is a talent that I don't think any of us has. In reality, Brian is better at chemistry and biology, Eric is better at dealing with people's emotions and problems, and we are better at fighting crime. Each of us stands out in our own way. So what if you, Miranda, are better at fighting vampires. Ryan, you are better at fighting vampires than the average person. "All of this brings me up to what Kane was trying to tell you, Miranda. No one person can make the world better. In his cause, no one vampire can change the world. Whoever is organizing the vampires cannot take over the world without their help. No one person can change things. It takes many. And each person who makes up the many brings their own gifts to the table. Each person does the best he or she can. It's the work the team does that is important. That is what makes the difference. Working together for the betterment of mankind, that is what changes the world. Us, working together, can stop what Kane is attempting to do. Blade, Huntress and Batman, what they are doing in Tokyo will change what is going on there. And it has already helped here with them finding the guy who knows all about Kane. We know how to defeat him. And what all are doing world wide will stop this vampire war. Because that is what it takes." Miranda looked up at Robert and smiled. "Thank you." She leaned over and gave him a hug. Then she released him and grabbed Ryan, pulling him into a hug as well. "I need you guys, all four of you. I can't do this alone. I think I'm the luckiest Slayer in the world to have such fine people working with me. Kane doesn't stand a chance." "He sure as hell doesn't," Robert agreed. "She's waking up," Brian called out. The three heroes stood and went over to Kara's side. Miranda took Kara's hand in hers and watched as Kara opened her eyes. "Wow," she said. "That was some spell." "It sure was," Miranda replied. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm surprised Kane was able to feed off me like that. I've never heard of such an instance before." "That seems to be Kane's power," Brian said. "We received information from Huntress and a wizard named Dr. Strange, who has had past experiences with Kane, on how Kane operates. It seems he does a lot with the mind, some kind of fixation with the psyche. Dr. Strange said that is his Achilles heel. We can exploit that but we don't know exactly how." "I started heading that direction when I found some information in the Devonshire Codex, a diary from a Watcher back in the early 12th century. Kane somehow knew that I had come across that information and saw fit to come after me." "What happened in the 12th century?" Robin asked. "A Slayer faced off with Kane. Somehow the Slayer's control over her dream state helped her defeat Kane, although she attempted to 'stake' him and it didn't work." "I was able to make a cross burn him," Nightwing said. "She must not have known about that effect. She only knew she could make herself stronger to defeat him. She didn't know she could make weapons that would be entirely useless out here damage him in there." "But we do," Batgirl said. "And we are going to." "Let's not be too hasty." "What do you mean?" Batgirl couldn't believe her ears. "Don't get the wrong impression. We will exploit that when we are all ready. Because Kane has a vast army of vampires at his disposal, we can't all go in after him without protection out here. I'm not match for the vampires alone." "We work as a team," Nightwing said. "That's what I'm proposing. I suggest we send two into Kane's mind and three stay out here." "I'm going in," Batgirl stated. "Of course you." "And me," Nightwing added. Kara hesitated for a moment. "Actually, I was thinking of Robin." "What?" Robin said. "You want what?" "You have a very strong will, Robin," Kara explained. "Regardless of what anyone tells you, you make your own decisions. Your youth is an advantage in dealing with Kane. You can be anyone in your mind. "Having said that, I think Nightwing and Freeze's talents would be more useful out here." "Then it's settled," Batgirl said. "Robin and I go into Kane's mind while Nightwing and Freeze deal with the vampires out here." "And I will monitor you both," the Watcher said to her Slayer, "to make sure all goes well with you." Everyone agreed. "Then let's get started." To Be Continued... The team is going on the offensive. They have their game plan and are ready to implement it. Do you think it was wise of Kara to pick Robin to assist the Slayer in venturing into Kane's mind? Or do you think someone else would have been a better choice? I haven't received much email from readers. I would like to know if you think I'm doing a good job or if this is just wasting space on Nifty's server. More to come!