Batman: Secret Files, Chapter 25- "Farewell...My Prince"

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Rated M for Mature

Appropriate for readers 18 and over. May contain extreme violence, sexual themes, nudity, or profanity.

Batman: Secret Files, Chapter 25- "Farewell...My Prince"

I was almost shocked to see that Dr. Henry Agathie, my teacher became the next Skull Knight. If I knew about his secret identity before, I would have stopped him from killing bad guys. It's not the way how justice works. But I guess that the professor had his own ways. He got up from the dirty ground, staring at me.

"How...How dare you..." the professor said.

"Why?" I asked, ignoring his statement. The professor still kept quiet as he tried to find some words to say. I never thought I would fight against my own teacher. Yet, he was old and then again, strong like the former Skull Knight which Ivan Wayne had become. The professor almost tired-looking, threw away his sword somewhere on the ground. He said, "I guess...I shouldn't have come to talk with Bruce Wayne. He's a very smart man."

"So am I," I said. "Why did you do it?"

The old man looked at his armoured hands. He said, "Well...I don't know what to say. I have done some terrible things in the past and then again. Oh, how tragic it is to become the Skull Knight this way."

"WHY DID YOU DO IT?!" I shouted angrily, still ignoring his statement. I know that the professor doesn't want to say more things about his past. He's probably afraid that I might find out soon enough. But he was right. He shouldn't have come to my mansion in the first place. I knew then why he was the Skull Knight. It was the time. The professor always end his business at 11 pm. After that, the Skull Knight gradually appears out of nowhere, stalking the criminals in the dark. The Skull Knight appears at midnight.

"To tell you the truth...I wanted justice done the way I perceive."

"Is that what you call justice?" I asked. "Killing criminals who were not worth killing at all?"

"What about you?" The old man said, almost sounded angry. "You killed the Berserker!"

"I didn't kill him, professor. I only pretended to make a false kill."

The old man laughed as if I were telling a joke. These days, when I faced the Joker, he always thinks that everything is funny to him. Yet, he forced people laugh so hard that they die in an instant. The old man may not know about the Joker. But I wonder he had heard about him. So that he might kill the Joker and the other past insane inmates at the Arkham Asylum.

"It's not funny, professor. I'm telling the truth. I didn't kill Jack Knobb."

"I see..." The professor said. "Well then...I believe you. Because I knew you would never do it."

Of course there are some people who would think that way. Even I know what the professor was thinking of Batman. The reason why he wanted to kill me is because I might get in his way. That I would prevent him from killing the criminals or causing innocent lives by accident. There were such times that a vigilante can cause harm in someone's way.

"Batman..." The professor continued. "What are you going to do now? My life is over. I doubt you would kill me because I know you well. I heard news about you and your own sense of justice. The way things work is that my own way of justice always prevail."

"You're wrong, professor. When you said Ivan Wayne killed his father's enemy, it shows how justice can unleash the demon within. I'm not like Ivan Wayne. To me, that's not worth it."

"Hmmm. I suppose you know everything. Eh? You do sound like Bruce Wayne, I should say. You know, he used to help me, trying to figure out the true mystery behind the Skull Knight."

"I have to say, professor. It's been good knowing you. I heard enough."

"What?" The professor said. "I'm not finished yet! I know everything about the Skull Knight. Oh yes. But there is something you don't know about the real Ivan Wayne."

I wonder what the professor was talking about. The fact is that Ivan may not have done justice the way I used to do. There are certain lengths that a vigilante would go through. Like how far one's vengeance will be kept in check. I asked, "What do you mean, the real Ivan?"

All of a sudden, a white van came passing though the road. The van stopped at the side of the road. The side door from the van, opened. A group of four armed men, equipped with red goggles, and their rifles, came running towards us. They pointed their rifles at the professor.

"What the bloody h*ll?" The professor asked with confusion. "What's the meaning of this?"

I didn't say anything much. Because there is nothing I could do about the Stranger since he knows my secret identity. I imagined what would happen if the professor found out too. He would be surprised about it.

"Who are you, people? Stay away from me! STAY THE H*LL AWAY FROM ME!" He was about to hit one of the armed men. But the other armed guy shot a tranquillizer dart into the side of his neck. The professor tried to stand up, then he walked limply while looking for his sword. When the professor found the sword, he dropped to the ground. The four armed men took his unconscious body away to the white van, closed the side door. The van drove fast, disappeared into the dark night.

I was at the top of the Gotham Central building, waiting for Jim. The last conversation didn't go quite well. But I had to contact him so that I could explain what really happened. Jim finally appeared, saw me standing like the vicious Skull Knight. I expected Jim and his guys would capture me for killing the mad Berserker. Things are always the same. I turned on the silencer. Jim did the same.

"Jim..." I paused. "I'm sorry of what I've said earlier. I wanted to end the Skull Knight's killings."

"I can see that," Jim said without looking at me. "You know...in my days, I never had a fight with my own partner. Well, sort of with Harvey Bullock. Heh! Talk about him, right?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Look, Batman. I know that you didn't kill Jack Knobb. But...you didn't have to lie about it. Take a look at these people. I mean, do these people really want their hero to kill every bad guy in Gotham?"

"I know what you mean, Jim. It's just that there are some people who would be against that idea. I thought it would give me a chance to continue saving this city. Unless, I do it in secret. That was a tough call I had to make."

"Hmmm. Well...people do make mistakes. Not to mention you, by the way."

"You got that right."

"What are you going to do? Tell people the truth?"

I thought about it. I think it would be better to tell the people of Gotham of what they wanted to hear. They have to know that I didn't kill the Berserker. No matter what these people will think of me, I'll still save this city. Before telling the truth to the public, I have to explain everything to Jim about the Skull Knight.

The next day, Alfred finally came home. I took his bags and put them besides the stairs. Alfred told me not to do any of his work. But I already told him, I would help him since he lied in the hospital bed for days, needing more rest.

"That won't be necessary, Master Bruce. I'm still fine."

"Sure you are," I said, smiling. I walked to the guest room, took a bottle of whiskey, pouring it inside the glass. "You want some?"

"No, sir. Thank you," Alfred said.

"You need to live a little, Alfred."

"Is that supposed to be a joke, Master Bruce?"

"Not at all. Just playing with you. It's good to see you back, though."

"It's also good to see that this place is still...well...somewhat cleaned, I would say." He looked around the guest room and smiled, knowing that I would never do his household work. I turned towards a book on the table. I sat on the chair, grabbed the old book. I turned several pages, to the page which I have last read.

Alfred stood besides me, saw the book I was reading. He asked, "What are you reading, Master Bruce?"

"Oh this. It's one of the books that I got from my professor."

"I see. Anything...interesting?"

"Now that you ask, this book does contain a lot of interesting stuff," I nearly joked.

"Hmmm... Well...I better go and...sleep for a while and continue the rest of the day tomorrow. Do you want anything else, Master Bruce?"

"No. That would be fine, Alfred. Go and take some rest."

"Alright then. Goodnight." Alfred walked outside the guest room, took his bags away into the stairs. I looked at the book, page 457. I was reading the true history of the Skull Knight. This book was found back at the professor's apartment. I was curious to find more about the original Skull Knight's history. This book contained interesting facts about Ivan Wayne and his parents. But there was one thing that didn't interest me at all. The page which I was looking at, is a passage written by Ivan Wayne himself. I find it hard to believe of what Ivan said here. It sounds too good to be true. But you can never tell if Ivan is telling the truth, according to his passage. I guess there were reasons why Ivan had to become the Skull Knight. One thing is for sure that Ivan's parents were not killed by the other king. It was...

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I looked at my phone, which the message said, "Meet me at the Clock Tower at Midnight." It must be the Stranger. I wonder what he wants this time. I put the phone back on the table, went to the grandfather clock and activated the passage door which leads to the batcave. Here goes nothing.

To be continued in Batman: Secret Files, Chapter 26- Time Will Tell.

Wow! Talk about trust and betrayal. If the other king didn't kill Ivan's parents, who did it? I'll leave up to you to decide. Now that the Knight of Vengeance arc is over, what's going to happen next? Find out in the next story arc of BATMAN!

Edited.