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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 4- Turning Point
There was still darkness overwhelming in my eyes. The light didn't turn out to be visible as I would expected. Such cold and dark thoughts have come to my mind, saying harsh words that drives a person crazy enough to do dangerous things. It was the moment of change but it didn't meant to be. A dark change is controlling me, my body, soul, and every last breath that a human could take. For that, I needed to sleep for a while and get some rest. But the pain was still there. It was growing inside of me. As the pain shoots to various points of the human body, the sweat came dripping down from my head to the sides of the neck. The troublesome pain didn't allow me to sleep enough so that I couldn't walk and fight crime.
Alfred was standing besides my bed. He told me to calm down and get enough rest. But the butler looked worried as he still holds my hand and see what he can do to help. Alfred noticed the bite marks from the right side of my neck. His face looked astonished and still scared of the fact that I might turn into a vampire. Just like Francis de Lontaine. But the question is how did Francis became a vampire in the first place? There wasn't any scientific explanation for the cause. Science wouldn't apply here since only the supernatural experts would know more information. There was only one thing in my mind. And that one thing is the cure that could prevent the transformation. The past female victims didn't turn into vampires after death. What about men? Will they be turned as the pale Francis de Lontaine?
"Yes....Batman. You will be turned."
The dark and harsh voice came running through my head. It's as if someone were trying to read my deep thoughts. But that doesn't happen quite often. My mind was trained as well as the human body. Not even a metahuman or an alien telepath could read the depths of the human mind. If the vampire somehow accessed my mind, then it would mean this pain was the main reason. But I highly doubt it. There is no way that Francis knows my secret identity as Batman.
Alfred came close to me and still hold my shivering hands. I looked upon him as he was only my guardian angel. He also reminded me not to speak in this kind of slow tone. I mentioned about the cure to him.
"Alfred....the cure. That is the....Uh!....only way."
"But....how sir? What can we do?"
I thought of someone who can undo this possible vampire transformation. If science cannot cure it, then there should be a supernatural solution. Or even....magic.
"There is no cure....Batman."
I knew it was the voice of Francis de Lontaine. But the gut feeling says that he must have followed me through the night. My blood may have got drained a little. But I managed to drove the batmobile in the dark and silent night. When Alfred saw my condition, he helped me to walk to my bedroom. I have never felt anything like this way before. Not even when I found myself transporting through the depths of time.
I closed my eyes and concentrate what I would do in this kind of situation. But the situation was getting worse than death itself. If I did die, I would become the thing that I used to fear most as a young child. That was the time when I was afraid of flying bats. But it took time for me to get over the fear and accept it as part of my never-ending crusade. The thoughts were still there, ringing in my head as usual. Yet, the pain hasn't faded away.
"Don't try to move....Batman. You will be turned the next night. There is no way you could prevent the transformation."
"I'll do whatever it takes."
"Master Bruce?" asked the butler who thought I was talking to myself. "Sir, we must take you to the hospital. Maybe, a doctor can help you."
"No....Alfred. It's....too risky."
"Sir...."
"I said....no. I want you to do....something for me."
"What is it, sir?"
I thought of a person who could help me. But the wandering dark thoughts still ringing through my brain. The vampire was still speaking, whispering chant words as the young Desaad's. But these chants weren't actually chants. Those are just words that came from a poem.
"That's right....Batman. I wrote a poem for my beautiful lover. A woman of dark beauty. But you know....She was something more than a beauty. She was magnificent. More beautiful than any woman I had ever seen in France."
"You were a nobleman?" I communicated with thought so that Alfred wouldn't still think I'm taking to myself.
"Correct. Not just a nobleman but also a famous artist. I never thought you would know such things."
"It's called a history lesson."
There were no more words coming from his thoughts. But he gradually continue his dark speeches of the mind.
"Yes, I was a normal nobleman. A human who loves to write, draw, and do many things that a man could do. Even for a beautiful woman."
"Is that why you were killing those women? So you could see that she was like her?"
There was silence and yet the vampire knew that there was something special in me. He must be wondering how the Batman know so many things about a certain damned creature of the night. He then continue his cold, harsh speech.
"A long time ago, I met that woman who came to pose as a nude model. When I saw her, a true beauty sparked in me. As I drew her beautiful flesh, it was the moment that I fell in love with her. But I never knew what she was. And how she came to pose as a model. I never asked her questions so that I could win her heart and soul. I only followed her to a large mansion. A mansion where she used to live for so many years. Then I found out she was already....dead."
"Dead?"
"Yes. Or shall I say, the undead."
I was surprised that a female vampire could turn Francis into her own kind. But the question is why would she do such a thing? Did the female vampire also felt the love for him?
"She did fell the love....Batman. But she only wanted a male vampire so we could breed our own kind. The problem is that it didn't quite happened as the way the lovers would expect it."
"What happened?"
"There were vampire hunters in the region of France. I never thought they would hunt us down. They managed to turn my beloved woman into dust. And I escaped, cried out in pain, and felt revenge in my heart. I killed those vampire hunters with my bare hands. But it wasn't enough. I lived through several centuries to see if I can find the right woman like my beloved model."
"So you killed those women just to find a new mate?"
The vampire still lay in silent mode. But he made a harsh laughter from his unseen mouth as if it wasn't the true fact.
"You are something....Batman. I knew you were special. That's why I drew you into the cathedral. So that you can become like me. But on the other hand, you're entirely correct. I did kill them so that I could find a perfect mate of my own. Since, you're becoming the vampire, I'll never have any trouble finding the right woman. Two minutes....Batman. That's the same amount of time, she bit me and the same thing will happen to you. YOU WILL BE TURNED!"
"No."
"Yes. You will be very hungry. Can you feel the hunger? I can feel it. It grows stronger in you. The time is near....Batman. The time that Batman finally kills for blood!"
"NO!"
"HA! HA! HA! HA! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO....BATMAN? IF YOU REALLY WANTED NOT TO BECOME A VAMPIRE, THEN THERE IS ONLY ONE CURE. DEATH!"
"FRANCIS!"
I suddenly jumped out of the bed and fell on the floor. Alfred stepped towards my half-unconscious body. He couldn't bear the thought that the old Bruce Wayne might be turned into the creature of the night.
"Sir!....Sir! Are you alright?"
"Alfred....there isn't much time. I have only more day left. I....want you to find her....as soon as possible."
"Find who? Master Bruce! Whom are you talking about?"
"It's....Zatanna."
To be continued in Batman: Secret Files, Chapter 5- Body and Soul.
Zatanna? Could she possibly cure the vampirism with her magic spells? Does Bruce Wayne have enough time for that cure? Will it be too late? Stay tuned in the next chapter of....BATMAN!
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